Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it seems the smart money knows that debt - which is usually involved in bankruptcies - is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. We can see that International Seaways, Inc. (NYSE:INSW) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. Ultimately, if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt, shareholders could walk away with nothing. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. Of course, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.

What Is International Seaways's Net Debt?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that International Seaways had debt of US$131.0m at the end of December 2023, a reduction from US$509.7m over a year. However, its balance sheet shows it holds US$191.8m in cash, so it actually has US$60.8m net cash.

How Strong Is International Seaways' Balance Sheet?

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that International Seaways had liabilities of US$195.6m due within 12 months and liabilities of US$609.5m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$191.8m as well as receivables valued at US$261.5m due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$351.8m.

Given International Seaways has a market capitalization of US$2.62b, it's hard to believe these liabilities pose much threat. Having said that, it's clear that we should continue to monitor its balance sheet, lest it change for the worse. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, International Seaways boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

On top of that, International Seaways grew its EBIT by 37% over the last twelve months, and that growth will make it easier to handle its debt. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine International Seaways's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

Finally, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. International Seaways may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. During the last two years, International Seaways produced sturdy free cash flow equating to 65% of its EBIT, about what we'd expect. This cold hard cash means it can reduce its debt when it wants to.

Summing Up

While International Seaways does have more liabilities than liquid assets, it also has net cash of US$60.8m. And it impressed us with its EBIT growth of 37% over the last year. So we don't think International Seaways's use of debt is risky. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For example International Seaways has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is significant) we think you should know about.

Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today.

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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.