There May Be Underlying Issues With The Quality Of Harmonic Drive Systems' (TSE:6324) Earnings

Despite posting some strong earnings, the market for Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.'s (TSE:6324) stock hasn't moved much. We did some digging, and we found some concerning factors in the details.

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The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Importantly, our data indicates that Harmonic Drive Systems' profit received a boost of JP¥4.7b in unusual items, over the last year. While it's always nice to have higher profit, a large contribution from unusual items sometimes dampens our enthusiasm. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. We can see that Harmonic Drive Systems' positive unusual items were quite significant relative to its profit in the year to September 2025. As a result, we can surmise that the unusual items are making its statutory profit significantly stronger than it would otherwise be.

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On Harmonic Drive Systems' Profit Performance

As we discussed above, we think the significant positive unusual item makes Harmonic Drive Systems' earnings a poor guide to its underlying profitability. For this reason, we think that Harmonic Drive Systems' statutory profits may be a bad guide to its underlying earnings power, and might give investors an overly positive impression of the company. The good news is that it earned a profit in the last twelve months, despite its previous loss. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Harmonic Drive Systems (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable) you should be familiar with.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Harmonic Drive Systems' profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.