Is Trinseo (NYSE:TSE) Using Debt In A Risky Way?

Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of permanent loss is the risk I worry about... and every practical investor I know worries about.' 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 can see that Trinseo S.A. (NYSE:TSE) does use debt in its business. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. 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, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Trinseo

What Is Trinseo's Debt?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of June 2020 Trinseo had US$1.29b of debt, an increase on US$1.17b, over one year. However, because it has a cash reserve of US$581.8m, its net debt is less, at about US$708.7m.

A Look At Trinseo's Liabilities

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Trinseo had liabilities of US$435.6m due within 12 months and liabilities of US$1.69b due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had US$581.8m in cash and US$424.4m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$1.12b.

This deficit is considerable relative to its market capitalization of US$1.28b, so it does suggest shareholders should keep an eye on Trinseo's use of debt. Should its lenders demand that it shore up the balance sheet, shareholders would likely face severe dilution. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Trinseo'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.

In the last year Trinseo had a loss before interest and tax, and actually shrunk its revenue by 23%, to US$3.2b. To be frank that doesn't bode well.

Caveat Emptor

Not only did Trinseo's revenue slip over the last twelve months, but it also produced negative earnings before interest and tax (EBIT). To be specific the EBIT loss came in at US$63m. Considering that alongside the liabilities mentioned above does not give us much confidence that company should be using so much debt. Quite frankly we think the balance sheet is far from match-fit, although it could be improved with time. We would feel better if it turned its trailing twelve month loss of US$137m into a profit. So we do think this stock is quite risky. 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 for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with Trinseo (at least 2 which are a bit unpleasant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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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