Shareholders appeared unconcerned with Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:002999) lackluster earnings report last week. We did some digging, and we believe the earnings are stronger than they seem.

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

For anyone who wants to understand Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production's profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by CN¥65m due to unusual items. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production.

Our Take On Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production's Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production's earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Because of this, we think Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! And on top of that, its earnings per share have grown at 11% per year over the last three years. At the end of the day, it's essential to consider more than just the factors above, if you want to understand the company properly. With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production you should be mindful of and 1 of these bad boys is potentially serious.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Guangdong Tianhe Agricultural Means of Production's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. 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.