Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' 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. Importantly, DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (NASDAQ:XRAY) does carry debt. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

When Is Debt A Problem?

Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. Of course, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

What Is DENTSPLY SIRONA's Debt?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that at December 2023 DENTSPLY SIRONA had debt of US$2.14b, up from US$1.97b in one year. However, it does have US$367.0m in cash offsetting this, leading to net debt of about US$1.77b.

How Healthy Is DENTSPLY SIRONA's Balance Sheet?

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that DENTSPLY SIRONA had liabilities of US$1.43b due within 12 months and liabilities of US$2.65b due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$367.0m as well as receivables valued at US$756.0m due within 12 months. So its liabilities total US$2.95b more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

DENTSPLY SIRONA has a market capitalization of US$6.50b, so it could very likely raise cash to ameliorate its balance sheet, if the need arose. However, it is still worthwhile taking a close look at its ability to pay off debt.

We measure a company's debt load relative to its earnings power by looking at its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and by calculating how easily its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) cover its interest expense (interest cover). This way, we consider both the absolute quantum of the debt, as well as the interest rates paid on it.

DENTSPLY SIRONA has a debt to EBITDA ratio of 2.8 and its EBIT covered its interest expense 3.6 times. This suggests that while the debt levels are significant, we'd stop short of calling them problematic. Investors should also be troubled by the fact that DENTSPLY SIRONA saw its EBIT drop by 19% over the last twelve months. If that's the way things keep going handling the debt load will be like delivering hot coffees on a pogo stick. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine DENTSPLY SIRONA'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, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. So it's worth checking how much of that EBIT is backed by free cash flow. During the last three years, DENTSPLY SIRONA generated free cash flow amounting to a very robust 87% of its EBIT, more than we'd expect. That positions it well to pay down debt if desirable to do so.

Our View

Neither DENTSPLY SIRONA's ability to grow its EBIT nor its interest cover gave us confidence in its ability to take on more debt. But the good news is it seems to be able to convert EBIT to free cash flow with ease. It's also worth noting that DENTSPLY SIRONA is in the Medical Equipment industry, which is often considered to be quite defensive. Looking at all the angles mentioned above, it does seem to us that DENTSPLY SIRONA is a somewhat risky investment as a result of its debt. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since leverage can boost returns on equity, but it is something to be aware of. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for DENTSPLY SIRONA that you should be aware of before investing here.

If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.