Some Investors May Be Willing To Look Past Yodogawa Steel Works' (TSE:5451) Soft Earnings

The market was pleased with the recent earnings report from Yodogawa Steel Works, Ltd. (TSE:5451), despite the profit numbers being soft. However, we think the company is showing some signs that things are more promising than they seem.

View our latest analysis for Yodogawa Steel Works

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

For anyone who wants to understand Yodogawa Steel Works' profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by JP¥6.1b due to unusual items. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. In the twelve months to March 2024, Yodogawa Steel Works had a big unusual items expense. As a result, we can surmise that the unusual items made its statutory profit significantly weaker than it would otherwise be.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Yodogawa Steel Works.

Our Take On Yodogawa Steel Works' Profit Performance

As we mentioned previously, the Yodogawa Steel Works' profit was hampered by unusual items in the last year. Because of this, we think Yodogawa Steel Works' underlying earnings potential is as good as, or possibly even better, than the statutory profit makes it seem! Unfortunately, though, its earnings per share actually fell back over the last year. 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. In light of this, if you'd like to do more analysis on the company, it's vital to be informed of the risks involved. For example - Yodogawa Steel Works has 4 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Yodogawa Steel Works' 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. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with high insider ownership.

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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.