Yahoo Finance Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) Could Easily Take On More Debt
David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. We can see that Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) does use debt in its business. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.
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 common (but still painful) scenario is that it has to raise new equity capital at a low price, thus permanently diluting shareholders. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.
Check out our latest analysis for Adobe
What Is Adobe's Net Debt?
The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Adobe had US$4.13b in debt in December 2022; about the same as the year before. But it also has US$6.10b in cash to offset that, meaning it has US$1.97b net cash.
How Healthy Is Adobe's Balance Sheet?
We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Adobe had liabilities of US$8.13b falling due within a year, and liabilities of US$4.99b due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$6.10b as well as receivables valued at US$2.07b due within 12 months. So its liabilities total US$4.95b more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.
Since publicly traded Adobe shares are worth a very impressive total of US$164.0b, it seems unlikely that this level of liabilities would be a major threat. But there are sufficient liabilities that we would certainly recommend shareholders continue to monitor the balance sheet, going forward. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Adobe boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!
Fortunately, Adobe grew its EBIT by 5.2% in the last year, making that debt load look even more manageable. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Adobe's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.
Finally, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. While Adobe 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. Happily for any shareholders, Adobe actually produced more free cash flow than EBIT over the last three years. There's nothing better than incoming cash when it comes to staying in your lenders' good graces.
Summing Up
We could understand if investors are concerned about Adobe's liabilities, but we can be reassured by the fact it has has net cash of US$1.97b. And it impressed us with free cash flow of US$7.4b, being 121% of its EBIT. So we don't think Adobe's use of debt is risky. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For example - Adobe has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.
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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.
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