Dream Finders Homes, Inc.'s (NYSE:DFH) 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.

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

For anyone who wants to understand Dream Finders Homes' profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by US$49m due to unusual items. 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, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. If Dream Finders Homes doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

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 Dream Finders Homes' Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from Dream Finders Homes' earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Based on this observation, we consider it likely that Dream Finders Homes' statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! Better yet, its EPS are growing strongly, which is nice to see. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. When we did our research, we found 2 warning signs for Dream Finders Homes (1 is concerning!) that we believe deserve your full attention.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Dream Finders Homes' profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. 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.