We're Hopeful That XBiotech (NASDAQ:XBIT) Will Use Its Cash Wisely

There's no doubt that money can be made by owning shares of unprofitable businesses. For example, biotech and mining exploration companies often lose money for years before finding success with a new treatment or mineral discovery. Nonetheless, only a fool would ignore the risk that a loss making company burns through its cash too quickly.

So should XBiotech (NASDAQ:XBIT) shareholders be worried about its cash burn? In this report, we will consider the company's annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the 'cash burn'. We'll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway.

Our analysis indicates that XBIT is potentially overvalued!

How Long Is XBiotech's Cash Runway?

A company's cash runway is the amount of time it would take to burn through its cash reserves at its current cash burn rate. As at June 2022, XBiotech had cash of US$226m and no debt. In the last year, its cash burn was US$18m. So it had a very long cash runway of many years from June 2022. While this is only one measure of its cash burn situation, it certainly gives us the impression that holders have nothing to worry about. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time.

Is XBiotech's Revenue Growing?

We're hesitant to extrapolate on the recent trend to assess its cash burn, because XBiotech actually had positive free cash flow last year, so operating revenue growth is probably our best bet to measure, right now. The grim reality for shareholders is that operating revenue fell by 56% over the last twelve months, which is not what we want to see in a cash burning company. In reality, this article only makes a short study of the company's growth data. This graph of historic earnings and revenue shows how XBiotech is building its business over time.

How Hard Would It Be For XBiotech To Raise More Cash For Growth?

Since its revenue growth is moving in the wrong direction, XBiotech shareholders may wish to think ahead to when the company may need to raise more cash. Companies can raise capital through either debt or equity. Commonly, a business will sell new shares in itself to raise cash and drive growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations.

XBiotech has a market capitalisation of US$100m and burnt through US$18m last year, which is 18% of the company's market value. As a result, we'd venture that the company could raise more cash for growth without much trouble, albeit at the cost of some dilution.

Is XBiotech's Cash Burn A Worry?

On this analysis of XBiotech's cash burn, we think its cash runway was reassuring, while its falling revenue has us a bit worried. Considering all the factors discussed in this article, we're not overly concerned about the company's cash burn, although we do think shareholders should keep an eye on how it develops. For us, it's always important to consider risks around cash burn rates. But investors should look at a whole range of factors when researching a new stock. For example, it could be interesting to see how much the XBiotech CEO receives in total remuneration.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies insiders are buying, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts)

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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.