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. Importantly, Enerpac Tool Group Corp. (NYSE:EPAC) does carry debt. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. 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, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

How Much Debt Does Enerpac Tool Group Carry?

As you can see below, Enerpac Tool Group had US$194.5m of debt at August 2024, down from US$214.1m a year prior. However, because it has a cash reserve of US$167.1m, its net debt is less, at about US$27.4m.

How Strong Is Enerpac Tool Group's Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that Enerpac Tool Group had liabilities of US$129.4m due within a year, and liabilities of US$256.0m falling due after that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$167.1m as well as receivables valued at US$108.9m due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$109.4m.

Given Enerpac Tool Group has a market capitalization of US$2.76b, 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. Carrying virtually no net debt, Enerpac Tool Group has a very light debt load indeed.

We measure a company's debt load relative to its earnings power by looking at its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and by calculating how easily its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) cover its interest expense (interest cover). This way, we consider both the absolute quantum of the debt, as well as the interest rates paid on it.

Enerpac Tool Group has a low net debt to EBITDA ratio of only 0.18. And its EBIT easily covers its interest expense, being 10.9 times the size. So you could argue it is no more threatened by its debt than an elephant is by a mouse. Also good is that Enerpac Tool Group grew its EBIT at 15% over the last year, further increasing its ability to manage debt. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Enerpac Tool Group'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 business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. So it's worth checking how much of that EBIT is backed by free cash flow. During the last three years, Enerpac Tool Group produced sturdy free cash flow equating to 58% of its EBIT, about what we'd expect. This free cash flow puts the company in a good position to pay down debt, when appropriate.

Our View

Happily, Enerpac Tool Group's impressive net debt to EBITDA implies it has the upper hand on its debt. And the good news does not stop there, as its interest cover also supports that impression! Zooming out, Enerpac Tool Group seems to use debt quite reasonably; and that gets the nod from us. After all, sensible leverage can boost returns on equity. Over time, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, so if you're interested in Enerpac Tool Group, you may well want to click here to check an interactive graph of its earnings per share history.

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

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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.