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 seems the smart money knows that debt – which is usually involved in bankruptcies – is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. As with many other companies Nautilus, Inc. (NYSE:NLS) makes use of debt. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?
What Risk Does Debt Bring?
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. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well – and to its own advantage. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.
Check out our latest analysis for Nautilus
What Is Nautilus’s Net Debt?
You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that Nautilus had US$14.4m of debt in June 2020, down from US$20.6m, one year before. But on the other hand it also has US$45.7m in cash, leading to a US$31.2m net cash position.
A Look At Nautilus’s Liabilities
According to the last reported balance sheet, Nautilus had liabilities of US$78.2m due within 12 months, and liabilities of US$37.7m due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$45.7m as well as receivables valued at US$39.1m due within 12 months. So its liabilities total US$31.1m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.
Since publicly traded Nautilus shares are worth a total of US$662.3m, it seems unlikely that this level of liabilities would be a major threat. But there are sufficient liabilities that we would certainly recommend shareholders continue to monitor the balance sheet, going forward. While it does have liabilities worth noting, Nautilus also has more cash than debt, so we’re pretty confident it can manage its debt safely.
Although Nautilus made a loss at the EBIT level, last year, it was also good to see that it generated US$16m in EBIT over the last twelve months. There’s no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Nautilus 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.
Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don’t cut it. While Nautilus 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. Happily for any shareholders, Nautilus actually produced more free cash flow than EBIT over the last year. That sort of strong cash generation warms our hearts like a puppy in a bumblebee suit.
Summing up
While it is always sensible to look at a company’s total liabilities, it is very reassuring that Nautilus has US$31.2m in net cash. The cherry on top was that in converted 314% of that EBIT to free cash flow, bringing in US$51m. So is Nautilus’s debt a risk? It doesn’t seem so to us. 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. For example, we’ve discovered 2 warning signs for Nautilus 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.
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.
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