Oracle Corporation

New York Stock Exchange
Somewhat Bearish -35

We Think That There Are Issues Underlying Oracle's (NYSE:ORCL) Earnings - simplywall.st

📉 Investors were disappointed with Oracle's earnings despite strong statutory profit numbers of US$17.0 billion.

🧮 The company has an accrual ratio of 0.33 for the year to May 2026, indicating profits are not fully backed by cash flow.

💸 Oracle burnt through US$24 billion in free cash flow over the last year, with negative FCF reported previously.

📈 Earnings per share have grown at an extremely impressive rate over the last three years.

⚠️ The article identifies two specific warning signs for Oracle that raise investor concerns.

🔍 Analysts suggest statutory profits may provide an overly positive impression of the company's underlying earnings power.

Bullish Signals
  • Oracle reported a strong statutory profit of US$17.0 billion for the year to May 2026.
  • The company has demonstrated extremely impressive growth in earnings per share over the last three years.
Risk Factors
  • Oracle's accrual ratio of 0.33 indicates that a significant portion of its profit is not backed by free cash flow.
  • The company burnt through US$24 billion in cash over the last year, showing negative free cash flow.
  • Analysts warn that relying on statutory profits may give investors an overly positive impression of the company's true financial health.
Full Analysis
Simply Wall St analysts express concern over Oracle Corporation's (NYSE:ORCL) recent earnings, noting that while statutory profits were strong at US$17.0 billion, the underlying cash generation appears weak. The firm highlights a significant discrepancy between reported net income and actual free cash flow for the year ending May 2026. The analysis points to an accrual ratio of 0.33, indicating that Oracle's profit is not fully backed by cash inflows. Specifically, the company reported burning through US$24 billion in cash over the last year, contrasting sharply with its statutory profit figure. This negative free cash flow trend raises questions about the sustainability and quality of the reported earnings power. Despite these cash flow concerns, the analysts acknowledge that Oracle's earnings per share have grown at an impressive rate over the last three years. However, they warn that relying solely on statutory profits may give investors an overly positive impression of the company's underlying financial health, suggesting a need to scrutinize margins and return on investment further. The article concludes by identifying two specific warning signs for Oracle that make the analysts uncomfortable, recommending investors look beyond the headline profit numbers. While the text mentions future profitability forecasts are available via an interactive graph, it does not provide specific numerical guidance or analyst rating changes within the provided content.