Does JAKKS Pacific (NASDAQ:JAKK) Have A Healthy Balance Sheet?

Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that '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. We note that JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK) does have debt on its balance sheet. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

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. 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, 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.

See our latest analysis for JAKKS Pacific

What Is JAKKS Pacific's Net Debt?

As you can see below, JAKKS Pacific had US$173.9m of debt, at September 2020, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. However, because it has a cash reserve of US$75.2m, its net debt is less, at about US$98.7m.

How Strong Is JAKKS Pacific's Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that JAKKS Pacific had liabilities of US$217.5m due within a year, and liabilities of US$176.8m falling due after that. On the other hand, it had cash of US$75.2m and US$166.8m worth of receivables due within a year. So its liabilities total US$152.3m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

This deficit casts a shadow over the US$26.5m company, like a colossus towering over mere mortals. So we'd watch its balance sheet closely, without a doubt. After all, JAKKS Pacific would likely require a major re-capitalisation if it had to pay its creditors today.

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.

While JAKKS Pacific's debt to EBITDA ratio (4.0) suggests that it uses some debt, its interest cover is very weak, at 0.58, suggesting high leverage. So shareholders should probably be aware that interest expenses appear to have really impacted the business lately. However, the silver lining was that JAKKS Pacific achieved a positive EBIT of US$13m in the last twelve months, an improvement on the prior year's loss. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine JAKKS Pacific'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 company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. So it is important to check how much of its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) converts to actual free cash flow. In the last year, JAKKS Pacific's free cash flow amounted to 29% of its EBIT, less than we'd expect. That's not great, when it comes to paying down debt.

Our View

On the face of it, JAKKS Pacific's interest cover left us tentative about the stock, and its level of total liabilities was no more enticing than the one empty restaurant on the busiest night of the year. But at least its EBIT growth rate is not so bad. Overall, it seems to us that JAKKS Pacific's balance sheet is really quite a risk to the business. For this reason we're pretty cautious about the stock, and we think shareholders should keep a close eye on its liquidity. 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. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for JAKKS Pacific you should know about.

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.
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