The market wasn't impressed with the soft earnings from AdvanSix Inc. (NYSE:ASIX) recently. Our analysis has found some reasons to be concerned, beyond the weak headline numbers.

An Unusual Tax Situation

We can see that AdvanSix received a tax benefit of US$696k. This is meaningful because companies usually pay tax rather than receive tax benefits. Of course, prima facie it's great to receive a tax benefit. However, our data indicates that tax benefits can temporarily boost statutory profit in the year it is booked, but subsequently profit may fall back. Assuming the tax benefit is not repeated every year, we could see its profitability drop noticeably, 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 AdvanSix's Profit Performance

As we have already discussed AdvanSix reported that it received a tax benefit, rather than paying tax, in the last year. Given that sort of benefit is not recurring, a focus on the statutory profit might make the company seem better than it really is. Therefore, it seems possible to us that AdvanSix's true underlying earnings power is actually less than its statutory profit. In further bad news, its earnings per share decreased in 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. In light of this, if you'd like to do more analysis on the company, it's vital to be informed of the risks involved. For example, AdvanSix has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is significant) we think you should know about.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of AdvanSix'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. 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 that insiders are buying 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.