Shareholders appeared unconcerned with Caina Technology Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:301122) lackluster earnings report last week. We did some digging, and we believe the earnings are stronger than they seem.

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

To properly understand Caina Technology's profit results, we need to consider the CN¥21m expense attributed to unusual items. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect Caina Technology to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

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 Caina Technology's Profit Performance

Unusual items (expenses) detracted from Caina Technology's earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Because of this, we think Caina Technology's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! On the other hand, its EPS actually shrunk in the last twelve months. 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 Caina Technology as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Caina Technology you should know about.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Caina Technology'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. 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.