Workday (NASDAQ:WDAY) Has Debt But No Earnings; Should You Worry?
Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. As with many other companies Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ:WDAY) makes use of debt. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?
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. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. However, a more usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. 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 examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.
See our latest analysis for Workday
What Is Workday's Net Debt?
The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that at January 2023 Workday had debt of US$2.98b, up from US$1.84b in one year. However, its balance sheet shows it holds US$6.12b in cash, so it actually has US$3.15b net cash.
How Healthy Is Workday's Balance Sheet?
The latest balance sheet data shows that Workday had liabilities of US$4.63b due within a year, and liabilities of US$3.27b falling due after that. Offsetting this, it had US$6.12b in cash and US$1.57b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling US$209.2m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.
This state of affairs indicates that Workday's balance sheet looks quite solid, as its total liabilities are just about equal to its liquid assets. So while it's hard to imagine that the US$51.8b company is struggling for cash, we still think it's worth monitoring its balance sheet. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Workday 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 Workday can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.
Over 12 months, Workday reported revenue of US$6.2b, which is a gain of 21%, although it did not report any earnings before interest and tax. With any luck the company will be able to grow its way to profitability.
So How Risky Is Workday?
Although Workday had an earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) loss over the last twelve months, it generated positive free cash flow of US$1.3b. So although it is loss-making, it doesn't seem to have too much near-term balance sheet risk, keeping in mind the net cash. One positive is that Workday is growing revenue apace, which makes it easier to sell a growth story and raise capital if need be. But that doesn't change our opinion that the stock is risky. 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 2 warning signs with Workday , 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.
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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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