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.' 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. Importantly, Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group Co., Ltd. (SHSE:600662) does carry debt. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

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 frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. 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.

What Is Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group's Net Debt?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group had debt of CN¥767.4m at the end of March 2024, a reduction from CN¥1.01b over a year. However, it does have CN¥8.97b in cash offsetting this, leading to net cash of CN¥8.20b.

A Look At Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group's Liabilities

We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group had liabilities of CN¥10.6b falling due within a year, and liabilities of CN¥117.8m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of CN¥8.97b as well as receivables valued at CN¥3.16b due within 12 months. So it can boast CN¥1.39b more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This surplus suggests that Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group has a conservative balance sheet, and could probably eliminate its debt without much difficulty. Succinctly put, Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

In addition to that, we're happy to report that Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group has boosted its EBIT by 43%, thus reducing the spectre of future debt repayments. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group'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 Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group 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, Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group recorded free cash flow worth 54% of its EBIT, which is around normal, given free cash flow excludes interest and tax. This free cash flow puts the company in a good position to pay down debt, when appropriate.

Summing Up

While we empathize with investors who find debt concerning, you should keep in mind that Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group has net cash of CN¥8.20b, as well as more liquid assets than liabilities. And it impressed us with its EBIT growth of 43% over the last year. So we don't think Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group's use of debt is risky. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. These risks can be hard to spot. Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Shanghai Foreign Service Holding Group you should know about.

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.

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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.