We Think You Should Be Aware Of Some Concerning Factors In TETRA Technologies' (NYSE:TTI) Earnings

The market for TETRA Technologies, Inc.'s (NYSE:TTI) stock was strong after it released a healthy earnings report last week. Despite this, our analysis suggests that there are some factors weakening the foundations of those good profit numbers.

View our latest analysis for TETRA Technologies

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that TETRA Technologies' profit received a boost of US$2.4m in unusual items, over the last year. While we like to see profit increases, we tend to be a little more cautious when unusual items have made a big contribution. We ran the numbers on most publicly listed companies worldwide, and it's very common for unusual items to be once-off in nature. And that's as you'd expect, given these boosts are described as 'unusual'. We can see that TETRA Technologies' positive unusual items were quite significant relative to its profit in the year to December 2020. All else being equal, this would likely have the effect of making the statutory profit a poor guide to underlying earnings power.

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 TETRA Technologies' Profit Performance

As previously mentioned, TETRA Technologies' large boost from unusual items won't be there indefinitely, so its statutory earnings are probably a poor guide to its underlying profitability. As a result, we think it may well be the case that TETRA Technologies' underlying earnings power is lower than its statutory profit. The good news is that it earned a profit in the last twelve months, despite its previous loss. 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. 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. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for TETRA Technologies you should know about.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of TETRA Technologies' profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. 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. 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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