Axis (GTSM:6292) Seems To Use Debt Rather Sparingly

Warren Buffett famously said, '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. We note that Axis Corporation (GTSM:6292) does have debt on its balance sheet. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

When Is Debt A Problem?

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. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.

Check out our latest analysis for Axis

What Is Axis's Net Debt?

As you can see below, Axis had NT$261.2m of debt at September 2020, down from NT$285.5m a year prior. But on the other hand it also has NT$879.9m in cash, leading to a NT$618.6m net cash position.

How Healthy Is Axis' Balance Sheet?

We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Axis had liabilities of NT$549.4m falling due within a year, and liabilities of NT$90.6m due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had NT$879.9m in cash and NT$230.7m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it actually has NT$470.6m more liquid assets than total liabilities.

It's good to see that Axis has plenty of liquidity on its balance sheet, suggesting conservative management of liabilities. Due to its strong net asset position, it is not likely to face issues with its lenders. Succinctly put, Axis boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

And we also note warmly that Axis grew its EBIT by 10% last year, making its debt load easier to handle. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since Axis will need earnings to service that debt. So if you're keen to discover more about its earnings, it might be worth checking out this graph of its long term earnings trend.

But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. Axis may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. Over the most recent three years, Axis recorded free cash flow worth 76% of its EBIT, which is around normal, given free cash flow excludes interest and tax. This cold hard cash means it can reduce its debt when it wants to.

Summing up

While we empathize with investors who find debt concerning, you should keep in mind that Axis has net cash of NT$618.6m, as well as more liquid assets than liabilities. And it impressed us with free cash flow of -NT$89m, being 76% of its EBIT. So is Axis's debt a risk? It doesn't seem so to us. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Axis (1 is significant) you should be aware of.

If, after all that, you're more interested in a fast growing company with a rock-solid balance sheet, then check out our list of net cash growth stocks without delay.

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