A lackluster earnings announcement from Good Times Restaurants Inc. (NASDAQ:GTIM) last week didn't sink the stock price. We think that investors are worried about some weaknesses underlying the earnings.

See our latest analysis for Good Times Restaurants

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Importantly, our data indicates that Good Times Restaurants' profit was reduced by US$321k, due to unusual items, over the last year. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect Good Times Restaurants to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Good Times Restaurants.

An Unusual Tax Situation

Just as we noted the unusual items, we must inform you that Good Times Restaurants received a tax benefit which contributed US$704k to the bottom line. This is meaningful because companies usually pay tax rather than receive tax benefits. Of course, prima facie it's great to receive a tax benefit. However, the devil in the detail is that these kind of benefits only impact in the year they are booked, and are often one-off in nature. In the likely event the tax benefit is not repeated, we'd expect to see its statutory profit levels drop, at least in the absence of strong growth. While we think it's good that the company has booked a tax benefit, it does mean that there's every chance the statutory profit will come in a lot higher than it would be if the income was adjusted for one-off factors.

Our Take On Good Times Restaurants' Profit Performance

In the last year Good Times Restaurants received a tax benefit, which boosted its profit in a way that might not be much more sustainable than turning prime farmland into gas fields. Having said that, it also had a unusual item reducing its profit. Based on these factors, it's hard to tell if Good Times Restaurants' profits are a reasonable reflection of its underlying profitability. In light of this, if you'd like to do more analysis on the company, it's vital to be informed of the risks involved. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Good Times Restaurants.

In this article we've looked at a number of factors that can impair the utility of profit numbers, as a guide to a business. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with high insider ownership.

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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.