We Think You Can Look Beyond Formula One Group's (NASDAQ:FWON.K) Lackluster Earnings

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15-05-2025

Shareholders appeared unconcerned with Formula One Group's (NASDAQ:FWON.K) lackluster earnings report last week. We think that the softer headline numbers might be getting counterbalanced by some positive underlying factors.
We've discovered 2 warning signs about Formula One Group. View them for free.
One essential aspect of assessing earnings quality is to look at how much a company is diluting shareholders. In fact, Formula One Group increased the number of shares on issue by 6.1% over the last twelve months by issuing new shares. That means its earnings are split among a greater number of shares. Per share metrics like EPS help us understand how much actual shareholders are benefitting from the company's profits, while the net income level gives us a better view of the company's absolute size. Check out Formula One Group's historical EPS growth by clicking on this link.
Formula One Group was losing money three years ago. Even looking at the last year, profit was still down 95%. Sadly, earnings per share fell further, down a full 95% in that time. Therefore, the dilution is having a noteworthy influence on shareholder returns.
If Formula One Group's EPS can grow over time then that drastically improves the chances of the share price moving in the same direction. But on the other hand, we'd be far less excited to learn profit (but not EPS) was improving. For the ordinary retail shareholder, EPS is a great measure to check your hypothetical "share" of the company's profit.
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.
Alongside that dilution, it's also important to note that Formula One Group's profit suffered from unusual items, which reduced profit by US$107m in the last twelve months. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. In the twelve months to March 2025, Formula One Group had a big unusual items expense. As a result, we can surmise that the unusual items made its statutory profit significantly weaker than it would otherwise be.
Formula One Group suffered from unusual items which depressed its profit in its last report; if that is not repeated then profit should be higher, all else being equal. But on the other hand, the company issued more shares, so without buying more shares each shareholder will end up with a smaller part of the profit. Considering all the aforementioned, we'd venture that Formula One Group's profit result is a pretty good guide to its true profitability, albeit a bit on the conservative side. So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Formula One Group at this point in time. While conducting our analysis, we found that Formula One Group has 2 warning signs and it would be unwise to ignore these.
Our examination of Formula One Group has focussed on certain factors that can make its earnings look better than they are. 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. 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.
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.