Here's Why PAR Technology (NYSE:PAR) Can Afford Some Debt

Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. We can see that PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE:PAR) does use debt in its business. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. However, a more common (but still painful) scenario is that it has to raise new equity capital at a low price, thus permanently diluting shareholders. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

See our latest analysis for PAR Technology

What Is PAR Technology's Debt?

The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that PAR Technology had US$378.2m in debt in March 2024; about the same as the year before. However, because it has a cash reserve of US$72.5m, its net debt is less, at about US$305.6m.

How Healthy Is PAR Technology's Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that PAR Technology had liabilities of US$93.7m due within a year, and liabilities of US$388.8m falling due after that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$72.5m as well as receivables valued at US$70.0m due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$340.0m.

While this might seem like a lot, it is not so bad since PAR Technology has a market capitalization of US$1.41b, and so it could probably strengthen its balance sheet by raising capital if it needed to. However, it is still worthwhile taking a close look at its ability to pay off debt. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if PAR Technology can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.

Over 12 months, PAR Technology reported revenue of US$421m, which is a gain of 12%, although it did not report any earnings before interest and tax. That rate of growth is a bit slow for our taste, but it takes all types to make a world.

Caveat Emptor

Importantly, PAR Technology had an earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) loss over the last year. Indeed, it lost US$75m at the EBIT level. When we look at that and recall the liabilities on its balance sheet, relative to cash, it seems unwise to us for the company to have any debt. So we think its balance sheet is a little strained, though not beyond repair. However, it doesn't help that it burned through US$35m of cash over the last year. So suffice it to say we do consider the stock to be risky. 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. These risks can be hard to spot. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for PAR Technology you should know about.

If, after all that, you're more interested in a fast growing company with a rock-solid balance sheet, then check out our list of net cash growth stocks without delay.

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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.