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 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. We can see that Shenzhou International Group Holdings Limited (HKG:2313) does use debt in its business. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. Ultimately, if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt, shareholders could walk away with nothing. 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 think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Shenzhou International Group Holdings

How Much Debt Does Shenzhou International Group Holdings Carry?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of June 2022 Shenzhou International Group Holdings had CN¥9.96b of debt, an increase on CN¥7.85b, over one year. But on the other hand it also has CN¥14.8b in cash, leading to a CN¥4.88b net cash position.

A Look At Shenzhou International Group Holdings' Liabilities

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Shenzhou International Group Holdings had liabilities of CN¥12.8b due within 12 months and liabilities of CN¥830.1m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of CN¥14.8b as well as receivables valued at CN¥5.21b due within 12 months. So it can boast CN¥6.37b more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This short term liquidity is a sign that Shenzhou International Group Holdings could probably pay off its debt with ease, as its balance sheet is far from stretched. Succinctly put, Shenzhou International Group Holdings boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

The modesty of its debt load may become crucial for Shenzhou International Group Holdings if management cannot prevent a repeat of the 42% cut to EBIT over the last year. When it comes to paying off debt, falling earnings are no more useful than sugary sodas are for your health. 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 Shenzhou International Group Holdings'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 Shenzhou International Group Holdings 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, Shenzhou International Group Holdings 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 Shenzhou International Group Holdings has net cash of CN¥4.88b, as well as more liquid assets than liabilities. So we are not troubled with Shenzhou International Group Holdings's debt use. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Shenzhou International Group Holdings you should be aware of.

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.