International Cement Group Ltd.'s (SGX:KUO) recent soft profit numbers didn't appear to worry shareholders, as the stock price showed strength. We think that investors might be looking at some positive factors beyond the earnings numbers.

Check out our latest analysis for International Cement Group

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

For anyone who wants to understand International Cement Group's profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by S$11m due to unusual items. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. 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 International Cement Group to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

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

Our Take On International Cement Group's Profit Performance

Unusual items (expenses) detracted from International Cement Group's earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Because of this, we think International Cement Group's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! Unfortunately, though, its earnings per share actually fell back over the last year. At the end of the day, it's essential to consider more than just the factors above, if you want to understand the company properly. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. Be aware that International Cement Group is showing 5 warning signs in our investment analysis and 1 of those is concerning...

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of International Cement Group'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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