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 the harsh reality is that very many loss making companies burn through all their cash and go bankrupt.

So should SecureWorks (NASDAQ:SCWX) shareholders be worried about its cash burn? For the purposes of this article, cash burn is the annual rate at which an unprofitable company spends cash to fund its growth; its negative free cash flow. Let's start with an examination of the business' cash, relative to its cash burn.

See our latest analysis for SecureWorks

Does SecureWorks Have A Long Cash Runway?

A cash runway is defined as the length of time it would take a company to run out of money if it kept spending at its current rate of cash burn. As at February 2024, SecureWorks had cash of US$69m and no debt. Importantly, its cash burn was US$66m over the trailing twelve months. Therefore, from February 2024 it had roughly 13 months of cash runway. Notably, analysts forecast that SecureWorks will break even (at a free cash flow level) in about 19 months. Essentially, that means the company will either reduce its cash burn, or else require more cash. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.

How Well Is SecureWorks Growing?

Over the last year, SecureWorks maintained its cash burn at a fairly steady level. Unfortunately, however, operating revenue actually dropped 21%, which is a worry. Considering both these metrics, we're a little concerned about how the company is developing. Clearly, however, the crucial factor is whether the company will grow its business going forward. So you might want to take a peek at how much the company is expected to grow in the next few years.

How Hard Would It Be For SecureWorks To Raise More Cash For Growth?

Since SecureWorks can't yet boast improving growth metrics, the market will likely be considering how it can raise more cash if need be. Companies can raise capital through either debt or equity. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash and fund 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.

SecureWorks has a market capitalisation of US$518m and burnt through US$66m last year, which is 13% of the company's market value. Given that situation, it's fair to say the company wouldn't have much trouble raising more cash for growth, but shareholders would be somewhat diluted.

How Risky Is SecureWorks' Cash Burn Situation?

On this analysis of SecureWorks' cash burn, we think its cash burn relative to its market cap was reassuring, while its falling revenue has us a bit worried. It's clearly very positive to see that analysts are forecasting the company will break even fairly soon. Considering all the factors discussed in this article, we're not overly concerned about the company's cash burn, although we do think shareholders should keep an eye on how it develops. Taking an in-depth view of risks, we've identified 2 warning signs for SecureWorks that you should be aware of before investing.

Of course SecureWorks may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

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.