Investors were disappointed with the weak earnings posted by Onto Innovation Inc. (NYSE:ONTO ). However, our analysis suggests that the soft headline numbers are getting counterbalanced by some positive underlying factors.

Examining Cashflow Against Onto Innovation's Earnings

Many investors haven't heard of the accrual ratio from cashflow, but it is actually a useful measure of how well a company's profit is backed up by free cash flow (FCF) during a given period. To get the accrual ratio we first subtract FCF from profit for a period, and then divide that number by the average operating assets for the period. The ratio shows us how much a company's profit exceeds its FCF.

As a result, a negative accrual ratio is a positive for the company, and a positive accrual ratio is a negative. While having an accrual ratio above zero is of little concern, we do think it's worth noting when a company has a relatively high accrual ratio. Notably, there is some academic evidence that suggests that a high accrual ratio is a bad sign for near-term profits, generally speaking.

Over the twelve months to March 2026, Onto Innovation recorded an accrual ratio of -0.10. That implies it has good cash conversion, and implies that its free cash flow solidly exceeded its profit last year. In fact, it had free cash flow of US$239m in the last year, which was a lot more than its statutory profit of US$106.4m. Onto Innovation did see its free cash flow drop year on year, which is less than ideal, like a Simpson's episode without Groundskeeper Willie. However, that's not all there is to consider. The accrual ratio is reflecting the impact of unusual items on statutory profit, at least in part.

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.

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Onto Innovation's profit was reduced by unusual items worth US$91m in the last twelve months, and this helped it produce high cash conversion, as reflected by its unusual items. In a scenario where those unusual items included non-cash charges, we'd expect to see a strong accrual ratio, which is exactly what has happened in this case. 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. Onto Innovation took a rather significant hit from unusual items in the year to March 2026. All else being equal, this would likely have the effect of making the statutory profit look worse than its underlying earnings power.

Our Take On Onto Innovation's Profit Performance

In conclusion, both Onto Innovation's accrual ratio and its unusual items suggest that its statutory earnings are probably reasonably conservative. Looking at all these factors, we'd say that Onto Innovation's underlying earnings power is at least as good as the statutory numbers would make it seem. So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Onto Innovation at this point in time. While conducting our analysis, we found that Onto Innovation has 2 warning signs and it would be unwise to ignore these bad boys.

After our examination into the nature of Onto Innovation's profit, we've come away optimistic for the company. 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. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with high insider ownership.

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.