Yahoo Finance Is Baozun (NASDAQ:BZUN) A Risky Investment?
The external fund manager backed by Berkshire Hathaway's Charlie Munger, Li Lu, makes no bones about it when he says 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' 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. We note that Baozun Inc. (NASDAQ:BZUN) does have debt on its balance sheet. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?
When Is Debt Dangerous?
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. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. 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, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.
Check out our latest analysis for Baozun
How Much Debt Does Baozun Carry?
The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Baozun had debt of CN¥1.76b at the end of June 2021, a reduction from CN¥2.08b over a year. However, its balance sheet shows it holds CN¥4.36b in cash, so it actually has CN¥2.60b net cash.
How Healthy Is Baozun's Balance Sheet?
According to the last reported balance sheet, Baozun had liabilities of CN¥1.98b due within 12 months, and liabilities of CN¥2.56b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of CN¥4.36b as well as receivables valued at CN¥1.99b due within 12 months. So it can boast CN¥1.81b more liquid assets than total liabilities.
This surplus suggests that Baozun is using debt in a way that is appears to be both safe and conservative. Because it has plenty of assets, it is unlikely to have trouble with its lenders. Simply put, the fact that Baozun has more cash than debt is arguably a good indication that it can manage its debt safely.
Also good is that Baozun grew its EBIT at 16% over the last year, further increasing its ability to manage debt. 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 Baozun'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.
But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. While Baozun 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. Over the last three years, Baozun reported free cash flow worth 12% of its EBIT, which is really quite low. That limp level of cash conversion undermines its ability to manage and pay down debt.
Summing up
While we empathize with investors who find debt concerning, you should keep in mind that Baozun has net cash of CN¥2.60b, as well as more liquid assets than liabilities. And it impressed us with its EBIT growth of 16% over the last year. So is Baozun's debt a risk? It doesn't seem so to us. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. We've identified 2 warning signs with Baozun , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today.
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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