Vermilion Compass: Weekly Equity Strategy

Are the Lows "In" for this Pullback? While we are not yet out of the woods, we continue to see evidence that suggests the lows may be "in" for this pullback. Last week (4/23/24 Compass) we discussed the possibility that further downside was limited on the S&P 500 due to a multitude of reasons (SPX had simply filled 2/22/24 gap support that we had been discussing since late-February, Russell 2000 and Equal-Weighted S&P 500 were holding above key supports, short-term oversold conditions, subdued high yield spreads, RS for defensives still below their October 2023 lows, several important commodi...

Telenor (Buy, TP: NOK145, +14%) Q1 24: Good numbers, impressive FCF generation

Telenor has reported a good set of Q1 numbers, with SR and EBITDA c1% ahead, and FCF 49% ahead. FY24 guidance has not been lifted (but has been reiterated) despite the good Q1 numbers, with phasing of payments/items to impact FCF throughout the rest of the year, and this is perhaps a little disappointing, but momentum is clearly with Telenor at present, and if current trends persist, then guidance and estimates will move up.

EBITDA-capex 3% above, strong FCF

Nokian Tyres (Hold, TP: EUR9.00) - Soft Q1, with or without setbacks

The Q1 results were below our expectations, even after adjusting for the negatives on the group profit from the political strikes in Finland and the Red Sea conflict. On a positive note, the PCT price/mix was guided to hold up well, partly offsetting our revised lower sales expectations, while the Romanian factory appears to be ramping up on schedule. We reiterate our HOLD but have cut our target price to EUR9.0 (9.5), after lowering our 2024–2026e clean EBIT by c6% on average.

Lyko Group (Sell, TP: SEK95.00) - Stretched balance sheet

Following the Q1 report, we believe Lyko will not only have to make more substantial progress in balancing growth and cost control, but also consider new funding options more seriously. With financial expenses eating up earnings, its current debt position, and stretched balance sheet (net debt/EBITDA c4.6x), we have downgraded to SELL (HOLD) and cut our target price to SEK95 (128).

Resurs Holding (Buy, TP: SEK18.00) - Resur-recting the case

The market appears to be pricing in credit losses remaining high for many years, but we see the potential for declines starting in mid-2024, with early positive signs in March. We also find it likely that margins will be stable from here, which is not reflected in consensus. At a P/E of 3–4x for 2025e, we see good risk/reward. We have raised our 2025–2026e EPS by 3–7%, our target price to SEK18 (15), and have upgraded to BUY (HOLD).