Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300498) just reported some strong earnings, and the market reacted accordingly with a healthy uplift in the share price. However, we think that shareholders may be missing some concerning details in the numbers.

Check out our latest analysis for Wens Foodstuff Group

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

To properly understand Wens Foodstuff Group's profit results, we need to consider the CN¥115m gain attributed to unusual items. While it's always nice to have higher profit, a large contribution from unusual items sometimes dampens our enthusiasm. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. Which is hardly surprising, given the name. Assuming those unusual items don't show up again in the current year, we'd thus expect profit to be weaker next year (in the absence of business growth, that is).

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On Wens Foodstuff Group's Profit Performance

We'd posit that Wens Foodstuff Group's statutory earnings aren't a clean read on ongoing productivity, due to the large unusual item. Because of this, we think that it may be that Wens Foodstuff Group's statutory profits are better than its underlying earnings power. On the bright side, 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 want to do dive deeper into Wens Foodstuff Group, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Wens Foodstuff Group (of which 2 are potentially serious!) you should know about.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Wens Foodstuff Group's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. 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. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

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