Is Coaster International (TPE:2936) A Risky Investment?

Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. We note that Coaster International Co., Ltd. (TPE:2936) does have debt on its balance sheet. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

When Is Debt Dangerous?

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. Ultimately, if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt, shareholders could walk away with nothing. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. 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. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

Check out our latest analysis for Coaster International

What Is Coaster International's Debt?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that Coaster International had NT$392.5m of debt in September 2020, down from NT$1.28b, one year before. But on the other hand it also has NT$1.31b in cash, leading to a NT$917.0m net cash position.

How Healthy Is Coaster International's Balance Sheet?

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Coaster International had liabilities of NT$1.94b due within 12 months and liabilities of NT$975.3m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of NT$1.31b as well as receivables valued at NT$666.1m due within 12 months. So its liabilities total NT$937.0m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

While this might seem like a lot, it is not so bad since Coaster International has a market capitalization of NT$1.64b, and so it could probably strengthen its balance sheet by raising capital if it needed to. But we definitely want to keep our eyes open to indications that its debt is bringing too much risk. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Coaster International boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

It is well worth noting that Coaster International's EBIT shot up like bamboo after rain, gaining 97% in the last twelve months. That'll make it easier to manage its debt. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is Coaster International's earnings that will influence how the balance sheet holds up in the future. 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.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. Coaster International 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. Happily for any shareholders, Coaster International actually produced more free cash flow than EBIT over the last two years. That sort of strong cash conversion gets us as excited as the crowd when the beat drops at a Daft Punk concert.

Summing up

Although Coaster International's balance sheet isn't particularly strong, due to the total liabilities, it is clearly positive to see that it has net cash of NT$917.0m. The cherry on top was that in converted 673% of that EBIT to free cash flow, bringing in NT$2.5b. So we don't have any problem with Coaster International's use of debt. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Coaster International (1 is concerning) you should be aware of.

If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.

If you’re looking to trade Coaster International, open an account with the lowest-cost* platform trusted by professionals, Interactive Brokers. Their clients from over 200 countries and territories trade stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds worldwide from a single integrated account. Promoted

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.
^*Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.