We Think That There Are More Issues For Teck Guan Perdana Berhad (KLSE:TECGUAN) Than Just Sluggish Earnings

Teck Guan Perdana Berhad's (KLSE:TECGUAN) stock showed strength, with investors undeterred by its weak earnings report. While shareholders may be willing to overlook soft profit numbers, we believe that they should also be taking into account some other factors which may be cause for concern.

See our latest analysis for Teck Guan Perdana Berhad

Examining Cashflow Against Teck Guan Perdana Berhad's Earnings

As finance nerds would already know, the accrual ratio from cashflow is a key measure for assessing how well a company's free cash flow (FCF) matches its profit. In plain english, this ratio subtracts FCF from net profit, and divides that number by the company's average operating assets over that period. The ratio shows us how much a company's profit exceeds its FCF.

That means a negative accrual ratio is a good thing, because it shows that the company is bringing in more free cash flow than its profit would suggest. While having an accrual ratio above zero is of little concern, we do think it's worth noting when a company has a relatively high accrual ratio. That's because some academic studies have suggested that high accruals ratios tend to lead to lower profit or less profit growth.

Over the twelve months to July 2024, Teck Guan Perdana Berhad recorded an accrual ratio of 0.26. Unfortunately, that means its free cash flow fell significantly short of its reported profits. Even though it reported a profit of RM10.4m, a look at free cash flow indicates it actually burnt through RM15m in the last year. It's worth noting that Teck Guan Perdana Berhad generated positive FCF of RM66m a year ago, so at least they've done it in the past. One positive for Teck Guan Perdana Berhad shareholders is that it's accrual ratio was significantly better last year, providing reason to believe that it may return to stronger cash conversion in the future. Shareholders should look for improved cashflow relative to profit in the current year, if that is indeed the case.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Teck Guan Perdana Berhad.

Our Take On Teck Guan Perdana Berhad's Profit Performance

Teck Guan Perdana Berhad didn't convert much of its profit to free cash flow in the last year, which some investors may consider rather suboptimal. Because of this, we think that it may be that Teck Guan Perdana Berhad's statutory profits are better than its underlying earnings power. But on the bright side, its earnings per share have grown at an extremely impressive rate over the last three years. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Teck Guan Perdana Berhad (of which 1 can't be ignored!) you should know about.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Teck Guan Perdana Berhad's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. 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 with significant insider holdings to be useful.

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

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.