Socfinasia's (BDL:SCFNS) Strong Earnings Are Of Good Quality

Even though Socfinasia S.A.'s (BDL:SCFNS) recent earnings release was robust, the market didn't seem to notice. We think that investors have missed some encouraging factors underlying the profit figures.

See our latest analysis for Socfinasia

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Importantly, our data indicates that Socfinasia's profit was reduced by €4.5m, due to unusual items, over the last year. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. If Socfinasia doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

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

Our Take On Socfinasia's Profit Performance

Unusual items (expenses) detracted from Socfinasia's earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Because of this, we think Socfinasia's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! And the EPS is up 14% over the last twelve months. 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. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. To help with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs (1 is significant!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in Socfinasia.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Socfinasia's 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 that insiders are buying to be useful.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
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