In This Article:
Soft earnings didn't appear to concern Metro Holdings Limited's (SGX:M01) shareholders over the last week. Our analysis suggests that while the profits are soft, the foundations of the business are strong.
View our latest analysis for Metro Holdings
The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit
For anyone who wants to understand Metro Holdings' profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by S$6.2m due 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. In the twelve months to September 2024, Metro Holdings had a big unusual items expense. All else being equal, this would likely have the effect of making the statutory profit look worse than its underlying earnings power.
Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Metro Holdings.
Our Take On Metro Holdings' Profit Performance
As we mentioned previously, the Metro Holdings' profit was hampered by unusual items in the last year. Because of this, we think Metro Holdings' underlying earnings potential is as good as, or possibly even better, than the statutory profit makes it seem! On the other hand, its EPS actually shrunk in the last twelve months. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. If you'd like to know more about Metro Holdings as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Be aware that Metro Holdings is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis and 2 of those don't sit too well with us...
Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Metro Holdings' 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. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with high insider ownership.
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.