Yahoo Finance Is Gale Pacific (ASX:GAP) Using Too Much Debt?
Legendary fund manager Li Lu (who Charlie Munger backed) once said, 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital. When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. As with many other companies Gale Pacific Limited (ASX:GAP) makes use of debt. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?
When Is Debt A Problem?
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 usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.
See our latest analysis for Gale Pacific
What Is Gale Pacific's Debt?
You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of June 2019 Gale Pacific had AU$40.7m of debt, an increase on AU$29.7m, over one year. On the flip side, it has AU$29.8m in cash leading to net debt of about AU$10.9m.
How Healthy Is Gale Pacific's Balance Sheet?
The latest balance sheet data shows that Gale Pacific had liabilities of AU$47.7m due within a year, and liabilities of AU$16.6m falling due after that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of AU$29.8m as well as receivables valued at AU$28.2m due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling AU$6.35m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.
Of course, Gale Pacific has a market capitalization of AU$82.9m, so these liabilities are probably manageable. However, we do think it is worth keeping an eye on its balance sheet strength, as it may change over time.
We measure a company's debt load relative to its earnings power by looking at its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and by calculating how easily its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) cover its interest expense (interest cover). This way, we consider both the absolute quantum of the debt, as well as the interest rates paid on it.
Gale Pacific has net debt of just 0.61 times EBITDA, indicating that it is certainly not a reckless borrower. And this view is supported by the solid interest coverage, with EBIT coming in at 7.1 times the interest expense over the last year. But the other side of the story is that Gale Pacific saw its EBIT decline by 6.5% over the last year. If earnings continue to decline at that rate the company may have increasing difficulty managing its debt load. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is Gale Pacific's earnings that will influence how the balance sheet holds up in the future. So if you're keen to discover more about its earnings, it might be worth checking out this graph of its long term earnings trend.
But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. So it's worth checking how much of that EBIT is backed by free cash flow. In the last three years, Gale Pacific's free cash flow amounted to 48% of its EBIT, less than we'd expect. That weak cash conversion makes it more difficult to handle indebtedness.
Our View
On our analysis Gale Pacific's net debt to EBITDA should signal that it won't have too much trouble with its debt. However, our other observations weren't so heartening. For example, its EBIT growth rate makes us a little nervous about its debt. Considering this range of data points, we think Gale Pacific is in a good position to manage its debt levels. But a word of caution: we think debt levels are high enough to justify ongoing monitoring. Of course, we wouldn't say no to the extra confidence that we'd gain if we knew that Gale Pacific insiders have been buying shares: if you're on the same wavelength, you can find out if insiders are buying by clicking this link.
If, after all that, you're more interested in a fast growing company with a rock-solid balance sheet, then check out our list of net cash growth stocks without delay.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
