The market for Massimo Group's (NASDAQ:MAMO) shares didn't move much after it posted weak earnings recently. Our analysis suggests that while the profits are soft, the foundations of the business are strong.

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Examining Cashflow Against Massimo Group's Earnings

Many investors haven't heard of the accrual ratio from cashflow, but it is actually a useful measure of how well a company's profit is backed up by free cash flow (FCF) during a given period. The accrual ratio subtracts the FCF from the profit for a given period, and divides the result by the average operating assets of the company over that time. This ratio tells us how much of a company's profit is not backed by free cashflow.

As a result, a negative accrual ratio is a positive for the company, and a positive accrual ratio is a negative. That is not intended to imply we should worry about a positive accrual ratio, but it's worth noting where the accrual ratio is rather high. To quote a 2014 paper by Lewellen and Resutek, "firms with higher accruals tend to be less profitable in the future".

For the year to December 2024, Massimo Group had an accrual ratio of -0.16. Therefore, its statutory earnings were very significantly less than its free cashflow. In fact, it had free cash flow of US$6.3m in the last year, which was a lot more than its statutory profit of US$3.15m. Massimo Group did see its free cash flow drop year on year, which is less than ideal, like a Simpson's episode without Groundskeeper Willie. However, that's not all there is to consider. The accrual ratio is reflecting the impact of unusual items on statutory profit, at least in part.

See our latest analysis for Massimo Group

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Massimo Group.

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Massimo Group's profit was reduced by unusual items worth US$3.5m in the last twelve months, and this helped it produce high cash conversion, as reflected by its unusual items. This is what you'd expect to see where a company has a non-cash charge reducing paper profits. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. Massimo Group took a rather significant hit from unusual items in the year to December 2024. As a result, we can surmise that the unusual items made its statutory profit significantly weaker than it would otherwise be.

Our Take On Massimo Group's Profit Performance

Considering both Massimo Group's accrual ratio and its unusual items, we think its statutory earnings are unlikely to exaggerate the company's underlying earnings power. After considering all this, we reckon Massimo Group's statutory profit probably understates its earnings potential! If you want to do dive deeper into Massimo Group, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Massimo Group (including 1 which is concerning).

Our examination of Massimo Group has focussed on certain factors that can make its earnings look better than they are. And it has passed with flying colours. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful.

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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.