Sotera Health's (NASDAQ:SHC) Conservative Accounting Might Explain Soft Earnings

The most recent earnings report from Sotera Health Company (NASDAQ:SHC) was disappointing for shareholders. However, our analysis suggests that the soft headline numbers are getting counterbalanced by some positive underlying factors.

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How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

For anyone who wants to understand Sotera Health's profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by US$114m due to unusual items. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect Sotera Health to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

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 Sotera Health's Profit Performance

Unusual items (expenses) detracted from Sotera Health's earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Based on this observation, we consider it likely that Sotera Health's statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! On the other hand, its EPS actually shrunk in the last twelve months. At the end of the day, it's essential to consider more than just the factors above, if you want to understand the company properly. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. Be aware that Sotera Health is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis and 1 of those can't be ignored...

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Sotera Health's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. 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 with high insider ownership.

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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.