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. As with many other companies Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE:CAG) makes use of debt. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. 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 think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

What Is Conagra Brands's Net Debt?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Conagra Brands had debt of US$8.77b at the end of August 2024, a reduction from US$9.27b over a year. And it doesn't have much cash, so its net debt is about the same.

How Strong Is Conagra Brands' Balance Sheet?

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Conagra Brands had liabilities of US$3.65b due within 12 months and liabilities of US$8.91b due beyond that. On the other hand, it had cash of US$128.7m and US$933.4m worth of receivables due within a year. So it has liabilities totalling US$11.5b more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

This deficit is considerable relative to its very significant market capitalization of US$13.8b, so it does suggest shareholders should keep an eye on Conagra Brands' use of debt. Should its lenders demand that it shore up the balance sheet, shareholders would likely face severe dilution.

We use two main ratios to inform us about debt levels relative to earnings. The first is net debt divided by earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), while the second is how many times its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) covers its interest expense (or its interest cover, for short). The advantage of this approach is that we take into account both the absolute quantum of debt (with net debt to EBITDA) and the actual interest expenses associated with that debt (with its interest cover ratio).

Conagra Brands has a debt to EBITDA ratio of 3.9 and its EBIT covered its interest expense 4.3 times. Taken together this implies that, while we wouldn't want to see debt levels rise, we think it can handle its current leverage. Even more troubling is the fact that Conagra Brands actually let its EBIT decrease by 6.6% over the last year. If it keeps going like that paying off its debt will be like running on a treadmill -- a lot of effort for not much advancement. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Conagra Brands 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.

Finally, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. So we always check how much of that EBIT is translated into free cash flow. During the last three years, Conagra Brands produced sturdy free cash flow equating to 56% of its EBIT, about what we'd expect. This cold hard cash means it can reduce its debt when it wants to.

Our View

At the end of the day, we're far from enamoured with Conagra Brands's ability handle its debt, based on its EBITDA, or to handle its total liabilities. But the good news is that its solid conversion of EBIT to free cash flow gives us reason for some optimism. Once we consider all the factors above, together, it seems to us that Conagra Brands's debt is making it a bit risky. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but we'd generally feel more comfortable with less leverage. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. Case in point: We've spotted 5 warning signs for Conagra Brands you should be aware of.

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.