Results Note | Blue Gem Research

Share Code: ARH – Market Cap: R0.8bn – PE: 10.7x – DY: 0.0%

FY 20 – Winning Amidst A Pandemic

During a period deeply marked by the COVID-19-induced lockdown and a global recession, ARB’s FY 20 numbers are not particularly reflective of much other than its environment.
Revenue contracted -13%, margins improved as deep cost-cutting, rationalization of operations, retrenchments and management salary sacrifices all protected the Group, & a range of IFRS entries flowed through results distorting comparisons.
The Group ended up seeing HEPS rise +3.0% y/y to 59.96cps (FY 19 – 58.2cps), but, above all else, the Group appears to have protected its balance sheet (cash on hand of R152m), bolstered by operations generating R135m (FY 19 – R226m) cashflow.

Our Thoughts: Emerging Stronger

Near-term numbers (both historic & forecast) are somewhat meaningless in an environment of heightened chaos & uncertainty with major global variables playing out.
Despite this, ARB management has done all the right things and the Group is likely to emerge from this period stronger, if not absolutely then at least relatively speaking.
Key variables remain, though, from the global (pandemic & geopolitics) to domestic (infrastructure spend, public sector finances & Eskom) that imply both up- & downside risks.

Forecast, Valuation & Implied Return: Still Underrated

We see fair value as 464cps (previously: 562cps) on a Price Earnings (PE) of c.7.4x. This appears reasonable against the various comparatives in the market (average: 10.3x) despite the reliability of PE as a metric declining due to the abnormality of this period and the raft of IFRS non-operational entries flowing through both ARB’s & the rest of the market’s financial results.
Our implied 12m TP of 546cps (previous 12m TP: 659cps) places the share on an Exit PE of 8.8x & implying a return of c.56%.
While “cheap” is not a unique domestic small cap characteristic, the profitability, cash generation & robust balance sheet of ARB make it one of the higher-quality stocks in this universe.

Refer to our original Initiation of Coverage for more background.

Share Code: ARH – Market Cap: R1.2bn – PE: 10.0x – DY: 3.8%

H1:16 – Better Than Expected Results Despite Macro Pressure

ARB produced excellent H1:16 results with revenue rising 12% to R1.2bn (H1:15 – R1.1bn), comfortably beating our FY 16E full year expectation of 4% y/y, though the Gross Profit (GP) margin slimmed to 22.4% (H1:15 – 22.5%).
The Group’s Operating Profit followed revenue upwards by 11% as overheads were kept incrementally in line with revenues and resulting in HEPS growth of 12% to 27.8cps (H1:15 – 24.8cps).
While all segments saw growth in revenues and profits, the Lighting Segment (Eurolux) produced the majority of the growth as market share, customer and product gains all lifted its Profits before Interest and Tax (PBIT) grew by 27% y/y in another excellent period’s performance.
Cash generation remains exceptionally strong, the Group net ungeared and the underlying property portfolio’s valuation flat at R181m (FY 15: R181m).

Our Thoughts: Management Transition Complete

An experienced Financial Director being appointed to ARB’s Board implies that the Group’s management transition is now complete.
This period’s strong organic growth indicates the operational competency of the management team, but they are cognisant of their need to execute on the Group’s acquisitive intentions.

Forecast, Valuation & Implied Return: Overlooked by Market

We view ARB as worth c.520cps (previously: 613cps) on an implied Price Earnings (PE) of 9.8x (previously: 12.3x). The de-rating in our fair value has to do with the rise in South Africa’s risk-free rate impacting on our Discounted Free Cash Flow (DCF) valuation, rather than any major variables relating to ARB itself.
Rolling our fair value forward at our CoE we arrive at a 12m TP of 609cps (previous 12m TP: 712cps). A 12m TO of 609cps places the share on a comfortable Exit PE of 10.4x, implying a 12m return of c.15%.
Key risks to the Group are unchanged from our original Initiation of Coverage. In fact, the macro risks remain even more pertinent in the current environment.

Blue Gem Research