David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. We note that Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002501) does have debt on its balance sheet. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

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. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. 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. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

Check out our latest analysis for Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing

What Is Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing's Net Debt?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of June 2023 Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing had CN¥182.9m of debt, an increase on CN¥98.4m, over one year. However, because it has a cash reserve of CN¥68.9m, its net debt is less, at about CN¥114.0m.

How Healthy Is Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing's Balance Sheet?

We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing had liabilities of CN¥235.7m falling due within a year, and liabilities of CN¥346.6m due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had CN¥68.9m in cash and CN¥301.7m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by CN¥211.6m.

Of course, Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing has a market capitalization of CN¥4.90b, so these liabilities are probably manageable. However, we do think it is worth keeping an eye on its balance sheet strength, as it may change over time. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing's earnings that will influence how the balance sheet holds up in the future. So when considering debt, it's definitely worth looking at the earnings trend. Click here for an interactive snapshot.

Over 12 months, Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing reported revenue of CN¥558m, which is a gain of 33%, although it did not report any earnings before interest and tax. Shareholders probably have their fingers crossed that it can grow its way to profits.

Caveat Emptor

Even though Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing managed to grow its top line quite deftly, the cold hard truth is that it is losing money on the EBIT line. Indeed, it lost CN¥193m 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. Quite frankly we think the balance sheet is far from match-fit, although it could be improved with time. Another cause for caution is that is bled CN¥359m in negative free cash flow over the last twelve months. So suffice it to say we consider the stock very risky. 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. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Jilin Liyuan Precision Manufacturing that you should be aware of before investing here.

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

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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.