Ciena (NYSE:CIEN) Seems To Use Debt Quite Sensibly

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. We note that Ciena Corporation (NYSE:CIEN) does have debt on its balance sheet. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. However, a more usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

Check out our latest analysis for Ciena

What Is Ciena's Debt?

The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Ciena had US$699.5m in debt in July 2021; about the same as the year before. However, it does have US$1.41b in cash offsetting this, leading to net cash of US$713.0m.

A Look At Ciena's Liabilities

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Ciena had liabilities of US$827.1m due within 12 months and liabilities of US$904.5m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$1.41b as well as receivables valued at US$996.1m due within 12 months. So it actually has US$676.9m more liquid assets than total liabilities.

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

On the other hand, Ciena's EBIT dived 13%, over the last year. We think hat kind of performance, if repeated frequently, could well lead to difficulties for the stock. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Ciena's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. 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 Ciena 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, Ciena produced sturdy free cash flow equating to 78% of its EBIT, about what we'd expect. This cold hard cash means it can reduce its debt when it wants to.

Summing up

While we empathize with investors who find debt concerning, you should keep in mind that Ciena has net cash of US$713.0m, as well as more liquid assets than liabilities. And it impressed us with free cash flow of US$385m, being 78% of its EBIT. So we don't think Ciena's use of debt is risky. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. Be aware that Ciena is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , 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.

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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