DP World: Fundamentals Drive Growth Amid Non-Core Expansion

Equity Research Analyst, Maritime sector, Drewry Maritime Financial Research

Ankush Kathuria CFA, FRM

Equity Research Analyst, Maritime sector

Maritime Sector, Equity & Credit Research

Drewry Maritime Financial Research

With no ties to other players in the shipping, finance or banking world, we provide a uniquely impartial view of the markets and companies we cover. Our parent organization, Drewry is a leading independent provider of research services to the maritime and shipping industry, employing over 100 professionals across an international network of offices in London, Delhi, Singapore and Shanghai. Combining our market-leading resources with seasoned sector expertise DFRS offers a highly differentiated and comprehensive range of investment and financial research services to lenders and prospective investors in publicly listed maritime and shipping companies. The full service of reports, supporting resources and sector orientated webinars provides our clients with the most complete picture of the organisations under coverage as is possible. We have been charting and analysing the world’s maritime markets for more than 40 years. This unrivalled intelligence and understanding provides the foundation of our research service. Our analysts have access to one of the most up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable sources of market insight and research data available today. We look at globally listed companies within the following sectors: Port Operators, Container Shipping, Container Manufacturing & Leasing, LNG Shipping, Dry Bulk Shipping and Tanker Shipping. Combine in-depth sector expertise with financial analysis focusing on over 50 stocks globally.

Equity Bottom-Up

<p>We believe the valuations are cheap as DPW trades at 9.3x EV/EBITDA LTM compared with 12.4x for companies we cover. We estimate 2019 growth will experience low single-digit growth due to a tightened market fraught with emerging competition. The most recent acquisitions of Unifeeder and P&amp;O Ferries reflects the company’s attempt to get closer to cargo owners and offer potential synergies and opportunities for DPW to optimize its business in Europe. While we anticipate a boost in revenue, we believe earnings upside from diversification is limited. Earnings margin will remain flat in 2019 as the company scramble to stomach new business acquisitions which are low-margin in nature.</p>

We believe the valuations are cheap as DPW trades at 9.3x EV/EBITDA LTM compared with 12.4x for companies we cover. We estimate 2019 growth will experience low single-digit growth due to a tightened market fraught with emerging competition. The most recent acquisitions of Unifeeder and P&amp;O Ferries reflects the company’s attempt to get closer to cargo owners and offer potential synergies and opportunities for DPW to optimize its business in Europe. While we anticipate a boost in revenue, we believe earnings upside from diversification is limited. Earnings margin will remain flat in 2019 as the company scramble to stomach new business acquisitions which are low-margin in nature.

DP World

DPW: Sailing Further It Can Row Back