Mesa Laboratories Corporate Bonds and Leverage Analysis

MLAB Stock  USD 109.09  8.23  8.16%   
Mesa Laboratories holds a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.569. At present, Mesa Laboratories' Net Debt is projected to increase significantly based on the last few years of reporting. The current year's Short and Long Term Debt Total is expected to grow to about 242.9 M, whereas Net Debt To EBITDA is projected to grow to (0.81). With a high degree of financial leverage come high-interest payments, which usually reduce Mesa Laboratories' Earnings Per Share (EPS).

Asset vs Debt

Equity vs Debt

Mesa Laboratories' liquidity is one of the most fundamental aspects of both its future profitability and its ability to meet different types of ongoing financial obligations. Mesa Laboratories' cash, liquid assets, total liabilities, and shareholder equity can be utilized to evaluate how much leverage the Company is using to sustain its current operations. For traders, higher-leverage indicators usually imply a higher risk to shareholders. In addition, it helps Mesa Stock's retail investors understand whether an upcoming fall or rise in the market will negatively affect Mesa Laboratories' stakeholders.
For most companies, including Mesa Laboratories, marketable securities, inventories, and receivables are the most common assets that could be converted to cash. However, for Mesa Laboratories, the most critical issue when managing liquidity is ensuring that current assets are properly aligned with current liabilities. If they are not, Mesa Laboratories' management will need to obtain alternative financing to ensure there are always enough cash equivalents on the balance sheet to meet obligations.
Price Book
3.6699
Book Value
29.789
Operating Margin
0.0685
Profit Margin
(1.08)
Return On Assets
0.0169
At present, Mesa Laboratories' Total Current Liabilities is projected to increase significantly based on the last few years of reporting. The current year's Liabilities And Stockholders Equity is expected to grow to about 469.1 M, whereas Change To Liabilities is projected to grow to (4.2 M).
  
Check out the analysis of Mesa Laboratories Fundamentals Over Time.
For information on how to trade Mesa Stock refer to our How to Trade Mesa Stock guide.
View Bond Profile
Given the importance of Mesa Laboratories' capital structure, the first step in the capital decision process is for the management of Mesa Laboratories to decide how much external capital it will need to raise to operate in a sustainable way. Once the amount of financing is determined, management needs to examine the financial markets to determine the terms in which the company can boost capital. This move is crucial to the process because the market environment may reduce the ability of Mesa Laboratories to issue bonds at a reasonable cost.

Mesa Laboratories Bond Ratings

Mesa Laboratories financial ratings play a critical role in determining how much Mesa Laboratories have to pay to access credit markets, i.e., the amount of interest on their issued debt. The threshold between investment-grade and speculative-grade ratings has important market implications for Mesa Laboratories' borrowing costs.
Piotroski F Score
6
HealthyView
Beneish M Score
(5.43)
Unlikely ManipulatorView

Mesa Laboratories Debt to Cash Allocation

As Mesa Laboratories follows its natural business cycle, the capital allocation decisions will not magically go away. Mesa Laboratories' decision-makers have to determine if most of the cash flows will be poured back into or reinvested in the business, reserved for other projects beyond operational needs, or paid back to stakeholders and investors.
Mesa Laboratories currently holds 231.3 M in liabilities with Debt to Equity (D/E) ratio of 0.57, which is about average as compared to similar companies. Mesa Laboratories has a current ratio of 2.84, suggesting that it is liquid enough and is able to pay its financial obligations when due. Note, when we think about Mesa Laboratories' use of debt, we should always consider it together with its cash and equity.

Mesa Laboratories Total Assets Over Time

Mesa Laboratories Assets Financed by Debt

The debt-to-assets ratio shows the degree to which Mesa Laboratories uses debt to finance its assets. It includes both long-term and short-term borrowings maturing within one year. It also includes both tangible and intangible assets, such as goodwill.

Mesa Laboratories Debt Ratio

    
  52.0   
It appears about 48% of Mesa Laboratories' assets are financed be debt. Typically, companies with high debt-to-asset ratios are said to be highly leveraged. The higher the ratio, the greater risk will be associated with the Mesa Laboratories' operation. In addition, a high debt-to-assets ratio may indicate a low borrowing capacity of Mesa Laboratories, which in turn will lower the firm's financial flexibility.

Mesa Laboratories Corporate Bonds Issued

Most Mesa bonds can be classified according to their maturity, which is the date when Mesa Laboratories has to pay back the principal to investors. Maturities can be short-term, medium-term, or long-term (more than ten years). Longer-term bonds usually offer higher interest rates but may entail additional risks.

Mesa Net Debt

Net Debt

213.24 Million

At present, Mesa Laboratories' Net Debt is projected to increase significantly based on the last few years of reporting.

Understaning Mesa Laboratories Use of Financial Leverage

Mesa Laboratories' financial leverage ratio helps determine the effect of debt on the overall profitability of the company. It measures Mesa Laboratories' total debt position, including all outstanding debt obligations, and compares it with Mesa Laboratories' equity. Financial leverage can amplify the potential profits to Mesa Laboratories' owners, but it also increases the potential losses and risk of financial distress, including bankruptcy, if Mesa Laboratories is unable to cover its debt costs.
Last ReportedProjected for Next Year
Net Debt203.1 M213.2 M
Short and Long Term Debt Total231.3 M242.9 M
Short Term DebtM4.5 M
Long Term Debt221.7 M232.8 M
Long Term Debt Total210.8 M221.3 M
Short and Long Term Debt1.9 M3.6 M
Net Debt To EBITDA(0.85)(0.81)
Debt To Equity 1.52  1.60 
Interest Debt Per Share 42.22  44.33 
Debt To Assets 0.50  0.52 
Long Term Debt To Capitalization 0.60  0.63 
Total Debt To Capitalization 0.60  0.63 
Debt Equity Ratio 1.52  1.60 
Debt Ratio 0.50  0.52 
Cash Flow To Debt Ratio 0.20  0.19 
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When determining whether Mesa Laboratories offers a strong return on investment in its stock, a comprehensive analysis is essential. The process typically begins with a thorough review of Mesa Laboratories' financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, to assess its financial health. Key financial ratios are used to gauge profitability, efficiency, and growth potential of Mesa Laboratories Stock. Outlined below are crucial reports that will aid in making a well-informed decision on Mesa Laboratories Stock:
Check out the analysis of Mesa Laboratories Fundamentals Over Time.
For information on how to trade Mesa Stock refer to our How to Trade Mesa Stock guide.
You can also try the Equity Forecasting module to use basic forecasting models to generate price predictions and determine price momentum.
Is Life Sciences Tools & Services space expected to grow? Or is there an opportunity to expand the business' product line in the future? Factors like these will boost the valuation of Mesa Laboratories. If investors know Mesa will grow in the future, the company's valuation will be higher. The financial industry is built on trying to define current growth potential and future valuation accurately. All the valuation information about Mesa Laboratories listed above have to be considered, but the key to understanding future value is determining which factors weigh more heavily than others.
Quarterly Earnings Growth
3.875
Dividend Share
0.64
Earnings Share
(45.62)
Revenue Per Share
42.3
Quarterly Revenue Growth
0.088
The market value of Mesa Laboratories is measured differently than its book value, which is the value of Mesa that is recorded on the company's balance sheet. Investors also form their own opinion of Mesa Laboratories' value that differs from its market value or its book value, called intrinsic value, which is Mesa Laboratories' true underlying value. Investors use various methods to calculate intrinsic value and buy a stock when its market value falls below its intrinsic value. Because Mesa Laboratories' market value can be influenced by many factors that don't directly affect Mesa Laboratories' underlying business (such as a pandemic or basic market pessimism), market value can vary widely from intrinsic value.
Please note, there is a significant difference between Mesa Laboratories' value and its price as these two are different measures arrived at by different means. Investors typically determine if Mesa Laboratories is a good investment by looking at such factors as earnings, sales, fundamental and technical indicators, competition as well as analyst projections. However, Mesa Laboratories' price is the amount at which it trades on the open market and represents the number that a seller and buyer find agreeable to each party.

What is Financial Leverage?

Financial leverage is the use of borrowed money (debt) to finance the purchase of assets with the expectation that the income or capital gain from the new asset will exceed the cost of borrowing. In most cases, the debt provider will limit how much risk it is ready to take and indicate a limit on the extent of the leverage it will allow. In the case of asset-backed lending, the financial provider uses the assets as collateral until the borrower repays the loan. In the case of a cash flow loan, the general creditworthiness of the company is used to back the loan. The concept of leverage is common in the business world. It is mostly used to boost the returns on equity capital of a company, especially when the business is unable to increase its operating efficiency and returns on total investment. Because earnings on borrowing are higher than the interest payable on debt, the company's total earnings will increase, ultimately boosting stockholders' profits.

Leverage and Capital Costs

The debt to equity ratio plays a role in the working average cost of capital (WACC). The overall interest on debt represents the break-even point that must be obtained to profitability in a given venture. Thus, WACC is essentially the average interest an organization owes on the capital it has borrowed for leverage. Let's say equity represents 60% of borrowed capital, and debt is 40%. This results in a financial leverage calculation of 40/60, or 0.6667. The organization owes 10% on all equity and 5% on all debt. That means that the weighted average cost of capital is (.4)(5) + (.6)(10) - or 8%. For every $10,000 borrowed, this organization will owe $800 in interest. Profit must be higher than 8% on the project to offset the cost of interest and justify this leverage.

Benefits of Financial Leverage

Leverage provides the following benefits for companies:
  • Leverage is an essential tool a company's management can use to make the best financing and investment decisions.
  • It provides a variety of financing sources by which the firm can achieve its target earnings.
  • Leverage is also an essential technique in investing as it helps companies set a threshold for the expansion of business operations. For example, it can be used to recommend restrictions on business expansion once the projected return on additional investment is lower than the cost of debt.
By borrowing funds, the firm incurs a debt that must be paid. But, this debt is paid in small installments over a relatively long period of time. This frees funds for more immediate use in the stock market. For example, suppose a company can afford a new factory but will be left with negligible free cash. In that case, it may be better to finance the factory and spend the cash on hand on inputs, labor, or even hold a significant portion as a reserve against unforeseen circumstances.

The Risk of Financial Leverage

The most obvious and apparent risk of leverage is that if price changes unexpectedly, the leveraged position can lead to severe losses. For example, imagine a hedge fund seeded by $50 worth of investor money. The hedge fund borrows another $50 and buys an asset worth $100, leading to a leverage ratio of 2:1. For the investor, this is neither good nor bad -- until the asset price changes. If the asset price goes up 10 percent, the investor earns $10 on $50 of capital, a net gain of 20 percent, and is very pleased with the increased gains from the leverage. However, if the asset price crashes unexpectedly, say by 30 percent, the investor loses $30 on $50 of capital, suffering a 60 percent loss. In other words, the effect of leverage is to increase the volatility of returns and increase the effects of a price change on the asset to the bottom line while increasing the chance for profit as well.