A Very Quick Look at National Grid's Earnings
Right now I'm trawling through the FTSE 100 (UKX) and double-checking for blue chips that may be flattering their profits.
You see, many companies these days report "underlying" earnings, which are calculated by excluding costs the firm deems to be "exceptional." Trouble is, some companies are more cavalier than others when it comes to sweeping awkward expenses away from the headline figures.
Today I'm looking at National Grid (ISE: NG.L) (NYS: NGG) to see if its reported earnings have been distorted significantly by exceptional, one-off, or unusual items. I've extracted the following statistics:
Year to March 31 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Profit before unusual items (£m) | 2,446 | 1,652 | 2,156 | 2,671 | 2,655 |
Restructuring charges (£m) | (133) | (192) | (16) | (56) | (35) |
Gain on sale of investments (£m) | - | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
Other unusual items (£m) | (131) | (84) | 47 | 6 | (70) |
Source: S&P Capital IQ
While annual figures can provide some insight into how a business has performed, I reckon looking back over several years provides a better view of possible problems in relation to one-off costs.
So between 2007 and 2011, my stats tell me National Grid reported cumulative profits before exceptional items and tax of £11.6 billion. However, aggregate exceptional costs came to £0.6 billion -- equivalent to a just 5% of cumulative "underlying" profits.
National Grid gets a fairly clean bill of health from this quick analysis. As a utility share, that's not too surprising, as this type of business is often seen as steadier than most.
One-off items going through National Grid's accounts have generally been modest in amount, especially in the last three years. The fact that it has incurred restructuring charges every year is a small area of concern, though, and something shareholders will want to keep one eye on in future sets of results.
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Stuart Watson does not own any share mentioned in this article.The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.
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