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) delivered a solid 1Q26, comfortably ahead of 1Q25, mainly due to its acquisition of Manawa Energy (MNW).</li><li>With further opportunities as MNW continues to be integrated into the business and synergies are realised; a favourable near-term outlook supported by above-average hydro storage; and long-term appeal from its high-quality development pipeline, CEN remains our preferred pick in the sector.</li><li>September 2025 rounded out a solid 1Q26, with EBITDAF of NZ$283m, +25% ahead of the challenging 1Q25 (albeit CEN performed the best of the generator-retailers in 1Q25).</li></ul>

Contact Energy (CEN) delivered a solid 1Q26, comfortably ahead of 1Q25, mainly due to its acquisition of Manawa Energy (MNW).With further opportunities as MNW continues to be integrated into the business and synergies are realised; a favourable near-term outlook supported by above-average hydro storage; and long-term appeal from its high-quality development pipeline, CEN remains our preferred pick in the sector.September 2025 rounded out a solid 1Q26, with EBITDAF of NZ$283m, +25% ahead of the challenging 1Q25 (albeit CEN performed the best of the generator-retailers in 1Q25).

Contact Energy Outlook Uplift After Solid 1Q26

<ul><li>Contact Energy (CEN) delivered a strong FY25 result despite the challenging hydro conditions prevalent throughout the year, in line with expectations.</li><li>The focus for FY26 is on integrating Manawa Energy (MNW) into the business and realising the synergies.</li><li>The only disappointment was capex rising faster than expected, leading to a modest reduction in our target price.</li></ul>

Contact Energy (CEN) delivered a strong FY25 result despite the challenging hydro conditions prevalent throughout the year, in line with expectations.The focus for FY26 is on integrating Manawa Energy (MNW) into the business and realising the synergies.The only disappointment was capex rising faster than expected, leading to a modest reduction in our target price.

Contact Energy Managing The Hydro Curveball—FY25 Result

<ul>
<li>Contact Energy (CEN) has finished FY25 well, and we calculate EBITDAF will be consistent with CEN’s NZ$790m guidance.</li>
<li>Better hydro inflows and increased geothermal generation reduced the need to run thermal generation, lowering CEN’s 4Q25 cost of generation.</li>
<li>CEN’s key challenge for FY26 is integrating Manawa Energy (MNW) into the business and extracting the synergy benefits—the transaction was completed on 11 July 2025.</li>
</ul>


Contact Energy (CEN) has finished FY25 well, and we calculate EBITDAF will be consistent with CEN’s NZ$790m guidance.
Better hydro inflows and increased geothermal generation reduced the need to run thermal generation, lowering CEN’s 4Q25 cost of generation.
CEN’s key challenge for FY26 is integrating Manawa Energy (MNW) into the business and extracting the synergy benefits—the transaction was completed on 11 July 2025.


Contact Energy Good Finish to FY25, Work Ahead for FY26

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>Hydro storage has recovered above the long-run average, benefiting all generators, with Mercury (MCY) being the biggest winner in June 2025.</li><li>Regulatory uncertainty looms, but is not expected to materially affect valuations, with MCY rated OUTPERFORM and others NEUTRAL.</li><li>Genesis Energy (GNE) is considering a new peaking plant, with discussions progressing positively to extend the Rankine units' operational life.</li></ul>

Hydro storage has recovered above the long-run average, benefiting all generators, with Mercury (MCY) being the biggest winner in June 2025.Regulatory uncertainty looms, but is not expected to materially affect valuations, with MCY rated OUTPERFORM and others NEUTRAL.Genesis Energy (GNE) is considering a new peaking plant, with discussions progressing positively to extend the Rankine units' operational life.

Power Points Watts in the Bank—July 2025

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/contact-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13136:1" rel="noopener">Contact Energy (CEN NZ)</a> is acquiring <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/manawa-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35969:1" rel="noopener">Manawa Energy Ltd (MNW NZ)</a> for NZ$1.12/share in cash and 0.583 <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/contact-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13136:1" rel="noopener">Contact Energy</a> shares for each share of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/manawa-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35969:1" rel="noopener">Manawa Energy</a>.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/manawa-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35969:1" rel="noopener">Manawa Energy (MNW NZ)</a> is expected to stop trading after the close on 7 July. There will be passive inflows for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/contact-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13136:1" rel="noopener">Contact Energy (CEN NZ)</a> due to increased index shares.</li>
<li>As a replacement for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/manawa-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35969:1" rel="noopener">Manawa Energy Ltd (MNW NZ)</a>, there will be an ad hoc inclusion to the S&amp;P/NZX 50 Index at the close of 7 July.</li>
</ul>



Contact Energy (CEN NZ) is acquiring Manawa Energy Ltd (MNW NZ) for NZ$1.12/share in cash and 0.583 Contact Energy shares for each share of Manawa Energy.

Manawa Energy (MNW NZ) is expected to stop trading after the close on 7 July. There will be passive inflows for Contact Energy (CEN NZ) due to increased index shares.
As a replacement for Manawa Energy Ltd (MNW NZ), there will be an ad hoc inclusion to the S&amp;P/NZX 50 Index at the close of 7 July.


Contact Energy/Manawa Energy: Index Flows as Deal Nears Completion

New Zealand

Manawa Energy Limited is a renewable energy company. The Company generate powers through hydro power stations and wind farms throughout Australasia. Manawa Energy is also engaged in electricity distribution.

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Manawa Energy Ltd (MNW NZ)

Contact Energy Outlook Uplift After Solid 1Q26

Contact Energy (CEN) delivered a solid 1Q26, comfortably ahead of 1Q25, mainly due to its acquisition of Manawa Energy (MNW).

Forsyth Barr

Contact Energy Managing The Hydro Curveball—FY25 Result

Contact Energy (CEN) delivered a strong FY25 result despite the challenging hydro conditions prevalent throughout the year, in line with expectations.

Forsyth Barr

Contact Energy Good Finish to FY25, Work Ahead for FY26

CEN’s key challenge for FY26 is integrating Manawa Energy (MNW) into the business and extracting the synergy benefits—the transaction was completed...

Forsyth Barr

Power Points Watts in the Bank—July 2025

Hydro storage has recovered above the long-run average, benefiting all generators, with Mercury (MCY) being the biggest winner in June 2025.

Forsyth Barr

Contact Energy/Manawa Energy: Index Flows as Deal Nears Completion

Manawa Energy is expected to stop trading after 7 July. There will be an increase in index shares for Contact Energy in global/local indices and...

Brian Freitas

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Market Cap (USDm)

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