We Think F&F Holdings (KRX:007700) Can Stay On Top Of Its Debt

Legendary fund manager Li Lu (who Charlie Munger backed) once said, 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a 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 note that F&F Holdings Co., Ltd. (KRX:007700) does have debt on its balance sheet. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

When Is Debt Dangerous?

Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. However, a more common (but still painful) scenario is that it has to raise new equity capital at a low price, thus permanently diluting shareholders. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

See our latest analysis for F&F Holdings

How Much Debt Does F&F Holdings Carry?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that F&F Holdings had ₩84.9b of debt in March 2024, down from ₩239.4b, one year before. However, its balance sheet shows it holds ₩423.6b in cash, so it actually has ₩338.7b net cash.

A Look At F&F Holdings' Liabilities

According to the last reported balance sheet, F&F Holdings had liabilities of ₩521.4b due within 12 months, and liabilities of ₩145.1b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of ₩423.6b as well as receivables valued at ₩104.5b due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling ₩138.5b more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

F&F Holdings has a market capitalization of ₩658.3b, so it could very likely raise cash to ameliorate its balance sheet, if the need arose. But we definitely want to keep our eyes open to indications that its debt is bringing too much risk. While it does have liabilities worth noting, F&F Holdings also has more cash than debt, so we're pretty confident it can manage its debt safely.

While F&F Holdings doesn't seem to have gained much on the EBIT line, at least earnings remain stable for now. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since F&F Holdings 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.

Finally, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. While F&F Holdings has net cash on its balance sheet, it's still worth taking a look at its ability to convert earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, to help us understand how quickly it is building (or eroding) that cash balance. Over the most recent three years, F&F Holdings recorded free cash flow worth 75% of its EBIT, which is around normal, given free cash flow excludes interest and tax. This cold hard cash means it can reduce its debt when it wants to.

Summing Up

Although F&F Holdings's balance sheet isn't particularly strong, due to the total liabilities, it is clearly positive to see that it has net cash of ₩338.7b. The cherry on top was that in converted 75% of that EBIT to free cash flow, bringing in ₩385b. So we don't think F&F Holdings's use of debt is risky. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for F&F Holdings that you should be aware of.

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

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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