Yahoo Finance We Think EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG) Can Manage Its Debt With Ease
Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. We note that EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG) does have debt on its balance sheet. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?
When Is Debt Dangerous?
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. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. 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. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.
See our latest analysis for EOG Resources
What Is EOG Resources's Debt?
As you can see below, EOG Resources had US$3.81b of debt at June 2023, down from US$5.09b a year prior. But it also has US$4.76b in cash to offset that, meaning it has US$950.0m net cash.
A Look At EOG Resources' Liabilities
We can see from the most recent balance sheet that EOG Resources had liabilities of US$3.73b falling due within a year, and liabilities of US$11.5b due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had US$4.76b in cash and US$2.26b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$8.20b.
Given EOG Resources has a humongous market capitalization of US$71.4b, it's hard to believe these liabilities pose much threat. However, we do think it is worth keeping an eye on its balance sheet strength, as it may change over time. While it does have liabilities worth noting, EOG Resources also has more cash than debt, so we're pretty confident it can manage its debt safely.
On top of that, EOG Resources grew its EBIT by 49% over the last twelve months, and that growth will make it easier to handle its debt. 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 EOG Resources's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.
Finally, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. While EOG Resources 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 most recent three years, EOG Resources recorded free cash flow worth 68% of its EBIT, which is around normal, given free cash flow excludes interest and tax. This free cash flow puts the company in a good position to pay down debt, when appropriate.
Summing Up
While EOG Resources does have more liabilities than liquid assets, it also has net cash of US$950.0m. And we liked the look of last year's 49% year-on-year EBIT growth. So we don't think EOG Resources's use of debt is risky. 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. These risks can be hard to spot. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for EOG Resources (of which 1 can't be ignored!) you should know about.
If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.
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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.
