Yahoo Finance Iterum Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ITRM) Has Debt But No Earnings; Should You Worry?
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. We can see that Iterum Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:ITRM) does use debt in its business. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.
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. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. 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. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.
Check out our latest analysis for Iterum Therapeutics
How Much Debt Does Iterum Therapeutics Carry?
As you can see below, Iterum Therapeutics had US$23.6m of debt at June 2022, down from US$25.7m a year prior. However, it does have US$68.9m in cash offsetting this, leading to net cash of US$45.3m.
A Look At Iterum Therapeutics' Liabilities
The latest balance sheet data shows that Iterum Therapeutics had liabilities of US$7.49m due within a year, and liabilities of US$25.3m falling due after that. On the other hand, it had cash of US$68.9m and US$413.0k worth of receivables due within a year. So it can boast US$36.5m more liquid assets than total liabilities.
This surplus liquidity suggests that Iterum Therapeutics' balance sheet could take a hit just as well as Homer Simpson's head can take a punch. Having regard to this fact, we think its balance sheet is as strong as an ox. Succinctly put, Iterum Therapeutics 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 ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Iterum Therapeutics 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.
It seems likely shareholders hope that Iterum Therapeutics can significantly advance the business plan before too long, because it doesn't have any significant revenue at the moment.
So How Risky Is Iterum Therapeutics?
Statistically speaking companies that lose money are riskier than those that make money. And the fact is that over the last twelve months Iterum Therapeutics lost money at the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) line. And over the same period it saw negative free cash outflow of US$16m and booked a US$11m accounting loss. Given it only has net cash of US$45.3m, the company may need to raise more capital if it doesn't reach break-even soon. Even though its balance sheet seems sufficiently liquid, debt always makes us a little nervous if a company doesn't produce free cash flow regularly. 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. For example, we've discovered 5 warning signs for Iterum Therapeutics (2 are a bit unpleasant!) that you should be aware of before investing here.
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.
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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.
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