Here's Why Ecocera Optronics (GTSM:6597) Has A Meaningful Debt Burden

Legendary fund manager Li Lu (who Charlie Munger backed) once said, 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital. 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, Ecocera Optronics Co., Ltd. (GTSM:6597) does carry debt. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

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. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. 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. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

Check out our latest analysis for Ecocera Optronics

How Much Debt Does Ecocera Optronics Carry?

The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Ecocera Optronics had NT$240.0m in debt in December 2019; about the same as the year before. However, because it has a cash reserve of NT$42.4m, its net debt is less, at about NT$197.6m.

A Look At Ecocera Optronics's Liabilities

The latest balance sheet data shows that Ecocera Optronics had liabilities of NT$337.4m due within a year, and liabilities of NT$8.41m falling due after that. On the other hand, it had cash of NT$42.4m and NT$130.1m worth of receivables due within a year. So its liabilities total NT$173.3m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

This deficit isn't so bad because Ecocera Optronics is worth NT$486.1m, and thus could probably raise enough capital to shore up its balance sheet, if the need arose. However, it is still worthwhile taking a close look at its ability to pay off debt.

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). Thus we consider debt relative to earnings both with and without depreciation and amortization expenses.

Ecocera Optronics has a debt to EBITDA ratio of 3.8 and its EBIT covered its interest expense 3.8 times. This suggests that while the debt levels are significant, we'd stop short of calling them problematic. Looking on the bright side, Ecocera Optronics boosted its EBIT by a silky 95% in the last year. Like the milk of human kindness that sort of growth increases resilience, making the company more capable of managing debt. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is Ecocera Optronics's earnings that will influence how the balance sheet holds up in the future. So when considering debt, it's definitely worth looking at the earnings trend. Click here for an interactive snapshot.

Finally, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. So we clearly need to look at whether that EBIT is leading to corresponding free cash flow. During the last three years, Ecocera Optronics 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

Ecocera Optronics's conversion of EBIT to free cash flow and net debt to EBITDA definitely weigh on it, in our esteem. But the good news is it seems to be able to grow its EBIT with ease. Looking at all the angles mentioned above, it does seem to us that Ecocera Optronics is a somewhat risky investment as a result of its debt. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since leverage can boost returns on equity, but it is something to be aware of. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for Ecocera Optronics that you should be aware of.

Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today.

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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. Thank you for reading.