Robust Earnings May Not Tell The Whole Story For Insimbi Industrial Holdings (JSE:ISB)

Insimbi Industrial Holdings Limited's (JSE:ISB) robust earnings report didn't manage to move the market for its stock. We did some digging, and we found some concerning factors in the details.

Check out the opportunities and risks within the ZA Trade Distributors industry.

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

For anyone who wants to understand Insimbi Industrial Holdings' profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit gained from R19m worth of unusual items. While it's always nice to have higher profit, a large contribution from unusual items sometimes dampens our enthusiasm. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. If Insimbi Industrial Holdings doesn't see that contribution repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to drop over the current year.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Insimbi Industrial Holdings.

Our Take On Insimbi Industrial Holdings' Profit Performance

Arguably, Insimbi Industrial Holdings' statutory earnings have been distorted by unusual items boosting profit. Therefore, it seems possible to us that Insimbi Industrial Holdings' true underlying earnings power is actually less than its statutory profit. The good news is that, its earnings per share increased by 53% in the 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 while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Insimbi Industrial Holdings at this point in time. Case in point: We've spotted 5 warning signs for Insimbi Industrial Holdings you should be mindful of and 1 of these is a bit concerning.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Insimbi Industrial 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.