Berry's (NASDAQ:BRY) Conservative Accounting Might Explain Soft Earnings

The market was pleased with the recent earnings report from Berry Corporation (NASDAQ:BRY), despite the profit numbers being soft. We think that investors might be looking at some positive factors beyond the earnings numbers.

Check out our latest analysis for Berry

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that Berry's profit was reduced by US$12m, due to unusual items, over the last year. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. If Berry doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

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 Berry's Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from Berry's earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Based on this observation, we consider it likely that Berry's statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! On the other hand, its EPS actually shrunk in the last twelve months. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. Our analysis shows 3 warning signs for Berry (1 is significant!) and we strongly recommend you look at these bad boys before investing.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Berry's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

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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.