Even though Juneyao Airlines Co., Ltd's (SHSE:603885) recent earnings release was robust, the market didn't seem to notice. We think that investors have missed some encouraging factors underlying the profit figures.

Zooming In On Juneyao Airlines' Earnings

Many investors haven't heard of the accrual ratio from cashflow, but it is actually a useful measure of how well a company's profit is backed up by free cash flow (FCF) during a given period. In plain english, this ratio subtracts FCF from net profit, and divides that number by the company's average operating assets over that period. You could think of the accrual ratio from cashflow as the 'non-FCF profit ratio'.

That means a negative accrual ratio is a good thing, because it shows that the company is bringing in more free cash flow than its profit would suggest. While having an accrual ratio above zero is of little concern, we do think it's worth noting when a company has a relatively high accrual ratio. Notably, there is some academic evidence that suggests that a high accrual ratio is a bad sign for near-term profits, generally speaking.

Juneyao Airlines has an accrual ratio of -0.22 for the year to December 2023. That indicates that its free cash flow quite significantly exceeded its statutory profit. In fact, it had free cash flow of CN¥5.9b in the last year, which was a lot more than its statutory profit of CN¥751.3m. Given that Juneyao Airlines had negative free cash flow in the prior corresponding period, the trailing twelve month resul of CN¥5.9b would seem to be a step in the right direction.

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 Juneyao Airlines' Profit Performance

Happily for shareholders, Juneyao Airlines produced plenty of free cash flow to back up its statutory profit numbers. Because of this, we think Juneyao Airlines' underlying earnings potential is as good as, or possibly even better, than the statutory profit makes it seem! And one can definitely find a positive in the fact that it made a profit this year, despite losing money 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. If you want to do dive deeper into Juneyao Airlines, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with Juneyao Airlines, and understanding it should be part of your investment process.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Juneyao Airlines' profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. 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.