A service provider of emission-free energy solutions
| Header | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|
| Header | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|
| Header | 2022/1 | 2022/2 | 2022/3 | 2022/4 | 2022 | 2023/1 | 2023/2 | 2023/3 | 2023/4 | 2023 |
|---|
| Header | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|
| Header | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|
| Header | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|
Enersense’s Q2 results recovered well from the challenging comparison period, and earnings should have further room to grow also next year and beyond.
Results are by and large improving across the board
Enersense’s Q2 revenue grew 44% y/y to EUR 86m, compared to our EUR 77m estimate. The top line beat was driven by Power and Connectivity, however all segments still saw roughly similarly high double-digit growth rates. The EUR 3.1m adj. EBITDA was above our EUR 2.3m estimate; Smart Industry continued to incur ramp-up costs related to its offshore business (should reach profitability in Q4 although it continues to scale up beyond that) in addition to the EUR 0.9m capital gain from the sale of Enersense Solutions and the EUR 0.4m credit loss provision. Strategic investments burdened EBITDA to the tune of EUR 1.6m. International Operations’ margins improved clearly more than we estimated as the Baltic contracts have now mostly adjusted to recent inflation. Power achieved a clearly better profitability than we estimated, despite investments in the EV charging business, while Connectivity came in soft relative to our estimates due to issues related to e.g. labor efficiency.
Many earnings growth drivers remain in place next year
Q2 saw a strong order intake within Connectivity due to fibre projects. The segment still has scope for price increases, and thus we expect its results to contribute to further earnings growth next year. Certain industrial customers see lower demand going forward, but Smart Industry has diversified operations and the offshore ramp-up is likely to lift its profitability next year. International Operations’ order activity has cooled a bit from the recent highs, but it achieved a decent 4.7% EBITDA while we believe the margin to expand more on a full-year basis next year. The ERP system investment continues next year, but it is to help long-term potential in addition to which Enersense’s small portfolio streamlining decisions help retain core focus.
Valuation not challenging considering earnings potential
We estimate 21% growth for the year, and while we see long-term organic growth at a more modest level we still estimate FY ’24 profitability to improve by EUR 4m. The 14x FY ‘23 EV/EBIT multiple isn’t cheap relative to peers, but it should decline to ca. 8x next year. Our new TP is EUR 7.0 (6.5); we retain BUY rating.
Enersense’s Q2 figures were better than we estimated as Power and Connectivity revenue clearly topped our estimates while profitability improved in all segments.
Enersense’s Q1 results showed extended high growth as well as stabilizing bottom line after last year’s challenges. Growth has been set to continue over the course of next year while profitability has only begun to improve.
Top line beat estimates, bottom line close to expectations
Enersense Q1 revenue grew 39% y/y to EUR 75m vs the EUR 63m/65m Evli/cons. estimates. Smart Industry (driven by the Helen agreement and scaling up of offshore wind) and International Operations (Baltic grids) drove growth. Connectivity also grew by 15%, and the combination of high demand and lesser cost pressure helped core operations’ profitability to improve by some EUR 3m y/y. There were still EUR 2.3m in Q1 extraordinary costs related to the new ERP system and offshore scale-up; the projects, in addition to onshore wind, will still limit EBITDA in FY ‘23 but the burden should largely fade by next year.
Growth to continue, profitability on track to improve more
Q1 showed continued high demand and stabilizing bottom line performance after last year’s challenges. We estimate 21% top line growth for this year and note Q3 & Q4 are set to be the strongest quarters. For FY ’24 we estimate 7% growth, which is not a low rate in Enersense’s industrial context but can still prove a conservative assumption; the Baltic backlog continued to grow despite high project revenue, in addition to which the offshore and EV charging businesses are set to add further growth next year. Profitability should improve more next year thanks not only to higher volumes across the board but the completion of the ERP project as well as the fact that the offshore business has rather high fixed costs to break even. We estimate adj. EBITDA to improve by some EUR 5m next year to EUR 22m.
Estimate changes rather small, but outlook has solidified
Enersense’s peer multiples have decreased quite a bit in the past few months while growth and earnings outlook has remained largely unchanged. Enersense’s valuation is still not cheap on our FY ’23 estimates, at 13x EV/EBIT, but on our FY ’24 estimates the multiple is only about 7x whereas we estimate Enersense’s EBITDA margin to remain some 250bps below that of a typical peer. We hence view current valuation rather conservative in the light of improving performance. We retain our EUR 6.5 TP; our new rating is BUY (HOLD).
Enersense’s Q1 revenue grew clearly faster than estimated, at a rate of 39% y/y, which also helped profitability relatively near expectations. Enersense also updated its revenue guidance for the year on the back of strong orders.
Enersense’s Q4 figures didn’t contain big news after the guidance revision, but FY ’23 results may remain muted.
Q4 close to estimates, FY ’23 profitability guidance soft
Enersense top line grew 37% y/y to EUR 90m vs our EUR 87m estimate. All four segments grew, especially Power and International Operations (high-voltage projects in the Baltics drove revenue). Power’s EUR 8.7m y/y EBITDA gain included EUR 7.5m in wind power gains as the projects progressed faster than expected. Other segments’ profitability levels didn’t fare that well compared to Q4’21 as inflation hadn’t yet surged then. Investments in the ERP system and offshore wind power subtracted EUR 2.7m. Voimatel deal costs also weighed Q4; we hadn’t included the deal in our estimates but note it would’ve been a positive driver should it have gone through. The EUR 4.3m adj. EBITDA topped our estimate by EUR 0.4m while the EUR 1.1m EBIT missed our estimate by EUR 0.6m. Guidance didn’t surprise in terms of revenue, however the expectation for adj. EBITDA was soft (EUR 15m midpoint vs our EUR 20m estimate).
We make downward revisions to our profitability estimates
We cut our profitability estimates for FY ’23 by EUR 5.5m while we make minor upward revisions to our top line estimates. Last year’s Q2 was exceptionally soft due to project delays and a Finnish ICT strike. FY ’23 should see more regular project patterns, in addition to which inflation is moderating and at least is no more any surprise. The ERP system costs will increase this year, in addition to which wind power developments, both onshore and offshore, will create additional costs.
Longer term upside potential, lacks short-term drivers
Enersense is valued almost 20x EV/EBIT on our FY ’23 estimates, which in our view reflects the fact that profitability will remain below potential this year due to investments in the ERP system and wind power. Last year’s results were plagued by inflation, and even though the situation is easing we believe some cost headwinds will remain this year. Double-digit growth is likely to continue, and we estimate decent single-digit growth for FY ’24. Earnings growth potential is thus strong from a medium-term perspective, but margins may stay somewhat muted in the short-term. The valuation equals 8x EV/EBIT on our FY ’24 estimates. Our new TP is EUR 6.5 (7.0); we retain our HOLD rating.
Enersense’s Q4 figures were overall relatively close to our estimates. Revenue came in higher than we estimated, while adjusted EBITDA was higher and EBIT lower than we estimated. Enersense’s guidance midpoint suggests profitability is likely to increase at least a bit this year, however bottom line will still be weighed down by development projects.
The upgrade implies Q4 was a lot better than we previously estimated but also suggests further improvement this year after recent challenges caused by high inflation.
Q4 figures clearly better than previously estimated
Enersense upgraded its FY ’22 guidance. Revenue should be around EUR 265m while adj. EBITDA will top EUR 12m. We had previously estimated relatively robust 8% top line growth for Q4’22, however we update our estimate to 31% ahead of the report. We saw Q4 EBITDA margin slightly below 2% but now update our estimate to 4.5%. The positive revision was driven by wind power projects, which proceeded ahead of schedule, yet our EUR 15m top line and EUR 2.6m profitability revisions suggest our previous estimates to have been cautious on other fronts as well. Organic growth outlook seems to be stronger than we previously estimated as each of the four segments appears headed for double-digit growth also this year.
High growth to continue even without the Voimatel deal
In our view Enersense is set to achieve significant earnings improvement in FY ’23 as inflation was a major challenge throughout last year, dragging profitability over the crucial summer months. Enersense has been negotiating inflation compensation for a while, the results of which are set to materialize with a lag, and this year inflation should prove much more modest whereas top line growth looks to remain in the double-digit territory. We note Connectivity has recently announced EUR 65m in contracts for the coming years. We estimate Enersense should be able to achieve roughly 200bps gains in operating margins this year. The Voimatel acquisition, should it go through, would help drive further operational improvement, but for now it’s still being processed by the FCCA.
FY ’23 figures and wind power projects could drive upside
Enersense continues to invest in growth this year, helped by the EUR 26m in proceeds from convertible notes. We have updated our FY ’23 EBIT estimate to EUR 11.4m (previously EUR 8.4m), on which Enersense trades roughly 10x. The valuation is not particularly challenging, especially relative to peers; the 3.8% EBIT margin we estimate also doesn’t reflect full profitability potential and hence earnings growth should continue next year. Our updated TP is EUR 7.0 (6.0) as we retain our HOLD rating.
Enersense Q3 report didn’t contain major surprises. Profitability is set to improve with growth and inflation compensation, but at least Q4 may see muted bottom line.
Not many surprises while order backlog is now tall
Q3 revenue was EUR 64.4m vs our EUR 65.4m estimate. The 10.5% y/y growth was driven by all segments except Smart Industry, where the lower volumes of the OL3 project left a gap soon to be filled by the EUR 200m Helen contract. Low volumes, inflation, and Offshore ramp-up hurt margins, while the segment’s EBITDA gained from EUR 2.1m in items due to a capital gain as well as a change to the considerations related to an acquisition. Enersense’s headline EUR 4.3m EBITDA was above our EUR 2.0m estimate, but in line considering the one-offs. There were some items, such as Power’s costs with Megatuuli, which weren’t there to burden the comparison period. Connectivity EBITDA increased, however orders remained muted for now as top line is driven by long-term agreements, some of which should be signed soon. Meanwhile Power backlog doubled.
Both organic and inorganic growth to be seen
We would expect Enersense’s organic growth to help it reach healthy profitability levels in FY ’23, while the Baltics are likely to continue to dilute margins for a while. The Voimatel deal’s EUR 130m revenue and EUR 4m EBITDA, at an EV of EUR 10m, would add a lot of value with significant cost synergies but is yet to be approved by the competition authorities. The expansion to EV charging technology is another strategic addition. The initial Unified Chargers price tag is negligible, while it remains to be seen just how much value the deal will add (competition includes e.g. Kempower). The ERP project will continue next year while Offshore projects should begin to contribute then.
Q4 margins uncertain, but bound to get better next year
In our view Enersense is positioned for at least a high single-digit growth next year. Enersense’s guidance suggests there’s still a lot of uncertainty around Q4 profitability, in our view due to inflation and the fact that seasonal project patterns have been different this year. Enersense is valued some 5x EV/EBITDA and 10x EV/EBIT, which are not high levels compared to peers while there remains uncertainty around the improvement pace. We retain our EUR 6.0 TP and HOLD rating.
Enersense’s Q3 profitability topped our estimates as EBITDA development was favorable in all other segments except International Operations, where we believe inflation continues to be more of a problem than in Finland.
Enersense’s Q2 was weak, and H2 is set to remain modest. There’s still much uncertainty around the improvement slope, however valuation appears neutral relative to peers.
Inflation and certain low project volumes hurt Q2 results
Enersense’s Q2 top line declined 3% y/y to EUR 59.8m. The softness was mostly due to Smart Industry, where e.g. lower Olkiluoto project volumes explained the fall. The war also led to project delays, and the ICT strike hurt volumes within Connectivity (it also suffered from inflation particularly due to fuel). Inflation, which in the case of Enersense mostly means higher metal and fuel prices, is especially a problem in the Baltics, where long contracts also add to the pain. International Operations thus saw a marked decline in profitability even when revenue grew by 14% y/y. Existing framework agreements suffer from inflation, although Enersense has been able to make some progress in adjusting their rates for higher costs. Power fared relatively well due to its more dynamic nature of business.
Enersense continues to work towards its targets
Inflation was a major issue as adj. EBITDA fell to EUR -0.4m from EUR 4.8m a year ago. Enersense sees Q3 as the most profitable quarter also this year even though inflation continues to hurt results in H2. Investments in offshore wind capabilities will still be a burden in H2, in addition to which ERP investments are set to continue for a few years. H2 profitability will remain far below potential, but volumes continue to grow as recent orders announced over the summer indicate. There are also no major issues with e.g. labor availability. Enersense recently announced the acquisition of Voimatel to add to Connectivity and Power, but the deal still waits for competition authority approvals.
Valuation appears broadly in line with peers
We cut our FY ’23 adj. EBITDA estimate to EUR 16.7m from EUR 22.2m due to the current challenges. Enersense is valued some 5.5x EV/EBITDA and 12x EV/EBIT on our FY ’23 estimates. The earnings multiples are broadly in line with those of peers; there remains much uncertainty around next year’s margins, but our estimated 2.9% EBIT is still not that high a level. Enersense’s multiples are close to Eltel’s, and the two are also similar in the sense that FY ’22 results are set to be modest for both. Our new TP is EUR 6 (8); we retain our HOLD rating.
Enersense’s Q2 results were known before the official release as the company disclosed preliminary figures in connection with a negative earnings guidance revision.
The CMD added color on Enersense’s plans to expand its print in the renewables value chain. Wind power, on sea as well as land, is the key in multiplying revenue and earnings as the company will both develop and own wind farms.
EUR 500m revenue and EUR 100m EBITDA by 2027
Enersense targets EUR 300m revenue for the current construction and EUR 100m for the current wind power business by 2027. The former would contribute EUR 30m EBITDA and the latter EUR 35m. The Megatuuli acquisition helps the company to have a say on the kinds of wind power projects that get developed. Proprietary renewables production is to be ramped up to EUR 100m revenue, or 600-700MW of mostly Finnish onshore wind power capacity, which requires some EUR 300m of equity-like capital (assuming 40% equity ratio, depending on the exact financing structure, which we assume could include e.g. hybrid instruments). The projects would be valued at some 20x EV/EBITDA (an IRR of around 5-10%). Enersense develops its offshore wind power platforms to tackle the pack ice challenges. The Baltic wind power market also has plenty of growth potential as there’s not yet much local capacity.
Wind power dominates, but other renewables also figure in
The Finnish wind power market is now the most important but not the only focus area. Enersense also has interest towards solar energy as the company views it an overlooked source in Finland. Within nuclear power Enersense is involved in France and the UK, besides Finland. The new European project of energy self-sufficiency in general greatly helps Enersense’s long-term outlook and includes such concrete prospects as the Baltic transmission network’s desynchronization from the Russian system. Another opportunity is found in Finland, where the EV stock is expected to grow at an above 20% CAGR during this decade. There’s always the potential for some additional M&A, but we believe the already identified renewable production pipeline will claim most of the focus during the years to come.
The transformation happens gradually over the years
We make no changes to our estimates for now, but it’s clear Enersense’s financial profile is going to change a lot over the coming years as the company begins to add its own renewable energy production. We retain our EUR 8 TP and HOLD rating.
Enersense’s Q1 profitability figures beat our estimates but cost inflation can hurt figures more during the rest of the year. Long-term outlook remains favorable thanks to the green vertically integrated strategy, but we view current valuation overall fair.
Strong headline EBITDA, but mixed results underneath
Enersense’s revenue was up by 1% y/y to EUR 53.8m, compared to our EUR 54.2m estimate. Smart Industry’s figures declined due to the Staff Leasing sale as well as the lower than estimated Olkiluoto nuclear power plant volumes. The Olkiluoto project hit profitability, and together with the Enersense Offshore integration helped produce an EBITDA of EUR -1.0m. Connectivity and International Operations were able to grow at double-digit rates as Covid-19 was no longer a major issue, but their EBITDA declined due to inflation. Power grew a lot more than we expected and contributed to the group EUR 5.5m adj. EBITDA, compared to our EUR 2.7m estimate, as high revenue, project execution and Megatuuli acquisition drove profitability.
Cost inflationary effects on H2 figures remain to be seen
Enersense retains its guidance as the war causes some project delays this spring and hence Q2 figures will be relatively low. Q3 and Q4 should again be comparatively strong (winter and spring are always somewhat quiet), but inflation and material availability add to uncertainty. The underlying improvement pace in H2 is still unclear especially when acquisitions have complicated the picture. We revise our adj. EBITDA estimates down by 17% for the remainder of the year while our revenue estimate is almost intact. The war and its effects may have a short-term negative effect on Enersense’s performance, but its long-term consequences are likely to be beneficial ones as governments accelerate e.g. wind power investments.
We consider current valuation neutral
Enersense’s multiples for the next few years are still low relative to peers, assuming profitability continues to improve, whereas the multiples for FY ’22 represent a slight premium. We therefore argue the current valuation is overall fair in the current high inflation environment. Successful execution and strong underlying profitability in H2 would be a likely upside driver. We retain our EUR 8 TP. Our rating is now HOLD (BUY).
Enersense’s Q1 profitability figures topped our estimates. The company reiterates its guidance, however Q2 profitability will be relatively weak this year due to project delays caused by the war.
Enersense’s Q4 figures were a bit higher than we estimated, earnings guidance was softer, but the overall picture hasn’t changed much as renewables remain in high demand.
No major surprises in connection with the report
Enersense’s Q4 top line declined by 3% y/y, mostly due to the sale of Staff Leasing business, to EUR 65.9m and was above our EUR 63.0m estimate. The revenue beat was largely due to International Operations, but Power was also above our estimates. Certain M&A related items, both positive and negative, affected results, but overall profitability was slightly above our estimates. Infections continued to bother in certain projects, however these are unlikely to be a major issue going forward. Long-term profitability improving investments in IT and offshore wind power business will burden results this year, and we revise our FY ’22 profitability estimates down by some EUR 3m.
Latest macro changes are more likely to be supportive
There is some inflation risk, especially in the Baltics as the local contracts are long, but the contracts tend to compensate for cost pressures as now seen to some extent in raw materials and wages. Enersense has expanded its value chain presence with two recent acquisitions, and these don’t involve any significant integration issues. Enersense will also update its long-term targets later in H1’22 (the current target is 10% EBITDA margin by 2025 whereas we estimate 7.3% margin for FY ’22). Offshore wind power is a major growth driver going forward as it is a relatively underdeveloped space compared to onshore. The latest shifts in geopolitics do not in our view pose significant risks for Enersense, rather they are bound to accelerate the European transfer away from hydrocarbons and major initiatives in e.g. Germany could yet play out favorably for Enersense’s strategy.
Valuation is not challenging in either short or long term
Our EUR 18.2m EBITDA estimate for FY ’22 lands a bit above the midpoint of the EUR 15-20m range, which we don’t view very challenging. The respective 5.5x EV/EBITDA and 12x EV/EBIT multiples aren’t high compared to peers, and valuation is even more attractive in the long-term perspective as Enersense should achieve relatively steep earnings growth. Peer multiples have, however, continued to decline in the past two months and we update our TP to EUR 8 (10). Our rating remains BUY.
Enersense’s Q4 report was overall relatively close to our expectations. The Q4 figures came in a bit higher than we estimated, while guidance represents a small miss in terms of profitability. The BoD however proposes a dividend of EUR 0.1 per share to be paid, which we did not expect.
Enersense’s Q3 report was soft and left doubts with respect to the FY ’21 guidance. The company has now made upgrades to the guidance, but these seem to have been to a large extent driven by acquisition-related revaluations. Enersense nevertheless continues to progress with long-term strategy and is about to close two investments.
We make some updates to our Q4 adj. EBIT(DA) estimates
Enersense revised its FY ’21 earnings guidance upwards. Enersense still expects EUR 215-245m in revenue, but now sees adj. EBITDA over EUR 19m (prev. EUR 17-20m) and adj. EBIT over EUR 11m (prev. EUR 8-11m). We leave our revenue estimate unchanged, update our Q4 adj. EBITDA estimate to EUR 7.4m (prev. EUR 5.6m) and that for adj. EBIT to EUR 5.1m (prev. EUR 3.3m). The underlying performance remains somewhat unclear because the guidance update was driven by revaluations related to the Enersense Offshore Oy acquisition.
Long-term earnings growth outlook should solidify
Enersense is about to expand its renewable energy solutions scope with the closure of two acquisitions in a month or so. The company will buy a significant stake in a green hydrogen producer called P2X and acquire an onshore wind farm developer in an all-share transaction. The latter target will be earnings accretive already in FY ’22; the acquisition of Megatuuli will contribute a cumulative EUR 20-40m in EBIT by 2025. Meanwhile an ERP investment will burden results this year along with a process related to the integration and development of Enersense Offshore, however the latter initiative should contribute to results in FY ’23. We leave our estimates for FY ’22 and ’23 unchanged for now, but Enersense will update its long-term financial targets in Q1.
Valuation remains undemanding
Enersense’s peer multiples have stayed pretty much unchanged over the past few months. Enersense continues to trade at modest multiples relative to peers. We believe Enersense’s vertical integration within the renewables value chain beyond construction and maintenance activities will help balance business risks, and hence long-term upside remains significant. Meanwhile short-term visibility isn’t still that great and thus we lower our TP to EUR 10 (11). Our rating remains BUY.
Enersense Q3 figures didn’t meet our estimates, but the company retained its guidance, and we see the Q3 softness was to a large extent attributable to project timing issues.
Q3 figures were not as strong as we had expected
Enersense Q3 revenue was EUR 58.3m, compared to our EUR 63.8m estimate. The softness was due to Smart Industry, where top line was EUR 18.7m vs our EUR 23.9m estimate. July was slow and pretty much according to the company’s own expectations, as certain projects did not start until later. Power continued to reach good profitability, while Connectivity still has some work ahead on that front. International Operations’ profitability was burdened by challenges in the Baltic states, where e.g. inflation is more of a problem than in Finland. Enersense Q3 adj. EBITDA was EUR 4.4m vs our EUR 6.5m estimate. The company retained its guidance, which implies relatively strong Q4. In our view Enersense continues to progress well and according to their own plan, and the Q3 softness was to a large extent attributable to project timing issues.
Q4 estimates up a bit, some downward annual revisions
Enersense sees Q4 margin gains to be driven by Finland and we expect improved results already from Connectivity. The Baltic countries are a market where Enersense will find more attractive projects long-term, however we don’t expect alleviation to short-term profitability challenges during Q4. We now estimate Q4 adj. EBITDA at EUR 5.6m (prev. EUR 5.3m) and Q4 adj. EBIT at EUR 3.3m (prev. EUR 3.1m), and hence our FY ‘21 adj. EBITDA estimate is down to EUR 17.3m (prev. EUR 19.2m) and that for adj. EBIT to EUR 9.5m (prev. EUR 10.8m). The recent small acquisition of Pori Offshore Constructions got off to a good start as the company won a contract for a port of HaminaKotka project. Enersense still looks for additional smaller or larger M&A targets, and the company had some EUR 27m in cash at the end of Q3.
Peer group discount remains significant
We revise our FY ’21 profitability estimates down by some 10%, while we downgrade our FY ’22-23 estimates by only a few percentage points. Enersense’s peers’ earnings multiples have decreased by around 5% in the past few months, and thus we update our TP to EUR 11 (13). Enersense’s earnings-based valuation remains unchallenging; we retain our BUY rating.
Enersense Q3 figures came in soft compared to our estimates, but the company nevertheless retains its FY ’21 guidance, which implies stronger than expected Q4. The Q4 tilt is due to project cycles and the result is a more balanced quarterly performance since Q3 is often the strongest quarter.
Enersense’s Q2 was much as expected. Margins are already decent, and we see plenty of scope for long-term gains.
Q2 figures did not reveal many surprises
Enersense’s Q2 revenue amounted to EUR 61.6m, compared to our EUR 57.5m estimate. We find the top line beat was for the most part due to International Operations (EUR 14.8m vs our EUR 11.5m estimate) as the other three segments were all close to our estimates. The positive surprise was in our view due to strong development in the Baltics, but France also contributed. Connectivity faced challenging winter conditions in Q2, but the segment’s revenue was nonetheless a bit above our estimate. There are no meaningful comparison figures due to the Empower acquisition, however Q2 profitability was as we expected. Adj. EBITDA came in at EUR 4.8m vs our EUR 4.7m estimate, while adj. EBIT was EUR 2.8m vs our EUR 2.6m estimate.
We make limited updates to our estimates
Empower integration proceeds according to plan and add-on acquisitions are possible already near-term. Enersense reiterated its current guidance and sees EUR 215-245m in revenue while adj. EBITDA should be in the EUR 17-20m range (adj. EBIT EUR 8-11m). We have made only minor revisions to our estimates and expect Enersense to land near the upper end of the guidance range. Enersense has a long-term EBITDA margin target of 10% (by 2025); we see the company is headed close to 8% already this year and 8.5% doesn’t seem that challenging to achieve in the year following. We continue to expect 4.6% organic growth in FY ’22, meaning Enersense should reach at least EUR 21m in EBITDA and EUR 12m in EBIT then.
Organic performance and low multiples underpin upside
Enersense is valued 5x EV/EBITDA and 9x EV/EBIT on our FY ’22 estimates. We find the earnings multiples imply a sizeable discount relative to peers while Enersense’s organic growth outlook and profitability are, in our view, in line with the general sector estimates. Our EBITDA margin estimates are also on the conservative side compared to Enersense’s 10% target and we expect only some 3.5% organic CAGR for the coming years, whereas Enersense’s own EUR 300m long-term organic top line target implies a CAGR many percentage points above our estimates. We retain our EUR 13 TP and BUY rating.
Enersense’s Q2 report didn’t offer many surprises. Enersense’s operations and strategy seem to proceed pretty much according to plan.
Enersense completed its directed share issue and thus raised some EUR 16m in gross proceeds. The company is looking into some growth initiatives that would deploy the capital. These could involve organic growth prospects but in our opinion M&A is also high on the agenda. We have made small adjustments to our estimates. Our TP is now EUR 13 (11) and we retain our BUY rating.
Current markets offer both organic and M&A potential
Enersense already had a healthy balance sheet with a positive net cash position and there wasn’t any acute pressing need to raise additional cash. The company had some EUR 23m in cash at the end of Q1. This suggests there will now be close to EUR 40m in available funds plus possible additional debt facilities. In our opinion such an amount could enable Enersense to acquire targets with around EUR 100m in revenue, considering the relatively low EV/S multiples seen across the relevant sectors. At this point it remains unclear which segment Enersense might be looking to bolster. In our view Enersense has wide M&A opportunities in both Finland and abroad. The Finnish Power market is currently driven by e.g. wind power investments, while 5G will remain a major driver for Connectivity for years to come. Enersense is already a big Finnish player in these two related construction and maintenance markets, and there remain some smaller service suppliers the company might be contemplating to acquire. The Finnish smart industry market, by contrast, represents a much wider opportunity set, not to mention the potential overseas scope.
Long-term financial target amounts to EUR 30m in EBITDA
We make small adjustments to our estimates following the transaction. We understand Empower synergies continue to materialize well and we see the company is on track to reach annual EUR 20m run-rate EBITDA in the near-term, while the long-term target implies EUR 30m.
Valuation remains undemanding relative to potential
Enersense still trades at modest multiples, and the ca. 6x EV/EBITDA and 11x EV/EBIT on our estimates for next year represent meaningful discounts compared to peers. Our new TP is EUR 13 (11) and we retain our BUY rating.
On Thursday, Enersense announced the transition to IFRS reporting and new guidance. Enersense expects net sales to amount to EUR 215-245m, adj. EBITDA of EUR 17-20m, and adj. EBIT of EUR 8-11m in 2021. We have updated our estimates in accordance with IFRS reporting and retain our TP of EUR 11 and BUY-rating.
Staff Leasing segment will be discontinued
Enersense announced the transition to IFRS reporting and published consolidated financial statements for 2020 and 2019. With the transition, the company updated its guidance and expects net sales to amount to EUR 215-245m, adj. EBITDA of EUR 17-20m, and adj. EBIT of EUR 8-11m in 2021. Enersense also announced that it has agreed to sell the entire share capital of its subsidiary Värväämö Oy to Citywork Oy. Staff Leasing segment will be discontinued and it will be reported as part of Smart Industry. Thus, the company will report its revenue in the future based on four segments; Power, Smart Industry, Connectivity, and International Operations.
We expect net sales of EUR 235.1m, adj. EBITDA of EUR 18.8m and adj. EBIT of EUR 10.4m in 2021E
We have adjusted our estimates with the transition to IFRS. Due to the divestment of Värväämö, we have decreased our net sales estimate for 2021E to EUR 235.1 million (prev. EUR 242m). Our growth estimates of 4.6% and 3.9% for 2022E-23E are unchanged. In 2021E, we expect adj. EBITDA of EUR 18.8m (8% margin) and adj. EBIT of EUR 10.4m (4.4% margin), respectively. We note that Enersense has not provided IFRS figures for Q1/21 and Q1/21 figures below are our estimates.
No changes to our recommendation
Based on our updated estimates, we have not made changes to our recommendation. We retain our TP of EUR 11 and BUY-rating.
Enersense reported a better-than-expected Q1 result and 9% increase in the order backlog compared to the end of Q4/20. The company also announced that it has concluded negotiations on a new financing package. We have made upward revisions to our estimates and raise our TP to EUR 11 (9.7), BUY-rating intact.
Orders increased especially in Power and the Baltics
Enersense’s Q1 net sales and profitability beat our expectations. Net sales amounted to EUR 52.4m (Evli EUR 44.5m) and adj. EBITDA was EUR 1.7m (Evli EUR 0.5m). Order backlog increased by 9% from EUR 292m at the end of 2020 to EUR 319m at the end of Q1. Orders increased especially in the Power segment and the Baltics. Enersense also announced that it has concluded negotiations on a new financing package, which will be used to develop operations and manage working capital.
Our revised estimates are at the upper end of the guidance
Q1 is typically a challenging quarter for Enersense due to the weather conditions, and revenue and profitability are expected to increase towards the end of the year. The order backlog continued to grow rapidly in Q1 and according to the management, the market outlook is very positive as demand is expected to remain strong especially in Power and Smart Industry. Supported by increased orders and good outlook, we have raised our 2021E net sales estimate to EUR 242m (prev. EUR 230m). We have also made upward revisions to 2022-23E sales estimates, and forecast 4.6% and 3.9% growth, respectively. We expect adj. EBITDA to increase from EUR 8.9m to EUR 14.4m in 2021E. Both our net sales and adj. EBITDA estimates are at the upper end of guidance for 2021 (net sales: EUR 215-245m, adj. EBITDA: EUR 12-15m).
BUY with a target price of EUR 11 (9.7)
On our estimates for 2022E, Enersense is trading at EV/EBITDA of 5.6x and adj. P/E of 10.8x, which translate into discount of 23-30% to our peer group median. Better-than-expected results in Q1, renegotiated short-term financing and continued growth in the order backlog increase our confidence in the investment case, and we raise our TP to EUR 11 (9.7), BUY-rating intact. Our TP values Enersense at EV/EBITDA of 6.3x and adj. P/E of 12.3x for 2022E, which are still at 13-21% discount to peer group, reflecting Enersense’s currently lower profitability profile. If Enersense manages to increase net sales and improve margins in line with the midterm financial targets, we see further upside potential in valuation.
Enersense’s Q1 net sales and profitability beat our expectations. Net sales amounted to EUR 52.4m (Evli EUR 44.5m) and adj. EBITDA was EUR 1.7m (Evli EUR 0.5m). Enersense also announced that it has concluded negotiations on a new financing package.
We initiate coverage of Enersense with a BUY rating and a TP of EUR 9.7. Enersense’s turnaround in profitability progressed well in 2020 and, in our view, the valuation looks moderate considering Enersense’s increased and healthier order backlog as well as potential synergies of the Empower acquisition.
2020 was a big year for Enersense
Enersense International Oyj is a service provider of emission-free energy solutions in the industry, energy, telecommunication, and construction sectors. In 2020, Enersense’s business changed significantly. Enersense acquired Empower, thus expanding its business from recruiting and resource management services to a solution provider for the Smart industry, Power, and Connectivity markets. Enersense also managed to improve its EBITDA from EUR -0.8m in 2019 to EUR 7.2m in 2020. The focus in 2021 is on improving profitability, growing in domestic and selected international markets, and continuing the integration of the Empower acquisition.
Our estimates for 2021E are at the midpoint of the guidance
In 2021E, we expect Enersense’s net sales to grow strongly as Empower’s figures are included in net sales for the full year. The order backlog has increased significantly from EUR 130m in August 2020 to EUR 300m at the end of 2020 and we expect this strong order inflow to support Enersense in reaching net sales of EUR 230m. In 2022-23E, we forecast the group revenue to grow by 3.2% and 3.0%, respectively. We estimate adj. EBITDA to increase from EUR 8.9m (6.2% margin) to EUR 13.5m (5.9% margin) in 2021E driven by the consolidation of Empower’s full-year figures, a healthier project portfolio, and streamlining of operations. We expect the synergies of the Empower integration to be more visible in Enersense’s profitability from 2022 onwards and EBITDA margin to increase to 6.5% in 2022E and 6.8% in 2023E.
BUY with a target price of EUR 9.7
In our view, the valuation looks moderate considering Enersense’s increased and healthier order backlog as well as potential synergies of the Empower acquisition. On our estimates for 2022E, Enersense is trading at EV/EBITDA of 5.5x and adj. P/E of 10.7x, which translate into discount of 21-28% to our peer group median. We initiate coverage with a BUY-rating and a target price of EUR 9.7. Our TP values Enersense at EV/EBITDA of 6.1x and adj. P/E of 11.8x for 2022E, which are still at 13-21% discount to peer group, reflecting Enersense’s lower profitability profile and as we look for more signs of further margin improvement and faster organic growth. If Enersense manages to increase net sales and improve margins in line with the midterm financial targets, there is further upside potential in valuation.
| Shareholders | Date | % of shares | % of votes |
|---|
These research reports have been prepared by Evli Research Partners Plc (“ERP” or “Evli Research”). ERP is a subsidiary of Evli Plc.
None of the analysts contributing to this report, persons under their guardianship or corporations under their control have a position in the shares of the company or related securities. The date and time for any price of financial instruments mentioned in the recommendation refer to the previous trading day’s closing price(s) unless otherwise stated in the report. Each analyst responsible for the content of this report assures that the expressed views accurately reflect the personal views of each analyst on the covered companies and securities. Each analyst assures that (s)he has not been, nor are or will be, receiving direct or indirect compensation related to the specific recommendations or views contained in this report.
Companies in the Evli Group, affiliates or staff of companies in the Evli Group, may perform services for, solicit business from, hold long or short positions in, or otherwise be interested in the investments (including derivatives) of any company mentioned in the publication or report. Neither ERP nor any company within the Evli Group have managed or co-managed a public offering of the company’s securities during the last 12 months prior to, received compensation for investment banking services from the company during the last 12 months prior to the publication of the research report.
ERP has signed an agreement with the issuer of the financial instruments mentioned in the recommendation, which includes production of research reports. This assignment has a limited economic and financial impact on ERP and/or Evli. Under the assignment ERP performs services including, but not limited to, arranging investor meetings or –events, investor relations communication advisory and production of research material. ERP or another company within the Evli Group does not have an agreement with the company to perform market making or liquidity providing services. For the prevention and avoidance of conflicts of interests with respect to this report, there is an information barrier (Chinese wall) between Investment Research and Corporate Finance units concerning unpublished investment banking services to the company. The remuneration of the analyst(s) is not tied directly or indirectly to investment banking transactions or other services performed by Evli Plc or any company within Evli Group.
This report is provided and intended for informational purposes only and may not be used or considered under any circumstances as an offer to sell or buy any securities or as advice to trade any securities.
This report is based on sources ERP considers to be correct and reliable. The sources include information providers Reuters and Bloomberg, stock-exchange releases from the companies and other company news, Statistics Finland and articles in newspapers and magazines. However, ERP does not guarantee the materialization, correctness, accuracy or completeness of the information, opinions, estimates or forecasts expressed or implied in the report. In addition, circumstantial changes may have an influence on opinions and estimates presented in this report. The opinions and estimates presented are valid at the moment of their publication and they can be changed without a separate announcement. Neither ERP nor any company within the Evli Group are responsible for amending, correcting or updating any information, opinions or estimates contained in this report. Neither ERP nor any company within the Evli Group will compensate any direct or consequential loss caused by or derived from the use of the information represented in this publication.
All information published in this report is for the original recipient’s private and internal use only. ERP reserves all rights to the report. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of ERP.
This report or its copy may not be published or distributed in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore or South Africa. The publication or distribution of this report in certain other jurisdictions may also be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this report comes are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.
Evli Plc is not registered as a broker-dealer with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and it and its analysts are not subject to SEC rules on securities analysts’ certification as to the currency of their views reflected in the research report. Evli is not a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). It and its securities analysts are not subject to FINRA’s rules on Communications with the Public and Research Analysts and Research Reports and the attendant requirements for fairness, balance and disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. This research report is only being offered in U.S. by Auerbach Grayson & Company, LLC (Auerbach Grayson) to Major U.S. Institutional Investors and is not available to, and should not be used by, any U.S. person or entity that is not a Major U.S. Institutional Investor. Auerbach Grayson is a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the FINRA. U.S. entities seeking more information about any of the issuers or securities discussed in this report should contact Auerbach Grayson. The securities of non-U.S. issuers may not be registered with or subject to SEC reporting and other requirements.
ERP is not a supervised entity but its parent company Evli Plc is supervised by the Finnish Financial Supervision Authority.
Enersense guides 2023 revenue to be over EUR 300m, while adjusted EBITDA is to be in the range of EUR 12-18m
EUR 500m in revenue and EUR 100m in EBITDA by 2027
For professional investors wishing to discuss the case, please book a complimentary analyst call
