Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. We note that China Datang Corporation Renewable Power Co., Limited (HKG:1798) does have debt on its balance sheet. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

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What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. Ultimately, if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt, shareholders could walk away with nothing. However, a more common (but still painful) scenario is that it has to raise new equity capital at a low price, thus permanently diluting shareholders. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

How Much Debt Does China Datang Corporation Renewable Power Carry?

As you can see below, at the end of March 2025, China Datang Corporation Renewable Power had CN¥65.6b of debt, up from CN¥54.7b a year ago. Click the image for more detail. However, because it has a cash reserve of CN¥2.52b, its net debt is less, at about CN¥63.0b.

How Healthy Is China Datang Corporation Renewable Power's Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that China Datang Corporation Renewable Power had liabilities of CN¥27.9b due within a year, and liabilities of CN¥50.0b falling due after that. Offsetting this, it had CN¥2.52b in cash and CN¥23.4b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by CN¥52.0b.

This deficit casts a shadow over the CN¥15.8b company, like a colossus towering over mere mortals. So we definitely think shareholders need to watch this one closely. At the end of the day, China Datang Corporation Renewable Power would probably need a major re-capitalization if its creditors were to demand repayment.

Check out our latest analysis for China Datang Corporation Renewable Power

We measure a company's debt load relative to its earnings power by looking at its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and by calculating how easily its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) cover its interest expense (interest cover). Thus we consider debt relative to earnings both with and without depreciation and amortization expenses.

China Datang Corporation Renewable Power has a rather high debt to EBITDA ratio of 6.3 which suggests a meaningful debt load. However, its interest coverage of 3.0 is reasonably strong, which is a good sign. Investors should also be troubled by the fact that China Datang Corporation Renewable Power saw its EBIT drop by 12% over the last twelve months. If things keep going like that, handling the debt will about as easy as bundling an angry house cat into its travel box. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine China Datang Corporation Renewable Power'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.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. So we clearly need to look at whether that EBIT is leading to corresponding free cash flow. Over the last three years, China Datang Corporation Renewable Power saw substantial negative free cash flow, in total. While investors are no doubt expecting a reversal of that situation in due course, it clearly does mean its use of debt is more risky.

Our View

To be frank both China Datang Corporation Renewable Power's conversion of EBIT to free cash flow and its track record of staying on top of its total liabilities make us rather uncomfortable with its debt levels. And even its EBIT growth rate fails to inspire much confidence. Considering all the factors previously mentioned, we think that China Datang Corporation Renewable Power really is carrying too much debt. To our minds, that means the stock is rather high risk, and probably one to avoid; but to each their own (investing) style. 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. These risks can be hard to spot. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for China Datang Corporation Renewable Power (of which 1 is potentially serious!) you should know about.

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

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.