Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings (NASDAQ:LTRP.A) Has Debt But No Earnings; Should You Worry?

Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. We can see that Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LTRP.A) does use debt in its business. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

When Is Debt Dangerous?

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. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. Of course, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings

How Much Debt Does Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings Carry?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of June 2021 Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings had US$1.37b of debt, an increase on US$740.0m, over one year. On the flip side, it has US$818.0m in cash leading to net debt of about US$549.0m.

A Look At Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings' Liabilities

The latest balance sheet data shows that Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings had liabilities of US$444.0m due within a year, and liabilities of US$2.04b falling due after that. Offsetting this, it had US$818.0m in cash and US$206.0m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$1.46b.

The deficiency here weighs heavily on the US$355.4m company itself, as if a child were struggling under the weight of an enormous back-pack full of books, his sports gear, and a trumpet. So we'd watch its balance sheet closely, without a doubt. After all, Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings would likely require a major re-capitalisation if it had to pay its creditors today. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings's earnings that will influence how the balance sheet holds up in the future. So when considering debt, it's definitely worth looking at the earnings trend. Click here for an interactive snapshot.

In the last year Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings had a loss before interest and tax, and actually shrunk its revenue by 43%, to US$625m. That makes us nervous, to say the least.

Caveat Emptor

Not only did Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings's revenue slip over the last twelve months, but it also produced negative earnings before interest and tax (EBIT). Its EBIT loss was a whopping US$309m. Combining this information with the significant liabilities we already touched on makes us very hesitant about this stock, to say the least. That said, it is possible that the company will turn its fortunes around. Nevertheless, we would not bet on it given that it lost US$482m in just last twelve months, and it doesn't have much by way of liquid assets. So while it's not wise to assume the company will fail, we do think it's risky. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. We've identified 2 warning signs with Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings (at least 1 which is potentially serious) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

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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.
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