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.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. As with many other companies ProPetro Holding Corp. (NYSE:PUMP) makes use of debt. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

What Is ProPetro Holding's Debt?

As you can see below, ProPetro Holding had US$45.0m of debt, at September 2024, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. However, it does have US$54.0m in cash offsetting this, leading to net cash of US$8.97m.

How Strong Is ProPetro Holding's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, ProPetro Holding had liabilities of US$254.9m due within 12 months, and liabilities of US$192.4m due beyond 12 months. Offsetting this, it had US$54.0m in cash and US$225.6m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$167.7m.

Given ProPetro Holding has a market capitalization of US$846.1m, it's hard to believe these liabilities pose much threat. Having said that, it's clear that we should continue to monitor its balance sheet, lest it change for the worse. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, ProPetro Holding boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

It is just as well that ProPetro Holding's load is not too heavy, because its EBIT was down 79% over the last year. When it comes to paying off debt, falling earnings are no more useful than sugary sodas are for your health. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if ProPetro Holding 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.

Finally, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. While ProPetro Holding has net cash on its balance sheet, it's still worth taking a look at its ability to convert earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, to help us understand how quickly it is building (or eroding) that cash balance. In the last three years, ProPetro Holding created free cash flow amounting to 18% of its EBIT, an uninspiring performance. That limp level of cash conversion undermines its ability to manage and pay down debt.

Summing Up

Although ProPetro Holding'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$8.97m. So although we see some areas for improvement, we're not too worried about ProPetro Holding's balance sheet. Given our hesitation about the stock, it would be good to know if ProPetro Holding insiders have sold any shares recently. You click here to find out if insiders have sold recently.

Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today.

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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.