Why Securitas' (STO:SECU B) Earnings Are Better Than They Seem

The market seemed underwhelmed by last week's earnings announcement from Securitas AB (publ) (STO:SECU B) despite the healthy numbers. Our analysis suggests that shareholders might be missing some positive underlying factors in the earnings report.

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How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

For anyone who wants to understand Securitas' profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by kr1.6b due to unusual items. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect Securitas to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On Securitas' Profit Performance

Unusual items (expenses) detracted from Securitas' earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Based on this observation, we consider it likely that Securitas' statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! And the EPS is up 6.5% over the last twelve months. At the end of the day, it's essential to consider more than just the factors above, if you want to understand the company properly. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. You'd be interested to know, that we found 2 warning signs for Securitas and you'll want to know about these bad boys.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Securitas' profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. 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.

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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.