Investors were disappointed by Great-Sun Foods Co., Ltd.'s (SHSE:603336 ) latest earnings release. We did some further digging and think they have a few more reasons to be concerned beyond the statutory profit.

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that Great-Sun Foods' profit received a boost of CN¥6.6m in unusual items, over the last year. We can't deny that higher profits generally leave us optimistic, but we'd prefer it if the profit were to be sustainable. We ran the numbers on most publicly listed companies worldwide, and it's very common for unusual items to be once-off in nature. 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).

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Great-Sun Foods.

Our Take On Great-Sun Foods' Profit Performance

Arguably, Great-Sun Foods' statutory earnings have been distorted by unusual items boosting profit. Therefore, it seems possible to us that Great-Sun Foods' true underlying earnings power is actually less than its statutory profit. In further bad news, its earnings per share decreased in the last year. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. If you'd like to know more about Great-Sun Foods as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. To help with this, we've discovered 4 warning signs (2 shouldn't be ignored!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in Great-Sun Foods.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Great-Sun Foods' profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. 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 with high insider ownership.

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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.