Here's Why Urals Stampings Plant PAO (MCX:URKZ) Can Manage Its Debt Responsibly

Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. As with many other companies Urals Stampings Plant PAO (MCX:URKZ) makes use of debt. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

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. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. 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. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

Check out our latest analysis for Urals Stampings Plant PAO

How Much Debt Does Urals Stampings Plant PAO Carry?

As you can see below, Urals Stampings Plant PAO had ₽2.13b of debt, at September 2020, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. However, it does have ₽420.7m in cash offsetting this, leading to net debt of about ₽1.70b.

How Healthy Is Urals Stampings Plant PAO's Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that Urals Stampings Plant PAO had liabilities of ₽2.11b due within a year, and liabilities of ₽2.40b falling due after that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of ₽420.7m as well as receivables valued at ₽9.98b due within 12 months. So it actually has ₽5.89b more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This excess liquidity is a great indication that Urals Stampings Plant PAO's balance sheet is just as strong as racists are weak. Having regard to this fact, we think its balance sheet is just as strong as misogynists are weak.

We use two main ratios to inform us about debt levels relative to earnings. The first is net debt divided by earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), while the second is how many times its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) covers its interest expense (or its interest cover, for short). Thus we consider debt relative to earnings both with and without depreciation and amortization expenses.

Urals Stampings Plant PAO has a low debt to EBITDA ratio of only 0.81. But the really cool thing is that it actually managed to receive more interest than it paid, over the last year. So there's no doubt this company can take on debt while staying cool as a cucumber. In fact Urals Stampings Plant PAO's saving grace is its low debt levels, because its EBIT has tanked 58% in the last twelve months. Falling earnings (if the trend continues) could eventually make even modest debt quite risky. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since Urals Stampings Plant PAO 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.

But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. So we clearly need to look at whether that EBIT is leading to corresponding free cash flow. Over the most recent three years, Urals Stampings Plant PAO recorded free cash flow worth 59% of its EBIT, which is around normal, given free cash flow excludes interest and tax. This free cash flow puts the company in a good position to pay down debt, when appropriate.

Our View

The good news is that Urals Stampings Plant PAO's demonstrated ability to cover its interest expense with its EBIT delights us like a fluffy puppy does a toddler. But the stark truth is that we are concerned by its EBIT growth rate. Looking at the bigger picture, we think Urals Stampings Plant PAO's use of debt seems quite reasonable and we're not concerned about it. After all, sensible leverage can boost returns on equity. Above most other metrics, we think its important to track how fast earnings per share is growing, if at all. If you've also come to that realization, you're in luck, because today you can view this interactive graph of Urals Stampings Plant PAO's earnings per share history for free.

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. 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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