The subdued stock price reaction suggests that L3Harris Technologies, Inc.'s (NYSE:LHX) strong earnings didn't offer any surprises. Our analysis suggests that investors might be missing some promising details.

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

To properly understand L3Harris Technologies' profit results, we need to consider the US$455m expense attributed to unusual items. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. If L3Harris Technologies doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On L3Harris Technologies' Profit Performance

Unusual items (expenses) detracted from L3Harris Technologies' earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Because of this, we think L3Harris Technologies' earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! And the EPS is up 23% annually, over the last three years. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. To help with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs (1 is potentially serious!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in L3Harris Technologies.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of L3Harris Technologies' profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying to be useful.

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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.