These 4 Measures Indicate That Brooks Automation (NASDAQ:BRKS) Is Using Debt Safely

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.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. Importantly, Brooks Automation, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKS) does carry debt. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. 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, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Brooks Automation

How Much Debt Does Brooks Automation Carry?

As you can see below, Brooks Automation had US$50.4m of debt, at September 2020, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. But it also has US$295.7m in cash to offset that, meaning it has US$245.3m net cash.

How Healthy Is Brooks Automation's Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that Brooks Automation had liabilities of US$211.1m due within a year, and liabilities of US$134.4m falling due after that. Offsetting this, it had US$295.7m in cash and US$205.1m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it actually has US$155.3m more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This short term liquidity is a sign that Brooks Automation could probably pay off its debt with ease, as its balance sheet is far from stretched. Simply put, the fact that Brooks Automation has more cash than debt is arguably a good indication that it can manage its debt safely.

On top of that, Brooks Automation grew its EBIT by 46% over the last twelve months, and that growth will make it easier to handle its debt. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Brooks Automation 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.

Finally, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. While Brooks Automation has net cash on its balance sheet, it's still worth taking a look at its ability to convert earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, to help us understand how quickly it is building (or eroding) that cash balance. During the last three years, Brooks Automation produced sturdy free cash flow equating to 74% of its EBIT, about what we'd expect. This free cash flow puts the company in a good position to pay down debt, when appropriate.

Summing up

While we empathize with investors who find debt concerning, you should keep in mind that Brooks Automation has net cash of US$245.3m, as well as more liquid assets than liabilities. And we liked the look of last year's 46% year-on-year EBIT growth. So is Brooks Automation's debt a risk? It doesn't seem so to us. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Brooks Automation that you should be aware of before investing here.

If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.

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