Samudera Shipping Line Ltd's (SGX:S56) earnings announcement last week didn't impress shareholders. While the headline numbers were soft, we believe that investors might be missing some encouraging factors.

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

To properly understand Samudera Shipping Line's profit results, we need to consider the US$11m expense attributed to unusual items. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. If Samudera Shipping Line doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Samudera Shipping Line.

Our Take On Samudera Shipping Line's Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from Samudera Shipping Line's earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Because of this, we think Samudera Shipping Line's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! And the EPS is up 51% annually, over the last three years. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. You'd be interested to know, that we found 2 warning signs for Samudera Shipping Line and you'll want to know about them.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Samudera Shipping Line's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. 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 with significant insider holdings 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com