Yahoo Finance Is Victoria (LON:VCP) A Risky Investment?
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 can see that Victoria plc (LON:VCP) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?
When Is Debt Dangerous?
Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. However, a more common (but still painful) scenario is that it has to raise new equity capital at a low price, thus permanently diluting shareholders. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.
See our latest analysis for Victoria
What Is Victoria's Net Debt?
As you can see below, Victoria had UK£254.3m of debt at April 2022, down from UK£753.9m a year prior. But on the other hand it also has UK£273.6m in cash, leading to a UK£19.3m net cash position.
How Healthy Is Victoria's Balance Sheet?
We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Victoria had liabilities of UK£380.0m falling due within a year, and liabilities of UK£1.08b due beyond that. On the other hand, it had cash of UK£273.6m and UK£223.8m worth of receivables due within a year. So it has liabilities totalling UK£965.4m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.
The deficiency here weighs heavily on the UK£471.6m company itself, as if a child were struggling under the weight of an enormous back-pack full of books, his sports gear, and a trumpet. So we'd watch its balance sheet closely, without a doubt. At the end of the day, Victoria would probably need a major re-capitalization if its creditors were to demand repayment. Given that Victoria has more cash than debt, we're pretty confident it can handle its debt, despite the fact that it has a lot of liabilities in total.
We saw Victoria grow its EBIT by 3.7% in the last twelve months. That's far from incredible but it is a good thing, when it comes to paying off debt. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Victoria'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, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. While Victoria 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, Victoria recorded free cash flow worth 51% of its EBIT, which is around normal, given free cash flow excludes interest and tax. This cold hard cash means it can reduce its debt when it wants to.
Summing Up
While Victoria does have more liabilities than liquid assets, it also has net cash of UK£19.3m. Despite its cash we think that Victoria seems to struggle to handle its total liabilities, so we are wary of the stock. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. We've identified 2 warning signs with Victoria (at least 1 which is a bit concerning) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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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