Although the analysts are constantly updating their forecasts on NDP’s current year financial results, the company still appears to be marginally profitable in this difficult business environment.
But profitability is a concept which focuses more on the corporate income statement, not cash flows. And NDP’s cash flows are under a lot of pressure given the fall in expected operating cash flow combined with Mrs. Cheung’s pronounced commitment to continue to expand capital expenditure rapidly. The result is that it appears the company will need to borrow even more to survive the year.
Existing shareholders are clearly down, and would like to see the company take measures to improve share price sooner rather than later. They are, however, minority shareholders, Mrs. Cheung and family holding more than 70% of the firm.
Potential investors might see the company has a “good bet,” given the current share price low and the prospects for long-term competitiveness – if the company survives to be a player in the long run!
NDP finished 2009 with much better financial results than expected. Using the actual 2009 results on the following page, a few observations follow.
NDP’s operating margin, EBITDA, was much stronger than expected. Although sales came in below analyst expectations, direct costs were much, much lower than expected. Basic business earnings were not down as significantly as expected.
Repurchasing much of the company’s outstanding debt actually resulted in a net positive interest income line item. (This would raise some substantial questions about what the debt covenants had stated about the company’s ability to repurchase its own debt if distressed.) Tax obligations were also coming in lower than expected.
In the end the company did not have to take on additional debt during the 2009 fiscal year, partly as a result of not actually investing at the levels of capex that had been publicized