Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' 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. Importantly, Jiangsu Dagang Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002077) does carry debt. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. 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. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. 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 Jiangsu Dagang

How Much Debt Does Jiangsu Dagang Carry?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Jiangsu Dagang had debt of CN¥425.0m at the end of June 2023, a reduction from CN¥554.4m over a year. However, because it has a cash reserve of CN¥229.0m, its net debt is less, at about CN¥196.0m.

A Look At Jiangsu Dagang's Liabilities

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Jiangsu Dagang had liabilities of CN¥426.0m due within 12 months and liabilities of CN¥313.9m due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had CN¥229.0m in cash and CN¥173.6m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities total CN¥337.2m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

Since publicly traded Jiangsu Dagang shares are worth a total of CN¥9.18b, it seems unlikely that this level of liabilities would be a major threat. But there are sufficient liabilities that we would certainly recommend shareholders continue to monitor the balance sheet, going forward. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since Jiangsu Dagang will need earnings to service that debt. So if you're keen to discover more about its earnings, it might be worth checking out this graph of its long term earnings trend.

In the last year Jiangsu Dagang had a loss before interest and tax, and actually shrunk its revenue by 19%, to CN¥526m. We would much prefer see growth.

Caveat Emptor

Not only did Jiangsu Dagang's revenue slip over the last twelve months, but it also produced negative earnings before interest and tax (EBIT). To be specific the EBIT loss came in at CN¥24m. 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. So we think its balance sheet is a little strained, though not beyond repair. Another cause for caution is that is bled CN¥83m in negative free cash flow over the last twelve months. So suffice it to say we do consider the stock to be risky. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. These risks can be hard to spot. Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Jiangsu Dagang you should know about.

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.