RE: Quick Update, Higher spot generation + Higher prices27 Apr 2026 08:48
Wanted to circle back to this post, some of the work off-centre and some of it was right but importantly key learnings about UKW to takeaway nonetheless.
Before we hit the post in detail thought, couple of thoughts here on the todays NAV.
1. Change in direction of NAV adjustments, even if reasonably small and hampered by the CPS scheme (which market can look through as a one-off maybe). 2.8p NAV increase if adjusting for it as a one-off or still a 0.7p increase with it included. Now one data point does not make a trend however I would argue a key outcome for the business / shares was to stop NAV errosion. This should help to reduce "NAV Distrust" as we find a steady state for the value of the assets.
2. on a Q1 2025 vs Q1 2026 basis for net cash generation we were £118mm vd £131mm showing the increased wind generation.
3. They appear to have purposefully left "hope" alive for continued success into the Q2 release. "Strong Q1 generation and higher power prices will flow into Q2 net cash generation".
4. No mention of share buyback yet or any form of use of the increased cash generation. This would have been a meterial kicker for the shareprice I believe. Having more consistency / certainty in the buybacks would be confidence boosting.
Ok so my original analysis - overestimated the NAV increase even when adjusting for the unforseen CPS movement. This mostly came down to power price capture. NAV only increased by 1.2p due to power prices and this is largely attributable to the fact the consultants have lowered the back end of the curve and maybe some higher discoutning due to volaitlity. However it remains to be seen if these long term forecasts of the consultants will be materialised or if the curve will just keep rolling up into the shorter dated pricing. This then becomes a hold and wait approach as the "miss-pricing" of the back of the curve is realised in cash generation by the company only when it rolls into <1year pricing.
So, I overestimated the impact of higher power prices due to assuming the back of the power curve would lift (instead we have lowered it).
However I underestimated the net cash generation impact from increased wind. I priced +2-3p for NAV and net cash generation was +6p.
Combined together we got 7.2p from power prices and wind generation vs 2.9p in Q12025 and 1.3p 4Q2025, so we get some illustration of what the embedded call option is worth for UKW.
Inflation came in slightly ahead of my expectations 3p vs my 1-2p and discounting towards the lower end of my expectations. Both of which we reasonably close and the misses are in favour of the shareprice.
We continue to learn / reiterate how important the back end of the power curve is for UKW and the largest uptick to sustrained rallies appears to need a lift in the back end of the power price curve. However the big win is of course the real net cash generation and this can be used for many positive reasons going forward, ideally some buyba