New Zealand Professional Investment Services Firm, Forsyth Barr

Forsyth Barr

New Zealand Professional Investment Services Firm

We are proud to be a New Zealand owned firm, with 21 offices throughout the country and over 300 employees. We assist personal, institutional and corporate clients providing a full range of investment services.

Forsyth Barr is a foundation New Zealand Exchange firm (NZX) and accredited market participant. We have been confirmed by the Financial Markets Authority as a Qualifying Financial Entity (QFE).

Research is the cornerstone of our advice. We have one of New Zealand's leading teams of analysts. Our global affiliations ensure comprehensive research coverage of all major investment markets.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Contact Energy (CEN) is close to fully commissioning its 174MW Tauhara geothermal plant, the first in a series of what we expect to be four geothermal investments in the next six years.</li><li>We expect strong earnings growth over the next two financial years as a result, with FY24 expectations boosted by better than expected guidance.</li><li>We have lifted our FY24 EBITDAF forecast +5% to NZ$675m. CEN has also dropped strong hints that it will lift its FY24 dividend if NZAS stays.</li></ul>

Contact Energy (CEN) is close to fully commissioning its 174MW Tauhara geothermal plant, the first in a series of what we expect to be four geothermal investments in the next six years.We expect strong earnings growth over the next two financial years as a result, with FY24 expectations boosted by better than expected guidance.We have lifted our FY24 EBITDAF forecast +5% to NZ$675m. CEN has also dropped strong hints that it will lift its FY24 dividend if NZAS stays.

Contact Energy - Building a Head of Steam — FY23 Result

<ul><li>We calculate that Contact Energy (CEN) finished FY23 with a record monthly EBITDAF of NZ$83m, although that was boosted by a significant one-off gain and an abnormally low LWAP/GWAP ratio.</li><li>CEN is also making an accounting change that will boost reported EBITDAF a further ~+NZ$22m to NZ$575m, however, from our perspective, we will continue to treat market making gains and losses as operating earnings.</li><li>With little change to later forecasts, we leave our target price unchanged at NZ$8.30 at retain our NEUTRAL rating.</li></ul>

We calculate that Contact Energy (CEN) finished FY23 with a record monthly EBITDAF of NZ$83m, although that was boosted by a significant one-off gain and an abnormally low LWAP/GWAP ratio.CEN is also making an accounting change that will boost reported EBITDAF a further ~+NZ$22m to NZ$575m, however, from our perspective, we will continue to treat market making gains and losses as operating earnings.With little change to later forecasts, we leave our target price unchanged at NZ$8.30 at retain our NEUTRAL rating.

Contact Energy: One-Off Gains - June 2023 Op Stats

<ul><li>New FY27 targets highlight earnings growth and development goals: CEN’s revised targets show it is generally on track to achieve the FY26 goals set out two years ago and that it can do more.</li><li>Capex growth the only negative: The only negative we took from the day was higher SIB capex (up +NZ$50m in the FY24–FY26 period) and Te Mihi upgrade costs increasing ~+10% (+NZ$75m) on our old assumption.</li><li>April 2023 operating result was strong, points to CEN meeting FY23 EBITDAF guidance</li></ul>

New FY27 targets highlight earnings growth and development goals: CEN’s revised targets show it is generally on track to achieve the FY26 goals set out two years ago and that it can do more.Capex growth the only negative: The only negative we took from the day was higher SIB capex (up +NZ$50m in the FY24–FY26 period) and Te Mihi upgrade costs increasing ~+10% (+NZ$75m) on our old assumption.April 2023 operating result was strong, points to CEN meeting FY23 EBITDAF guidance

Contact Energy: Outlook Building Nicely — 2023 Investor Day

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>Electricity demand growth has continued to surge, helping to keep wholesale electricity prices elevated despite the welcome top-up of hydro storage lakes that now sit close to average.</li><li>It was also a good month for NZAS, with the spike in aluminium prices a timely boost as Rio Tinto closes in on making a decision over the future of the smelter.</li><li>Following our report Demanding Some Attention — Sector Upgraded published 29 April 2024, which lifted sector target prices on average +18%, we upgraded the rating of three stocks. </li></ul>

Electricity demand growth has continued to surge, helping to keep wholesale electricity prices elevated despite the welcome top-up of hydro storage lakes that now sit close to average.It was also a good month for NZAS, with the spike in aluminium prices a timely boost as Rio Tinto closes in on making a decision over the future of the smelter.Following our report Demanding Some Attention — Sector Upgraded published 29 April 2024, which lifted sector target prices on average +18%, we upgraded the rating of three stocks. 

Power Points - Demand Powers On — May 2024

<ul><li>We are more positive on the long-term outlook for the electricity sector and upgrade Contact Energy (CEN) to OUTPERFORM and Meridian Energy (MEL) and Manawa Energy (MNW) to NEUTRAL.</li><li>Driving the more positive outlook of the sector is a view that wholesale electricity prices are likely to be higher than previously thought.</li><li>Factors behind the assumption change include stronger near-term electricity demand growth requiring more high cost baseload thermal generation for longer and the need to build generation projects higher up the demand stack. </li></ul>

We are more positive on the long-term outlook for the electricity sector and upgrade Contact Energy (CEN) to OUTPERFORM and Meridian Energy (MEL) and Manawa Energy (MNW) to NEUTRAL.Driving the more positive outlook of the sector is a view that wholesale electricity prices are likely to be higher than previously thought.Factors behind the assumption change include stronger near-term electricity demand growth requiring more high cost baseload thermal generation for longer and the need to build generation projects higher up the demand stack. 

Electricity Sector  - Demanding Some Attention — Sector Upgraded

New Zealand

Contact Energy Limited is a diversified and integrated energy company which focuses on the generation of electricity and the sale of electricity and gas in New Zealand.

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Contact Energy (CEN NZ)

Contact Energy - Building a Head of Steam — FY23 Result

Contact Energy (CEN) is close to fully commissioning its 174MW Tauhara geothermal plant, the first in a series of what we expect to be four...

Forsyth Barr

Contact Energy: One-Off Gains - June 2023 Op Stats

We calculate that Contact Energy (CEN) finished FY23 with a record monthly EBITDAF of NZ$83m, although that was boosted by a significant one-off...

Forsyth Barr

Contact Energy: Outlook Building Nicely — 2023 Investor Day

Contact Energy’s (CEN) 2023 investor day canvassed familiar topics and updated FY26 targets to new FY27 targets and in general, CEN is achieving...

Forsyth Barr

Power Points - Demand Powers On — May 2024

Electricity demand growth has continued to surge, helping to keep wholesale electricity prices elevated despite the welcome top-up of hydro storage...

Forsyth Barr

Electricity Sector - Demanding Some Attention — Sector Upgraded

We are more positive on the long-term outlook for the electricity sector and upgrade Contact Energy (CEN) to OUTPERFORM and Meridian Energy (MEL)...

Forsyth Barr

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