Excerpts from CGS-CIMB report
Analysts: LIM Siew Khee & Izabella TAN
YANGZIJIANG SHIPBUILDING
| Carved out basis, cash rich, yield play ■ With the successful spin-off of YZJFH, investors’ grouse of ‘shadow banking’ from its debt investments should dissipate, re-rating the stock.
■ Strong cash conversion cycle should put YZJ in Rmb4.9bn net cash by endFY22F. We pencil in a DPS of 5 Scts (39% payout) for FY22F, a 5.7% yield. ■ Key investment thesis in YZJ now lies on its strong shipbuilding execution, attractive valuations of 6x CY23F P/E, and potential higher dividend payout. |
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Comfortable room for higher dividend
We adjust our valuation model for YZJ, now based on a ‘carve-out’ model which excludes its debt securities entity YZJ Financial Holding (YZJFH). We estimate the dividend payout of YZJ’s historical shipbuilding to be in the range of 23-35% or 1.65-2.63 Scts.
| Heavy discount |
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"Considering its earnings visibility through to FY24F, YZJ is heavily discounted, in our view." |
We estimate FCF of Rmb0.94bn and net cash of Rmb4.9bn by end-FY22F.
This means a comfortable higher dividend payout of 39%, or Rmb0.24 or 5 Scts, is possible, in our view.
We estimate that given its strong order book of US$8.5bn as at Feb 22 and healthy cash conversion cycle (30 days), YZJ should generate FCF of Rmb1bn/Rmb2.7bn in FY22F/FY23F. YZJ could still end FY22F with Rmb9bn cash even with a 50% dividend payout (upside potential).
We have factored in a sustainable 40% payout for FY23F or DPS of Rmb0.31 (6.5Scts; dividend yield: 7%), backed by net cash of Rmb6.4bn in FY23F.
Rising steel costs potentially covered for
Average steel spot price in China has risen 8% YTD, according to the CDSPHRAV Index.
Although steel cost constitutes a sizeable portion (c.20%) of shipbuilding costs, w e believe YZJ has factored in these costs into its contract negotiations. YZJ secured US$7.41bn w orth of contracts in FY21, recording a higher average contract value/TEU in 2H22 (c.US$10.48k) than 1H21 (c.US$7.50k), a rise of c.40%.
This could have captured the c.10% rise in average steel prices in 2H21 to c.Rmb5,744/tonne vs. c.Rmb5,219/tonne in 1H21.
Some of its contracts clinched in FY21 w ere based on steel costs assumption of Rmb6k-7k/tonne. Most of the orders secured in FY21 are scheduled for delivery in FY23-24, w hich means steel procurement could start in 2H22F.
We have factored in GPM of 12.5%/16.5%/18% for FY22F/23F/24F (GPM averaged 19% in FY14-20).
Premium margin, 15% ROE but undervalued Lim Siew Khee, analystConsidering its earnings visibility through to FY24F, YZJ is heavily discounted, in our view.It trades at 5.5x CY23F P/E and 0.96x CY22F P/BV. The most recent merger in the sector, i.e. betw een KEP and SMM on 27 Apr 2022, valued KEP O&M at 3.8x FY21 P/BV based on SMM’s closing price of S$0.12. YZJ is also cheaper than the Korean yards which trade at c.1.4x CY22F P/BV with relatively patchy margin records – gross loss positions in FY21 and GPMs mostly below 10% of pre-Covid levels (Fig 3). Our TP is now based on 10x CY23F P/E, 2-year average, or an implied CY22F P/BV of 1.7x (supported by 15% ROE). |
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