China Publishing & Media Holdings Co., Ltd.'s (SHSE:601949) healthy profit numbers didn't contain any surprises for investors. We think this is due to investors looking beyond the statutory profits and being concerned with what they see.

An Unusual Tax Situation

We can see that China Publishing & Media Holdings received a tax benefit of CN¥86m. This is meaningful because companies usually pay tax rather than receive tax benefits. Of course, prima facie it's great to receive a tax benefit. However, the devil in the detail is that these kind of benefits only impact in the year they are booked, and are often one-off in nature. Assuming the tax benefit is not repeated every year, we could see its profitability drop noticeably, all else being equal.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of China Publishing & Media Holdings.

Our Take On China Publishing & Media Holdings' Profit Performance

As we have already discussed China Publishing & Media Holdings reported that it received a tax benefit, rather than paying tax, in the last year. Given that sort of benefit is not recurring, a focus on the statutory profit might make the company seem better than it really is. Because of this, we think that it may be that China Publishing & Media Holdings' statutory profits are better than its underlying earnings power. But at least holders can take some solace from the 11% per annum growth in EPS for the last three. At the end of the day, it's essential to consider more than just the factors above, if you want to understand the company properly. If you'd like to know more about China Publishing & Media Holdings as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. For example - China Publishing & Media Holdings has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of China Publishing & Media Holdings' profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying to be useful.

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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.