Entering 2025 with a strong portfolio

Mixed upside potential, despite market recovery expectations

Pent-up demand and falling interest rates remain the backbone for newbuild recovery expectations. However, as the recovery has not yet started, property developers screen as the most attractive long-term, but visibility remains mixed. Diversified construction companies are more attractive on near-term P/Es, although many seem to be fully valued on solid share-price performance over the past six months. We maintain a neutral sector view; NCC and Skanska are our top picks.

Veidekke (Hold, TP: NOK160.00) - Seasonal low despite mild winter

Q1 is typically the low season for Veidekke on Nordic winter effects and a seasonal EBIT margin decline in the Infrastructure division (including asphalt). Despite the mild winter in the Nordics in Q1, we expect the positive impact to be limited as weather effects tend to affect Q4 more than Q1. We expect zero EPS for Q1. We reiterate our HOLD and NOK160 target price.

Oncopeptides (Buy, TP: SEK2.00) - Softer-than-expected earnings

Although Q4 earnings were weaker than we expected, operating expenses were higher (partly due to borderline one-off costs; R&D-related for an EMA facility inspection). We have lowered our sales forecasts for Pepaxti in Europe. However, we believe 2025 will be important for the company, as sales should start to ramp up in Italy and Spain. We reiterate our BUY, but have reduced our target price to SEK2.0 (2.5).

Q4 report: weak upward trend

Veidekke (Hold, TP: NOK160.00) - DPS beat, but valuation getting fair

The reported Q4 EPS was 5% below our forecast, but 3% above when adjusted for a Swedish goodwill write-down. The company proposed a NOK9 DPS for 2024, given its strong net cash position. We have made minor forecast changes, but as we publish 2027 estimates, we have rolled forward our valuation, and raised our target price to NOK160 (155) but downgraded to HOLD (BUY).

Better orders

Headline figures and dividend above

Q4e: Improving market outlook

Construction markets at the bottom

Wide peer valuation range on market recovery expectations

Various waves of expectations for a recovery in newbuild markets have led to volatility in the sector, but an upwards share-price trend overall. Although we still await proof the new-volume market (both residential and commercial) is recovering, consensus is fuelled by falling rates. However, trailing profits under IFRS valuations are record-wide. We maintain a neutral sector view and stock-picking approach.

Veidekke (Buy, TP: NOK155.00) - Above consensus on Q4e EBIT

We are 5% above consensus EBIT and 6% above on EPS, assuming broadly flat EBIT margins YOY. Given Veidekke’s solid cash position, we continue to expect a high DPS ratio and attractive EV/EBIT. We expect M&A to be a key catalyst that could boost EBIT and EPS in 2025. We reiterate our BUY and have raised our target price to NOK155 (140) on updated peer valuation.

Oncopeptides (Buy, TP: SEK2.50) - Germany leads Q3 sales miss

Q3 sales were roughly half the level we expected – admittedly from a small base, but still a concern for us, since the miss was led by Germany, with much slower growth than recently. However, operating expenses were also less than we forecast, leaving an operating loss of SEK61m, a fraction better than our cSEK-63m. End-Q3 cash was SEK250m, which the company said would see it to positive cash flow in 2026e. We reiterate our BUY but have cut our target price to SEK2.5 (4.5) on increased uncertain...

Steady and strong performance

Veidekke (Buy, TP: NOK140.00) - Q3 revenues below, EPS above

While Q3 revenues missed expectations, higher order intake than expected left the order backlog 10% above our estimate. Despite lower volumes, the EBIT margin beat our forecast, led by the Norwegian Infrastructure division, particularly its portfolio of large civil engineering orders and the asphalt operations. We reiterate our BUY and have raised our SOTP-based target price to NOK140 (135).

Q3 report: weak Germany weighs on sales

Sound performance, small beat, outlook better

Margins holding up despite lower production

KPIs and profits reflect cycle-lows

While the sector has rallied on expectations of a recovery in Nordic CRE and residential starts, there are no signs of an actual recovery yet. With our base case still for a gradual sales recovery in 2026, our longer-term estimates remain below consensus, reflecting slow profit-recognition under IFRS – the latter also underlies our expectation of declining revenues and EBIT YOY in Q3 for several names we cover. Our sector top picks are still Skanska, NCC and Veidekke, while we see downside risk ...

Veidekke (Buy, TP: NOK135.00) - Mixed Q2, 2024–2026e EPS raised

The Q2 results were mixed, with revenues and order intake below our forecasts, EBITDA in line, and EBIT and EPS above. We have reduced our 2024–2026e revenue, but raised EPS by c2–3% on strong EBIT margins. We reiterate our BUY and NOK135 target price.