Tipped again as a BUY in IC.9 Apr 2020 13:14
Tip style
Speculative
Risk rating
High
Timescale
Long Term
Bull points
Rising demand for disinfectant products
Robust barriers to entry
Strong financial track record
Fund manager favourite
Bear points
Competition could intensify with growing global interest in hygiene
Shares are priced for continued excellence
By Harriet Clarfelt
London’s Aim All-Share index has fallen by almost a third over the past three months. But shares in Tristel (TSTL), which are traded on the junior market, remain in positive territory. This can be no coincidence. The group, which was founded in 1993, specialises in infection prevention and contamination control – and its products are in high demand, as countries around the world strive to stop the spread of Covid-19.
TSTL:LSE
Tristel PLC
1mth
Today change
4.82%
Price (GBP)
432.40
Hopefully, concerted efforts will stem the transmission of the novel coronavirus in the months ahead. But, even after this anxious and uncertain period, it seems fair to assume that consumers will maintain extra interest in good hygiene practices. Along with Tristel’s sturdy barriers to entry and strong financial track record, this should position it well to cope with increasing interest in hygiene products.
Besides, Tristel claims a significant competitive advantage. It says it is unique globally in using chlorine dioxide to disinfect medical instruments in hospitals. About four-fifths of group revenues pertain to this practice, which subjects the likes of endoscopes and ultrasound probes to deep, rapid cleaning. Meanwhile, using the same chemistry, Tristel has established a footing in hospital surface disinfection – as well as animal health and in contamination control for critical manufacturing environments.
The group’s economic moat is fortified by the fact that it has various regulatory approvals and a list of proven compatibility with hundreds of medical devices – with equipment manufacturers recommending it as their leading product of choice. These attributes would, arguably, be very difficult to replicate – especially given that Tristel’s expertise is backed up by legal protections. As of last June, it held 277 patents in 36 countries.
In the current climate, it is impossible to say whether analysts’ forecasts will change – regardless of how promising the company’s proposition looks. Still, Tristel has delivered a strong historical performance. Over the past three years, its annual revenue growth has compounded at 15 per cent, while underlying profit has grown at 16 per cent.
The group’s numbers for the six months to December 2019 built upon this strong foundation. Revenues rose by more than a fifth to £14.6m, with underlying pre-tax profits up by a quarter to £3m. The dividend was also up 15 per cent to 2.34p – underpinned by net cash of £4.2m at the period-end even after Tristel paid £0.6m in July to buy the final 80 per cent of ‘Tristel Italia’.
Tristel’s results we
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