Here's Why Abeona Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ABEO) Can Manage Its Debt Despite Losing Money

Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. As with many other companies Abeona Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:ABEO) makes use of debt. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

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. Ultimately, if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt, shareholders could walk away with nothing. 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. 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 step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

Check out our latest analysis for Abeona Therapeutics

How Much Debt Does Abeona Therapeutics Carry?

As you can see below, Abeona Therapeutics had US$1.76m of debt, at June 2021, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. However, its balance sheet shows it holds US$77.6m in cash, so it actually has US$75.8m net cash.

How Healthy Is Abeona Therapeutics' Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that Abeona Therapeutics had liabilities of US$41.9m due within a year, and liabilities of US$4.72m falling due after that. On the other hand, it had cash of US$77.6m and US$7.00m worth of receivables due within a year. So it actually has US$38.0m more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This surplus strongly suggests that Abeona Therapeutics has a rock-solid balance sheet (and the debt is of no concern whatsoever). With this in mind one could posit that its balance sheet means the company is able to handle some adversity. Simply put, the fact that Abeona Therapeutics has more cash than debt is arguably a good indication that it can manage its debt safely. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Abeona Therapeutics can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

While it hasn't made a profit, at least Abeona Therapeutics booked its first revenue as a publicly listed company, in the last twelve months.

So How Risky Is Abeona Therapeutics?

We have no doubt that loss making companies are, in general, riskier than profitable ones. And the fact is that over the last twelve months Abeona Therapeutics lost money at the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) line. And over the same period it saw negative free cash outflow of US$38m and booked a US$54m accounting loss. But at least it has US$75.8m on the balance sheet to spend on growth, near-term. Abeona Therapeutics's revenue growth shone bright over the last year, so it may well be in a position to turn a profit in due course. Pre-profit companies are often risky, but they can also offer great rewards. 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. For example Abeona Therapeutics has 4 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.

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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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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