These 4 Measures Indicate That Euroseas (NASDAQ:ESEA) Is Using Debt In A Risky Way
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 note that Euroseas Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESEA) does have debt on its balance sheet. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.
When Is Debt A Problem?
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. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. 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. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.
View our latest analysis for Euroseas
What Is Euroseas's Debt?
You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of June 2019 Euroseas had US$39.8m of debt, an increase on US$30.7m, over one year. However, it does have US$2.00m in cash offsetting this, leading to net debt of about US$37.8m.
How Strong Is Euroseas's Balance Sheet?
According to the last reported balance sheet, Euroseas had liabilities of US$9.88m due within 12 months, and liabilities of US$34.9m due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$2.00m as well as receivables valued at US$1.46m due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$41.3m.
This deficit casts a shadow over the US$21.6m company, like a colossus towering over mere mortals. So we definitely think shareholders need to watch this one closely. After all, Euroseas would likely require a major re-capitalisation if it had to pay its creditors today.
In order to size up a company's debt relative to its earnings, we calculate its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) divided by its interest expense (its interest cover). Thus we consider debt relative to earnings both with and without depreciation and amortization expenses.
Euroseas shareholders face the double whammy of a high net debt to EBITDA ratio (8.6), and fairly weak interest coverage, since EBIT is just 0.43 times the interest expense. The debt burden here is substantial. Notably, Euroseas's EBIT was pretty flat over the last year, which isn't ideal given the debt load. 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 Euroseas 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. So the logical step is to look at the proportion of that EBIT that is matched by actual free cash flow. Over the last two years, Euroseas saw substantial negative free cash flow, in total. While that may be a result of expenditure for growth, it does make the debt far more risky.
Our View
To be frank both Euroseas's conversion of EBIT to free cash flow and its track record of staying on top of its total liabilities make us rather uncomfortable with its debt levels. But at least its EBIT growth rate is not so bad. We think the chances that Euroseas has too much debt a very significant. To us, that makes the stock rather risky, like walking through a dog park with your eyes closed. But some investors may feel differently. Even though Euroseas lost money on the bottom line, its positive EBIT suggests the business itself has potential. So you might want to check outhow earnings have been trending over the last few years.
At the end of the day, it's often better to focus on companies that are free from net debt. You can access our special list of such companies (all with a track record of profit growth). It's free.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
