Mincon Group (LON:MCON) Has A Pretty Healthy Balance Sheet

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The external fund manager backed by Berkshire Hathaway's Charlie Munger, Li Lu, makes no bones about it when he says 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' 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. As with many other companies Mincon Group plc (LON:MCON) makes use of debt. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

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. 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, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

View our latest analysis for Mincon Group

What Is Mincon Group's Net Debt?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of December 2020 Mincon Group had €11.1m of debt, an increase on €4.88m, over one year. However, its balance sheet shows it holds €17.0m in cash, so it actually has €5.96m net cash.

debt-equity-history-analysis
debt-equity-history-analysis

How Healthy Is Mincon Group's Balance Sheet?

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Mincon Group had liabilities of €24.3m due within 12 months and liabilities of €21.8m due beyond that. On the other hand, it had cash of €17.0m and €21.0m worth of receivables due within a year. So its liabilities total €8.17m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

Since publicly traded Mincon Group shares are worth a total of €291.2m, it seems unlikely that this level of liabilities would be a major threat. However, we do think it is worth keeping an eye on its balance sheet strength, as it may change over time. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Mincon Group boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

Another good sign is that Mincon Group has been able to increase its EBIT by 22% in twelve months, making it easier to pay down debt. 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 Mincon Group 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.

But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. Mincon Group may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. In the last three years, Mincon Group created free cash flow amounting to 6.4% of its EBIT, an uninspiring performance. That limp level of cash conversion undermines its ability to manage and pay down debt.

Summing up

While it is always sensible to look at a company's total liabilities, it is very reassuring that Mincon Group has €5.96m in net cash. And we liked the look of last year's 22% year-on-year EBIT growth. So we are not troubled with Mincon Group's debt use. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Mincon Group that you should be aware of before investing here.

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.