Tag Archives: South Africa

Sabvest Capital – FY 21 – Great Performance with More to Come

Share Code: SBP – Market Cap: R2.4bn – Dividend Yield: 0.6%

Sabvest Capital – Results Note – FY 21Download

FY 21 Results: Strong NAV growth, large hike in dividend

  • Sabvest’s FY 21 Net Asset Value (NAV) per share grew by +26% y/y to 9371cps (FY 20: 7444cps), adding to the Group’s fantastic track record as it has compounded NAV per share (excluding dividends) at +16.9% CAGR for a decade & a half!
  • Updating this NAV (keeping unlisted valuations flat), we see the current share as trading at a c.37% discount. This is despite JSE-listed HoldCo’s average discount-to-NAV being c.30%, and despite most of these other HoldCo’s having a worse track record than Sabvest. Using this peer-average discount, Sabvest shares should be trading closer to 7000cps.
  • Sabvest hiked its dividend to 75cps (FY 20: 25cps) as its balance sheet remains comfortably capitalized.

Thoughts: “Quality” growth in NAV, more likely to come…

  • As most of Sabvest’s investments are unlisted (c.86% of NAV), it is important to emphasise that the growth in NAV is not due to rising valuation multiples (all valuation multiples are flat from FY 20). The growth in NAV was driven by earnings growth &, therefore, we consider it “quality growth”.
  • As investee companies are trading at-or-better than 2019 pre-COVID levels, we expect continuing NAV growth in FY 22E.

Valuation, 12m TP & Implied Return: Lots of value available

  • Updating the Group’s NAV for the latest market prices & taking out our present valued “HoldCo discount”, we arrive at defendable (post-discount) fair value for Sabvest Capital shares of 7487cps (previously: 6826cps) or +19% higher than the current share price.
  • Rolling this fair value forward at our Cost of Equity, we see the Group’s 12m TP as 8825cps (previously: 8000cps) with an implied return of +40%.
  • All these measures exclude the potential upside from the ARB Holdings delisting, Apex’s Ascendis Medical deal & any Rand weakness going forward that will lift hard currency valuations.
  • Refer to our Initiation of Coverage for more background.
Sabvest Capital – Results Note – FY 21Download

Metrofile Holdings – Tough Period but Digital is Growing

Share Code: MFL – Market Cap.: R1.5bn – PE: 10.5x – DY: 4.5%

Metrofile Holdings H1:22 Results NoteDownload

H1:22 Results: Tough Period

  • Metrofile’s H1:22 period saw domestic riots & elections, the implementation of the POPIA, Kenyan regulatory pressures, COVID lockdowns & supply chains disruptions.
  • The Group’s revenue rose +4% y/y (driven by the Middle East and Digital Services), though margin pressure lowered Operating Profit -2% y/y.
  • Strong cash generation allowed the Group to degear further (despite acquiring IronTree during this period) & the combination of lower finance charges & a lower effective tax rate (attributable to the Middle East) saw HEPS grow +1% y/y.
  • Implementing a new dividend policy, management has hiked the interim dividend by +29% y/y.

Our Thoughts: H2:22 Recovery + Digital is Growing

  • Many of the headwinds in H1:22 should abate during H2:22E, thus we expect some upside in the coming full FY 22E results.
  • Already in Q2 management saw box volumes in South Africa recovering while H2:22E should also see a full six month’s consolidation from IronTree (it was only consolidated for a single month in H1:22).
  • Perhaps not obvious at first glance, but Digital Services now contributes 20% of the Group’s revenues. We are extremely bullish on developments in this space and expect Digital Services to be a growing vector in future results.

Forecast, Valuation and Implied Return: Margin of Safety

  • We see Metrofile’s fair value as 405cps (previously: 428cps), or c.20% higher than its current share price.
  • Importantly, our fair value of 405cps for Metrofile implies an EV/EBITDA of 7.1x & a PE of 12.7x, which compares attractively to Iron Mountain’s EV/EBITDA of 14.6x & PE of 31.1x.
  • In fact, when compared to Iron Mountain, Metrofile has the same-or-better returns & significantly less gearing.
  • Rolling the 405cps fair value forward, we arrive at a 12m TP of 472cps (previously: 497cps). This implies an attractive +41% return (including dividends) from these levels.
Metrofile Holdings H1:22 Results NoteDownload

Sabvest Capital – New Investments & Strong Trading Update

Share Code: SBP – Market Cap: R2.4bn – Dividend Yield: 0.6%

Sabvest Capital – Ad Hoc Note – 7 February 2022Download

New Investment: ARB Holdings Ltd

  • Masimong Electrical (49.9%-held by Sabvest & 50.1% by Masimong) has offered minority shareholders in ARB Holdings 800cps. Along with the Burke Family (62.9%-shareholding in ARB), the deal aims to take the electrical & lighting wholesaler private. The total consideration will be c.R697m, & Masimong and Sabvest have each committed R223.5m funding (Sabvest’s share is c.9.3% of its market cap & c.6.5% of published NAV).
  • Irrevocable undertakings to vote in favour of the deal have been received from 69.4% of eligible shareholders, thus, we believe that this deal’s successful outcome is quite likely.
  • Refer to our notes on ARB Holdings for detail on the Group.

New Investment: Apex Acquires Ascendis Medical

  • Sabvest’s 44.8%-held investment, Apex Partners, has acquired a stable of Ascendis Health medical devices businesses for R550m (less c.R200m catch-up capex & up to R25m excess rental). See the full announcement here.
  • Ascendis Medical’s FY 21 revenue was R983m but bottom-line expectations vary given Ascendis’ neglect of the businesses.

Trading Update: Growth in NAV Better than Expected

  • Sabvest expects its FY 21 Net Asset Value (NAV) to be more than +19%y/y (>8858cps) while also hiking its dividend >80%.

Valuation*, 12m TP* & Implied Return*: Awaiting FY 21 Results

  • We have left our fair value (6826cps*) & 12m TP (8000cps*) unchanged & will update these after the FY 21 results. Given the trading update, though, we expect to upgrade our views.
  • While we do not expect ARB Holdings to materially change Sabvest’s NAV in the short-term, in the long-term the Group is an excellent, cash-generative & well-positioned business that is likely to contribute positively to NAV growth. Likewise with Ascendis Medical’s optionality. Perhaps, more subtly, these new investments further entrench Sabvest as a unique listed entry-point into a portfolio of unlisted companies.
  • See H1:21 Results Note & our Initiation for more background.

* Under review until post-FY 21 results

Sabvest Capital – Ad Hoc Note – 7 February 2022Download

ARB Holdings – Offer to Minorities & Proposed Delisting

Share Code: ARH – Market Cap: R1.8bn – PE: 9.3x – DY: 4.3%

ARB Holdings – Ad-Hoc NoteDownload

Offer to Minorities & Proposed Delisting

  • A company owned by Masimong (50.1%-shareholding) and Sabvest (49.9%) has made an offer to minority shareholders (other than the Burke Family that collectively holds 62.9% of ARB’s shares) to acquire their shares for cash of 800cps.
  • If the scheme is approved by shareholders (75% vote is required) & goes ahead, ARB will also be delisted from the JSE.
  • Besides the usual conditions/clauses & the approvals needed, the scheme currently has irrevocable support of 69.41% of shareholders (that can vote at the scheme meeting, i.e. “disinterested shareholders”) and, thus, we view it as highly-likely that this transaction successfully conclude.
  • See the full announcement here: LINK.

Previously Published Valuation: Justifies Offer Price

  • In our previously published FY 21 results piece, we saw fair value as 654cps on a Price Earnings (PE) of c.7.9x, which is hardly demanding given the quality of the underlying businesses and did imply some upside risk to this view.
  • Our EV/EBITDA-implied fair value of 740cps adds weight to this view of fair value and its upside risk.

Our Thoughts: Fair Premium & Well-supported Offer

  • Given our view of ARB’s fair value, the 800cps offer price for minorities comes in at a c.22% premium to this (not counting the even larger premium against the pre-offer share price).
  • The offer is pricing a material minority stake. The Burke family will remain in control post-delisting and, thus, this offer should not include a classical “control premium” as control is not, in fact, being acquired. Thus, we consider this offer price to be quite fair and, likely, attractive to minorities.
  • This view is backed up by the large number of irrevocables secured (including institutional investors and former insiders). These irrevocables (totalling c.69.41% of shares able to vote on this deal) furthermore imply the likelihood of this deal successfully concluding as quite probable.
ARB Holdings – Ad-Hoc NoteDownload

Renergen – Large Reserve Upgrade & Implications

Share Code: REN – Market Cap.: R3.8bn – PE: -89.0x – DY 0.0%

Renergen – Reserve Upgrade Note – 22 November 2021Download

News: Large Reserve Upgrade & Upsizing of Phase Two

  • Sproule has published an updated reserve statement on Renergen, revealing large upgrades to the Group’s gas reserves.
  • For example, +428% and +610% was added to the amount of methane & helium in 1P. Similar upsides came through in 2P & 3P.
  • While Phase One remains mostly the same, this has resulted in us making the following key changes to our Phase Two assumptions:
    • Lifting our LNG production from 300tons/day to 720tons/day with a target of c.2.5% yield of helium, &
    • Boosting our capex to R12.2bn with 30% of being raised as equity (the balance being debt & prepaid tokens).

Our Thoughts & Spot Prices: Updated & Refined

  • We have used this opportunity to update spot prices, exchanges rates and interest rates across the model.
  • Likewise, we have tried to understand management’s expectations for LNG and helium basket pricing and, although we feel that some of their views are conservative, we have tried to align our model with these views.

Valuation and Implied Return: Dividend Discount Model Added

  • Our Sum-of-the-Parts for Renergen sees the share’s fair value as c.5,747cps and, on basic assumptions, implies an FY 30E Price Earnings of c.6.1x with a Dividend Yield of c.15.6%.
  • Upon maturity, management intends paying most profits out as dividends. Therefore, we have taken our valuation a step further and attempted a crude Dividend Discount Model (DDM).
  • Our DDM assumptions arrive at a fair value of 6,412cps for REN minority shareholders (after DWT). This is more or less in line with our SOTP model & adds conviction that REN shares are likely to be worth mid-R50/share to mid-R60/share, or certainly above their current 3,065cps share price, despite Phase Two dilution.
Renergen – Reserve Upgrade Note – 22 November 2021Download

Renergen – Initiation of Coverage – Lighter-than-Air Falling to the Bottom-Line

Share Code: REN – Market Cap: R2.3bn – PE: -34.9x – DY: 0.0%

Renergen – Initiation of CoverageDownload

Business Overview: Near-term Helium & LNG Producer

  • Renergen owns an onshore petroleum production right to the “Virginia Gas Project” that is rich in methane (LNG) and helium and the Group is developing in a two-phased approach.
  • Renergen is in a formidable position to move up the value-curve as Phase One nears first-production.
  • Importantly, the Virginia’s Phase Two could be multiples the size of Phase One and unlock staggering value in the Group.

LNG & Helium Markets: Attractive Prospects

  • South Africa is an energy-scarce economic region with both a good potential LNG demand and a potential supply deficit of the gas in its near-future as some existing assets come offline.
  • The global helium market is opaquer, but the recent drop-off in USA supply and uncertainty around Russia’s planned supply growth combine to imply tight(er) helium supplies post-pandemic. Finally, the major consumers of helium (aerospace, semiconductors & MRIs) are all above-average growth vectors and cannot substitute helium for anything else.

Forecast, Valuation and Implied Return: Upside Apparent

  • Our DCF-driven sum-of-the-parts (SOTP) valuation for Renergen implies Phase One & Two—offset by central costs, debt and (potential) dilution—are worth 3539cps. After options for Evander and Cryo-Vacc are added, we see Renergen’s share as potentially worth c.4247cps.
  • Rolled-forward by CoE, our 12m TP is 4977cps.

Key Up- & Downside Risks: Lots of Moving Parts

  • Running a sensitivity analysis on our model highlights that Renergen’s valuation is more sensitive to helium than LNG, but both prices are ultimately sensitive to the USD/ZAR rate.
  • Inflation, production, and resource risks also exist here.
Renergen – Initiation of CoverageDownload

ARB Holdings – H1:18 Results – Improving Prospects

Share Code: ARH – Market Cap: R1.3bn – PE: 7.6x – DY: 3.65%

Download the full H1:18 results note here

H1:18 – Operationally Robust

  • ARB Holdings reported revenue +5% for H1:18 and operating profit growing +3%.
  • The mark-to-market fair value changes in the Put Option for Eurolux distorted the IFRS numbers by 5.9cps, but excluding this effect, the Group’s HEPS would have been +13% y/y to 31.72cps (H1:17 – 28.07cps). This is materially better than our bottom-line expectations for FY 18E.
  • One sore point in the Group’s results was its Lighting segment where revenue slipped and profits felt pressure as consumer destocking, technology and delays combined.
  • Post-reporting period, the Group acquired a 60% interest in Craigcor for a maximum consideration of R30m. The business is a process automation distributor for Rockwell Automation products.

Our Thoughts: Well-positioned for an ‘SA Inc’ Recovery

  • While risks remain and ‘big ticket’ infrastructure spend roll-out is always lagging, ARB Holdings is extremely well to benefit from the de-risking of South Africa, the recovering sentiment and the potential recovering domestic economic activity.

Forecast, Valuation & Implied Return: Getting Exciting…

  • We raise our estimated fair value for ARH to 777cps (previously: 687cps), which puts the stock on an implied Price Earnings (PE) of 10.0x and implies that it is currently c.44% undervalued.
  • In our opinion, this 10.9x PE is reasonable when measured against either itself or comparatives.
  • Rolling our fair value forward at our Cost of Equity (CoE) we arrive at a 12m TP of 911cps (previous 12m TP: 809cps).
  • A 12m TP of 911cps places the share on a fair Exit PE of 14.5x, though we note a number of timing and environmental risks to our view.
  • Our 12m TP implies a return of c.69%.
  • Despite improving domestic sentiment, key risks to the Group are unchanged from our original Initiation of Coverage.

Download the full H1:18 results note here

See our methodology here and note our disclaimer here.

ARB Holdings – H1:17 Results – Quietly Growing

Share Code: ARH – Market Cap: R1.5bn – PE: 10.6x – DY: 3.0%

Download the full ARB Holdings_H1:17_Results Note

H1:17 – Steady Does It…

  • ARB Holding’s revenue rose by 3% to R1.27bn (H1:16 – R1.23bn) with Lighting leading the growth while soft municipal spend dampening Electrical’s contribution during the period.
  • HEPS rose 1% to 28.07cps (H1:16 – 27.79cps) while cash flow generation remained good and the balance sheet ungeared with R175m of net cash on hand.
  • Although in the ARB’s results are a bit below our expectations, the Group continues to steadfastly execute their strategy of geographic, product and customer expansion with cabling dropping from >50% of the Group’s turnover seven years ago to c.37% of it in these results.

Our Thoughts: Stagnation in the Base, Upside in the Future

  • While we may be premature in this call, we believe that we are currently in the trough in both South Africa (2016/17) and in ARB’s market (FY 17E and, perhaps, FY 18E).
  • SA’s Leading Indicator and as well as many global indicators everywhere are, at worst, not falling anymore and, at best, starting to rise.
  • That said, we do not expect a sudden recovery and would not be surprised if this trough stretched out (i.e. flat growth) into 2018.

Forecast, Valuation & Implied Return: Attractive Valuation

  • We lift our fair value for ARH to 664ps (previously: 650cps) on an implied Price Earnings (PE) of 11.1x. This PE does not appear unreasonable against either ARH’s own history or the various comparatives in the market.
  • Rolling this fair value forward at our CoE we arrive at a 12m TP of 779cps (previous 12m TP: 762cps), which places the share on a comfortable Exit PE of 11.4x.
    This 12m TP also implies a reasonably attractive return of c.23%.

Download the full ARB Holdings_H1:17_Results Note

See our methodology here and note our disclaimer here.

Wescoal Holdings – H1:15 Results – Big Strides Forward

H1:15 Results Note – Share Code: WSL – Market Cap: R380m – PE: 12.4x – DY: 2.0%

Download Wescoal Holdings H1:15 Results Note

H1:15 Results: Strong Results

  • Wescoal reported its H1:15 results with Revenue rising 93% boosting Operational EBITDA (which excludes once-offs) to R84m (H1:14 – R49m) and HEPS grew by 33% to 15.2cps (H1:14 – 11.4cps).
  • The Group also concluded a financing agreement for its Elandspruit mine, acquired the Muhanga plant, added an extension to both Intibane and Khanyisa’s Life of Mine (LoM) and integrated MacPhail into its Coal Trading segment.

Our Thoughts: Big Strides Forward, Underrated Trading Business

  • The successful acquisition and integration of MacPhail into the Group’s Coal Trading segment now makes this enlarged business the largest coal trader in South Africa. We do not believe that this dominant position’s value is fully appreciated by the market and see significant (though hard to value) upside coming from this base.
  • The timing and ultimate profitability of Elandspruit, though, will still have a significant impact the Group’s future. We have assumed that its Water Use License (WUL) is issued during December 2014 and mining starts in the first month of FY 16E.

Forecast, Valuation and Implied Return: Under Appreciated

  • We raise our fair value by 5% to 254cps (previous: 240cps), as the various Group projects de-risk, the mine extensions add uplift and MacPhail synergies are increasingly realized.
  • The implied PE of 13.0x is not very illustrative, though, as Elandspruit is currently adding to our valuation, but not yet contributing to the Group’s profits.
  • Based off this fair value, we keep our 12m TP flat at 294cps (previous 12m TP: 301cps), implying a 51% return on an Exit PE of 10.0x, though with plenty of up- and downside risks attached.
  • Note the numerous key risks to our view hereon at the end of this report given the junior mining status of the stock.

Download Wescoal Holdings H1:15 Results Note

See our methodology here and note our disclaimer here.

ARB Holdings – FY 14 – Growth Despite the Odds

FY 14 Results Note – Share Code: ARH – Market Cap: R1.8bn – PE: 15.5x – DY: 3.8%

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FY 14: In Line With Our Expectations

  • ARB Holdings reported their FY 14 results with revenue growing by 14% to R2,2bn (FY 13: R1,9bn) versus our forecasts of R2,3bn.
  • The Group achieved better margins than we had expected due to both a rising contribution from the higher margin Lighting segment and from the Group driving purchasing savings across its business in H2:14, which saw HEPS rising nicely by 27% to 50.3cps (FY 13: 39.6cps) versus our expectation of 52.1cps.
  • The Group remains highly cash generative and declared both a dividend of 20.1cps (FY 13: 16.2cps) and a special dividend of 10cps (FY 13: 10cps), yet remained ungeared (R197m net cash).
  • While cognisant of the tough trading environment, management remain focussed on both organic growth and, potentially, adding the elusive “third pillar” (acquisition) to the Group.

Our Thoughts: High Quality Group, High Quality Share

  • ARB has proven itself a remarkably high quality group in some very tough trading conditions as it successfully executes on its communicated strategies of expanding product lines, geographies and markets (both organically and acquisitively).
  • While our valuation metrics indicate the share is fully valued, the “quality” quotient is a hard one to quantify and likely to prove very valuable for the long-term investor.

Forecast, Valuation and Implied Return: Attractively Priced

  • Our fair value for ARH is 715cps on a PE of 14.2x (previously 622cps). Rolling this forward at our Cost of Equity (CoE), we arrive at a 12m TP of 836cps (previous 12m TP: 727cps) on an Exit PE of 14.7x implying a total return of c.7%.
  • The key risks stated in this report remain the same from our Initiation of Coverage on the Group. Also note the newly added risk relating to the phasing out of incandescent lamps in South Africa and the uncertainty it creates in the Lighting segment.

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See our disclaimer.