Statutory Profit Doesn't Reflect How Good JWW Invest's (WSE:JWW) Earnings Are

Even though JWW Invest S.A. (WSE:JWW ) posted strong earnings, investors appeared to be underwhelmed. Our analysis says that investors should be optimistic, as the strong profit is built on solid foundations.

Check out our latest analysis for JWW Invest

A Closer Look At JWW Invest's Earnings

One key financial ratio used to measure how well a company converts its profit to free cash flow (FCF) is the accrual ratio. The accrual ratio subtracts the FCF from the profit for a given period, and divides the result by the average operating assets of the company over that time. You could think of the accrual ratio from cashflow as the 'non-FCF profit ratio'.

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. 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. That's because some academic studies have suggested that high accruals ratios tend to lead to lower profit or less profit growth.

For the year to December 2023, JWW Invest had an accrual ratio of -0.33. Therefore, its statutory earnings were very significantly less than its free cashflow. Indeed, in the last twelve months it reported free cash flow of zł14m, well over the zł6.62m it reported in profit. Notably, JWW Invest had negative free cash flow last year, so the zł14m it produced this year was a welcome improvement.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of JWW Invest.

Our Take On JWW Invest's Profit Performance

Happily for shareholders, JWW Invest produced plenty of free cash flow to back up its statutory profit numbers. Because of this, we think JWW Invest's underlying earnings potential is as good as, or possibly even better, than the statutory profit makes it seem! And on top of that, 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. So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing JWW Invest at this point in time. Our analysis shows 2 warning signs for JWW Invest (1 is a bit concerning!) and we strongly recommend you look at them before investing.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of JWW Invest's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

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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.