Royal Group Co.,Ltd.'s (SZSE:002329) solid earnings announcement recently didn't do much to the stock price. We did some analysis to find out why and believe that investors might be missing some encouraging factors contained in the earnings.

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that Royal GroupLtd's profit was reduced by CN¥6.7m, due to unusual items, over the last year. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. Royal GroupLtd took a rather significant hit from unusual items in the year to March 2024. All else being equal, this would likely have the effect of making the statutory profit look worse than its underlying earnings power.

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

Our Take On Royal GroupLtd's Profit Performance

As we discussed above, we think the significant unusual expense will make Royal GroupLtd's statutory profit lower than it would otherwise have been. Because of this, we think Royal GroupLtd's underlying earnings potential is as good as, or possibly even better, than the statutory profit makes it seem! And it's also positive that the company showed enough improvement to book a profit this year, after losing money 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 Royal GroupLtd as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Royal GroupLtd you should know about.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Royal GroupLtd's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. 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.