Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it seems the smart money knows that debt - which is usually involved in bankruptcies - is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. We can see that UniTTEC Co.,Ltd (SZSE:000925) does use debt in its business. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

When Is Debt A Problem?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. However, a more usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.

What Is UniTTECLtd's Debt?

The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that UniTTECLtd had CN¥2.03b in debt in September 2023; about the same as the year before. On the flip side, it has CN¥755.3m in cash leading to net debt of about CN¥1.27b.

How Strong Is UniTTECLtd's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, UniTTECLtd had liabilities of CN¥2.91b due within 12 months, and liabilities of CN¥1.48b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting this, it had CN¥755.3m in cash and CN¥2.59b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling CN¥1.04b more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

UniTTECLtd has a market capitalization of CN¥3.63b, so it could very likely raise cash to ameliorate its balance sheet, if the need arose. But we definitely want to keep our eyes open to indications that its debt is bringing too much risk. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is UniTTECLtd'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, UniTTECLtd made a loss at the EBIT level, and saw its revenue drop to CN¥2.3b, which is a fall of 16%. We would much prefer see growth.

Caveat Emptor

While UniTTECLtd's falling revenue is about as heartwarming as a wet blanket, arguably its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) loss is even less appealing. To be specific the EBIT loss came in at CN¥4.2m. 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. However, it doesn't help that it burned through CN¥72m of cash over the last year. 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. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for UniTTECLtd that you should be aware of before investing here.

At the end of the day, it's often better to focus on companies that are free from net debt. You can access our special list of such companies (all with a track record of profit growth). It's free.

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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.