Will MetalsTech (ASX:MTC) Spend Its Cash Wisely?
Just because a business does not make any money, does not mean that the stock will go down. For example, although software-as-a-service business Salesforce.com lost money for years while it grew recurring revenue, if you held shares since 2005, you'd have done very well indeed. But the harsh reality is that very many loss making companies burn through all their cash and go bankrupt.
Given this risk, we thought we'd take a look at whether MetalsTech (ASX:MTC) shareholders should be worried about its cash burn. In this report, we will consider the company's annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the 'cash burn'. Let's start with an examination of the business' cash, relative to its cash burn.
Check out our latest analysis for MetalsTech
How Long Is MetalsTech's Cash Runway?
A company's cash runway is calculated by dividing its cash hoard by its cash burn. In December 2022, MetalsTech had AU$3.1m in cash, and was debt-free. Importantly, its cash burn was AU$4.5m over the trailing twelve months. Therefore, from December 2022 it had roughly 8 months of cash runway. To be frank, this kind of short runway puts us on edge, as it indicates the company must reduce its cash burn significantly, or else raise cash imminently. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.
How Hard Would It Be For MetalsTech To Raise More Cash For Growth?
Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. By comparing a company's annual cash burn to its total market capitalisation, we can estimate roughly how many shares it would have to issue in order to run the company for another year (at the same burn rate).
MetalsTech has a market capitalisation of AU$64m and burnt through AU$4.5m last year, which is 7.1% of the company's market value. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money.
How Risky Is MetalsTech's Cash Burn Situation?
Given it's an early stage company, we don't have a lot of data with which to judge MetalsTech's cash burn. We would undoubtedly be more comfortable if it had reported some operating revenue. Having said that, we can say that its cash burn relative to its market cap was a real positive. So while we're not too worried about its cash burn at the moment, we do think shareholders should monitor it closely. On another note, MetalsTech has 5 warning signs (and 3 which are a bit concerning) we think you should know about.
Of course MetalsTech may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.
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.
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