We Think You Should Be Aware Of Some Concerning Factors In China Electric Mfg's (TWSE:1611) Earnings

The recent earnings posted by China Electric Mfg. Corporation (TWSE:1611) were solid, but the stock didn't move as much as we expected. However the statutory profit number doesn't tell the whole story, and we have found some factors which might be of concern to shareholders.

View our latest analysis for China Electric Mfg

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

To properly understand China Electric Mfg's profit results, we need to consider the NT$40m gain attributed to unusual items. We can't deny that higher profits generally leave us optimistic, but we'd prefer it if the profit were to be sustainable. We ran the numbers on most publicly listed companies worldwide, and it's very common for unusual items to be once-off in nature. Which is hardly surprising, given the name. We can see that China Electric Mfg's positive unusual items were quite significant relative to its profit in the year to December 2023. All else being equal, this would likely have the effect of making the statutory profit a poor guide to underlying earnings power.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of China Electric Mfg.

Our Take On China Electric Mfg's Profit Performance

As we discussed above, we think the significant positive unusual item makes China Electric Mfg's earnings a poor guide to its underlying profitability. For this reason, we think that China Electric Mfg's statutory profits may be a bad guide to its underlying earnings power, and might give investors an overly positive impression of the company. But the good news is that its EPS growth over the last three years has been very impressive. 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. If you'd like to know more about China Electric Mfg as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for China Electric Mfg you should be mindful of and 1 of them makes us a bit uncomfortable.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of China Electric Mfg's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. 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.