DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad (KLSE:DKSH) Has A Somewhat Strained Balance Sheet

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.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. Importantly, DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad (KLSE:DKSH) does carry debt. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.

When Is Debt Dangerous?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

Check out our latest analysis for DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad

What Is DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad's Net Debt?

As you can see below, DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad had RM613.0m of debt at March 2021, down from RM698.5m a year prior. However, it does have RM123.0m in cash offsetting this, leading to net debt of about RM490.0m.

A Look At DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad's Liabilities

The latest balance sheet data shows that DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad had liabilities of RM1.87b due within a year, and liabilities of RM363.4m falling due after that. On the other hand, it had cash of RM123.0m and RM1.57b worth of receivables due within a year. So it has liabilities totalling RM540.1m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

When you consider that this deficiency exceeds the company's RM514.0m market capitalization, you might well be inclined to review the balance sheet intently. In the scenario where the company had to clean up its balance sheet quickly, it seems likely shareholders would suffer extensive dilution.

We measure a company's debt load relative to its earnings power by looking at its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and by calculating how easily its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) cover its interest expense (interest cover). The advantage of this approach is that we take into account both the absolute quantum of debt (with net debt to EBITDA) and the actual interest expenses associated with that debt (with its interest cover ratio).

DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad's debt is 3.0 times its EBITDA, and its EBIT cover its interest expense 4.2 times over. Taken together this implies that, while we wouldn't want to see debt levels rise, we think it can handle its current leverage. More concerning, DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad saw its EBIT drop by 6.3% in the last twelve months. If that earnings trend continues the company will face an uphill battle to pay off its debt. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. So we always check how much of that EBIT is translated into free cash flow. During the last three years, DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad produced sturdy free cash flow equating to 50% of its EBIT, about what we'd expect. This free cash flow puts the company in a good position to pay down debt, when appropriate.

Our View

Mulling over DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad's attempt at staying on top of its total liabilities, we're certainly not enthusiastic. But at least its conversion of EBIT to free cash flow is not so bad. Overall, we think it's fair to say that DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad has enough debt that there are some real risks around the balance sheet. If all goes well, that should boost returns, but on the flip side, the risk of permanent capital loss is elevated by the debt. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For example - DKSH Holdings (Malaysia) Berhad has 3 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.

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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.
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