DHC Software Co.,Ltd.'s (SZSE:002065) healthy profit numbers didn't contain any surprises for investors. We believe that shareholders have noticed some concerning factors beyond the statutory profit numbers.

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Importantly, our data indicates that DHC SoftwareLtd's profit received a boost of CN¥281m in unusual items, over the last year. 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. Which is hardly surprising, given the name. We can see that DHC SoftwareLtd's positive unusual items were quite significant relative to its profit in the year to December 2023. 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 DHC SoftwareLtd.

Our Take On DHC SoftwareLtd's Profit Performance

As we discussed above, we think the significant positive unusual item makes DHC SoftwareLtd's earnings a poor guide to its underlying profitability. For this reason, we think that DHC SoftwareLtd's 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 10% EPS growth in the last year. 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 DHC SoftwareLtd as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for DHC SoftwareLtd (1 is potentially serious) you should be familiar with.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of DHC SoftwareLtd's 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 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.