Category: Global stocks

Global Stock refer to share that are traded on multiple exchanges with different currencies. For example, if a publicly-traded company issues shares in dollars on the New York Stock Exchange and in pounds on the London Stock Exchange, it is issuing global registered shares. Global stock to a portfolio offers diversification and may provide higher returns. Global stock markets may experience higher levels of volatility than other domestic markets with bigger swings to both the upside and downside.

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International Still a Drag, but Other Segments Mostly Positive for Scotiabank in Fiscal Q3

. Its domestic operations are more concentrated in mortgages and auto lending. The international exposure gives the bank the potential for higher growth and return opportunities compared with peers, but it also exposes the bank to more risks.

The bank is in the middle of rationalizing its many back-end systems and improving efficiency bankwide.The bank is continuously focusing in digitalisation and has been spending the most on its technology and communication expenses. These efforts will ultimately pay off in the form of improved operating efficiency, customer engagement, and internal sales coordination. This leads us to believe that returns on tangible equity near 15% are sustainable over the longer term for the bank.

International Still a Drag, but Other Segments Mostly Positive for Scotiabank in Fiscal Q3

Bank of Nova Scotia reported decent fiscal third-quarter earnings. Adjusted earnings per share were CAD 2.01, representing solid year-over-year growth which is higher than last quarter’s EPS of CAD 1.90. Provisioning continues to be a major driver of improved earnings. Credit costs remained solid and provisioning was low during the quarter while the bank is still holding excess reserves for future credit losses

Revenue growth continued to be lackluster for Scotiabank, up only 1% year over year as the bank’s international segment remains under some pressure and fee growth for the global markets segment faced tough year over year comps. It is expected that the international fees to continue to recover as the economic picture is improving in essentially all of Scotia bank’s Pacific .

Financial Strength:

Bank of Nova Scotia holds strong overall financial health with net revenue of CAD 30729 million and net income of CAD 6582 million in the year 2020. Nova Scotia’s reported common equity Tier 1 ratio of 12.2% as of July 2021 which remains satisfactory. This is above the 11.5% goal that management has targeted and leaves the bank well positioned to absorb the upcoming rise in credit costs. With dividend payout ratios at manageable levels between 40% and 50%, we expect its capital generation will continue to provide growth in its capital position, leaving room for future bolt-on acquisitions, increased capital return to shareholders, or both

Bulls Say

  • The Canadian market remains attractive; the government has placed barriers to entry that protect high returns.
  • The international segment’s exposure to higher growth emerging markets in Latin America will offset Scotia bank’s slower growth in its home markets and offer a runway for higher growth and returns compared with peers.
  • Scotiabank has consistently been one of the most efficient bankwide operators, and its higher relative level of spending on technology should allow this to continue.

Company Profile

Bank of Nova Scotia is a global financial services provider. The bank has five business segments: Canadian banking, international banking, global wealth management, global banking and markets, and other. It offers a range of advice, products, and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. The bank’s international operations span numerous countries and are more concentrated in Central and South America

(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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Traffic is still a problem, but there is more than adequate money to get through another year of hard times.

Investment thesis

  • Recent takeover offers that have been rejected are currently supporting the share price.
  • Sydney International Airport is an appealing asset with a long-term lease, but earnings are currently being impacted by the pandemic.
  • Long-term growth in international tourism and domestic travel is expected post-Covid.
  • Prior to the pandemic, SYD delivered a consistent and growing dividend stream, which is expected to continue post-Covid.
  • New development initiatives (expand capacity & improve passenger experience).
  • Exposure to a falling dollar (cheaper to visit Australia).
  • Earnings can be increased by diversifying into hotels.
  • Potential new markets, such as India and new emerging markets, could drive growth.

Key Risks

The following are the key challenges to the investment thesis:

Bond yields (viewed as a bond proxy, rising bond yields will have a negative impact on SYD’s valuation)

  • A decline in Australian tourism.
  • A global disaster that reduces international travel.
  • Distribution growth, or lack thereof, disappoints.
  • Cost constraints / operational disruptions
  • International airlines are lowering their exposure to Australia.
  • Long-term competition from Western Sydney Airport.

Highlights of key FY21 results

  • Revenue of $341.6 million was -33.2 percent lower than the pcp. SYD had 6.0 million passengers, a -36.4 percent decrease, with domestic and global passenger numbers down by 91.0 percent and -3.1 percent, respectively.
  • Operating expenses were $74.2 million lower, a -7.8 percent decrease.
  • EBITDA was down -29.8 percent to $210.8 million.
  • SYD revealed a $97.4 million loss after income taxes. In terms of Covid-19 impacts, SYD recognised abatements and expected credit loss in the form of $77.0 million in rental abatements and $24.5 million in doubtful debt provision, and government assistance of $2.6 million in JobKeeper payments was recognised as an offset to employee benefits expense up to March 2021.
  • As of 30 June, SYD had a strong balance sheet with $2.9 billion in liquidity ($0.5 billion in available cash and $2.4 billion in undrawn bank debt facilities). On the conference call, management stated that SYD “continues to expect to remain compliant with its covenant requirements.” SYD’s credit rating remained unchanged, at BBB+/Baa1 by S&P/ Moody’s, with a negative outlook. Net debt fell to $7.5 billion from $9.1 billion in the first half of the year, with a cashflow cover ratio of 2.0x (down from 2.4x in the first half of the year) and a nett debt/EBITDA ratio of 14.0x (versus 9.3x at 1H20).

Company Description 

Sydney Airport (SYD) operates the Sydney International Airport (Kingsford Smith). The company develops and maintains the airport infrastructure and leases terminal space to airlines and retailers. The ASX listed stock consists of Sydney Airport Limited (SAL) and Sydney Airport Trust (SAT1). Shares and units in the Group are stapled.

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

SYD’s share price up by 41.5% over the past year

Investment Thesis:

  • Currently share price is supported by recent takeover offers which have been rejected.
  • Earnings affected by the pandemic; Attractive asset with long-dated lease – Sydney International Airport.
  • Long-term growth is anticipated in international and domestic travel.
  • Solid and high growing dividend stream was offered by SYD before Covid, which is expected to repeat post Covid recovery.
  • Development of new projects (expansion of capacity & improvement of passenger experience). 
  • Leveraged due to a falling dollar (cheaper to visit Australia). 
  • Diversification into hotels for earnings.
  • New markets to drive business growth e.g. India, new emerging markets

Key Risks:

  • Bond rates (which is seen as a bond proxy and rising bonds yields would negatively affect SYD’s valuation) 
  • Slowdown in Australian travel and tourism. 
  • Universal calamity which might lead to downsizing of international travel.
  • Disappointment created by growth distribution and its absence.  
  • Disruptions caused due to cost pressure and operations.
  • Less exposure to Australia by International Airlines. 
  • Long-term competition majorly from Western Sydney Airport. 

Key Highlights:

  • SYD’s share price is $7.70 (+41.5% in comparison to past year); however cannot surpass the price which was at the beginning of pandemic i.e. $8.41.
  • Revenue of $341.6m indicated a sharp decline of -33.2%. The decrease in the rate of passengers of SYD was -36.4%.
  • SYD retained a financially healthy balance sheet with $2.9bn of liquidity as at 30 June.
  • EBITDA of $210.8m was down by -29.8%.
  • Revenue of Aeronautical constitutes 36% amounting to $110.82m, declined -36% or -27.0% on an adjusted basis on lower passenger volumes, down -36.4%.
  • Revenue of Retail (28% of the total revenue) amounts to $87.4m (or $27.5m when adjusted for rental abatements and doubtful debts) declined -40.6% (or -73.4% on an adjusted basis). 
  • Revenue of Property and car rental (27% revenue by segment) of $84.6m (or $83.5m when adjusted for rental abatements and doubtful debts), was down -22.3% (or up +1.1% on an adjusted basis).
  • Revenue of Car parking and ground transport consists of 9% amounting to $28.7m (or $27.8m when adjusted for rental abatements and doubtful debts), which was down -24.7%.

Company Profile:

Sydney Airport Holdings is a publicly–listed Australian holding company which owns a 100% interest in Kingsford Smith Airport via Sydney Airport Corporation. The company is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and has its head office located in Sydney, New South Wales. The principal activity of the Company is investment in airport assets. The Company’s investment policy is to invest funds in accordance with the provisions of the governing documents of the individual entities within the Company. The Company consists of Sydney Airport Limited (SAL) and Sydney Airport Trust 1 (SAT1). The Trust Company (Sydney Airport) Limited (TCSAL) is the responsible entity of SAT1.

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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Analysts estimate increase in Stifel Fair Value

Additionally, an initial need for capital in the recession and then low interest rates and a strong stock market led to high capital-raising activity.

Stifel Financial has a long history of being an active acquirer. With several hundred million dollars of arguably excess capital, the company could make some decent-size acquisitions. The company may see some growth from a renewed commitment to its independent advisor business.

Stifel has been deepening its expertise in certain niche areas lately through acquisitions. The KBW merger improved the company’s presence in financial industry investment banking, and Stifel has made a series of public finance firm acquisitions over the past several years. In wealth management, adding Barclays’ advisors can help the firm move more upmarket. The investment banking and wealth management landscape is undergoing a decent amount of change from regulations, such as those related to capital requirements and fiduciary standards.

Financial Strength:

Stifel’s financial health is fairly good. At the end of 2020, the company had approximately $1.1 billion of corporate debt and over $2 billion of cash on its balance sheet. Its next large debt maturity is $500 million in 2024.The Company’s total leverage is less than 8, which is fair considering the mix of its investment banking and traditional banking operations. At the end of 2020, Stifel was at its disclosed target of 11.9% Tier 1 leverage ratio. Given that its Tier 1 leverage ratio is above management’s previously stated target of 10%, the company would resume more material share repurchases or pursue acquisitions. 

Bulls Say:

Stifel’s string of acquisitions has increased operational scale and expertise. Stifel is an experienced acquirer and integrator. A recession could provide ample acquisition opportunities. Net interest income growth over the previous several years at the company’s bank materially expanded wealth management operating margins, and the increased size of the bank and wealth management business provides diversification with its institutional securities business.

Company Profile:

Stifel Financial is a middle-market-focused investment bank that produces more than 90% of its revenue in the United States. Approximately 60% of the company’s net revenue is derived from its global wealth management division, which supports over 2,000 financial advisors, with the remainder coming from its institutional securities business. Stifel has a history of being an active acquirer of other financial service firms.

(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

G8 Education Fair Value Cut to AUD 2.00 but Remains Materially Undervalued

Although the result contained several positive aspects, we now expect some of G8’s recent expenses growth to be permanent. This expectation results in a reduction in our long-term profit margin expectations, with our long-term underlying NPAT margin forecast falling to 12% from 14%.

The market reacted negatively to G8’s result, with the share price falling 6% on the day. G8 usually generates most of its revenue in the second half of the year which typically boosts profit margins. However, the company has been unable to increase prices as usual in the middle of this year, due to the pandemic, which will impact margins in the second half. G8’s prices have been unable to keep pace with wages growth over the past couple of years, partly due to lower immigration due to the pandemic. Although management have created strategies to address the scarcity of labour and labour productivity, these solutions have costs too. G8’s earnings are particularly sensitive to wage inflation because wages typically equate to around 60% of revenue and because G8’s margins are relatively small.

G8’s management said that attracting and retaining talent is the greatest challenge facing the sector. In July 2021, G8’s occupancy rate had recovered to just 1 percentage point below levels achieved in July 2019, before the pandemic. However, the coronavirus outbreak and related lockdowns have caused this gap to widen to 2.6 percentage points in August 2021, relative to August 2019. We expect the second half of 2020 will be tough for G8, with lockdowns likely to continue for most of the half. However, we also expect Australian vaccination rates to enter 2022 with 70% to 80% of the population likely vaccinated, paving the way for a permanent reopening of the country.

Although the latest childcare sector support measures are a positive for childcare centre operators, they only add to the complexity of forecasting G8’s near-term earnings. Aside from the complexity caused by the pandemic’s impact on occupancy rates and subsidies, G8’s earnings are also distorted by recent reshuffling of its childcare centre portfolio, re -categorisation of expenses, the ramp-up of new centres, and change to the definitions of key performance indicators, such as occupancy. This complexity may mean the market will remain wary of G8 shares until the expected recovery is evidenced in reported results, likely in late 2022.

Despite our lower fair value, at the current market price of AUD 0.99 per share, we continue to believe G8 is materially undervalued. Although the childcare industry faces turmoil in the near term and wage inflation pressures in the longer term, we still expect G8’s occupancy rates to recover in 2022 as the pandemic subsides. Importantly, G8’s decision to raise equity capital in 2020, and repay all its net debt, means the company is well placed to weather the latest lockdowns and will likely reinstate dividends in 2022. The reinstatement of G8’s dividends will be an important step for Australian tax residents, because they will likely be fully franked. Franked dividends are effectively a return of corporate tax to shareholders and the reinstatement of franked dividends, which we expect in early 2021, may be a catalyst for a rerating of the stock.

Company Profile

G8 Education operates a portfolio of around 480 childcare centres in Australia, implying a market share of around 8%. The company is highly dependent on government subsidies, which comprise around 60% of childcare fees, but we expect subsidies to continue growing with childcare demand. G8 does not own the buildings from which its childcare centres operate, and labour costs comprise around 60% of expenses, with rental costs comprising around 15%.

(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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Positive effect on Amcor stock as the company’s net income and free cash flow increase

  • Flattering exposure to the growth of both emerging and developed markets.
  • A well-defined strategy for increasing shareholder value.
  • Acquisitions that are bolt-ons provide an opportunity to supplement organic growth.
  • A strong balance sheet.
  • Leveraged against a falling AUD/USD
  • Advantages from the recently finished Bemis acquisition will begin to flow.
  • Capital management initiatives include a $500 million share buyback currently underway.

Key Risks

The following are the key challenges to the investment thesis:

  • Management fails to realise the proposed synergies in the Bemis transaction.
  • Increasing competition causing margin erosion and potential balance-sheet stress (e.g. reduced earnings leading to potential debt covenant breaches).
  • Cost constraints on inputs that the company is unable to pass on to customers (even though the Company does pass through input costs).
  • Global economic growth has slowed.
  • Value-destroying acquisition.
  • The risk of emerging markets.
  • Unfavorable movements in the AUD/USD.

Highlights of key FY21 results

  • EBIT increased by 8% to $1,621 million, with margins enhancing by +60 basis points to 12.6 percent. 
  • GAAP net income of $939 million, a +53 percent increase, translates to GAAP EPS of 60.2 cents, a +58 percent increase (or adjusted EPS of 74.4 cents, a +16 percent increase on a CC basis, above guidance range).
  • Adjusted FCF of $1.1bn, flat -9.9 percent over pcp (albeit at the upper end of guidance range), effected by rising capex on organic growth projects, lower working capital benefit, and adverse tax payment timing compared to pcp.
  • Return on average funds employed of 15.4 percent, an increase of +140 basis points over the pcp. 
  • The Board declared a final dividend of 11.75 cents per share, bringing the full-year dividend to 47 cents per share, and repurchased $350 million (2% ) of outstanding shares.

Company Description 

Amcor Limited (AMC) is an international integrated packaging company offering packing and related services. Amcor primarily produces a wide range of packaging products which include corrugated boxes, cartons, aluminum and steel cans, flexible plastic packaging, PET plastic bottles and jars, and multi-wall sacks. The company has operations in Australasia, North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

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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Cleanaway’s Asset Acquisition of Suez in F.Y.22

Close-up LED charts and summary info for making stock trading graph

 It is clear about Cleanaway’s growth into materials recovery which features more favorable economics than waste collection. Under its “Footprint 2025” capital allocation strategy, the group will continue to focus investment in materials recovery and waste-to-energy, or WTE. 

Since fiscal 2016, Cleanaway has invested in excess of AUD 100 million in Greenfield materials recovery, waste treatment, and WTE projects. The recent purchase of the materials recovery assets of SKM Recycling represents a further step toward Cleanaway’s goal of moving further into the industry’s midstream.

Further diversifying Cleanaway away from waste collection is the acquisition of Toxfree in late fiscal 2018, skewing Cleanaway’s earnings stream away from collections, the most competitive segment of the waste management value chain.

Financial Strength

Cleanaway has made further progress on its proposed AUD 501 million acquisition of key Australian post-collection assets from Suez, securing new debt facilities which will allow the deal to be fully debt funded. Therefore, balance sheet flexibility post deal completion exists should further acquisition opportunities arise. Cleanaway’s liquidity position is more than ample to secure the business’ operations without external financing through the medium-term. With minimal debt maturities over the fiscal 2021-24 period, Cleanaway’s sources of cash—those being cash at bank, undrawn debt and operating cash flow–are more than sufficient to fund Cleanaway’s ongoing operations. Cleanaway’s earnings exhibit little volatility through the economic cycle. As a result, its conservatively positioned balance sheet provides ample flexibility for further capital allocation to materials recovery and waste disposal assets —whether bolt-on or Greenfield–under Cleanaway’s Footprint 2025 strategy. 

Bull Says

  • Cleanaway is benefiting from industry consolidation.
  • Municipal waste contracts provide relatively stable cash flows through the economic cycle.
  • Capital allocation improved markedly under outgoing CEO Vik Bansal’s guidance.

Company Profile

Cleanaway Waste Management (ASX: CWY) is Australia’s largest waste management business with a national footprint spanning collection, midstream waste processing, treatment and valorization, and downstream waste disposal. Cleanaway is active in municipal and commercial and industrial, or C&I, waste stream segments and in nonhazardous and hazardous liquid waste and medical waste streams following the acquisition of Toxfree in fiscal 2018. While Cleanaway is allocating greater capital to midstream waste processing and treatment, earnings remain skewed toward waste collection. Cleanaway is particularly strong in C&I and municipal waste collection with strong market share in all large Australian metro waste collection markets.

 (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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Orora Limited (ASX: ORA)

  • Exposure to the growth of both developed and emerging economies.
  • Headwinds in the near term should be factored into the price.
  • Following a recent strategic assessment, the strategy has been revised.
  • Bolt-on acquisitions (and the synergies that come with them) can help complement organic growth.
  • Leveraged against the AUD/USD and is now declining.
  • Corporate activities that could occur.
  • Management of capital (current on-market share buyback plus potential for additional initiatives).

Key Risks

  • Margin loss due to competitive forces.
  • Cost pressures in the supply chain that the company is unable to pass on to customers.
  • Economic conditions in the United States, emerging markets, and Australia are deteriorating.
  • Risk associated with emerging markets.
  • Adverse Movements in AUD/USD exchange rates 
  • OCC prices are decreasing.

FY21 group result highlights

Group revenue was slightly down (-0.8 percent) to $3.5 billion (up +7.8% in constant currency), operating earnings (EBIT) were up +11.6 percent to $249.1 million (up +17.3 percent in CC), underlying NPAT was up +23.7 percent to $156.7 million, EPS was up +29 percent to 16.9 cents (also driven by the on-market share buyback), and the full year dividend of 14cps up +16.7% on pcp. 2) Balance sheet. The impact of the on-market share buyback boosted leverage from 0.9x to 1.5x. Leverage, on the other hand, is still far below management’s goal range of 2 – 2.5x.

Company Description 

Orora Limited (ORA) provides packaging products and services. Orora is a global packaging manufacturer, distributor and visual communication solutions company The Company offers fibres, and glass and beverage can be packaged materials in Australia and Asia and packaging distribution services in North America and Australia.   

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

Morrisons’ Strong Balance Sheet and Store Estate Attracts Private Equity Interest

Although operating margins in the grocery industry are similar among the Big Four, we reckon Morrisons has a more efficient operating cost structure than Tesco and Sainsbury’s. It also has a stronger balance sheet than its Big Four peers.Morison It has large-store exposure, with no convenience-store presence and an online channel growing through third-party partnerships (Ocado and Amazon). Its strategy is centred on driving traffic in stores through the provision of additional services such as hand car washes, tyre change concessions, and parcel pickup services on top of a stronger core food offering. The company targets higher exposure in growth channels through capital-light partnerships in wholesale (Amazon, McColl’s, LuLu), online (Ocado), and convenience (Rontec forecourts). Although we believe management’s plan makes sense in the current market environment, it highlights the company’s limited channel exposure in an increasingly multichannel world. We view the company’s channel positioning as problematic despite the new initiatives, especially in a period of balance sheet deleveraging and tighter capital expenditure budgets (making it hard for the firm to develop its own convenience-store network)

On Aug. 19 Morrisons reached an agreement for a recommended cash offer of GBX 285.00 per share by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Funds, or CD&R, a private equity fund, which implies a premium of about 60% to the closing price on June 18 (last business day before possible offer by CD&R) and an enterprise value multiple of 9 times the grocer’s underlying EBITDA or about 20.7 times Morrisons’ underlying EPS. The offer is equivalent to a cash consideration of approximately GBP 7.00 billion on a fully diluted basis. Morrisons’ board intends to recommend unanimously that shareholders vote in favour of the takeover, to be proposed at the general meeting in the week commencing Oct. 4.We intend to increase our GBX 252.00 fair value estimate to reflect the most recent offer. 

We think the current offer is very generous for Morrisons’ shareholders. In our estimates, the value the new owner can successfully extract from a potential monetization of the grocer’s vast store estate could be about GBX 70.00 per share. We believe, at these levels, the new owner could still achieve good returns on invested capital but only by realizing significant structural cost savings and leveraging up the balance sheet (Morrisons exhibits high capacity to leverage: net debt/EBITDAR ratio of about 2.4 times versus 3.4 times for Tesco and Sainsbury’s, excluding the banks).

Bulls Say

  • Morrisons is a well-managed company with one of the most efficient operating cost structures relative to peers.
  • The firm has good balance sheet and cash flow management. Working capital has been squeezed, selective store property sold off, and capital spending held in check.
  • Morrisons has a large freehold store estate.

Financial Strength

Morrisons is in reasonably good financial health, with low levels of net debt, a pension surplus, and modest levels of free cash generation. At the beginning of February 2020, net debt had been reduced to around GBP 1 billion which implies a net debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio of 2.4.Financial leverage has also been reduced through sales of freehold stores and disposals, which have generated close to GBP 1,000 million in proceeds in recent years..Capital spending remains moderate, and like other U.K. grocers, Morrisons is no longer in strong store-expansion mode. 

Company Profile

Founded by William Morrison in 1899, Wm Morrison Supermarkets is the U.K.’s fourth-largest grocery chain, with a market share of around 10%. The 2004 takeover of rival Safeway transformed the firm in terms of scale and gave it a significant presence outside its base in Northern England. The company operates about 500 stores, entirely in the United Kingdom. Morrisons has an online presence via a partnership with Ocado and Amazon and has lately been trying to expand its wholesale channel with new agreements (McColl’s).

(Source: Morning Star)

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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Cochlear’s FVE Up 9% Driven by a Stronger U.S. Dollar and Lower Expenses

Cochlear implants became the standard of care many years ago for children in developed markets with profound hearing loss or deafness. Large price differentials in the lower range of products result in 80% of revenue being earned in developed markets and 20% in tender-oriented emerging markets. Currently, penetration is still estimated to be under 5%, and Cochlear is at a pivot point as it invests to be adopted more widely by seniors with profound hearing loss. Prevalence of profound hearing loss increases over 65 years and has a steep increase from over 80 years of age. However, hearing aids, not cochlear implants, are the standard of care. Cochlear is investing significantly to grow awareness as well as funding research to support pay or reimbursement.

Financial Strength

The company has typically enjoyed low capital intensity and high cash conversion, affording it to pay out 70% of earnings as a dividend. However, with the confluence of operational weakness due to deferred elective surgeries as a result of the coronavirus, a peak in the capital cycle, and a patent infringement penalty becoming payable, the company faced a liquidity crunch. Consequently, it completed an AUD 850 million equity raise in fiscal 2020, adding an additional 10% to shares on issue and we forecast the company to carry no net debt for the foreseeable future. The company is not acquisitive and organic growth is driven by R&D spending of roughly 12% of revenue per year.

Wide-moat Cochlear’s fiscal 2021 underlying NPAT rebounded 54% to AUD 237 million following the resumption of elective surgeries. As vaccination rates increase, the firm anticipates a continued recovery and provided fiscal 2022 NPAT guidance of AUD 265 million-285 million. The guidance is based on a USD/AUD exchange rate of 0.74 and doesn’t factor in material disruption from COVID-19. Our fair value increases by 9% to AUD 175, driven by our forecast 0.72 USD/AUD exchange rate from 0.77 prior. We also decreased our long-term assumptions for the tax rate and R&D investment as a percentage of sales to 25% and 12%, respectively, from 27% and 13% prior. 

Fiscal 2021 implant sales grew 19% constant-currency on 15% growth in unit sales. Despite a much stronger USD, our revised fiscal 2022 revenue forecast of AUD 1,627 million implies just 9% growth on fiscal 2021. Shares still screen as overvalued with our forecast five-year revenue growth of 9% unchanged. Cochlear declared a final dividend of AUD 1.40 per share with full-year dividends representing a 71% dividend payout on underlying NPAT but unfranked as a result of fiscal 2020 losses.

Bulls Say’s 

  • Continued strong top-line growth is likely to be more challenging and dependent on growing penetration in emerging markets and adults in developed markets.
  • The more reliable annuitylike revenue stream from sound processor upgrades is forecast to contribute an increasingly larger proportion of group earnings as it is driven by a growing installed base.
  • The company enjoys low capital intensity and high gross margins and cash conversion, enabling Cochlear to afford a 70% dividend payout ratio in a typical year.

Company Profile 

Cochlear is the leading cochlear implant device manufacturer with around 60% global market share. Developed markets contribute 80% of group revenue where cochlear implants are the standard of care for children with severe to profound hearing loss. The company also actively targets the growing cohort of seniors in developed markets. Tender-oriented emerging markets contribute the remaining 20% of group revenue. Main products include cochlear implants, bone-anchored hearing aids, or BAHA, and associated sound processors. In fiscal 2020, 49% of revenue came from the Americas, 35% from EMEA, and 16% from the Asia-Pacific segment.

(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.