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.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. We note that Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE:HLX) does have debt on its balance sheet. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

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. 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 examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

What Is Helix Energy Solutions Group's Net Debt?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that at March 2024 Helix Energy Solutions Group had debt of US$318.2m, up from US$260.5m in one year. However, it does have US$323.8m in cash offsetting this, leading to net cash of US$5.69m.

How Healthy Is Helix Energy Solutions Group's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, Helix Energy Solutions Group had liabilities of US$348.0m due within 12 months, and liabilities of US$799.0m due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$323.8m as well as receivables valued at US$225.8m due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling US$597.3m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

Helix Energy Solutions Group has a market capitalization of US$1.64b, so it could very likely raise cash to ameliorate its balance sheet, if the need arose. However, it is still worthwhile taking a close look at its ability to pay off debt. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Helix Energy Solutions Group boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

Notably, Helix Energy Solutions Group's EBIT launched higher than Elon Musk, gaining a whopping 4,465% on last year. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Helix Energy Solutions Group can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. While Helix Energy Solutions Group has net cash on its balance sheet, it's still worth taking a look at its ability to convert earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, to help us understand how quickly it is building (or eroding) that cash balance. Over the last two years, Helix Energy Solutions Group actually produced more free cash flow than EBIT. That sort of strong cash generation warms our hearts like a puppy in a bumblebee suit.

Summing Up

Although Helix Energy Solutions Group's balance sheet isn't particularly strong, due to the total liabilities, it is clearly positive to see that it has net cash of US$5.69m. The cherry on top was that in converted 205% of that EBIT to free cash flow, bringing in US$206m. So we don't think Helix Energy Solutions Group's use of debt is risky. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. We've identified 1 warning sign with Helix Energy Solutions Group , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

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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.