The stock price didn't jump after Founder Holdings Limited (HKG:418) posted decent earnings last week. We did some digging and believe investors may be worried about some underlying factors in the report.

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

To properly understand Founder Holdings' profit results, we need to consider the HK$25m gain attributed to unusual items. While we like to see profit increases, we tend to be a little more cautious when unusual items have made a big contribution. We ran the numbers on most publicly listed companies worldwide, and it's very common for unusual items to be once-off in nature. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. Founder Holdings had a rather significant contribution from unusual items relative to its profit to June 2024. All else being equal, this would likely have the effect of making the statutory profit a poor guide to underlying earnings power.

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

Our Take On Founder Holdings' Profit Performance

As previously mentioned, Founder Holdings' large boost from unusual items won't be there indefinitely, so its statutory earnings are probably a poor guide to its underlying profitability. For this reason, we think that Founder Holdings' statutory profits may be a bad guide to its underlying earnings power, and might give investors an overly positive impression of the company. But at least holders can take some solace from the 16% EPS growth in the last year. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. If you want to do dive deeper into Founder Holdings, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Founder Holdings, and understanding these bad boys should be part of your investment process.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Founder Holdings' profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. 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 with significant insider holdings 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.