David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital.' 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. We can see that Agile Group Holdings Limited (HKG:3383) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. 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. 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.

What Is Agile Group Holdings's Net Debt?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Agile Group Holdings had debt of CN¥53.6b at the end of December 2023, a reduction from CN¥61.0b over a year. However, it does have CN¥11.4b in cash offsetting this, leading to net debt of about CN¥42.1b.

How Strong Is Agile Group Holdings' Balance Sheet?

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Agile Group Holdings had liabilities of CN¥143.2b due within 12 months and liabilities of CN¥36.3b due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had CN¥11.4b in cash and CN¥48.9b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by CN¥119.2b.

This deficit casts a shadow over the CN¥2.31b company, like a colossus towering over mere mortals. So we'd watch its balance sheet closely, without a doubt. After all, Agile Group Holdings would likely require a major re-capitalisation if it had to pay its creditors today. 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 Agile Group Holdings 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, Agile Group Holdings made a loss at the EBIT level, and saw its revenue drop to CN¥43b, which is a fall of 20%. That's not what we would hope to see.

Caveat Emptor

While Agile Group Holdings's falling revenue is about as heartwarming as a wet blanket, arguably its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) loss is even less appealing. Indeed, it lost a very considerable CN¥8.3b at the EBIT level. Reflecting on this and the significant total liabilities, it's hard to know what to say about the stock because of our intense dis-affinity for it. Sure, the company might have a nice story about how they are going on to a brighter future. But the reality is that it is low on liquid assets relative to liabilities, and it lost CN¥14b in the last year. So we're not very excited about owning this stock. Its too risky for us. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Agile Group Holdings that you should be aware of before investing here.

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.