Yahoo Finance Is Quotient Technology (NYSE:QUOT) Using Debt In A Risky Way?
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.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. Importantly, Quotient Technology Inc. (NYSE:QUOT) does carry debt. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?
When Is Debt A Problem?
Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. Ultimately, if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt, shareholders could walk away with nothing. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.
Check out our latest analysis for Quotient Technology
What Is Quotient Technology's Debt?
The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that at June 2021 Quotient Technology had debt of US$182.9m, up from US$171.6m in one year. But on the other hand it also has US$238.3m in cash, leading to a US$55.4m net cash position.
A Look At Quotient Technology's Liabilities
The latest balance sheet data shows that Quotient Technology had liabilities of US$139.3m due within a year, and liabilities of US$204.0m falling due after that. Offsetting this, it had US$238.3m in cash and US$134.2m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it actually has US$29.3m more liquid assets than total liabilities.
This surplus suggests that Quotient Technology has a conservative balance sheet, and could probably eliminate its debt without much difficulty. Succinctly put, Quotient Technology boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load! 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 Quotient Technology's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.
Over 12 months, Quotient Technology reported revenue of US$503m, which is a gain of 21%, 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 Quotient Technology?
While Quotient Technology lost money on an earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) level, it actually generated positive free cash flow US$23m. So although it is loss-making, it doesn't seem to have too much near-term balance sheet risk, keeping in mind the net cash. Keeping in mind its 21% revenue growth over the last year, we think there's a decent chance the company is on track. We'd see further strong growth as an optimistic indication. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For example - Quotient Technology has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.
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.
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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