Report
Guy Sips ...
  • Hilde Van Boxstael
  • Jacob Mekhael
  • Kristof Samoy
  • Livio Luyten
  • Lynn Hautekeete
  • Michiel Declercq
  • Sharad Kumar S.P
  • Thibault Leneeuw
  • Thomas Couvreur
  • Thomas Vranken
  • Wim Hoste
  • Wim Lewi

Dynamic Top Pick List Update May 2025: Removing Fugro – Adding Merus

The ongoing tariff war continues to create uncertainty for investors, with a trade embargo between the US and China. Although Europe has received a temporary reprieve, the prolonged situation could result in significant economic damage. We are maintaining a defensive stance in our Benelux Dynamic Top Pick List, as the Federal Reserve holds steady and the European Central Bank may continue lowering rates. Pessimism regarding the European industry has increased, though some US-based European companies could benefit.

• On April 16, we removed Fugro from our Dynamic Top Pick List due to a revised forecast of a 6% decline in topline growth for 2025, impacting our EBIT forecasts. Despite attractive valuations for long-term investors, we saw no short-term share price catalysts.

• Today, we add Merus, a commercial-stage immuno-oncology company, to our Dynamic Top Pick List. Merus develops innovative antibody therapeutics targeting complex cancer pathways, with a strong pipeline and financial position expected to fund operations into 2028. The company's growth potential is driven by its R&D efforts and strategic partnerships.

We maintain a balanced approach in our Dynamic Top Pick List, featuring 9 cyclical and 5 defensive stocks, with an emphasis on overlooked value stocks. Our defensive holdings, including real estate, are overweight. In our Benelux selection, we have a 36% exposure to cyclical industrials and a 14% weight in technology. We avoid consumer stocks at this time.
Underlyings
Adyen NV

Adyen NV, formerly Adyen BV, is provider of mobile, online and point-of-sale (POS) payment solutions based in the Netherlands. It operates an online platform enabling merchants to accept payments internationally and from all sales channels, such as online shops, mobile payments from applications and Websites, and POS, such as countertops, mobile terminals, tablets and cash registers, among others. The platform covers the entire payment chain, including technical, contractual, reconciliation and settlement processes. The platform is available in the form of ready-to-use payment pages (HPP), application programming interface (API), and client-side encryption solution (EE). The Company's customers include Mango, KLM, Netflix, Superdry, Uber, Groupon and Crocs, among others. It has offices in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, China, Australia, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and the United States.

AZELIS GROUP NV

Bekaert SA

Bekaert is a global technological and market company engaged in advanced solutions based in steel wire transformation and coatings as well as an independent manufacturer of drawn steel wire products. In addition, Co. teams up with customers and suppliers globally to develop, implement, upgrade, and protect both current and future technologies. Co.'s business activities are put in practice along two main axes: Product Innovation and Process Innovation. Product Innovation helps Co. better serve its customers, while Process innovation enables Co. to increase operational effectiveness, minimizing its impact on the environment.

D'Ieteren SA

D'Ieteren is engaged in two sectors of services to the motorist: Automobile Distribution, which is a distributor of Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Porsche, and Yamaha brands in Belgium; and Vehicle Glass, which is engaged in the repair and replacement of vehicle glass mainly in Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand through Belron s.a. and notably its CARGLASS®, AUTOGLASS® and SAFELITE® AUTO GLASS brands.

DEME GROUP NV

FUGRO NV

Melexis NV

Melexis designs, develops, tests and markets advanced integrated circuits primarily for the automotive industry. Co. sells its products to a wide customer base in the automotive, medical and industrial markets in Europe, Asia and North America. Co.'s main products are Hall effect ICs, Pressure and Acceleration Sensors, Sensor Interface ICs, Automotive Systems-on-a-Chip, Embedded Microcontrollers, Bus System Chips, Optical and Infrared sensors. In each case the products are primarily developed for automotive applications and designated lead customers with subsequent use in commercial and industrial applications.

MERUS B V

Royal Vopak NV

Royal Vopak is a holding company. Via its subsidiaries, Co. acts as a tank storage provider for the oil and chemical industry. Co. operates a network of terminals located at locations along trade routes. Co. also provides a range of additional services, from loading and unloading a range of transport modalities to heating, cooling, blending and customs formalities. The customers Co. serves range from global to local clients and include national and global producers, governments, distributors and traders of liquid and gaseous bulk products. Co.'s customers are active in the production, trading and marketing of oil products, chemicals, gases, biofuels, edible oils and liquefied natural gas.

SHURGARD SELF STORAGE LIMITED

Sofina SA

SOFINA is an investment company whose portfolio consists of shareholdings in various companies. Co. manages a portfolio of long-term and short-term investments. Its portfolio comprises investments in companies which are active in sectors such as: Energy and Services (GDF Suez, Suez Environnement, bioMerieux and Exmar); Retail (Colruyt, Delhaize); Consumer goods (Danone, Rapala, B & W Group, and Chapoutier); Satellite operators (SES); Finance Companies (Eurazeo, Caledonia, Luxempart, RAB Capital); Industry (Petit Forestier, Landis + Gyr, Carbone Lorraine and Deceuninck) and Alternative assets (Private equity, Hedge funds).

Warehouses De Pauw SCA

Warehouses De Pauw and its subsidiaries are engaged in investment in the Belgian semi-industrial property market. Co. is a closed-end property investment company which specializes in: development of storage and distribution premises; customized projects in line with the user's request; acquiring premises for customers who wish to engage in sale and leaseback transactions.

Provider
KBC Securities
KBC Securities

We are a financial services provider for several types of professional clients, each with distinct needs.

 

Analysts
Guy Sips

Hilde Van Boxstael

Jacob Mekhael

Kristof Samoy

Livio Luyten

Lynn Hautekeete

Michiel Declercq

Sharad Kumar S.P

Thibault Leneeuw

Thomas Couvreur

Thomas Vranken

Wim Hoste

Wim Lewi

Other Reports on these Companies
Other Reports from KBC Securities
Hilde Van Boxstael ... (+6)
  • Hilde Van Boxstael
  • Jacob Mekhael
  • Michiel Declercq
  • Thomas Vranken
  • Wim Hoste
  • Wim Lewi

ResearchPool Subscriptions

Get the most out of your insights

Get in touch