The market seemed underwhelmed by last week's earnings announcement from Signify N.V. (AMS:LIGHT) 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.

View our latest analysis for Signify

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that Signify's profit was reduced by €61m, due to unusual items, over the last year. 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. If Signify doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

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 Signify's Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from Signify's earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Based on this observation, we consider it likely that Signify's statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! And on top of that, its earnings per share increased by 61% in the 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. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Signify you should be aware of.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Signify'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. 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.

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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.