Soft earnings didn't appear to concern Crane NXT, Co.'s (NYSE:CXT) shareholders over the last week. We think that the softer headline numbers might be getting counterbalanced by some positive underlying factors.

See our latest analysis for Crane NXT

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

To properly understand Crane NXT's profit results, we need to consider the US$30m 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 Crane NXT 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 Crane NXT's Profit Performance

Unusual items (expenses) detracted from Crane NXT's earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Based on this observation, we consider it likely that Crane NXT's statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! And we are pleased to note that EPS is at least heading in the right direction over the last three years. 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 Crane NXT as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. At Simply Wall St, we found 1 warning sign for Crane NXT and we think they deserve your attention.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Crane NXT'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. 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.