Time for me to buy more of this 10%-yielding FTSE gem after strong 2023 results?
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FTSE insurer Phoenix Group Holdings (LSE: PHNX) closed 9% increased on 22 March after releasing robust 2023 outcomes.
Despite the fact that yields fall as share costs rise, a dividend improve alongside its outcomes means it’s nonetheless giving a ten% return. It is among the only a few FTSE 100 shares that give such a excessive payout on cash invested in it.
The inventory solely appeared on my radar display screen final March, as monetary shares tumbled on fears of a brand new disaster.
I hadn’t realised that the ten%-yielding firm operated the enormous insurance coverage manufacturers Commonplace Life and SunLife.
I purchased the shares then, and regardless of their latest worth spike I’m contemplating shopping for extra now.
I’m not unduly bothered about shopping for shares which have risen sharply in worth. My solely proviso is that they nonetheless supply vital worth.
The core enterprise is rising stronger
Its 2023 noticed a 13% year-on-year rise in IFRS-adjusted working revenue earlier than tax — to £617m.
This was pushed by a 27% improve in its Pension and Financial savings enterprise. New enterprise web fund flows additionally jumped – by 72% yr on yr to £6.7bn.
Its post-tax IFRS-adjusted loss was £88m, in comparison with £245m the yr earlier than. This 64% discount was the results of improved hedging of its capital place in much less unstable markets.
A reversal of this constructive development stays a danger for the inventory. One other is a brand new international monetary disaster.
Each these are mitigated for my part by the massive money pile constructed by the agency.
This totalled simply over £2bn in 2023, exceeding its already-upgraded goal of £1.8bn. New enterprise long-term money technology was simply over £1.5bn, reaching its 2025 goal two years early.
This big money conflict chest means the corporate ought to be capable of preserve paying excessive dividends with ease. It may also be a serious driver for progress going ahead.
The agency now expects working money technology to rise by round 25% to £1.4bn in 2026. It’s also concentrating on a £900m IFRS-adjusted working revenue by that yr.
Consensus analysts’ expectations are for earnings to develop 47% a yr to end-2026. Earnings per share are additionally anticipated to extend 57% a yr to that time.
Is there nonetheless worth within the shares?
Simply because a inventory has risen in worth, doesn’t imply it has no worth left. It could merely be that the corporate is price greater than it was earlier than. The truth is, it could be price much more than the present share worth displays.
On the important thing price-to-book (P/B) measurement of inventory worth, it trades at simply 1.8. This seems to be superb worth in comparison with the peer group common of three.7.
The identical could be mentioned for its key price-to-sales (P/S) measurement as effectively. Phoenix Group at the moment trades at a P/S of simply 0.3 – the bottom in its peer group, the typical of which is 1.5.
On each key measures there seems to be to be vital worth left within the inventory, regardless of the worth rise.
Will I purchase extra?
I will likely be shopping for extra Phoenix Group shares very shortly for 3 key causes.
First, the enterprise seems to be to me like it’s going from energy to energy. Second, the shares nonetheless look very undervalued in opposition to their friends. And third, the yield is simply unattainable for me to cross up.