Yahoo Finance Companies Like NeuroMetrix (NASDAQ:NURO) Can Afford To Invest In Growth
Just because a business does not make any money, does not mean that the stock will go down. Indeed, NeuroMetrix (NASDAQ:NURO) stock is up 920% in the last year, providing strong gains for shareholders. But while the successes are well known, investors should not ignore the very many unprofitable companies that simply burn through all their cash and collapse.
In light of its strong share price run, we think now is a good time to investigate how risky NeuroMetrix's cash burn is. In this article, we define cash burn as its annual (negative) free cash flow, which is the amount of money a company spends each year to fund its growth. Let's start with an examination of the business' cash, relative to its cash burn.
See our latest analysis for NeuroMetrix
Does NeuroMetrix Have A Long Cash Runway?
You can calculate a company's cash runway by dividing the amount of cash it has by the rate at which it is spending that cash. When NeuroMetrix last reported its balance sheet in March 2021, it had zero debt and cash worth US$5.1m. In the last year, its cash burn was US$1.4m. Therefore, from March 2021 it had 3.8 years of cash runway. A runway of this length affords the company the time and space it needs to develop the business. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.
How Well Is NeuroMetrix Growing?
Happily, NeuroMetrix is travelling in the right direction when it comes to its cash burn, which is down 72% over the last year. But it was a bit disconcerting to see operating revenue down 12% in that time. Considering the factors above, the company doesn’t fare badly when it comes to assessing how it is changing over time. Of course, we've only taken a quick look at the stock's growth metrics, here. You can take a look at how NeuroMetrix has developed its business over time by checking this visualization of its revenue and earnings history.
Can NeuroMetrix Raise More Cash Easily?
While NeuroMetrix seems to be in a decent position, we reckon it is still worth thinking about how easily it could raise more cash, if that proved desirable. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Commonly, a business will sell new shares in itself to raise cash and drive growth. By comparing a company's annual cash burn to its total market capitalisation, we can estimate roughly how many shares it would have to issue in order to run the company for another year (at the same burn rate).
NeuroMetrix has a market capitalisation of US$79m and burnt through US$1.4m last year, which is 1.7% of the company's market value. That means it could easily issue a few shares to fund more growth, and might well be in a position to borrow cheaply.
So, Should We Worry About NeuroMetrix's Cash Burn?
It may already be apparent to you that we're relatively comfortable with the way NeuroMetrix is burning through its cash. For example, we think its cash runway suggests that the company is on a good path. While its falling revenue wasn't great, the other factors mentioned in this article more than make up for weakness on that measure. After taking into account the various metrics mentioned in this report, we're pretty comfortable with how the company is spending its cash, as it seems on track to meet its needs over the medium term. Taking an in-depth view of risks, we've identified 3 warning signs for NeuroMetrix that you should be aware of before investing.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts)
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. 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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