BUY: Phoenix Group (PHNX)
The injury from the LDI debacle weighed closely on the share worth however the restoration continues, writes Julian Hofmann.
Phoenix Group endured a tough autumn as merchants took goal at any firm with even a tangential connection to servicing or originating swaps for the liability-driven investment (LDI) trade.
With that dangerous reminiscence now fading, these outcomes had been an opportunity to maneuver on and showcase the dividend attraction that kinds a significant a part of the corporate’s funding case. Phoenix delivered a modest rise within the payout towards a background of complicated market actions, making the revenue assertion tough to interpret — a life insurer’s main concern is to hedge its Solvency II base, somewhat than defend the reported revenue assertion from wild asset swings. Subsequently, the outcomes require a specific amount of interpretation.
The IFRS-adjusted working revenue seemed extra coherent at a revenue of £1.22bn, which was mainly flat on 2021. At these ranges, even small modifications in rates of interest can have a broadly constructive affect, and rising charges made themselves felt with curiosity revenue practically £250mn increased at £2.88bn generated by the corporate’s asset base. This included a notable third-party contribution from associated entities — curiosity revenue right here rose from £1mn to £21mn for the 12 months on the again of higher charges.
By way of the outlook, administration appeared coy about forecasting specifics aside from that the financial outlook is perhaps tough. Nonetheless, with rates of interest underpinning the viability of defined-benefit schemes, and about £470bn of heritage enterprise to finish, Phoenix ought to have an honest pipeline of de-risking enterprise this 12 months as pension funds offload liabilities.
There may be barely a sliver of paper between valuations for the large life insurers, which is mirrored in Phoenix’s ahead worth/earnings ratio of 10.6 for 2023 and its 8.5 per cent dividend yield. An necessary revenue share given the excessive inflation background.
HOLD: Ferrexpo (FXPO)
The iron ore miner has managed to reopen some manufacturing capability lately, and beat money revenue forecasts for 2022, writes Alex Hamer.
Ukrainian iron ore miner Ferrexpo’s 2022 outcomes will not be like these of most different corporations listed within the UK. The standout determine, way over Ebitda or the ultimate dividend, is the 20 employees killed whereas defending Ukraine from the Russian invasion. That the corporate has been working in any respect is a major end result.
Because the battle began in February 2022, its export capabilities have been severely constrained, whereas the inconsistent energy provide has additionally lower the corporate’s capacity to show the high-grade iron ore it mines into pellets.
“Operationally, our belongings have produced according to accessible markets, with the closure of Ukraine’s entry to the Black Sea inserting a major obstacle in our capacity to entry seaborne markets,” stated firm chair Luca Genovese.
Exports to European clients continued, and the corporate saved gross sales above $1bn (£820mn), on pellet manufacturing of 6mn tonnes, a 46 per cent drop on 2021. Gross sales to Europe solely fell 23 per cent, nevertheless, as provide traces had been extra accessible.
There have been some constructive updates lately — Ferrexpo reported final month that it had restarted one other pelletiser line, that means it’s working at half capability.
Ben Davis, an analyst at home dealer Liberum, stated he was optimistic about an settlement over iron ore exports being made with Russia, just like the grain hall deal. And failing that the “success of Ukraine’s anticipated counter offensive in the summertime will finally result in a withdrawal of Russia’s navy from the Black Sea”. Maybe a forecast to be taken with a pinch of salt, nevertheless, given Liberum’s expertise is in equities analysis somewhat than battle technique.
Amid the tough working situations (to place it mildly), there was a constructive shock for shareholders in these outcomes — Ferrexpo managed to prime consensus estimates for money earnings of $730mn, with its $765mn ultimate determine. Liberum forecasts a major decline this 12 months, nevertheless, to $323mn. Alongside the battle, international buying and selling situations knocked earnings because the iron ore worth got here down by round 1 / 4. Ferrexpo additionally brings in a ‘pellet premium’ on prime of the 65 per cent Fe market worth, and this climbed to $72 a tonne from $60 a tonne in 2021.
The corporate has had company governance points within the 12 months — 49.5 per cent shareholder Kostyantin Zhevago sells the corporate spare components, insurance coverage, promoting and different companies, racking up $23mn in related-party transactions within the 12 months. He give up the board in December after being arrested in France on Ukrainian fees.
Now we have beforehand really useful promoting Ferrexpo off the again of its possession construction. Now the battle is the figuring out think about its efficiency and we’re impartial given the uncertainty there.
HOLD: Direct Line (DLG)
The insurer, consistent with friends, has taken a shower on motor pricing assumptions, writes Mark Robinson.
As foreshadowed in January’s buying and selling replace, Direct Line is not going to be paying a full-year dividend as a consequence of its deteriorating solvency ratio — a measure of the insurer’s capacity to fulfill its long-term monetary obligations.
It was maybe the diploma of the autumn somewhat than the resultant metric — 29 proportion factors to 147 per cent — that caught the attention. The metric (post-dividend and share buyback) fell in direction of the decrease finish of the risk-appetite vary, though it’s value mentioning that the ratio had elevated by round 5 proportion factors by the tip of February, partly as a consequence of constructive actions on the bond portfolio. The reversal was pushed by decrease earnings, along with losses on investments held, with the latter level of larger curiosity given present occasions within the specialist banking sector.
As we’ve witnessed lately with trade friends, claims inflation had an outsize affect on the motor phase, the place inflation was 14 per cent above the insurer’s pricing assumptions. This not solely factors to the underwriting problem posed by the return of standard motoring volumes because the pandemic restrictions dissipated, however it additionally displays wider worth pressures within the economic system. Provide chain disruption fed by to delays in third get together claims, so the cumulative affect of those elements noticed the phase’s mixed working ratio — incurred losses divided by earned premium — rise from 92.4 to 114.7 per cent year-on-year.
Administration notes that pricing within the insurer’s different enterprise segments saved tempo with claims inflation, with mixed working ratios broadly according to expectations, albeit once they’re “normalised for climate”. Certainly, Direct Line needed to deal with climate occasion claims of £149mn, greater than double the unique funds assumption, with the lion’s share led to by prolonged intervals of sub-zero temperatures throughout Scotland and north-west England.
The 64.9 per cent contraction in funding revenue additionally contributed to Direct Line’s hunch to a statutory loss, together with a marked discount in prior-year reserve releases. However maybe essentially the most salient element was the 16.3 per cent improve within the general loss ratio.
FactSet consensus offers a mixed ratio of 97.5 per cent for 2023, falling to 95.6 per cent within the following 12 months.
The market outlook had dimmed by July, when the board determined to not launch the second £50mn tranche of Direct Line’s £100mn share buyback programme. Wanting forward, heightened macroeconomic uncertainties, not least of which these linked to debt markets, and “increased than assumed claims inflation on motor enterprise written throughout 2022 and in early 2023″, are forecast to weigh on earnings. However we predict share worth efficiency over the previous 12 months adequately displays the damaging outlook.
