Yahoo Finance Companies Like New Zealand Oil & Gas (NZSE:NZO) Are In A Position To Invest In Growth
There's no doubt that money can be made by owning shares of unprofitable businesses. For example, although Amazon.com made losses for many years after listing, if you had bought and held the shares since 1999, you would have made a fortune. 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.
So, the natural question for New Zealand Oil & Gas (NZSE:NZO) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. In this report, we will consider the company's annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the 'cash burn'. First, we'll determine its cash runway by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves.
Check out our latest analysis for New Zealand Oil & Gas
Does New Zealand Oil & Gas Have A Long Cash Runway?
A company's cash runway is calculated by dividing its cash hoard by its cash burn. In December 2020, New Zealand Oil & Gas had NZ$80m in cash, and was debt-free. Looking at the last year, the company burnt through NZ$11m. Therefore, from December 2020 it had 7.4 years of cash runway. While this is only one measure of its cash burn situation, it certainly gives us the impression that holders have nothing to worry about. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time.
Is New Zealand Oil & Gas' Revenue Growing?
Given that New Zealand Oil & Gas actually had positive free cash flow last year, before burning cash this year, we'll focus on its operating revenue to get a measure of the business trajectory. Unfortunately, the last year has been a disappointment, with operating revenue dropping 21% during the period. Of course, we've only taken a quick look at the stock's growth metrics, here. You can take a look at how New Zealand Oil & Gas has developed its business over time by checking this visualization of its revenue and earnings history.
Can New Zealand Oil & Gas Raise More Cash Easily?
Given its problematic fall in revenue, New Zealand Oil & Gas shareholders should consider how the company could fund its growth, if it turns out it needs more cash. Companies can raise capital through either debt or equity. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash and fund growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations.
Since it has a market capitalisation of NZ$74m, New Zealand Oil & Gas' NZ$11m in cash burn equates to about 15% of its market value. As a result, we'd venture that the company could raise more cash for growth without much trouble, albeit at the cost of some dilution.
So, Should We Worry About New Zealand Oil & Gas' Cash Burn?
It may already be apparent to you that we're relatively comfortable with the way New Zealand Oil & Gas is burning through its cash. In particular, we think its cash runway stands out as evidence that the company is well on top of its spending. Although its falling revenue does give us reason for pause, the other metrics we discussed in this article form a positive picture overall. Considering all the factors discussed in this article, we're not overly concerned about the company's cash burn, although we do think shareholders should keep an eye on how it develops. Readers need to have a sound understanding of business risks before investing in a stock, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for New Zealand Oil & Gas that potential shareholders should take into account before putting money into a stock.
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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