Shareholders appeared unconcerned with H.B. Fuller Company's (NYSE:FUL) lackluster earnings report last week. We think that the softer headline numbers might be getting counterbalanced by some positive underlying factors.

View our latest analysis for H.B. Fuller

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that H.B. Fuller's profit was reduced by US$50m, due to unusual items, over the last year. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. If H.B. Fuller doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

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 H.B. Fuller's Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from H.B. Fuller's earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Because of this, we think H.B. Fuller's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! On the other hand, its EPS actually shrunk in the last twelve months. 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'd like to know more about H.B. Fuller as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for H.B. Fuller you should be mindful of and 1 of these doesn't sit too well with us.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of H.B. Fuller's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. 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 with significant insider holdings to be useful.

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.