We Think Ocean Wilsons Holdings (LON:OCN) Can Stay On Top Of Its Debt
The external fund manager backed by Berkshire Hathaway's Charlie Munger, Li Lu, makes no bones about it when he says 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. We note that Ocean Wilsons Holdings Limited (LON:OCN) does have debt on its balance sheet. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?
When Is Debt Dangerous?
Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. Of course, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.
Check out our latest analysis for Ocean Wilsons Holdings
How Much Debt Does Ocean Wilsons Holdings Carry?
As you can see below, Ocean Wilsons Holdings had US$301.6m of debt at December 2021, down from US$342.7m a year prior. But on the other hand it also has US$421.5m in cash, leading to a US$119.9m net cash position.
A Look At Ocean Wilsons Holdings' Liabilities
The latest balance sheet data shows that Ocean Wilsons Holdings had liabilities of US$131.3m due within a year, and liabilities of US$465.4m falling due after that. On the other hand, it had cash of US$421.5m and US$76.8m worth of receivables due within a year. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$98.3m.
This deficit isn't so bad because Ocean Wilsons Holdings is worth US$418.8m, and thus could probably raise enough capital to shore up its balance sheet, if the need arose. However, it is still worthwhile taking a close look at its ability to pay off debt. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Ocean Wilsons Holdings boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!
We note that Ocean Wilsons Holdings grew its EBIT by 30% in the last year, and that should make it easier to pay down debt, going forward. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Ocean Wilsons Holdings 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.
But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. Ocean Wilsons Holdings may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. In the last three years, Ocean Wilsons Holdings's free cash flow amounted to 47% of its EBIT, less than we'd expect. That's not great, when it comes to paying down debt.
Summing up
Although Ocean Wilsons Holdings's balance sheet isn't particularly strong, due to the total liabilities, it is clearly positive to see that it has net cash of US$119.9m. And it impressed us with its EBIT growth of 30% over the last year. So we are not troubled with Ocean Wilsons Holdings's debt use. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. We've identified 2 warning signs with Ocean Wilsons Holdings , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
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.
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.
