Some May Be Optimistic About CoreCivic's (NYSE:CXW) Earnings

The market for CoreCivic, Inc.'s (NYSE:CXW) shares didn't move much after it posted weak earnings recently. We did some digging, and we believe the earnings are stronger than they seem.

Check out our latest analysis for CoreCivic

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

For anyone who wants to understand CoreCivic's profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by US$29m due to unusual items. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect CoreCivic to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On CoreCivic's Profit Performance

Unusual items (expenses) detracted from CoreCivic's earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Because of this, we think CoreCivic's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! On the other hand, its EPS actually shrunk in the last twelve months. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. In light of this, if you'd like to do more analysis on the company, it's vital to be informed of the risks involved. For example, CoreCivic has 4 warning signs (and 1 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of CoreCivic's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful.

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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.