Is Dt&C (KOSDAQ:187220) A Risky Investment?

Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. We note that Dt&C Co., Ltd. (KOSDAQ:187220) does have debt on its balance sheet. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

When Is Debt A Problem?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own 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. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

Check out our latest analysis for Dt&C

What Is Dt&C's Net Debt?

The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Dt&C had ₩69.7b in debt in March 2024; about the same as the year before. However, because it has a cash reserve of ₩35.9b, its net debt is less, at about ₩33.8b.

How Strong Is Dt&C's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, Dt&C had liabilities of ₩105.3b due within 12 months, and liabilities of ₩21.8b due beyond 12 months. On the other hand, it had cash of ₩35.9b and ₩30.9b worth of receivables due within a year. So it has liabilities totalling ₩60.4b more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

Given this deficit is actually higher than the company's market capitalization of ₩51.6b, we think shareholders really should watch Dt&C's debt levels, like a parent watching their child ride a bike for the first time. Hypothetically, extremely heavy dilution would be required if the company were forced to pay down its liabilities by raising capital at the current share price. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since Dt&C will need earnings to service that debt. So when considering debt, it's definitely worth looking at the earnings trend. Click here for an interactive snapshot.

In the last year Dt&C had a loss before interest and tax, and actually shrunk its revenue by 12%, to ₩99b. That's not what we would hope to see.

Caveat Emptor

While Dt&C's falling revenue is about as heartwarming as a wet blanket, arguably its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) loss is even less appealing. Its EBIT loss was a whopping ₩21b. Considering that alongside the liabilities mentioned above make us nervous about the company. We'd want to see some strong near-term improvements before getting too interested in the stock. Not least because it had negative free cash flow of ₩21b over the last twelve months. So suffice it to say we consider the stock to be risky. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For example Dt&C has 2 warning signs (and 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) we think you should know about.

At the end of the day, it's often better to focus on companies that are free from net debt. You can access our special list of such companies (all with a track record of profit growth). It's free.

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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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com