Does Gudeng Precision Industrial (GTSM:3680) Have A Healthy Balance Sheet?

Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. Importantly, Gudeng Precision Industrial Co., Ltd (GTSM:3680) does carry debt. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

When Is Debt A Problem?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. 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. Of course, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

Check out our latest analysis for Gudeng Precision Industrial

What Is Gudeng Precision Industrial's Net Debt?

As you can see below, Gudeng Precision Industrial had NT$2.11b of debt, at December 2020, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. On the flip side, it has NT$1.59b in cash leading to net debt of about NT$525.6m.

How Healthy Is Gudeng Precision Industrial's Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that Gudeng Precision Industrial had liabilities of NT$1.59b due within a year, and liabilities of NT$1.83b falling due after that. Offsetting this, it had NT$1.59b in cash and NT$427.3m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by NT$1.40b.

Since publicly traded Gudeng Precision Industrial shares are worth a total of NT$26.9b, it seems unlikely that this level of liabilities would be a major threat. However, we do think it is worth keeping an eye on its balance sheet strength, as it may change over time.

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). This way, we consider both the absolute quantum of the debt, as well as the interest rates paid on it.

Gudeng Precision Industrial's net debt is sitting at a very reasonable 2.1 times its EBITDA, while its EBIT covered its interest expense just 3.1 times last year. It seems that the business incurs large depreciation and amortisation charges, so maybe its debt load is heavier than it would first appear, since EBITDA is arguably a generous measure of earnings. Shareholders should be aware that Gudeng Precision Industrial's EBIT was down 48% last year. If that decline continues then paying off debt will be harder than selling foie gras at a vegan convention. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Gudeng Precision Industrial's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. So we always check how much of that EBIT is translated into free cash flow. During the last two years, Gudeng Precision Industrial burned a lot of cash. While that may be a result of expenditure for growth, it does make the debt far more risky.

Our View

To be frank both Gudeng Precision Industrial's conversion of EBIT to free cash flow and its track record of (not) growing its EBIT make us rather uncomfortable with its debt levels. But on the bright side, its level of total liabilities is a good sign, and makes us more optimistic. Looking at the bigger picture, it seems clear to us that Gudeng Precision Industrial's use of debt is creating risks for the company. If all goes well, that should boost returns, but on the flip side, the risk of permanent capital loss is elevated by the debt. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For example Gudeng Precision Industrial has 3 warning signs (and 2 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about.

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.

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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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