Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Our weight of the evidence approach continues to lead us to our view that the market remains mixed-yet-constructive overall. We explain our outlook below. The S&amp;P 500 remains bullish, progressing past our first target of 4350 and now on its way to our next target of 4400-4406. As long as 4257-4275 support holds, we expect to see 4400 followed by 4460. Should 4257 fail to hold, our next support levels to watch would be 4164 followed by 4120; we are constructive as long as 4120 holds.

Our weight of the evidence approach continues to lead us to our view that the market remains mixed-yet-constructive overall. We explain our outlook below. The S&amp;P 500 remains bullish, progressing past our first target of 4350 and now on its way to our next target of 4400-4406. As long as 4257-4275 support holds, we expect to see 4400 followed by 4460. Should 4257 fail to hold, our next support levels to watch would be 4164 followed by 4120; we are constructive as long as 4120 holds.

U.S. Equity Strategy: SPX 4400 Target In Sight

Amid the prolonged 5G rollout, various industry groups have had their time to shine. Today we explain why we believe the cell towers are next to benefit, and we recommend adding exposure at current levels.

Amid the prolonged 5G rollout, various industry groups have had their time to shine. Today we explain why we believe the cell towers are next to benefit, and we recommend adding exposure at current levels.

Cell Tower Stocks Turning The Corner -- Buy AMT, SBAC, and CCI

European Event-Driven Analyst

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Event-Driven

Telxius, a subsidiary of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/telefonica-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21299:1" rel="noopener">Telefonica SA (TEF SM)</a> (50% Telefonica, 40% KKR, 10% Pontegadea) reached an agreement with Boston-based <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/american-tower-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6365:1" rel="noopener">American Tower (AMT US)</a> to sell its entire tower unit (30,722 sites across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Peru and Spain).
<ul>
<li>The EV is €7.7 bn including the remaining payments to be done by Telxius to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/telefonica-deutschland-holding" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21687:1" rel="noopener">Telefonica Deutschland Holding (O2D GR)</a> to complete the German transaction.</li>
<li>The price is 30.x EBITDA, above the usual 23x.</li>
<li>Telefónica will reduce its debt by €4.6 bn, 12.5% of the total.</li>
<li>Debt reduction and pending corporate operations provide the group with sufficient liquidity to maintain its commitment to shareholders for the time being.</li>
</ul>
In the current context, Telefonica focuses on the management of FCF to preserve the payment of the dividend, by reducing investments. The dividend remains at €0.4 per share and debt, one of the group's main drawbacks, fell c.15% LTM. In the long term, the potential for structural growth is low, competition high, and room to maneuver limited. The current environment makes it difficult to sell non-strategic assets at adequate prices and questions the sustainability of the dividend.
<h3>Recommendation</h3>
Telefonica: DCF valuation is €4.2 (Capital IQ consensus, WACC 6.4%, g 0.3%).
<ul>
<li>The sale of Telxius may support market expectations for a potential acceleration in the execution of the strategic reshuffle announced by management, thus leading to a re-rating of the company.</li>
<li>But there are risks: slower deleverage, lower economic growth in Spain (24% of EBITDA), macro deterioration and currency depreciations in Central and South America (c. 15% of EBITDA). Positive surprises may come from further disposals at high multiples thus leading to faster deleverage, better than expected economic growth in Central and South America and a reduction of the (so far unsustainable) dividend.</li>
</ul>
Cellnex, reiterate TP of €64.36. Cellnex could become the object of a take-over.

Telxius, a subsidiary of Telefonica SA (TEF SM) (50% Telefonica, 40% KKR, 10% Pontegadea) reached an agreement with Boston-based American Tower (AMT US) to sell its entire tower unit (30,722 sites across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Peru and Spain).

The EV is €7.7 bn including the remaining payments to be done by Telxius to Telefonica Deutschland Holding (O2D GR) to complete the German transaction.
The price is 30.x EBITDA, above the usual 23x.
Telefónica will reduce its debt by €4.6 bn, 12.5% of the total.
Debt reduction and pending corporate operations provide the group with sufficient liquidity to maintain its commitment to shareholders for the time being.

In the current context, Telefonica focuses on the management of FCF to preserve the payment of the dividend, by reducing investments. The dividend remains at €0.4 per share and debt, one of the group's main drawbacks, fell c.15% LTM. In the long term, the potential for structural growth is low, competition high, and room to maneuver limited. The current environment makes it difficult to sell non-strategic assets at adequate prices and questions the sustainability of the dividend.
Recommendation
Telefonica: DCF valuation is €4.2 (Capital IQ consensus, WACC 6.4%, g 0.3%).

The sale of Telxius may support market expectations for a potential acceleration in the execution of the strategic reshuffle announced by management, thus leading to a re-rating of the company.
But there are risks: slower deleverage, lower economic growth in Spain (24% of EBITDA), macro deterioration and currency depreciations in Central and South America (c. 15% of EBITDA). Positive surprises may come from further disposals at high multiples thus leading to faster deleverage, better than expected economic growth in Central and South America and a reduction of the (so far unsustainable) dividend.

Cellnex, reiterate TP of €64.36. Cellnex could become the object of a take-over.

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cellnex-telecom-sau" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21258:1" rel="noopener">Cellnex Telecom Sau (CLNX SM)</a> has closed a transformational operation, valued at around €10 bn, which has allowed it to reach over 103,000 telecommunications towers (vs. the prior 73,000) and strengthen its leadership position in Europe. The company has met its expansion objectives, even earlier than planned (December 2021). A capital increase has not been necessary, although it has run out of ammunition for future acquisitions.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of the purchase. It represents an earthquake in the European market for telecommunications towers, which now has a colossus, far away from any other potential European player.
<ul class="">
<li>Since its IPO in 2015, Cellnex has invested c. €26 bn in acquisitions.</li>
<li>After the pact, Cellnex's footprint extends to twelve countries. Spain (where Cellnex is based), with its 11,000 towers, is now only the fifth market in number of towers (and represents only 10% of the total footprint) behind Italy (24,500) , United Kingdom (14,700), France (13,700) and Poland (11,900).</li>
<li>This operation is unique due to its size and transformative nature: it involves raising the number of towers by 41%, revenue by 46% and backlog by up to 63%, long-term insured revenue.</li>
</ul>
A capital increase was not strictly necessary to purchase the Hutchison Towers. The company had cash available of more than €8 bn. However, the net debt/EBITDA approaches 6x and therefore Cellnex runs out of ammunition for future acquisitions. I do not rule out that Cellnex pays future purchases with its own shares.
Taking an average of DCF valuation and multiples, my TP is €64.36 per share, which implies an upside of 20% to the last closing price. Therefore my recommendation is LONG Cellnex.
<ul>
<li>The dividend yield is low because Cellnex is in an accelerated expansionary phase. However, the generation of recurring cash implies a profitability of more than 5% as of 2022e.</li>
</ul>

Cellnex Telecom Sau (CLNX SM) has closed a transformational operation, valued at around €10 bn, which has allowed it to reach over 103,000 telecommunications towers (vs. the prior 73,000) and strengthen its leadership position in Europe. The company has met its expansion objectives, even earlier than planned (December 2021). A capital increase has not been necessary, although it has run out of ammunition for future acquisitions.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of the purchase. It represents an earthquake in the European market for telecommunications towers, which now has a colossus, far away from any other potential European player.

Since its IPO in 2015, Cellnex has invested c. €26 bn in acquisitions.
After the pact, Cellnex's footprint extends to twelve countries. Spain (where Cellnex is based), with its 11,000 towers, is now only the fifth market in number of towers (and represents only 10% of the total footprint) behind Italy (24,500) , United Kingdom (14,700), France (13,700) and Poland (11,900).
This operation is unique due to its size and transformative nature: it involves raising the number of towers by 41%, revenue by 46% and backlog by up to 63%, long-term insured revenue.

A capital increase was not strictly necessary to purchase the Hutchison Towers. The company had cash available of more than €8 bn. However, the net debt/EBITDA approaches 6x and therefore Cellnex runs out of ammunition for future acquisitions. I do not rule out that Cellnex pays future purchases with its own shares.
Taking an average of DCF valuation and multiples, my TP is €64.36 per share, which implies an upside of 20% to the last closing price. Therefore my recommendation is LONG Cellnex.

The dividend yield is low because Cellnex is in an accelerated expansionary phase. However, the generation of recurring cash implies a profitability of more than 5% as of 2022e.


Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/u-s-elections-and-esg-impacts-on-people-planet-and-profit" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:42655" rel="noopener">U.S. Elections and ESG: Impacts on People, Planet… and Profit</a>, I discussed major universally-relevant implications of the 2020 U.S. elections from an ESG and Triple Bottom Line perspective, and using the three TBL pillars for structure: 1) Environmental, 2) Social and Governance, and 3) Economic. That report was a deep dive, but nonetheless largely stayed on the macro level.
This Insight is one of several regionally-focused reports analysing the U.S. elections – candidates, their policy positions, and implications of evolving election outcome scenarios – on a more micro plane. Specifically, implications for regional markets, sectors, and stocks based on the policies of the Democrat and Republican tickets in conjunction with Congressional election result scenarios.
Consider this the inaugural report for North America-focused coverage of the 2020 elections. It will be updated, and more importantly built upon, over the next two months (all elections are held on 3 November) as significant events unfold. This initial report lays the basic foundation for that future coverage. In particular, it addresses the following topics (which also approximate an outline):
<ul>
<li>Overview of major policy proposals or plans for U.S. and Canadian markets, sectors, and stocks</li>
<li>U.S. and Canadian sectors/stocks that benefit/lose from Biden climate and infrastructure plans</li>
<li>U.S. and Canadian sectors/stocks that benefit/lose from Biden corporate tax policies and hikes</li>
<li>High-level summary of the most consequential points addressed in the aforementioned Insight</li>
</ul>

In U.S. Elections and ESG: Impacts on People, Planet… and Profit, I discussed major universally-relevant implications of the 2020 U.S. elections from an ESG and Triple Bottom Line perspective, and using the three TBL pillars for structure: 1) Environmental, 2) Social and Governance, and 3) Economic. That report was a deep dive, but nonetheless largely stayed on the macro level.
This Insight is one of several regionally-focused reports analysing the U.S. elections – candidates, their policy positions, and implications of evolving election outcome scenarios – on a more micro plane. Specifically, implications for regional markets, sectors, and stocks based on the policies of the Democrat and Republican tickets in conjunction with Congressional election result scenarios.
Consider this the inaugural report for North America-focused coverage of the 2020 elections. It will be updated, and more importantly built upon, over the next two months (all elections are held on 3 November) as significant events unfold. This initial report lays the basic foundation for that future coverage. In particular, it addresses the following topics (which also approximate an outline):

Overview of major policy proposals or plans for U.S. and Canadian markets, sectors, and stocks
U.S. and Canadian sectors/stocks that benefit/lose from Biden climate and infrastructure plans
U.S. and Canadian sectors/stocks that benefit/lose from Biden corporate tax policies and hikes
High-level summary of the most consequential points addressed in the aforementioned Insight


U.S. Elections and ESG: Impacts on People, Planet… and Profit (North America)

United States

American Tower Corp. is a real estate investment trust that owns, operates, and develops wireless communications and broadcast towers in the United States. The Company leases antennae sites on multi-tenant towers for a diverse range of wireless communications industries, including personal communications services, paging, and cellular.

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American Tower (AMT US)

U.S. Equity Strategy: SPX 4400 Target In Sight

The S&P 500 remains bullish, progressing past our first target of 4350 and now on its way to our next target of 4400-4406. As long as 4257-4275...

Vermilion Research

Cell Tower Stocks Turning The Corner -- Buy AMT, SBAC, and CCI

Amid the prolonged 5G rollout, various industry groups have had their time to shine. We explain why we believe the cell towers are next to benefit,...

Vermilion Research

Telefonica's Disposal of Telxius

Telefonica manages FCF to preserve the divi, by reducing investments. Debt fell c.15% LTM. Structural growth potential is low, competition high,...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Cellnex's Transformational Acquisition

The purchase represents an earthquake in European telco towers. An average of DCF and multiples gives a TP of €64.36 per share, which implies an...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

U.S. Elections and ESG: Impacts on People, Planet… and Profit (North America)

In U.S. Elections and ESG: Impacts on People, Planet… and Profit, I discussed major universally-relevant implications of the 2020 U.S. elections...

Kyle Rudden

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