Yahoo Finance Is TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) Using Too Much Debt?
Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of permanent loss is the risk I worry about... and every practical investor I know worries about.' 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. As with many other companies The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) makes use of debt. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?
When Is Debt A Problem?
Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. 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. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.
View our latest analysis for TJX Companies
What Is TJX Companies's Net Debt?
As you can see below, TJX Companies had US$3.35b of debt at July 2021, down from US$6.19b a year prior. But on the other hand it also has US$7.11b in cash, leading to a US$3.75b net cash position.
How Healthy Is TJX Companies' Balance Sheet?
We can see from the most recent balance sheet that TJX Companies had liabilities of US$10.0b falling due within a year, and liabilities of US$12.3b due beyond that. On the other hand, it had cash of US$7.11b and US$737.3m worth of receivables due within a year. So its liabilities total US$14.5b more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.
Of course, TJX Companies has a titanic market capitalization of US$78.5b, 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. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, TJX Companies boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!
Better yet, TJX Companies grew its EBIT by 216% last year, which is an impressive improvement. If maintained that growth will make the debt even more manageable in the years ahead. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if TJX Companies can strengthen its balance sheet over time. 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 TJX Companies 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, TJX Companies actually produced more free cash flow than EBIT. There's nothing better than incoming cash when it comes to staying in your lenders' good graces.
Summing up
While TJX Companies does have more liabilities than liquid assets, it also has net cash of US$3.75b. The cherry on top was that in converted 105% of that EBIT to free cash flow, bringing in US$4.6b. So is TJX Companies's debt a risk? It doesn't seem so to us. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. We've identified 3 warning signs with TJX Companies , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
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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