Tashin Holdings Berhad (KLSE:TASHIN) Posted Healthy Earnings But There Are Some Other Factors To Be Aware Of

Tashin Holdings Berhad (KLSE:TASHIN) just reported some strong earnings, and the market rewarded them with a positive share price move. However, our analysis suggests that shareholders may be missing some factors that indicate the earnings result was not as good as it looked.

See our latest analysis for Tashin Holdings Berhad

A Closer Look At Tashin Holdings Berhad's Earnings

Many investors haven't heard of the accrual ratio from cashflow, but it is actually a useful measure of how well a company's profit is backed up by free cash flow (FCF) during a given period. To get the accrual ratio we first subtract FCF from profit for a period, and then divide that number by the average operating assets for the period. This ratio tells us how much of a company's profit is not backed by free cashflow.

Therefore, it's actually considered a good thing when a company has a negative accrual ratio, but a bad thing if its accrual ratio is positive. That is not intended to imply we should worry about a positive accrual ratio, but it's worth noting where the accrual ratio is rather high. To quote a 2014 paper by Lewellen and Resutek, "firms with higher accruals tend to be less profitable in the future".

For the year to June 2021, Tashin Holdings Berhad had an accrual ratio of 0.42. As a general rule, that bodes poorly for future profitability. And indeed, during the period the company didn't produce any free cash flow whatsoever. Even though it reported a profit of RM34.6m, a look at free cash flow indicates it actually burnt through RM54m in the last year. It's worth noting that Tashin Holdings Berhad generated positive FCF of RM15m a year ago, so at least they've done it in the past. The good news for shareholders is that Tashin Holdings Berhad's accrual ratio was much better last year, so this year's poor reading might simply be a case of a short term mismatch between profit and FCF. As a result, some shareholders may be looking for stronger cash conversion in the current year.

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

Our Take On Tashin Holdings Berhad's Profit Performance

As we have made quite clear, we're a bit worried that Tashin Holdings Berhad didn't back up the last year's profit with free cashflow. For this reason, we think that Tashin Holdings Berhad's statutory profits may be a bad guide to its underlying earnings power, and might give investors an overly positive impression of the company. The good news is that it earned a profit in the last twelve months, despite its previous loss. 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. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. For example, Tashin Holdings Berhad has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is potentially serious) we think you should know about.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Tashin Holdings Berhad'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. 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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