We Think Avaya Holdings' (NYSE:AVYA) Robust Earnings Are Conservative

Even though Avaya Holdings Corp.'s (NYSE:AVYA) recent earnings release was robust, the market didn't seem to notice. Investors are probably missing some underlying factors which are encouraging for the future of the company.

View our latest analysis for Avaya Holdings

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Importantly, our data indicates that Avaya Holdings' profit was reduced by US$33m, due to unusual items, over the last year. 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 Avaya Holdings 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 Avaya Holdings' Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from Avaya Holdings' earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Based on this observation, we consider it likely that Avaya Holdings' statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! And one can definitely find a positive in the fact that it made a profit this year, despite losing money last year. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. Be aware that Avaya Holdings is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis and 1 of those is concerning...

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Avaya Holdings' 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. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying to be useful.

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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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