Citizen Watch's (TSE:7762) Problems Go Beyond Weak Profit

The subdued market reaction suggests that Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.'s (TSE:7762) recent earnings didn't contain any surprises. We think that investors are worried about some weaknesses underlying the earnings.

See our latest analysis for Citizen Watch

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that Citizen Watch's profit received a boost of JP¥3.5b 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 crunched the numbers on thousands of publicly listed companies, we found that a boost from unusual items in a given year is often not repeated the next year. 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).

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 Citizen Watch's Profit Performance

Arguably, Citizen Watch's statutory earnings have been distorted by unusual items boosting profit. Therefore, it seems possible to us that Citizen Watch's true underlying earnings power is actually less than its statutory profit. But on the bright side, its earnings per share have grown at an extremely impressive rate over the last three years. 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, we've found that Citizen Watch has 2 warning signs (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Citizen Watch's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. 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.