Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. As with many other companies Angang Steel Company Limited (HKG:347) makes use of debt. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

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. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. Of course, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.

Check out our latest analysis for Angang Steel

What Is Angang Steel's Net Debt?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that Angang Steel had CN¥5.45b of debt in September 2023, down from CN¥6.57b, one year before. However, because it has a cash reserve of CN¥4.11b, its net debt is less, at about CN¥1.34b.

How Healthy Is Angang Steel's Balance Sheet?

We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Angang Steel had liabilities of CN¥35.1b falling due within a year, and liabilities of CN¥4.85b due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had CN¥4.11b in cash and CN¥4.94b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling CN¥30.9b more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

When you consider that this deficiency exceeds the company's CN¥23.0b market capitalization, you might well be inclined to review the balance sheet intently. In the scenario where the company had to clean up its balance sheet quickly, it seems likely shareholders would suffer extensive dilution. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Angang Steel can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

In the last year Angang Steel had a loss before interest and tax, and actually shrunk its revenue by 11%, to CN¥115b. That's not what we would hope to see.

Caveat Emptor

Not only did Angang Steel's revenue slip over the last twelve months, but it also produced negative earnings before interest and tax (EBIT). Indeed, it lost a very considerable CN¥3.0b at the EBIT level. When we look at that alongside the significant liabilities, we're not particularly confident about the company. We'd want to see some strong near-term improvements before getting too interested in the stock. Not least because it burned through CN¥434m in negative free cash flow over the last year. That means it's on the risky side of things. When we look at a riskier company, we like to check how their profits (or losses) are trending over time. Today, we're providing readers this interactive graph showing how Angang Steel's profit, revenue, and operating cashflow have changed over the last few years.

Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today.

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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.