Perform traditional comparative and trend analysis as well as multivariate financial statement analysis for 1980 to 1990. Can you analyze the performance of Wheeling Pittsburgh in a manner that reveals if WHX was heading towards distress before 1985?
The table below shows calculated financial ratios for the period 1980-1990. Calculation details include:
* ROE was calculated using Reported Net Income prior to preferred dividends and Total Common Equity without including Minority Interest or Preferred Stock * ROA was calculated using Reported Net Income prior to preferred dividends * ROE and ROA use Average Common Equity and Average Assets in the denominator, respectively * Total Debt includes the Current Portion of Long-term Debt and Long-term Debt * Total Capital includes Total Debt, Total Common Equity, and Preferred Stock. * EBITDA-CEx stands for EBITDA minus Capital Expenditures.
After improving Y/Y in 1981, WHX financial performance severely deteriorated in the period 1982-1983. Financial metrics mostly improved in 1984, led by revenue growth and margin expansion. However, the damage done the prior 2 years was severe enough to send the company to a distressed state. After annual increases during 1980-84, leverage reached a peak in 1984 as shown by Debt/Equity of 209.8% and Debt/Capital of 60%. EBITDA during 1982-84 was not enough to cover 1 year of interest expenses. ROE was increasingly negative during 1982-84.
Liquidity and cash balances deteriorated, primarily impacted by dismal profitability and increased cash conversion cycle (decreased efficiency) during 1981-83. The charts below show the evolution of cash balances, cash flow from operations, cash conversion cycle, total capital and leverage for the period 1980-1984.
In summary, the analysis of financial ratios and trends for the pre-bankruptcy period 1980-1984 clearly shows severe deterioration in WHX’s financial performance. EBITDA coverage was