Here's Why Talam Transform Berhad (KLSE:TALAMT) Has A Meaningful Debt Burden

David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital.' So it seems the smart money knows that debt - which is usually involved in bankruptcies - is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. We can see that Talam Transform Berhad (KLSE:TALAMT) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

When Is Debt A Problem?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. 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, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Talam Transform Berhad

What Is Talam Transform Berhad's Debt?

As you can see below, Talam Transform Berhad had RM33.3m of debt at December 2021, down from RM72.2m a year prior. However, it also had RM3.28m in cash, and so its net debt is RM30.0m.

How Strong Is Talam Transform Berhad's Balance Sheet?

We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Talam Transform Berhad had liabilities of RM169.2m falling due within a year, and liabilities of RM269.1m due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had RM3.28m in cash and RM105.6m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities total RM329.3m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

This deficit casts a shadow over the RM85.9m company, like a colossus towering over mere mortals. So we definitely think shareholders need to watch this one closely. After all, Talam Transform Berhad would likely require a major re-capitalisation if it had to pay its creditors today.

In order to size up a company's debt relative to its earnings, we calculate its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) divided by its interest expense (its interest cover). This way, we consider both the absolute quantum of the debt, as well as the interest rates paid on it.

While Talam Transform Berhad has a quite reasonable net debt to EBITDA multiple of 2.4, its interest cover seems weak, at 0.50. This does suggest the company is paying fairly high interest rates. Either way there's no doubt the stock is using meaningful leverage. One redeeming factor for Talam Transform Berhad is that it turned last year's EBIT loss into a gain of RM11m, over the last twelve months. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since Talam Transform 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.

Finally, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. So it's worth checking how much of the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) is backed by free cash flow. Happily for any shareholders, Talam Transform Berhad actually produced more free cash flow than EBIT over the last year. There's nothing better than incoming cash when it comes to staying in your lenders' good graces.

Our View

On the face of it, Talam Transform Berhad's interest cover left us tentative about the stock, and its level of total liabilities was no more enticing than the one empty restaurant on the busiest night of the year. But on the bright side, its conversion of EBIT to free cash flow is a good sign, and makes us more optimistic. Overall, we think it's fair to say that Talam Transform 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. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For example - Talam Transform Berhad has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

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.

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.