If a business fails to pay its social security contributions on time, it will be summoned before the Labour Court.
One third of all companies which fail have been summoned by the Social Security(*)
So a Social Security summon is a very bad sign.
(*) Source: Companyweb: results based on our own study into causes of bankruptcies.
In other words, this company is already missing one full financial year.
Companies in difficulties often hold their annual accounts back because they'd rather not reveal the poor figures.
So watch out carefully and ask the company concerned why.
(*) Half of all companies which go under have still not lodged their annual accounts for the year before even after their latest financial year has ended!
(*) Source: Companyweb: results based on our own study into causes of bankruptcies.
One quarter of those which fail have a general indebtedness > 100% (*)
A general indebtedness of < 50% is absolutely healthy.
General indebtedness = debt/total assets
This shows what percentage of a company's total funds is being provided by third party funds, or debt.
Being > 100% indebted means a company's equity assets are negative, due to carrying over major losses:
so its liabilities exceed 100% of its total assets.
Such a situation is unsustainable in the long term (cf.
alarm bell procedure).
= A very bad sign!
Businesses do benefit from having a certain level of debt, however, as interest on debt capital is tax-deductible, for example.
Deducting notional interest also plays a major role in choosing between debt and equity in Belgium.
(*) Source: Companyweb: results based on our own study into causes of bankruptcies.
Negative returns for two years is a major heads-up to the Court of Commercial Enquiry at the Court of Commerce.
An established business which loses money year in, year out has no future anyway.
New businesses may often show a negative return (high startup costs, low sales at first, ...) but things should clearly be getting better after two years.
Profitability and liquidity together give a good idea of how a company is faring.
| Liquidity | Profitability |
|---|
| + | - |
| + | Healthy | Chronically sick |
| - | Temporarily sick | Dying |
(**)
(**) Source: Handbook "Financial analysis process" by Hubert Ooghe and Charles Van Wymeersch (Intersentia)
A business is liquid if it can meet its short-term payment obligations; if not, it is illiquid.
A liquidity of > 1 is considered very good
(= in theory, this business can pay its short-term liabilities if it realises its current assets).
The way this ratio has changed in recent years is highly significant.
If liquidity falls steadily, this means things are getting increasingly worse, and will end up being unsustainable.
How liquid and profitable a business is gives a good idea of how well it is doing.
| Liquidity | Profitability |
|---|
| + | - |
| + | Healthy | Chronically sick |
| - | Temporarily sick | Dying |
(**)
(**) Source: Handbook "Financial analysis process" by Hubert Ooghe and Charles Van Wymeersch (Intersentia)
