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.' 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. We can see that China Communications Services Corporation Limited (HKG:552) does use debt in its business. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.

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. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

How Much Debt Does China Communications Services Carry?

As you can see below, China Communications Services had CN¥861.1m of debt, at December 2023, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. However, its balance sheet shows it holds CN¥29.6b in cash, so it actually has CN¥28.7b net cash.

How Healthy Is China Communications Services' Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, China Communications Services had liabilities of CN¥76.2b due within 12 months, and liabilities of CN¥1.88b due beyond 12 months. On the other hand, it had cash of CN¥29.6b and CN¥52.5b worth of receivables due within a year. So it actually has CN¥3.97b more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This excess liquidity suggests that China Communications Services is taking a careful approach to debt. Because it has plenty of assets, it is unlikely to have trouble with its lenders. Succinctly put, China Communications Services boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

And we also note warmly that China Communications Services grew its EBIT by 15% last year, making its debt load easier to handle. 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 China Communications Services'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 China Communications Services 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, China Communications Services actually produced more free cash flow than EBIT over the last three years. That sort of strong cash generation warms our hearts like a puppy in a bumblebee suit.

Summing Up

While we empathize with investors who find debt concerning, you should keep in mind that China Communications Services has net cash of CN¥28.7b, as well as more liquid assets than liabilities. The cherry on top was that in converted 185% of that EBIT to free cash flow, bringing in CN¥4.1b. So is China Communications Services'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. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for China Communications Services you should be aware of.

Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today.

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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.