Does Nextracker (NASDAQ:NXT) Have A Healthy Balance Sheet?

Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of permanent loss is the risk I worry about... and every practical investor I know worries about.' So it seems the smart money knows that debt - which is usually involved in bankruptcies - is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. We can see that Nextracker Inc. (NASDAQ:NXT) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

When Is Debt A Problem?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

See our latest analysis for Nextracker

What Is Nextracker's Net Debt?

As you can see below, Nextracker had US$146.1m of debt, at September 2024, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. However, its balance sheet shows it holds US$561.9m in cash, so it actually has US$415.8m net cash.

How Healthy Is Nextracker's Balance Sheet?

We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Nextracker had liabilities of US$806.3m falling due within a year, and liabilities of US$680.1m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$561.9m as well as receivables valued at US$884.8m due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$39.7m.

Having regard to Nextracker's size, it seems that its liquid assets are well balanced with its total liabilities. So it's very unlikely that the US$5.58b company is short on cash, but still worth keeping an eye on the balance sheet. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Nextracker boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

Even more impressive was the fact that Nextracker grew its EBIT by 168% over twelve months. If maintained that growth will make the debt even more manageable in the years ahead. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Nextracker can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. While Nextracker has net cash on its balance sheet, it's still worth taking a look at its ability to convert earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, to help us understand how quickly it is building (or eroding) that cash balance. During the last three years, Nextracker produced sturdy free cash flow equating to 61% of its EBIT, about what we'd expect. This cold hard cash means it can reduce its debt when it wants to.

Summing Up

While it is always sensible to look at a company's total liabilities, it is very reassuring that Nextracker has US$415.8m in net cash. And we liked the look of last year's 168% year-on-year EBIT growth. So we don't think Nextracker's use of debt is risky. 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. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Nextracker (including 1 which shouldn't be ignored) .

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. 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.