These 4 Measures Indicate That Olympic Steel (NASDAQ:ZEUS) Is Using Debt Extensively

David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital.' 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 note that Olympic Steel, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZEUS) does have debt on its balance sheet. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. Ultimately, if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt, shareholders could walk away with nothing. 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. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Olympic Steel

How Much Debt Does Olympic Steel Carry?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of September 2021 Olympic Steel had US$301.6m of debt, an increase on US$177.3m, over one year. However, because it has a cash reserve of US$15.1m, its net debt is less, at about US$286.5m.

How Strong Is Olympic Steel's Balance Sheet?

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Olympic Steel had liabilities of US$229.4m due within 12 months and liabilities of US$343.2m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$15.1m as well as receivables valued at US$303.2m due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling US$254.3m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

Given this deficit is actually higher than the company's market capitalization of US$250.5m, we think shareholders really should watch Olympic Steel's debt levels, like a parent watching their child ride a bike for the first time. In the scenario where the company had to clean up its balance sheet quickly, it seems likely shareholders would suffer extensive dilution.

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.

We'd say that Olympic Steel's moderate net debt to EBITDA ratio ( being 1.9), indicates prudence when it comes to debt. And its commanding EBIT of 19.6 times its interest expense, implies the debt load is as light as a peacock feather. We also note that Olympic Steel improved its EBIT from a last year's loss to a positive US$142m. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Olympic Steel's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. 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. So it's worth checking how much of the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) is backed by free cash flow. Over the last year, Olympic Steel saw substantial negative free cash flow, in total. While investors are no doubt expecting a reversal of that situation in due course, it clearly does mean its use of debt is more risky.

Our View

We'd go so far as to say Olympic Steel's conversion of EBIT to free cash flow was disappointing. But at least it's pretty decent at covering its interest expense with its EBIT; that's encouraging. Overall, we think it's fair to say that Olympic Steel has enough debt that there are some real risks around the balance sheet. If all goes well, that should boost returns, but on the flip side, the risk of permanent capital loss is elevated by the debt. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For example Olympic Steel has 4 warning signs (and 3 which make us uncomfortable) we think you should know about.

If, after all that, you're more interested in a fast growing company with a rock-solid balance sheet, then check out our list of net cash growth stocks without delay.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.