Even though Kodiak Gas Services, Inc. (NYSE:KGS ) posted strong earnings, investors appeared to be underwhelmed. We have done some analysis and have found some comforting factors beneath the profit numbers.

View our latest analysis for Kodiak Gas Services

One essential aspect of assessing earnings quality is to look at how much a company is diluting shareholders. In fact, Kodiak Gas Services increased the number of shares on issue by 14% over the last twelve months by issuing new shares. As a result, its net income is now split between a greater number of shares. Per share metrics like EPS help us understand how much actual shareholders are benefitting from the company's profits, while the net income level gives us a better view of the company's absolute size. You can see a chart of Kodiak Gas Services' EPS by clicking here.

A Look At The Impact Of Kodiak Gas Services' Dilution On Its Earnings Per Share (EPS)

Unfortunately, Kodiak Gas Services' profit is down 72% per year over three years. On the bright side, in the last twelve months it grew profit by 149%. But EPS was less impressive, up only 104% in that time. So you can see that the dilution has had a bit of an impact on shareholders.

In the long term, earnings per share growth should beget share price growth. So it will certainly be a positive for shareholders if Kodiak Gas Services can grow EPS persistently. However, if its profit increases while its earnings per share stay flat (or even fall) then shareholders might not see much benefit. For the ordinary retail shareholder, EPS is a great measure to check your hypothetical "share" of the company's profit.

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?

On top of the dilution, we should also consider the US$98m impact of unusual items in the last year, which had the effect of suppressing profit. 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. If Kodiak Gas Services doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

Our Take On Kodiak Gas Services' Profit Performance

Kodiak Gas Services suffered from unusual items which depressed its profit in its last report; if that is not repeated then profit should be higher, all else being equal. But unfortunately the dilution means that shareholders now own a smaller proportion of the company (assuming they maintained the same number of shares). That will weigh on earnings per share, even if it is not reflected in net income. Based on these factors, it's hard to tell if Kodiak Gas Services' profits are a reasonable reflection of its underlying profitability. If you'd like to know more about Kodiak Gas Services as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. For example, Kodiak Gas Services has 3 warning signs (and 2 which make us uncomfortable) we think you should know about.

In this article we've looked at a number of factors that can impair the utility of profit numbers, as a guide to a business. 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. 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.