Even when a business is losing money, it’s possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, biotech and mining exploration companies often lose money for years before finding success with a new treatment or mineral discovery. But while the successes are well known, investors should not ignore the very many unprofitable companies that simply burn through all their cash and collapse.
So, the natural question for Alector (NASDAQ:ALEC) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. In this report, we will consider the company’s annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the ‘cash burn’. We’ll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway.
See our latest analysis for Alector
How Long Is Alector’s Cash Runway?
You can calculate a company’s cash runway by dividing the amount of cash it has by the rate at which it is spending that cash. When Alector last reported its balance sheet in March 2023, it had zero debt and cash worth US$669m. Looking at the last year, the company burnt through US$208m. Therefore, from March 2023 it had 3.2 years of cash runway. There’s no doubt that this is a reassuringly long runway. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.
Is Alector’s Revenue Growing?
Given that Alector actually had positive free cash flow last year, before burning cash this year, we’ll focus on its operating revenue to get a measure of the business trajectory. Regrettably, the company’s operating revenue moved in the wrong direction over the last twelve months, declining by 45%. Clearly, however, the crucial factor is whether the company will grow its business going forward. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company.
How Easily Can Alector Raise Cash?
Given its problematic fall in revenue, Alector shareholders should consider how the company could fund its growth, if it turns out it needs more cash. Generally speaking, a listed business can raise new cash through issuing shares or taking on debt. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. By looking at a company’s cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year’s cash burn.
Alector has a market capitalisation of US$612m and burnt through US$208m last year, which is 34% of the company’s market value. That’s fairly notable cash burn, so if the company had to sell shares to cover the cost of another year’s operations, shareholders would suffer some costly dilution.
Is Alector’s Cash Burn A Worry?
On this analysis of Alector’s cash burn, we think its cash runway was reassuring, while its falling revenue has us a bit worried. Cash burning companies are always on the riskier side of things, but after considering all of the factors discussed in this short piece, we’re not too worried about its rate of cash burn. Taking an in-depth view of risks, we’ve identified 2 warning signs for Alector that you should be aware of before investing.
If you would prefer to check out another company with better fundamentals, then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt or this list of stocks which are all forecast to grow.
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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.
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