Shareholders appeared to be happy with Weibo Corporation's (NASDAQ:WB) solid earnings report last week. This reaction by the market reaction is understandable when looking at headline profits and we have found some further encouraging factors.

Examining Cashflow Against Weibo'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'.

As a result, a negative accrual ratio is a positive for the company, and a positive accrual ratio is a negative. While it's not a problem to have a positive accrual ratio, indicating a certain level of non-cash profits, a high accrual ratio is arguably a bad thing, because it indicates paper profits are not matched by cash flow. Notably, there is some academic evidence that suggests that a high accrual ratio is a bad sign for near-term profits, generally speaking.

For the year to December 2023, Weibo had an accrual ratio of -0.11. Therefore, its statutory earnings were quite a lot less than its free cashflow. In fact, it had free cash flow of US$636m in the last year, which was a lot more than its statutory profit of US$342.6m. Weibo shareholders are no doubt pleased that free cash flow improved over the last twelve months.

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 Weibo's Profit Performance

Weibo's accrual ratio is solid, and indicates strong free cash flow, as we discussed, above. Because of this, we think Weibo's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! Furthermore, it has done a great job growing EPS over the last year. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. If you want to do dive deeper into Weibo, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with Weibo, and understanding it should be part of your investment process.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Weibo'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. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

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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.