Yahoo Finance Is Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) Weighed On By Its Debt Load?
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 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 can see that Northern Star Resources Limited (ASX:NST) does use debt in its business. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?
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. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.
View our latest analysis for Northern Star Resources
How Much Debt Does Northern Star Resources Carry?
As you can see below, Northern Star Resources had AU$297.0m of debt at December 2021, down from AU$371.6m a year prior. However, it does have AU$528.0m in cash offsetting this, leading to net cash of AU$231.0m.
A Look At Northern Star Resources' Liabilities
We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Northern Star Resources had liabilities of AU$712.0m falling due within a year, and liabilities of AU$2.32b due beyond that. On the other hand, it had cash of AU$528.0m and AU$263.0m worth of receivables due within a year. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by AU$2.24b.
Given Northern Star Resources has a market capitalization of AU$11.8b, it's hard to believe these liabilities pose much threat. But there are sufficient liabilities that we would certainly recommend shareholders continue to monitor the balance sheet, going forward. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Northern Star Resources boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load! The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Northern Star Resources'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.
Over 12 months, Northern Star Resources reported revenue of AU$3.5b, which is a gain of 53%, although it did not report any earnings before interest and tax. Shareholders probably have their fingers crossed that it can grow its way to profits.
So How Risky Is Northern Star Resources?
Although Northern Star Resources had an earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) loss over the last twelve months, it made a statutory profit of AU$1.1b. So when you consider it has net cash, along with the statutory profit, the stock probably isn't as risky as it might seem, at least in the short term. The good news for Northern Star Resources shareholders is that its revenue growth is strong, making it easier to raise capital if need be. But we still think it's somewhat risky. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Northern Star Resources you should be aware of.
At the end of the day, it's often better to focus on companies that are free from net debt. You can access our special list of such companies (all with a track record of profit growth). It's free.
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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.
