In This Article:
The market seemed underwhelmed by last week's earnings announcement from E.ON SE (ETR:EOAN) despite the healthy numbers. We did some analysis to find out why and believe that investors might be missing some encouraging factors contained in the earnings.
See our latest analysis for E.ON
The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit
To properly understand E.ON's profit results, we need to consider the €679m expense attributed 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. 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. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect E.ON to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.
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 E.ON's Profit Performance
Because unusual items detracted from E.ON'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 E.ON's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! And one can definitely find a positive in the fact that it made a profit this year, despite losing money last year. 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. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for E.ON (1 is potentially serious) you should be familiar with.
This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of E.ON's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. 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.