Boralex (TSE:BLX) Has A Mountain Of Debt
Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it seems the smart money knows that debt - which is usually involved in bankruptcies - is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. We note that Boralex Inc. (TSE:BLX) does have debt on its balance sheet. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?
When Is Debt Dangerous?
Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. Ultimately, if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt, shareholders could walk away with nothing. 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. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.
See our latest analysis for Boralex
What Is Boralex's Debt?
As you can see below, at the end of March 2019, Boralex had CA$3.34b of debt, up from CA$2.91b a year ago. Click the image for more detail. However, it also had CA$162.0m in cash, and so its net debt is CA$3.18b.
How Healthy Is Boralex's Balance Sheet?
According to the last reported balance sheet, Boralex had liabilities of CA$532.0m due within 12 months, and liabilities of CA$3.40b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of CA$162.0m as well as receivables valued at CA$172.0m due within 12 months. So its liabilities total CA$3.60b more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.
This deficit casts a shadow over the CA$1.78b company, like a colossus towering over mere mortals. So we'd watch its balance sheet closely, without a doubt At the end of the day, Boralex would probably need a major re-capitalization if its creditors were to demand repayment.
We use two main ratios to inform us about debt levels relative to earnings. The first is net debt divided by earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), while the second is how many times its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) covers its interest expense (or its interest cover, for short). This way, we consider both the absolute quantum of the debt, as well as the interest rates paid on it.
Weak interest cover of 0.56 times and a disturbingly high net debt to EBITDA ratio of 10.6 hit our confidence in Boralex like a one-two punch to the gut. This means we'd consider it to have a heavy debt load. Even worse, Boralex saw its EBIT tank 35% over the last 12 months. If earnings keep going like that over the long term, it has a snowball's chance in hell of paying off that debt. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Boralex 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.
But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. So we always check how much of that EBIT is translated into free cash flow. Over the last three years, Boralex saw substantial negative free cash flow, in total. While investors are no doubt expecting a reversal of that situation in due course, it clearly does mean its use of debt is more risky.
Our View
To be frank both Boralex's EBIT growth rate and its track record of staying on top of its total liabilities make us rather uncomfortable with its debt levels. And furthermore, its interest cover also fails to instill confidence. Considering everything we've mentioned above, it's fair to say that Boralex is carrying heavy debt load. If you harvest honey without a bee suit, you risk getting stung, so we'd probably stay away from this particular stock. Given the risks around Boralex's use of debt, the sensible thing to do is to check if insiders have been unloading the stock.
If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.
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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.
