Investors were disappointed by Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:002821 ) latest earnings release. Our analysis has found some reasons to be concerned, beyond the weak headline numbers.

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin)'s profit received a boost of CN¥56m in unusual items, over the last year. While it's always nice to have higher profit, a large contribution from unusual items sometimes dampens our enthusiasm. We ran the numbers on most publicly listed companies worldwide, and it's very common for unusual items to be once-off in nature. And that's as you'd expect, given these boosts are described as 'unusual'. 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).

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin)'s Profit Performance

We'd posit that Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin)'s statutory earnings aren't a clean read on ongoing productivity, due to the large unusual item. Therefore, it seems possible to us that Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin)'s 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 Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin) as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin) you should be aware of.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin)'s profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful.

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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.