David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital.' 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 Neuronetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:STIM) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. 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, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Neuronetics

What Is Neuronetics's Debt?

The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Neuronetics had US$34.9m in debt in June 2021; about the same as the year before. However, its balance sheet shows it holds US$115.8m in cash, so it actually has US$80.8m net cash.

A Look At Neuronetics' Liabilities

The latest balance sheet data shows that Neuronetics had liabilities of US$11.6m due within a year, and liabilities of US$39.4m falling due after that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$115.8m as well as receivables valued at US$11.0m due within 12 months. So it can boast US$75.9m more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This surplus strongly suggests that Neuronetics has a rock-solid balance sheet (and the debt is of no concern whatsoever). Having regard to this fact, we think its balance sheet is as strong as an ox. Simply put, the fact that Neuronetics has more cash than debt is arguably a good indication that it can manage its debt safely. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Neuronetics'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, Neuronetics saw its revenue hold pretty steady, and it did not report positive earnings before interest and tax. While that's not too bad, we'd prefer see growth.

So How Risky Is Neuronetics?

By their very nature companies that are losing money are more risky than those with a long history of profitability. And the fact is that over the last twelve months Neuronetics lost money at the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) line. And over the same period it saw negative free cash outflow of US$22m and booked a US$22m accounting loss. But at least it has US$80.8m on the balance sheet to spend on growth, near-term. Even though its balance sheet seems sufficiently liquid, debt always makes us a little nervous if a company doesn't produce free cash flow regularly. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. To that end, you should be aware of the 4 warning signs we've spotted with Neuronetics .

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.

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.

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