Basic-Fit N.V.'s (AMS:BFIT) earnings announcement last week was disappointing for investors, despite the decent profit numbers. We did some digging and actually think they are being unnecessarily pessimistic.

View our latest analysis for Basic-Fit

Zooming In On Basic-Fit's Earnings

One key financial ratio used to measure how well a company converts its profit to free cash flow (FCF) is the accrual ratio. In plain english, this ratio subtracts FCF from net profit, and divides that number by the company's average operating assets over that period. You could think of the accrual ratio from cashflow as the 'non-FCF profit ratio'.

Therefore, it's actually considered a good thing when a company has a negative accrual ratio, but a bad thing if its accrual ratio is positive. While having an accrual ratio above zero is of little concern, we do think it's worth noting when a company has a relatively high accrual ratio. Notably, there is some academic evidence that suggests that a high accrual ratio is a bad sign for near-term profits, generally speaking.

Over the twelve months to December 2024, Basic-Fit recorded an accrual ratio of -0.19. That indicates that its free cash flow quite significantly exceeded its statutory profit. In fact, it had free cash flow of €247m in the last year, which was a lot more than its statutory profit of €8.00m. Basic-Fit's free cash flow improved over the last year, which is generally good to see. Having said that, there is more to the story. The accrual ratio is reflecting the impact of unusual items on statutory profit, at least in part.

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.

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Surprisingly, given Basic-Fit's accrual ratio implied strong cash conversion, its paper profit was actually boosted by €11m in unusual items. While we like to see profit increases, we tend to be a little more cautious when unusual items have made a big contribution. We ran the numbers on most publicly listed companies worldwide, and it's very common for unusual items to be once-off in nature. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. If Basic-Fit doesn't see that contribution repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to drop over the current year.

Our Take On Basic-Fit's Profit Performance

In conclusion, Basic-Fit's accrual ratio suggests its statutory earnings are of good quality, but on the other hand the profits were boosted by unusual items. Based on these factors, we think that Basic-Fit's profits are a reasonably conservative guide to its underlying profitability. So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Basic-Fit at this point in time. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Basic-Fit (including 2 which are potentially serious).

Our examination of Basic-Fit has focussed on certain factors that can make its earnings look better than they are. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. 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.