Report
Guy Sips ...
  • Kristof Samoy
  • Livio Luyten
  • Michiel Declercq
  • Thibault Leneeuw
  • Thomas Couvreur
  • Wim Hoste
  • Wim Lewi

Dynamic Top Pick List Update October: Removing VGP – Adding Shurgard and Wolters Kluwer

In this October update of our Dynamic Top Pick List we are removing VGP while adding Shurgard and Wolters Kluwer.

Since its recent inclusion in our Dynamic Top Pick List in July-25, VGPs share rose by 10.6%. While we still believe there is significant upside to the share price, we don't see short term catalysts. In fact, the macro picture remains cloudy with the jury still out on the impact of tariffs and the erratic US policy shifts. Also, we are a bit concerned that competition in Western Europe increases after we attended the CTP capital markets day.

We decided to add Shurgard to the Dynamic Top Pick List following the share price weakness since the Lok'nStore (LnS) acquisition (3Q24). We like its economies of scale, increasing revenue from customers, and the continued digitisation of operations. Despite the growth potential, we argue Shurgard is a defensive stock. Shurgard is well positioned to weather any storm.

Last year Wolters Kluwer's share saw an incredible performance based on the one hand from it's stable & predictable business in a volatile environment, and on the other hand from the upside that AI could bring to the business. Since the announcement of the retirement of CEO Nancy McKinstry, there has been a lot of negative sentiment surrounding Wolters Kluwer. Since its all time high mid-February, the stock is down 37% this year. While the AI hype in the beginning of this year brought the WKL share to excessive highs, we believe the more recent negative sentiment is overdone and we include Wolters Kluwer in our Dynamic Top Pick List.

After these changes we maintain a balanced approach in our Dynamic Top Pick List, featuring 8 cyclical and 6 defensive stocks, with a particular emphasis on value stocks that have been overlooked. Our defensive holdings are overweight, including real estate, which stands to benefit from lower interest rates.
In our Benelux selection, we have a 36% exposure to cyclical industrials at attractive valuations, which have often underperformed the market. The technology sector holds a 7% weight in our portfolio. We've observed that some stocks have been significantly impacted by minor setbacks, but these may prove to be more resilient over FY25 as investors seek out undervalued opportunities.
Underlyings
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Anheuser-Busch Inbev is engaged in the brewing of beer. Co. manages a portfolio of well over 200 brands that includes brands such as Budweiser, Stella Artois and Beck's; multi-country brands such as Leffe and Hoegaarden; and other brands such as Bud Light, Skol, Brahma, Quilmes, Michelob, Harbin, Sedrin, Klinskoye, Sibirskaya Korona, Chernigivske and Jupiler. Co. also produces and distributes soft drinks, particularly in Latin America. Co.'s operations are organized along seven business segments: North America, Mexico, Latin America North, Latin America South, Europe, Asia Pacific and Global Export & Holding Companies.

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

EVS Broadcast Equipment SA

EVS Broadcasting Equipment is engaged in the development and marketing of audiovisual equipment relating to the processing of pictures and sound. Co. provides solutions based on tapeless workflows with a consistent modular architecture. Co.'s activities are divided into the following regions: Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and America.

EXOR N.V.

Kinepolis Group NV

Kinepolis Group NV is a Belgium-based company, which is primarily engaged in the operation of cinemas. The Company's activities are divided into such business units, as Box office, In-theatre sales, Business-to-business (B2B), Film distribution and Real Estate. The Box office unit includes sale of the tickets. The In-theatre sales unit is involved in the sale of snacks and related articles. The B2B unit takes care of the organization of corporate events and the sale of screen advertizing to corporate customers. The Film distribution unit includes all activities related to movies showed in the cinema. The Real Estate is responsible for the property management and utilization. Additionally, the Company has a Technical department, which delivers technological support to Kinepolis facilities. The Company is present in Belgium, France, Spain and Poland.

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).

VGP NV

VGP NV is a Belgium-based real estate development company that constructs and develops industrial real estate and ancillary offices, which are rented out to clients on long term lease contracts. The Company operates in three business segments: the Development activities segment is focused on the identification and acquisition of the land and development of the infrastructure, the design of buildings, the coordination of architectural and engineering aspects, the administration to obtain the necessary permits, the tendering and coordination of the construction works, including site management, and the facility management of the real estate portfolio; the Property Management and Leasing services segment is responsible for managing the operation of the buildings, and the Facilities Management services segment is responsible for managing the operation of the buildings and performs all actions, such as maintenance services, waste management services and maintenance greenery, among others.

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.

Wolters Kluwer NV

Wolters Kluwer operates through four divisions: Health is a global provider of information for medical and health professionals; Financial & Compliance Services is a U.S. provider risk management, compliance, finance, and audit professionals the services they need to optimize risk and business performance, and ensure compliance with local, regional, and global regulation; Tax & Accounting is a provider of tax, accounting, and audit information, and services; and Legal & Regulatory provides customers with expert content, software, and services in the areas of law, business, and regulatory compliance in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

Xior Student Housing N.V.

Xior Student Housing NV is a Belgium-based company active in the field of residential Real Estate. The Company's offer is mainly for students and it includes several types of rooms for rent, including a student house in Leiden.

Provider
KBC Securities
KBC Securities

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

 

Analysts
Guy Sips

Kristof Samoy

Livio Luyten

Michiel Declercq

Thibault Leneeuw

Thomas Couvreur

Wim Hoste

Wim Lewi

Other Reports on these Companies
Other Reports from KBC Securities
Guy Sips ... (+7)
  • Guy Sips
  • Hilde Van Boxstael
  • Jacob Mekhael
  • Kristof Samoy
  • Michiel Declercq
  • Thomas Couvreur
  • Wim Lewi

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