Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of permanent loss is the risk I worry about... and every practical investor I know worries about.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. Importantly, BILL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BILL) does carry debt. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

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. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. Of course, debt can be an important tool in businesses, particularly capital heavy businesses. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

How Much Debt Does BILL Holdings Carry?

As you can see below, BILL Holdings had US$1.84b of debt, at December 2023, which is about the same as the year before. You can click the chart for greater detail. However, its balance sheet shows it holds US$2.55b in cash, so it actually has US$709.0m net cash.

A Look At BILL Holdings' Liabilities

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that BILL Holdings had liabilities of US$4.12b due within 12 months and liabilities of US$1.80b due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$2.55b as well as receivables valued at US$551.2m due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling US$2.82b more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

BILL Holdings has a market capitalization of US$7.11b, so it could very likely raise cash to ameliorate its balance sheet, if the need arose. However, it is still worthwhile taking a close look at its ability to pay off debt. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, BILL Holdings boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load! 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 BILL Holdings's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.

Over 12 months, BILL Holdings reported revenue of US$1.2b, which is a gain of 39%, although it did not report any earnings before interest and tax. Shareholders probably have their fingers crossed that it can grow its way to profits.

So How Risky Is BILL Holdings?

While BILL Holdings lost money on an earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) level, it actually generated positive free cash flow US$219m. So although it is loss-making, it doesn't seem to have too much near-term balance sheet risk, keeping in mind the net cash. One positive is that BILL Holdings is growing revenue apace, which makes it easier to sell a growth story and raise capital if need be. But we still think it's somewhat risky. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For example - BILL Holdings has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

At the end of the day, it's often better to focus on companies that are free from net debt. You can access our special list of such companies (all with a track record of profit growth). It's free.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.