PCI Holdings' (TSE:3918) Shareholders May Want To Dig Deeper Than Statutory Profit

The recent earnings posted by PCI Holdings, Inc. (TSE:3918) were solid, but the stock didn't move as much as we expected. However the statutory profit number doesn't tell the whole story, and we have found some factors which might be of concern to shareholders.

See our latest analysis for PCI Holdings

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that PCI Holdings' profit received a boost of JP¥167m in unusual items, over the last year. We can't deny that higher profits generally leave us optimistic, but we'd prefer it if the profit were to be sustainable. We ran the numbers on most publicly listed companies worldwide, and it's very common for unusual items to be once-off in nature. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. Assuming those unusual items don't show up again in the current year, we'd thus expect profit to be weaker next year (in the absence of business growth, that is).

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of PCI Holdings.

Our Take On PCI Holdings' Profit Performance

We'd posit that PCI Holdings' statutory earnings aren't a clean read on ongoing productivity, due to the large unusual item. Because of this, we think that it may be that PCI Holdings' statutory profits are better than its underlying earnings power. But the good news is that its EPS growth over the last three years has been very impressive. 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. If you'd like to know more about PCI Holdings as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for PCI Holdings you should know about.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of PCI Holdings' profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. 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.