Wilmar - update 4th April 2018
Today the selling down is basically due to market trade tariff matters.
It drops 10 cents lower to close at $3.08. Short term wise ,I think likely to retest the recent low of $3.00 the $2.97.
Breaking down of $2.97 may see it goes further down towards $2.90 with worst scenario towards $2.70.
I think the market tariff matter may be a temporary black cloud disturbing the market sentiment.
I may look at accumulating if price has fallen below $3.00.
Not a call to buy or sell.
Dyodd
Wilmar Intl - NAV $3.304, Rolling EPS 0.306, PE 13.721.
Final dividend of 7 cents for FY 2017. Together with Interim dividend of 3 cents. Total dividend is 10 cents. Yield is 3.2% at $3.12 per share.
The recent share buying back by company director of 2.44m share at $3.103 per share & 79300 share at $3.18 per share may likely be a boost of confidence..
I have jeep small lots at $3.12 today..I am buying for the future growth and may be the listing of their China ipo.. dyodd.
Reply to
@Sporeshare : Ah.....This is the golden big question! If Wilmar is really pushing for an IPO of their China operations in Shanghai exchange, I think can look at other similar commodity giants that are already listed in Shanghai exchange to see where are they trading now in their price to earnings multiple. That will give us a good gauge what types of multiples we are potentially looking at. Surely, we cannot expect Wilmar to list their China operations at too low a gap from their peer competitors on Shanghai exchange. If that is the case, why still push for IPO listing if the valuation it would fetch is not attractive at all? If want to unlock value by the IPO, might as well unlock it well.
I attached an article from TheEdgeSingapore which an analyst pegs a target price of $4.10 based on an attractive valuation now, strong crushing margins so far in FY18 and the anticipated listing of its China unit. You can read through the article to see the rationale put forth by the analyst. In any case, we are not trying to be precise in forecasting our target price. The analyst puts forth a possible listing of the China unit at up to 23 P/E ratio on the Shanghai exchange.
Based on good common sense and my previous sharing, Wilmar's share price definitely has all the good catalysts as we can see currently going for it to reach a higher price level. My previous estimated fair price of $3.18 is based on a worst case scenario. Unless we think Wilmar will eventually fail in all accounts of the prospected catalysts in having weaker overall performance this year and anticipated listing of it's China unit falls through, then worst case scenario may pan out. Thus, the downside as I can see on probability terms is low while upside has high probability of happening.
Therefore, if you ask me, is $4 you quoted likely to reach in future? My answer is even if not reaching $4, I think the probability of the share price rising higher from current level in view of all these potential future catalysts is surely there. How about a $3.60 price in future based on my "anyhow" guess? I think that will be already at least a good perk of 11.5% share price gain if it really happens by this year end. $4.10 will be even more "shiok" with a potential return of 26.9% if it really happens within one year's time based on the analyst's target price in this article by TheEdgeSingapore! I think it is a case of making either more or lesser returns from this bet here on Wilmar. As long as one does not chase at higher price if it should chiong but instead has already accumulated cheap in advance, one should be falling into the case of making more or lesser returns on this bet hopefully within one year's time frame.
https://www.theedgesingapore.com/wilmar-kept-add-valuations-strong-crushing-margins-and-upcoming-listing-china-unit
Wilmar International. The overall feel I have of this large agricultural international group is that it already has extensive and deep degree of reach in it's agricultural and related businesses in terms of many geographical regions they are in (about 50 countries as reported on their website with about 500 manufacturing plants worldwide) and also the entire value chain they are serving from upstream plantation and harvesting to mid stream processing and refining to downstream distribution and sales of their final products to consumers.
On a one decade time frame, Wilmar International has compounded it's revenues at a CAGR of 10.3% which is respectable and not surprising considering how significant this group has grown over the years. It's operating income has compounded at a CAGR of 8.1% over the past decade. It's net income has compounded at a CAGR of 7.7% over the past decade. It's EPS has compounded at a CAGR of 4.1% over the past decade. Again, this looks like a moderate to slow grower over the past decade just slightly better than SATS that we looked at previously in terms of the growth in it's profitability.
If we look at their past 5 years trend for the revenue, operating income, net income and EPS, there was a dip in all these metrics after FY12 onwards which only recovered in their FY17 results near to FY12 levels.
qUOTE : I checked up the palm oil historical prices and indeed it confirmed my thinking that this dip over the past 5 years which only recovered recently was probably correlated to the drop in palm oil price over the past 5 years. Currently, palm oil price has recovered from the lows but still it is now only two-thirds of the last peak price reached in 2012. The big question is whether the palm oil price will continue to recover towards the last peak price reached in 2012 going forward or continue to hold around current price and do a ding-dong in price, sometimes up and sometimes down but no clear up direction for the next few years? This I do not know as I think only insiders of the palm oil industry will know the dynamic factors of global supply and demand affecting palm oil prices. I consider this as outside my circle of competence. But looking at palm oil historical prices, it sure looked quite volatile to me and hard to grasp.{
jeremyowtaip}
As such, the various trend on their returns on assets (ROA), returns on equity (ROE) and returns on invested capital have also dipped over the past 5 years and have almost recovered in the latest set of FY17 results to close to same returns as FY12. However, the various returns are still single digits returns in %. For example in FY17, ROA is now around 3% while ROE is around 7.6%.
If we stretch further backwards to compare their current returns against one decade ago which the various returns were higher in FY07 of ROA around 6.7% while ROE was around 13.8%, we can clearly see that Wilmar is now not a high return beast as it used to be a decade ago. It seems that it is not easy to attain the same returns as before anymore now that Wilmar has outgrown so much that at it's current size it cannot generate the same returns on assets and shareholder equity as before. Now again, the big question is how will the various returns going forward in future years be like? Will it remain around same level as now or become lower? Size is one thing which makes it increasingly difficult to generate the same level of returns. What if they can grow their revenue and profits further in future years should palm oil prices recover? Maybe there could be a chance to improve their returns though going back to double digits returns likely will be difficult. This would mean they have to increase their current net profits by another approximately 120% at current size of total assets for example to go back to previous decade ago record of ROA. A jump in 120% increase in net profits at current level of USD 1.22 billion for WIlmar next year based on core businesses and not through some non-recurring disposal of assets? One must be joking to ask the dog to jump over the high wall!
The financial leverage of Wilmar has been steady over the years managing their debts level and balance sheet well. Cash flows wise though can be volatile seems to still generate free cash flows at least enough to pay a dividends which has grown over the past decade.
Their CAGR for EPS over the past 5 years has been about 0% even though 10 years CAGR was 4.1%. I will factor in a best case scenario and a worst case scenario in estimating their fare share price value taking into account all the above mentioned details of this comment. If we make a best case scenario of Wilmar continuing to grow it's current EPS at CAGR of 4.1% going forward, then using my method of estimation, their fare share price will be $4.25. However, if we make a worst case scenario of a CAGR of 2% on their EPS going forward for next business cycle (7 years), then their fair share price will be $3.18.
This is mind-blowing! It all depends on the performance of Wilmar going forward. If they can parallel their historical compounded growth rates on their EPS, then it will be a bonus to buy their shares now at cheap cheap share price! However, should they grow at a lower forward CAGR about somewhere half in % terms on their EPS, then we are exactly getting Wilmar now at fair value $3.18 and it will not be cheap now to buy! This really requires an investor's forward opinion on how Wilmar will perform for next 7 years cycle to decide whether to put in his or her stake at current price. Will this be a value buy or value trap? Hmm
Wilmar International has since diversified their commodity businesses over the years into business segments including tropical oils, oilseeds and grains, sugar and biofuels and other investment businesses. This horizontal diversification and vertical integration tapping at all levels of the value chain has allowed Wilmar to grow to it's current humongous size despite being in a general low profit margin agricultural commodity businesses.
I forgot to mention another important piece of bright spot for Wilmar! I read up in it's most recent financial report that they are considering looking at an IPO listing of their China rice, flour and related consumer products operations in China.
http://sbr.com.sg/agribusiness/news/wilmar-eyes-china-expansion
But things are still in the early stage of assessment. If that were to happen, imagine the craze of investors rushing in for this potential spin-off of their China businesses which will unlock value for shareholders. Then, buying at current share price is now cheap if we factor in this potential unlocking of value from such a future proposition which will increase their profits and returns by some substantial jump if that were to happen some time down the road. It may happen as early as 2019 based on a write-up by Singapore Business Review. Hmm....I am now starting to get somewhat interested after knowing this.
Some info on Shree Renuka Sugars I found out. It is the largest raw sugar producer in India and Brazil. As what the others have pointed out, the management was too aggressive in their overseas expansion bet in South America which didn't go well chalking up huge debts. This is because after year 2012, the sugar prices dropped from their peak reached and also correlated to Shree Renuka's operating losses from 2013 to now as sugar prices remain lower and now only recovered to two-third of the peak price reached in 2012.
Wilmar has this chance to acquire a controlling stake in Shree Renuka Sugars because the latter chalked up so much debts from their aggressive expansion to South America market which didn't pan out well. Thus, during this current debt restructuring exercise, Wilmar can take this opportunity to acquire a controlling stake in the equity of India and Brazil largest raw sugar producer Shree Renuka Sugars.
quote :I will need to examine the financial strength of Wilmar whether they can take on this acquisition without risking themselves too much. But, the offer to acquire a controlling stake in Shree Renuka Sugars by itself sounds to be a wonderful move. If sugar prices should continue to recover to previous peaks in 2012 and earlier, Shree Renuka Sugars may be able to return to better profitability again. The return on invested capital for Shree Renuka Sugars before they went downhill in 2013 are still good. If Wilmar after acquiring Shree Renuka Sugars can turnaround this largest sugar producer in India and Brazil successfully, it will be very good for Wilmar to further expand their sugar business significantly.
PS: Shall investigate whether Wilmar is strong enough to take on this acquisition without stressing their balance sheet too much. Get back to you again.
I did an estimation on the required amount for Wilmar to make the acquisition of shares in Shree Renuka Sugars based on regulations of Securities and Exchange Board of India after Wilmar converted it's convertible preference shares to common equity shares and triggered the regulations of the exchange to make an offer to acquire up to 26% of the emerging share capital of Shree Renuka Sugars. The cash outlay needed to acquire up to 26% of the emerging share capital of Shree Renuka Sugars is approximately USD 124 million. Wilmar has about USD 2.96 billion in cash and equivalents plus other bank deposits. It's current ratio stands at around 1.15 based on FY17 financial report. This acquisition requires very small cash outlay for Wilmar as compared to the cash and bank deposits it now has. However, after the acquisition of a controlling stake in Shree Renuka Sugars has been completed, I am not sure how much remaining debts of Shree Renuka Sugars Wilmar will carry as some of the debts owed to the lenders have been converted to equity in Shree Renuka Sugars.
I checked up Shree Renuka Sugars balance sheet as at Sep 17. They carried a total of about USD 1 billion worth of total liabilties on their balance sheet. With some of the borrowings of Shree Renuka Sugars converted to equity, the total liabilities should be lesser than this figure. Thus, with Wilmar's existing USD 2.96 billion in cash and equivalents plus bank deposits and if we consider Wilmar's current assets of total about USD 22.6 billion, Wilmar definitely has much more than enough resources to cover the liabilities of Shree Renuka Sugars even after Wilmar completes this acquisition of a controlling stake in it. There is no concern at all in acquiring a controlling stake in Shree Renuka Sugars for Wilmar. Instead, Wilmar would have gotten this India and Brazil largest raw sugar producer under it's wings.(
jeremyowtaip)
But having said that, those few stocks we discussed about like Wilmar and Thai Beverage are good stocks to hold for the longer term as there are future potential catalysts in them. The potential listing of China operations for Wilmar which will unlock value for shareholders and may re-rate share price higher. The future long term contributions to earnings and returns from the new acquisitions for Thai Beverage will outpace the cost of their initial investment. The market position of Thai Beverage has strengthened as a leader in this Southeast Asia region with these acquisitions. The fair share price of Thai Beverage I cannot determine at the moment. But, in future the direction of the share price can only go one way which is up as the new acquisitions start to increase the overall profitability and cash flows further while the debts get slowly reduced over time.
For SATS, it is a steady slow grower. Just need a bear market to grab it cheap at fair value or lower than fair value and see the price will bounce back and trade higher than fair value due to so many favourables surrounding it which may continue for a very long number of years ahead.
