Share Mag10 Oct 2016 10:43
Canny management and copper-bottomed balance sheet are strengths for car dealer
James Crux
Share price weakness at ambitious automotive retailer Vertu Motors (VTU:AIM) represents an attractive entry point for investors. While Brexit could impact spending on big-ticket purchases including cars, Vertu has growth levers to pull and a reassuringly strong balance sheet under the bonnet.
Since floating in 2006 with a stated ‘buy-and-build’ strategy, Vertu has grown into the UK’s fifth largest automotive retailer, trading under brands including Bristol Street Motors, Vertu and Macklin Motors. Shares have drifted down from 78p in January to 50.25p, reflecting worries about a new car market cooling and the impact of an EU exit on the industry. Yet Vertu’s pre-close update (1 Sep) highlighted robust half-year trading and astute CEO Robert Forrester still expects to deliver record full-year sales and profit.
SMMT data since April shows the trend in UK private vehicle sales slowing following a period of sustained growth to record levels and Vertu’s September new car orders have indeed cooled. However high-quality, repeatable aftersales and used car sales, speaking for the bulk of profitability, continue to grow.
‘The result of the referendum to leave the European Union has, to date, not impacted consumer confidence as adversely as some were initially predicting and the group has not experienced any significant change in consumer behaviour,’ says Vertu. Record low interest rates and record employment in the UK provide a healthy backdrop for the motor retail sector, although the weak pound creates uncertainties around manufacturers’ strategies on pricing.
It is worth pointing out that the UK represents the second biggest market for new vehicles in the current EU and thousands of continental European jobs are reliant on a continuation of this trade with the UK, so manufacturers will be keen to support UK retailers through the uncertainty.
Vertu is well-placed to profit from prevailing conditions through its established network of volume and premium car dealerships and can turbo-charge earnings through M&A, having proven its ability to acquire and turn round underperforming dealerships. Vertu has a strong, asset-backed balance sheet and the majority of the £35 million raised in a March placing has been deployed in earnings-enhancing acquisitions.
Liberum has a ‘buy’ rating and 100p price target for Vertu. For the year to February 2017, the broker forecasts growth in adjusted pre-tax profits to £31.4 million (2016: £27.4 million) for 6.2p of earnings and a maintained 1.3p dividend. On these metrics, Vertu looks oversold on a grudging PE of 8 with a 2.6% dividend yield.
Shares says BUY : "Vertu Motors is significantly oversold at 50.25p."