Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of permanent loss is the risk I worry about... and every practical investor I know worries about.' 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. Importantly, Cachet Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002462) does carry debt. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. 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. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Cachet Pharmaceutical

What Is Cachet Pharmaceutical's Net Debt?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of March 2023 Cachet Pharmaceutical had CN¥4.59b of debt, an increase on CN¥4.39b, over one year. However, because it has a cash reserve of CN¥2.73b, its net debt is less, at about CN¥1.86b.

How Strong Is Cachet Pharmaceutical's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, Cachet Pharmaceutical had liabilities of CN¥10.6b due within 12 months, and liabilities of CN¥233.9m due beyond 12 months. On the other hand, it had cash of CN¥2.73b and CN¥11.9b worth of receivables due within a year. So it actually has CN¥3.82b more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This surplus liquidity suggests that Cachet Pharmaceutical's balance sheet could take a hit just as well as Homer Simpson's head can take a punch. Having regard to this fact, we think its balance sheet is as strong as an ox.

We measure a company's debt load relative to its earnings power by looking at its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and by calculating how easily its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) cover its interest expense (interest cover). This way, we consider both the absolute quantum of the debt, as well as the interest rates paid on it.

Cachet Pharmaceutical's net debt is sitting at a very reasonable 2.0 times its EBITDA, while its EBIT covered its interest expense just 4.8 times last year. While that doesn't worry us too much, it does suggest the interest payments are somewhat of a burden. Unfortunately, Cachet Pharmaceutical's EBIT flopped 16% over the last four quarters. If that sort of decline is not arrested, then the managing its debt will be harder than selling broccoli flavoured ice-cream for a premium. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is Cachet Pharmaceutical'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.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. So we always check how much of that EBIT is translated into free cash flow. During the last three years, Cachet Pharmaceutical produced sturdy free cash flow equating to 72% of its EBIT, about what we'd expect. This cold hard cash means it can reduce its debt when it wants to.

Our View

Cachet Pharmaceutical's level of total liabilities suggests it can handle its debt as easily as Cristiano Ronaldo could score a goal against an under 14's goalkeeper. But we must concede we find its EBIT growth rate has the opposite effect. It's also worth noting that Cachet Pharmaceutical is in the Healthcare industry, which is often considered to be quite defensive. Zooming out, Cachet Pharmaceutical seems to use debt quite reasonably; and that gets the nod from us. While debt does bring risk, when used wisely it can also bring a higher return on equity. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Cachet Pharmaceutical .

If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.

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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.