Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of permanent loss is the risk I worry about... and every practical investor I know worries about.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. We note that Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad (KLSE:FLEXI) does have debt on its balance sheet. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?
Why Does Debt Bring Risk?
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 usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.
What Is Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad's Debt?
As you can see below, at the end of September 2025, Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad had RM19.3m of debt, up from RM8.91m a year ago. Click the image for more detail. However, it does have RM7.44m in cash offsetting this, leading to net debt of about RM11.9m.
A Look At Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad's Liabilities
Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad had liabilities of RM49.7m due within 12 months and liabilities of RM16.0m due beyond that. On the other hand, it had cash of RM7.44m and RM49.1m worth of receivables due within a year. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by RM9.15m.
Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad has a market capitalization of RM31.5m, so it could very likely raise cash to ameliorate its balance sheet, if the need arose. However, it is still worthwhile taking a close look at its ability to pay off debt. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad 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.
See our latest analysis for Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad
Over 12 months, Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad reported revenue of RM68m, which is a gain of 68%, although it did not report any earnings before interest and tax. Shareholders probably have their fingers crossed that it can grow its way to profits.
Caveat Emptor
While we can certainly appreciate Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad's revenue growth, its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) loss is not ideal. Its EBIT loss was a whopping RM4.3m. Considering that alongside the liabilities mentioned above does not give us much confidence that company should be using so much debt. Quite frankly we think the balance sheet is far from match-fit, although it could be improved with time. Another cause for caution is that is bled RM911k in negative free cash flow over the last twelve months. So to be blunt we think it is risky. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. Be aware that Flexidynamic Holdings Berhad is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about...
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.