We reiterate our BUY and DKK12,900 target price despite the stock rising 10% since 27 April. We expect Maersk to increase its guidance and consensus to rise after the Q1 results (due at 08:00 CET on 17 May). We are 16% above Q1 EBITDA consensus. Latin America rates (21% of Ocean volumes) rose 45% YOY in Q1.
We believe the company could be about to raise its guidance, as our new proprietary Xeneta-based Maersk container rate model points to a QOQ rate rise in Q1. This is explained largely by a 33% QOQ increase in our Latin America container index, which includes the main trade routes of Hamburg Süd. We reiterate our BUY and DKK12,900 target price, noting recent share price weakness.
Takeaways from DNB Markets’ 11th Oil, Offshore and Shipping conference following panel debates in Tankers, Dry bulk, LNG and LPG. Scrapping is viewed as important for freight improvements, but like “putting down the family dogâ€. We are either at the bottom or early recovery, according to the panellists.
DNB Markets hosted a roadshow for A. P. Møller Mærsk (Maersk) in Oslo today, 27 February. Our key takeaway is that the large implied valuation discount for Maersk Line relative to Hapag Lloyd would be unjustified should Maersk deliver on its restoration of profitability.
We reiterate our BUY but have trimmed our target price to DKK12,900 (DKK13,200) after lowering our 2018e net profit by 11% to bring potential Hamburg Süd synergies in 2018 in line with the guidance. In our view the weak share price reaction could be explained by synergies getting off to a slow start combined with a subdued 2018 market outlook, a view we do not share.
We would still be buyers ahead of the CMD as it could be a catalyst explaining the earnings potential into 2018 and illustrating our point that 2018 guidance is too conservative, as the upper end of range could be met without any container market improvement in our view. We reiterate BUY with a DKK13,200 target price.
Maersk is set to report its Q4 results on Friday 9 February at 08.00 CET. We believe Q4 is less relevant than guidance for 2018 and that consensus is too conservative, expecting only ¼ of Maersk Line recovery in 2018 versus 2017. We reiterate BUY, while our target price is cut to DKK13,200 (14,600).
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