Mansei (TSE:7565) Seems To Use Debt Rather Sparingly

David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital.' So it seems the smart money knows that debt - which is usually involved in bankruptcies - is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. We can see that Mansei Corporation (TSE:7565) does use debt in its business. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Mansei

How Much Debt Does Mansei Carry?

As you can see below, Mansei had JP¥300.0m of debt, at March 2024, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. However, its balance sheet shows it holds JP¥7.86b in cash, so it actually has JP¥7.56b net cash.

A Look At Mansei's Liabilities

According to the last reported balance sheet, Mansei had liabilities of JP¥9.78b due within 12 months, and liabilities of JP¥631.0m due beyond 12 months. Offsetting this, it had JP¥7.86b in cash and JP¥10.1b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it actually has JP¥7.54b more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This surplus strongly suggests that Mansei has a rock-solid balance sheet (and the debt is of no concern whatsoever). With this in mind one could posit that its balance sheet means the company is able to handle some adversity. Succinctly put, Mansei boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

In addition to that, we're happy to report that Mansei has boosted its EBIT by 35%, thus reducing the spectre of future debt repayments. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is Mansei's earnings that will influence how the balance sheet holds up in the future. So when considering debt, it's definitely worth looking at the earnings trend. Click here for an interactive snapshot.

Finally, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. Mansei may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. Looking at the most recent three years, Mansei recorded free cash flow of 49% of its EBIT, which is weaker than we'd expect. That's not great, when it comes to paying down debt.

Summing Up

While we empathize with investors who find debt concerning, the bottom line is that Mansei has net cash of JP¥7.56b and plenty of liquid assets. And we liked the look of last year's 35% year-on-year EBIT growth. The bottom line is that we do not find Mansei's debt levels at all concerning. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. Be aware that Mansei is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about...

If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.

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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.

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