We're Hopeful That Atara Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:ATRA) Will Use Its Cash Wisely

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Even when a business is losing money, it's possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, biotech and mining exploration companies often lose money for years before finding success with a new treatment or mineral discovery. But the harsh reality is that very many loss making companies burn through all their cash and go bankrupt.

So, the natural question for Atara Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:ATRA) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. In this report, we will consider the company's annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the 'cash burn'. Let's start with an examination of the business' cash, relative to its cash burn.

View our latest analysis for Atara Biotherapeutics

How Long Is Atara Biotherapeutics' Cash Runway?

A company's cash runway is calculated by dividing its cash hoard by its cash burn. In December 2020, Atara Biotherapeutics had US$501m in cash, and was debt-free. Looking at the last year, the company burnt through US$185m. Therefore, from December 2020 it had 2.7 years of cash runway. That's decent, giving the company a couple years to develop its business. You can see how its cash balance has changed over time in the image below.

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NasdaqGS:ATRA Debt to Equity History March 21st 2021

How Is Atara Biotherapeutics' Cash Burn Changing Over Time?

Atara Biotherapeutics didn't record any revenue over the last year, indicating that it's an early stage company still developing its business. So while we can't look to sales to understand growth, we can look at how the cash burn is changing to understand how expenditure is trending over time. While it hardly paints a picture of imminent growth, the fact that it has reduced its cash burn by 23% over the last year suggests some degree of prudence. Clearly, however, the crucial factor is whether the company will grow its business going forward. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company.

How Easily Can Atara Biotherapeutics Raise Cash?

Even though it has reduced its cash burn recently, shareholders should still consider how easy it would be for Atara Biotherapeutics to raise more cash in the future. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash and fund growth. By comparing a company's annual cash burn to its total market capitalisation, we can estimate roughly how many shares it would have to issue in order to run the company for another year (at the same burn rate).