Denny's Corporation's (NASDAQ:DENN) recent soft profit numbers didn't appear to worry shareholders, as the stock price showed strength. We think that investors might be looking at some positive factors beyond the earnings numbers.

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

For anyone who wants to understand Denny's' profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by US$6.9m due to unusual items. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. If Denny's doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

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.

Our Take On Denny's' Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from Denny's' earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Based on this observation, we consider it likely that Denny's' statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! On the other hand, its EPS actually shrunk in the last twelve months. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. If you want to do dive deeper into Denny's, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. For example, Denny's has 3 warning signs (and 2 which shouldn't be ignored) we think you should know about.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Denny's' profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful.

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.