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Dividend Stocks

Westpac Grinds Through Another Tough Quarter as Margins Continue to Shrink

Business Strategy and Outlook

Westpac Bank Corporation is the second-largest of Australia’s four major banks. The bank provides a range of banking and financial services to retail and business customers, including mortgages, consumer finance, credit cards, business loans, and term deposits. 

Westpac’s strategy is anchored in its commitment to conservatively manage risk across all business areas, following its near-death experience in the early 1990s. The multibrand, customer-focused strategy aims to capture an increasing share of business from its Australian and New Zealand banking and wealth management customer base.The main current influences on earnings growth are modest credit growth, with regulators likely to cool credit demand due to rising house prices and increased household leverage, and delays to business plans for capital expenditure. Intense competition is constraining interest margins with opportunities to lower funding costs largely exhausted. Operating expenses are increasing due to increased provisions for regulatory and compliance project spend.

 Bad and doubtful debt expenses peaked in first-half fiscal 2009 and remained at decade lows until provisions for the coronavirus impact were taken in first-half fiscal 2020. Morningstar analysts expect loan impairment expenses to average under 0.2% of loans over the long term.

Westpac Grinds Through Another Tough Quarter as Margins Continue to Shrink

Westpac’s first-quarter 2022 profit of AUD 1.58 billion was up modestly from the quarterly average of second-half fiscal 2021. A 2% increase in net interest income and 7% fall in operating expenses lifted earnings pre-impairments by around 10%. Unlike last year, the bottom line is no longer being boosted by loan impairment provision releases. Impairments were still modest, and credit quality remains sound, with loans in arrears as a percentage of loans falling 10 basis points to 0.58%.

Loan growth was soft in a strong market, and net interest margins, or NIM, fell to 1.91% in the quarter from 1.98% in the second half of fiscal 2021. The squeeze from chasing loan growth in a competitive environment, an ongoing drag from more fixed-rate loans, plus holding more liquid assets which earn no interest, was a little more severe than Morningstar analyst expected. Morningstar analysts lower  fiscal 2022 NIM forecast to 1.85% from 1.90% previously. The 7% reduction to fiscal 2022 profit forecast is not material enough to move to A$29 fair value estimate. 

Financial Strength 

Westpac comfortably meets APRA’s common equity Tier 1 ratio benchmark of 10.25%. The bank’s common equity Tier 1 ratio was 12.2% as at Dec. 31, 2021. This is based on APRA’s globally conservative methodology and a top-quartile internationally comparable 18%. We see the risk of higher loan losses and credit stress inflating risk-weighted assets as the greatest threat to the bank’s capital position in the near term. In the past three years, the proportion of customer deposits to total funding is about 60% to 65%, reducing exposure to volatile funding markets. Westpac has AUD 8.6 billion in excess capital as at Dec. 31, 2021. Assuming completion of the AUD 3.5 billion share buyback announced in November 2021, this surplus falls to around AUD 5 billion. The bank expects divestments to add roughly AUD 2 billion to this position in fiscal 2022.

Bulls Say

  • Improving economic conditions underpin profit growth from fiscal 2021. Productivity improvements are likely from fiscal 2023. 
  • Cost and capital advantages over regional banks and neo-banks provide a strong platform to drive credit growth. 
  • Consumer banking provides earnings diversity to complement the more volatile returns generated from business and wholesale banking activities. 
  • The withdrawal of personal financial advice by Westpac salaried financial advisors reduces compliance and regulatory risk.

Company Profile

Westpac is Australia’s oldest bank and financial services group, with a significant franchise in Australia and New Zealand in the consumer, small business, corporate, and institutional sectors, in addition to its major presence in wealth management. Westpac is among a handful of banks around the globe currently retaining very high credit ratings. The bank benefits from a large national branch network and significant market share, particularly in home loans and retail deposits.

(Source: Morningstar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Dividend Stocks

Vodafone Continues to Make Gradual Progress as Potential Consolidation Comes Into Focus

Business Strategy and Outlook

Vodafone has steadily transformed its business over the past several years, adding fixed-line assets in core markets, selling out of peripheral areas like New Zealand, and forming partnerships in others. Through a series of acquisitions and partnerships, Vodafone has added fixed-line infrastructure to its traditional wireless business in several countries.Vodafone is now the largest cable company in the country, with networks that reach around 60% of the population, enabling it to capture about one third of the broadband market. 

Vodafone has also sought to improve efficiency and free up assets. Intense competition, especially in Spain and Italy, has led to disappointing financial results recently. However, Morningstar analysts think the reshaping of Vodafone’s capabilities across Europe to integrate fixed-line and wireless assets positions the firm to compete more effectively over the long term. Integrating fixed-line and wireless networks should improve the quality of each over time, while bundling services should enable the firm to serve customers more efficiently.

Vodafone Continues to Make Gradual Progress as Potential Consolidation Comes Into Focus

Vodafone’s fiscal third-quarter results were broadly as expected, with management stating that the firm remains on track to hit the upper end of its financial expectations for the year. The firm only reports revenue and customer metrics for odd-numbered quarters. More importantly, management clearly sounded optimistic that it will move forward with transactions that change the structure of its operations in several countries. Rumors have swirled around potential merger partners for Vodafone’s operations in the U.K., Italy, and Spain, each of which continues to face challenging competitive environments. We continue to believe the market has overly discounted the long-term value of Vodafone’s assets, and we suspect moves to improve the economics in certain countries will help uncover that value. Morningstar analysts  don’t plan to change its GBX 185 fair value estimate.

Financial Strength 

As of mid-fiscal 2022, net leverage stood at 3.0 times (before lease obligations), with spectrum costs, restructuring expenses, and dividend payments consuming a large portion of free cash flow while the pandemic and competitive pressure have weighed on EBITDA. Management targets leverage in the range of 2.5-3.0 times EBITDA, though, so debt reduction is not a high priority currently.Even with management claiming comfort with the balance sheet, Vodafone still decided to cut its dividend 40% in May 2019, saving the firm about EUR 1.6 billion annually. The payout in fiscal 2019 consumed more than 90% of free cash flow, after funding spectrum purchases. At the new dividend payout, that ratio dropped to less than 50% of free cash flow during fiscal 2020, though cash payments for spectrum were modest. Sizable spectrum purchases pushed the payout ratio to nearly 80% of free cash flow in fiscal 2021. The firm expects a 60% cash flow payout assuming EUR 1.2 billion of spectrum purchases in the average year.Overall, Morningstar analysts don’t believe Vodafone’s debt load is a concern. The firm holds stakes in multiple assets that could be sold if needed to reduce leverage, including its Australian venture, its partnership with Liberty Global in the Netherlands, and its stake in Vantage Towers. Vodafone has also pledged not to put additional money into its troubled Indian venture.

Bulls Say

  • Vodafone possesses massive scale, serving around 280 million wireless customers globally, and it owns extensive wireless and fixed-line networks in most of the markets it serves. Few telecom firms can match its size and strength. 
  • While Europe forms the core of the business, Vodafone still provides access to several emerging markets with strong growth potential. 
  • Even after the 2019 dividend cut, Vodafone shares still offer a very attractive yield. The current payout should prove sustainable, with room for growth as restructuring efforts wind down.

Company Profile

With about 270 million wireless customers, Vodafone is one of the largest wireless carriers in the world. More recently, the firm has acquired cable operations and gained access to additional fixed-line networks, either building its own or gaining wholesale access. Vodafone is increasingly pushing converged services of wireless and fixed-line telephone services. Europe accounts for about three fourths of reported service revenue, with major operations in Germany (about 30% of total service revenue), the U.K. (13%), Italy (12%), and Spain (10%). Outside of Europe, 65%-owned Vodacom, which serves sub-Saharan Africa, is Vodafone’s largest controlled subsidiary (12% of total service revenue). The firm also owns stakes in operations in India, Australia, and the Netherlands.

(Source: Morningstar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Funds Funds

Neuberger Berman International Equity Fund Investor Class

Process:

This strategy’s distinctive approach remains in place under its new leader, earning it an Above Average Process rating. Former lead manager Benjamin Segal said he favoured the mid-cap universe because firms of that size–along with those in the smaller part of the large-cap range–tend to be well-enough established that they can withstand some setbacks but remain less familiar to many global investors and thus often sell at attractive prices. They can also be takeover targets. Former comanager Elias Cohen, who became lead manager upon Segal’s departure on June 30, 2021, follows the same approach. This team wants steadily growing firms, but it also focuses on the quality of company management. The team is willing to own firms without hefty margins if other traits are impressive. The strategy has a 15% limit on emerging-markets exposure, but the portfolio has been far below that for a long time. The turnover rate tends to be moderate. Ideas can come from Cohen, comanager Tom Hogan, or the analysts, and decision-making is collaborative, though the lead manager has final authority for portfolio decisions.

Portfolio:

Portfolio shows that this fund makes fuller use of the market-cap spectrum than most peers and its chosen benchmark, the MSCI EAFE Index. The fund had about 33% of its assets in midcaps and another 4% in small caps (as classified by Morningstar), versus just 10% in mid-caps and almost nothing in small caps for the index and just slightly higher figures for the foreign large-growth and foreign large-blend category averages. The portfolio’s figures are nearly identical to those from one year earlier, showing that new lead manager Elias Cohen has maintained the strategy’s broad market-cap approach even as he traded several stocks into and out of the portfolio. Cohen, like former manager Benjamin Segal, favours the mid-cap and smaller large-cap universes. The portfolio often lies on the border between the growth and blend portions of the style box, but the latest portfolio is fully in the blend region. The strategy continues to spread its assets widely, with none of the 78 stocks receiving more than 2.6% of assets. Emerging-markets exposure remains below 5% and is limited to China and India.

People:

This strategy’s long-tenured lead manager, Benjamin Segal, left Neuberger Berman on June 30, 2021, to become a high school math teacher. Replacing him as lead manager was former comanager Elias Cohen. The firm had earlier promoted Thomas Hogan from the analyst ranks to comanager on Jan. 20, 2021. Cohen had worked with Segal for almost 20 years, most recently as comanager–for two years on this strategy and four years on sibling Neuberger Berman International Select NILIX. The analyst staff remained intact including one addition in March 2021. Three of the six members of the analyst team have been in place since 2008 or earlier. They and the managers also talk with the members of Neuberger Berman’s emerging-markets team. Cohen and Hogan each have more than $1 million invested in this strategy.

Performance:

It’s a bit complicated assessing this fund’s performance, but all in all, the fund has a solid record as a core international equity choice. This fund launched in 2005 and was known until late 2012 as Neuberger Berman International Institutional. But an identical fund that was merged into it in January 2013 posted a strong 10-year record prior to the merger, using the same strategy, under recently departed lead manager Benjamin Segal. Another complication is that although this fund’s growth leanings result in its placement in the foreign large-growth category, it is not very aggressive in that direction, with its portfolio often landing around the border between growth and blend or, as currently, in the blend box. That’s typically been a disadvantage versus growthier rivals for a long time. The managers aim to outperform when markets tumble; although it did not do so in the bear market of early 2020, it did hold up well during the 2014 sell-off and the 2015-16 bear market.

(Source: Morningstar)

Price:

It’s critical to evaluate expenses, as they come directly out of returns. The share class on this report levies a fee that ranks in its Morningstar category’s second-costliest quintile. That’s poor, but based on our assessment of the fund’s People, Process and Parent pillars in the context of these fees, we still think this share class will be able to overcome its high fees and deliver positive alpha relative to the category benchmark index, explaining its Morningstar Analyst Rating of Bronze.

Top Portfolio Holdings:  
Asset Allocation:  

 


(Source: Morningstar)                                                                     (Source: Morningstar)

About Funds:

A growing conviction in the duo that manages JPMorgan U.S. Large Cap Core Plus and its Luxembourg resided sibling JPM U.S. Select Equity Plus, and the considerable resources they have effectively utilised, lead to an upgrade of the strategy’s People Pillar rating to Above Average from Average. The strategy looks sensible and is designed to fully exploit the analyst recommendations by taking long positions in top-ranked companies while shorting stocks disliked by the analysts. Classic fundamental bottom-up research should give the fund an informational advantage. The portfolio is quite diversified, holding 250-350 stocks in total with modest deviations from the category index in the long leg. The 30/30 extension is broadly sector-, style-, and beta-neutral. Here the managers are cognizant of the risks of shorting stocks, where they select stocks on company-specific grounds or as part of a secular theme. For example, the team prefers semiconductors, digital advertising, and e-commerce offset by shorts in legacy hardware, media, and network providers. Short exposure generally stands at 20%-30%, with the portfolio’s net exposure to the market kept at 100%. The strategy’s performance since inception, which still has some relevance given Bao’s involvement, has been outstanding.

(Source: Morningstar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Dividend Stocks

Constructive Regulatory Outcome in Missouri Would Be Big Boost for Evergy

Business Strategy and Outlook

Evergy must secure constructive regulatory outcomes in Missouri and Kansas to support growth plans that include $10.4 billion of capital investment during the next five years, primarily to replace aging coal plants with renewable energy. New legislation in Missouri should allow Evergy to securitize the remaining book value of coal plants as they retire in the coming years, improving cash flow and reducing equity needs.

Kansas, which represents about half of Evergy’s total asset base, has a more constructive regulatory environment than Missouri, and Kansas regulators have supported renewable energy investment for many years. Evergy also benefits from favorable federal regulation for its electric transmission assets, which could top 15% of its asset base in the coming years. Evergy is one of the few utilities that does not have any investments outside its rate-regulated businesses. Management said it remains committed to directing all of Evergy’s investment to its regulated utilities at least through 2025. Senior leadership has extensive experience at companies with unregulated power businesses, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Evergy directs some capital investment outside of the utilities, perhaps with a partner. 

Evergy raised the dividend 6% during the two years following the merger and raised it 7% for 2022 to $2.29 per share annualized. Morningstar analyst expect the dividend to grow in line with earnings for the foreseeable future

Constructive Regulatory Outcome in Missouri Would Be Big Boost for Evergy

Morningstar analyst are reaffirming to $60 fair value estimate for Evergy after reviewing the company’s two Missouri customer rate filings and incorporating them into their  forecast. 

Morningstar analyst expect regulators to approve rate increases less than Evergy’s $43.9 million request in its Missouri Metro jurisdiction and $27.7 million request in its Missouri West jurisdiction. However, Morningstar analyst think these are reasonable requests and expect constructive outcomes that support  6% average annual earnings growth rate through 2024. If regulators were to approve the full rate increase, it would raise Morningstar analyst growth rate to 7%, the middle of management’s 6%-8% target.

Financial Strength 

Evergy had an equity-heavy balance sheet following the all-stock combination of Westar and Great Plains. However, the company has repurchased over 45 million shares following the merger for about $2.6 billion. Morningstar analyst don’t expect any additional share repurchases due to an acceleration of the company’s investment plan. Morningstar analyst expect debt/total capital to remain in the mid-50s. Following the merger, the board raised the dividend 6.3% in late 2019, 5.9% in late 2020, and 7% in late 2021. Management has targeted a payout ratio of 60%-70% of operating earnings, in line with most other regulated utilities. Morningstar analyst forecast 6% dividend increases for at least the next four years, in line with earnings growth.

Bulls Say

  • Morningstar analyst expect annual dividend increases to average 6% over the next four years. 
  • A material net operating loss position is likely to shield Evergy from paying significant cash taxes until 2023. 
  • Recent legislation has improved the regulatory framework in Missouri, home to one third of Evergy’s rate base. This should reduce regulatory lag

Company Profile

Evergy is a regulated electric utility serving eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Major operating subsidiaries include Evergy Metro, Evergy Kansas Central, Evergy Missouri West, and Evergy Transmission Co. The utility has a combined rate base of approximately $15 billion, about half in Kansas and the rest split between Missouri and federal jurisdiction. Evergy is one of the largest wind energy suppliers in the U.S.

 (Source: Morningstar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Currencies Trading Ideas & Charts

India to Launch its own digital currency in 2022-23

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intimated in October 2021 that it had got approval for a modification to the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934 that would broaden the definition of bank note to include CBDCs. The central government has emphasised the potential benefits of CBDCs, claiming that they will lessen reliance on fiat currencies.

In another major announcement, Sitharaman said that all income from the transfer of virtual digital assets will be taxed at 30%. This will impact gains from cryptocurrencies and NFTs.

She further highlighted that no deduction will be allowed for expenditure undertaken on its acquisition. The loss from transfer of virtual digital assets cannot be set off against any other income.

The Finance Minister also proposed to provide for TDS on payment made in relation to transfer of virtual digital assets at the rate of 1 percent of such consideration above a monetary threshold. Gift of virtual digital assets has also been proposed to be taxed in the hands of the recipient.

India’s crypto industry had several demands, including that the government classify cryptocurrencies, provide clarity on taxation and establish a self-regulatory framework shaped by the crypto industry.

Many countries have rolled out their CBDCs recently. Nigeria launched eNaira in October last year. The Bahamas and five other islands in the East Caribbean have also rolled out their digital currencies.

(Source: The Financial Express)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Global stocks Shares

Sensata To Use Bolt-on M&A To Supplement Sensor Content Growth In Its Core Markets

Business Strategy and Outlook

It is understood Sensata Technologies is a differentiated supplier of sensors and electrical protection. The firm has oriented itself to benefit from secular trends toward electrification, efficiency, and connectivity, and it is supposed that investors will see meaningful topand bottom-line growth as upon an automotive market recovery. 

Despite the cyclical nature of the automotive and heavy vehicle markets, electric vehicles (EVs) and stricter emissions regulations provide Sensata the opportunity to sell into new sockets, which has allowed the firm to outpace underlying vehicle production growth by about 4% historically. It is alleged such outperformance is achievable over the next 10 years, given the expectations for a fleet mix shift toward EVs and Sensata’s growing addressable content in higher-voltage vehicles. 

It is observed, Sensata’s ability to grow its dollar content in vehicles demonstrates intangible assets in sensor design, as it works closely with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to build its products into new sockets. It is also believed the mission-critical nature of the systems into which Sensata sells gives rise to switching costs at customers, leading to an average relationship length of 31 years with its top 10 customers. As a result of switching costs and intangible assets, it is held Sensata benefits from a narrow economic moat and will earn excess returns on invested capital for the next 10 years. 

Over the next decade, it is anticipated Sensata to use bolt-on M&A to supplement sensor content growth in its core markets. Sensata established a leading share in the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) market in 2014 with its acquisition of Schrader, and it is implicit acquisitions will play a key role in allowing the firm to enter new, higher-growth, adjacent markets. Recent acquisitions of GIGAVAC and Xirgo will allow Sensata to compete in the electric vehicle charging infrastructure and telematics markets, respectively, which is likely to begin to bolster the top line and margins near the end of analyst’s explicit forecast and beyond.

Financial Strength

Sensata Technologies is leveraged, but it is held that its balance sheet is in good shape, and that it generates enough cash flow to fulfill all of its obligations comfortably. As of Dec. 31, 2021, the firm carried $4.2 billion in total debt and $1.7 billion cash and equivalents. Sensata closed out 2021 with a net leverage ratio of 2.8 times, which is squarely in management’s target range of 2.5-3.5 times. Over the next few years, it is probable Sensata to stay in its target leverage range as it continues to engage in supplemental M&A. Between 2023 and 2026, Sensata has $2.1 billion total in debt maturing, with $400 million-$700 million coming due each year. It is projected the firm to easily fulfill its obligations with its cash balance and cash flow—it is foreseen over $700 million in average annual free cash flow over Analyst’s explicit forecast. Finally, it is noted that Sensata has a variable cost structure that allows it to keep a relatively healthy balance sheet during difficult demand environments. Even with weak end markets in 2019 and 2020 that shrunk the top line, Sensata’s free cash flow generation held steady, with its free cash flow conversion jumping to 130% in 2020.

Bulls Say’s

  • Sensata should benefit from secular trends toward electrification, efficiency, and connectivity to continue outgrowing global vehicle production. 
  • Fleet management is an opportunity for Sensata to expand its margins and create a recurring base of revenue in an emerging, high-growth market. 
  • Sensata has some of the sensor industry’s highest margins and strong free cash flow conversion, providing it with capital to invest in organic and inorganic growth.

Company Profile 

Sensata Technologies is a leading supplier of sensors for transportation and industrial applications. Sensata sells a bevy of pressure, temperature, force, and position sensors into the automotive, heavy vehicle, industrial, heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC), and aerospace markets. The majority of the firm’s revenue comes from the automotive market, where it holds the largest market share for tire pressure monitoring systems. 

(Source: MorningStar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

Categories
Global stocks

Cushman And Wakefield PLC To Post Healthy Growth Rates

price of btc is going to breakout

Business Strategy and Outlook

Cushman & Wakefield underwent a major business transformation after the combination of DTZ, Cassidy Turley and Cushman & Wakefield in 2015. The combination of these three firms expanded its geographical presence, added incremental capabilities, and gave the company adequate scale to effectively compete with its larger rivals CBRE and JLL for lucrative global contracts from multinational clients. The company has benefitted from the secular trends in the real estate services industry and has been able to grow strongly through organic growth opportunities, strategic in-fill acquisitions and by actively recruiting fee earning teams. M&A is a strategic pillar for the company in its quest to become a single source provider for the full spectrum of real estate related services on a global footprint and the company has demonstrated a track record of successful integrations and broker onboarding. 

The GAAP operating margin of the company has been negatively impacted by restructuring & integration related charges, and various efficiency related projects over the past several years. However, it is alleged that these investments were necessary for the firm and the enhanced scale and efficiency improvements from the prior initiatives will contribute positively toward margin accretion on a midcycle basis in the upcoming years. It is also anticipated non-recurring changes to normalize, resulting in positive earnings and cash flow generation that can be reinvested into the business. 

The leasing and capital market segments which make up about 38% of fee revenue provides full-service brokerage and has a higher cyclicality in revenue. By contrast, the property & facility management segment, which make up about 54% of fee revenue, represents the outsourcing business and provides a contractual stream of revenue. The valuation & other segment contributes 8% of fee revenue and provides solutions related to workplace strategy, digitization, valuation and so on. The company should be able to post healthy growth rates as it continues to take share from its smaller competitors and benefits from rising capital flows into real estate, increasing corporate outsourcing and growth in urbanization.

Financial Strength

Cushman & Wakefield has somewhat concerned financial health. The company had a total debt of $3.2 billion and net debt of $2.0 billion as of the end of third quarter in 2021. This resulted in a net debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio of about 2.8 times. Management has repeatedly stated that debt reduction is not a strategic priority, and they are comfortable with a debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio in mid 2s. Debt maturity timeline is not an issue for the company as most of the debt matures after 2024. The company is also in a comfortable position with respect to liquidity with a total liquidity of $2.2 billion consisting of cash and a revolving credit facility. This gives the firm enough flexibility to fund its operations, pursue M&A and invest in organic growth opportunities. The company has used leverage for in-fill acquisitions in the past to achieve adequate scale and capabilities to compete with its larger rivals. The company is currently using approximately 40% debt to fund its capital structure, which makes it significantly more leveraged than its larger competitors CBRE and JLL, which are currently using approximately 5.0% debt. Additionally, it has not been able to consistently generate positive operating cash flows since 2015 because of the significant investments in integration and efficiency related projects. This makes the company vulnerable to macroeconomic downturns and the cyclicality in the commercial real estate. It is likely the cash flow generation capacity of the business to improve in the upcoming years as it achieves scale and the nonrecurring expenses normalize. Although it isn’t viewed, the company’s high level of debt as an immediate liquidity concern, a prolonged downturn could call its underlying financial stability into question. While it is anticipated the firm to benefit from various secular tailwinds, it is alleged that management should err on the side of caution and refrain from taking too much incremental debt, given the cyclical nature of the industry.

Bulls Say’s

  • As one of the largest of only a few truly international one-stop shops, Cushman & Wakefield is poised to continue taking share from competitors in a growing industry that increasingly rewards scale. 
  • The trend of corporate outsourcing represents a significant opportunity and area of growth for Cushman & Wakefield. 
  • Increased scale and the recent efficiency initiatives should help the company achieve material margin accretion in the upcoming years.

Company Profile 

Cushman & Wakefield is the third largest commercial real estate services firm in the world with a global headquarters in Chicago. The firm provides various real estate-related services to owners, occupiers and investors. These include brokerage services for leasing and capital markets sales, as well as advisory services such valuation, project management, and facilities management. 

(Source: MorningStar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

Categories
Dividend Stocks

COVID-19 Crisis and Other Issues Have Slowed VF, but Its Brands Provide a Competitive Advantage

Finance and Economy Chart for Dollar Gold Euro Currencies Trading View

Business Strategy and Outlook:

Through dispositions and additions, VF has built a portfolio of strong brands in multiple apparel categories. The three brands that are viewed account for about 80% its sales (Vans, Timberland, and The North Face) as supporting VF’s narrow moat based on a brand intangible asset. Despite short-term disruption from the COVID-19 crisis and economic weakness in China, VF is believed to grow faster than most competitors in the long run and maintain its competitive edge.

The North Face will benefit from its new Future Light waterproof fabric, brand extensions, and expansions of its direct-to-consumer business. VF plans 8%-9% annual growth for The North Face, which may be possible after the coronavirus crisis has passed. It is less certain of VF’s long-term growth targets for Timberland and Dickies of 3%-4% and 5%-6%, respectively, given inconsistent results. At its 2019 investor event, VF targeted a gross margin above 55.5%, an operating margin above 15%, and an ROIC above 20% in fiscal 2024.

Financial Strength:

Although VF is struggling with some product shortages, higher costs, and inconsistent demand for Vans in China, its sales and profit margins have mostly recovered from the worst of the pandemic. Fiscal 2022 sales growth forecast has been lowered to 29% from 30% but adjusted EPS estimate have been held at $3.20. For fiscal 2023, adjusted EPS is adjusted of $3.68 on 7% sales growth. Fair value estimate implies fiscal 2023 price/adjusted earnings and EV/adjusted EBITDA of 18 and 15, respectively. The Kontoor spin-off and the sale of some of VF’s work brands has improved the firm’s margins as its remaining brands have more pricing power than those that have been eliminated. Further, the remaining VF has higher exposure to attractive active and outdoor categories. Gross margins of 56% or higher are forecasted after this fiscal year, well above historical gross margins of below 50%.

Bulls Say:

  • Vans, expected to generate over $4 billion in sales in fiscal 2022, is developing into a fashion brand. It still has growth potential, given its small share in the global sports-inspired apparel and footwear market, estimated at $152 billion in 2021 (Euromonitor). 
  • VF has disposed of its weaker jeans and work brands, helping to pull its gross margins up to the mid-50s from the high-40s. 
  • As an upscale brand with high price points, Supreme brings higher margins than any of VF’s individual brands except Vans. There is potential for VF to expand Supreme in international markets.

Company Profile:

VF designs, produces, and distributes branded apparel and accessories. Its largest apparel categories include action sports, outdoor, and workwear. Its portfolio of about 15 brands includes Vans, The North Face, Timberland, Supreme, and Dickies. VF markets its products in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific through wholesale sales to retailers, e-commerce, and branded stores owned by the company and partners. The company has grown through multiple acquisitions and traces its roots to 1899.

(Source: Morningstar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Technology Stocks

Trane’s Record Backlog Positions the Narrow-Moat Firm for Another Strong Year in 2022

Business Strategy and Outlook:

In early 2020, Ingersoll Rand spun off its industrial segment, which immediately merged with Gardner Denver. This new entity assumed the Ingersoll Rand name and stock ticker. Legacy Ingersoll Rand’s climate segment was renamed Trane Technologies. It has been viewed legacy Ingersoll Rand’s climate business as more attractive than its industrial segment because the former has generally been more profitable and less cyclical.

Trane Technologies is a leading supplier of climate control products and services; it is a dominant player in commercial and residential heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems (approximately 80% of sales) with its Trane and American Standard brands, as well as in transportation refrigeration (20% of sales) with its Thermo King brand. The leading HVAC manufacturers have all embraced a pure-play model. Johnson Controls sold its automotive battery business and Carrier spun off from United Technologies. Lennox is already a pure-play climate control company, although it has rid itself of some underperforming domestic and foreign refrigeration businesses.

Financial Strength:

Trane Technologies has a sound balance sheet, and its consistent free cash flow generation supports its debt service obligations, capital expenditure requirements, and dividend, while also providing financial flexibility for opportunistic share repurchases and acquisitions. Trane Technologies ended its fourth-quarter 2021 with $4.8 billion of outstanding debt and $2.2 billion of cash, which equates to a net debt/2021 adjusted EBITDA ratio of about 1.1. Besides its 4.25% senior notes ($700 million) due in 2023, the 3.75% senior notes ($545 million) due in 2028, and the 3.8% senior notes ($750 million) due in 2029, no more than $500 million is due in any one fiscal year. In 2021, Trane Technologies generated almost $1.4 billion of free cash flow.

Bulls Say:

  • Trane should benefit from secular trends in global urbanization and increased demand for energy efficient building solutions. 
  • With a company mission to address climate change and energy efficiency challenges with its products and services, Trane Technologies has become a popular ESG play. 
  • Trane Technologies generates significant aftermarket and replacement sales on its large installed base, which helps damp cyclicality.

Company Profile:

Trane Technologies manufactures and services commercial and residential HVAC systems and transportation refrigeration solutions under its prominent Trane, American Standard, and Thermo King brands. The $14 billion company generates approximately 70% of sales from equipment and 30% from parts and services. While the firm is domiciled in Ireland, North America accounts for over 70% of its revenue.

(Source: Morningstar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Global stocks

Carnival’s Return to Full-Year Profitability Postponed Until 2023 as Omicron Dampens Demand

Business Strategy and Outlook:

Carnival remains the largest company in the cruise industry, with nine global brands and 91 ships at 2021 fiscal year-end. The global cruise market has historically been underpenetrated, offering cruise companies a long-term demand opportunity. Additionally, in recent years, the repositioning and deployment of ships to faster-growing and under-represented regions like Asia-Pacific had helped balance the supply in high-capacity regions like the Caribbean and Mediterranean, aiding pricing. However, global travel has waned as a result of COVID-19, which has the potential to spark longer-term secular shifts in consumer behavior, challenging the economic performance of Carnival over an extended horizon.

As consumers have slowly resumed cruising since the summer of 2021 (after a year-plus no-sail halt), it is suspected that the cruise operators will have to continue to reassure passengers of both the safety and value propositions of cruising. On the yield side, it is expected Carnival to see some pricing pressure as future cruise credits continue to be redeemed in 2022, a headwind partially mitigated by the return of capacity via full deployment of the fleet. And on the cost side, higher spend to maintain tighter cleanliness and health protocols should keep expenses inflated. Aggravating profits will be staggered reintroduction of the fleet through the first half of 2022, crimping near-term profitability and ceding previously obtained scale benefits. As of Jan. 13, 2022, 67% of capacity (50 ships) was already deployed and around 96% of the fleet should be sailing by the end of February.

Financial Strength:

Carnival has secured adequate liquidity to survive a slow resumption of domestic cruising, with $9.4 billion in cash and investments at the end of November 2021. This should cover the company’s cash burn rate over the ramp-up, which has run around $500 million or more per month recently due to higher ship start-up costs. The company has raised significant levels of debt since the onset of the pandemic closing fiscal 2021 with $28.5 billion in long-term debt, up from less than $10 billion at the end of 2019. The company has less than $3 billion in short term and $2 billion in long-term debt coming due over the next year versus $33 billion in total debt. The company is focused on reducing debt service as soon as reasonably possible, as evidenced by the refinancing of over $9 billion in debt, which reduced future annual interest by around $400 million per year. It has also actively pursued the extension of maturities, limiting the cash demand on debt service over the near term.

Bulls Say:

  • As Carnival deploys its fleet, passenger counts and yields could rise at a faster pace than we currently anticipate if capacity limitations are repealed. 
  • A more efficient fleet composition (after pruning 19 ships during COVID-19) may help contain fuel spending, benefiting the cost structure to a greater degree than initially expected, once sailings fully resume. 
  • The nascent Asia-Pacific market should remain promising post-COVID-19, as the four largest operators had capacity for nearly 4 million passengers in 2020, which provides an opportunity for long-term growth with a new consumer.

Company Profile:

Carnival is the largest global cruise company, with 91 ships in its fleet at the end of fiscal 2021, with 98% of its capacity set to be redeployed by May 2022. Its portfolio of brands includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America; P&O Cruises and Cunard Line in the United Kingdom; Aida in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe; and P&O Cruises in Australia. Carnival also owns Holland America Princess Alaska Tours in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Carnival’s brands attracted about 13 million guests in 2019, prior to COVID-19.

(Source: Morningstar)

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