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.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<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

<div><div><div><div><ul><li>March 2024 was a good month for Manawa Energy (MNW), electricity demand, and solar developers. It wasn’t such a good month for EV dealers.</li><li>MNW was the strongest performing electricity stock in March 2024 following its guidance upgrade.</li><li>Strong electricity demand growth continues and now appears to be a trend which is positive for medium-term pricing, although continued big falls in solar panel prices will help offset some of those pricing effects. </li></ul></div></div></div></div>

March 2024 was a good month for Manawa Energy (MNW), electricity demand, and solar developers. It wasn’t such a good month for EV dealers.MNW was the strongest performing electricity stock in March 2024 following its guidance upgrade.Strong electricity demand growth continues and now appears to be a trend which is positive for medium-term pricing, although continued big falls in solar panel prices will help offset some of those pricing effects. 

Power Points - Demand Is Trending Upwards — April 2024

<div><div><div><div><ul><li>Quarterly reports released in February 2024 from the wind turbine manufacturers suggest prices are starting to ease, which would be welcome news for wind developers.</li><li>1H24 results reported by the big four generator/retailers contained few surprises but did highlight ongoing opex and consenting challenges, with opex generally negatively surprising and delays to several projects.</li><li>Generator/retailer share prices generally remain elevated, in particular Mercury (MCY) which is trading just short of record highs. </li></ul></div></div></div></div>

Quarterly reports released in February 2024 from the wind turbine manufacturers suggest prices are starting to ease, which would be welcome news for wind developers.1H24 results reported by the big four generator/retailers contained few surprises but did highlight ongoing opex and consenting challenges, with opex generally negatively surprising and delays to several projects.Generator/retailer share prices generally remain elevated, in particular Mercury (MCY) which is trading just short of record highs. 

Power Points -  Wind Regaining Its Puff? — March 2024

<ul><li>For the first time in three years we are moving our WACC assumptions down.</li><li>This is driven by a modestly lower (-25 bps) interpolated 10-year interest rate assumption; our proxy for the risk free rate.</li><li>We also incorporate our C&amp;ESG ratings into our WACC assumptions. We do this on an overall neutral basis, with a scale of -25 bps to +25 bps added to the cost of equity. </li></ul>

For the first time in three years we are moving our WACC assumptions down.This is driven by a modestly lower (-25 bps) interpolated 10-year interest rate assumption; our proxy for the risk free rate.We also incorporate our C&amp;ESG ratings into our WACC assumptions. We do this on an overall neutral basis, with a scale of -25 bps to +25 bps added to the cost of equity. 

Equity Strategy - WACC Review; a Lower Rfr and Adding C&ESG

<ul><li>January 2024 saw a good top-up of hydro lakes, easing near-term hydro generation concerns, strong electricity demand growth and EV sales collapsing to pre-Clean Car Discount levels.</li><li>Share price performance was subdued, with two stocks outperforming and three underperforming.</li><li>We continue to view the sector as expensive with the Electricity Authority’s (EA) generation development survey indicating more solar projects are being built (or are about to be built) than has been publicly announced, suggesting a short-term overbuild risk is real.</li></ul>

January 2024 saw a good top-up of hydro lakes, easing near-term hydro generation concerns, strong electricity demand growth and EV sales collapsing to pre-Clean Car Discount levels.Share price performance was subdued, with two stocks outperforming and three underperforming.We continue to view the sector as expensive with the Electricity Authority’s (EA) generation development survey indicating more solar projects are being built (or are about to be built) than has been publicly announced, suggesting a short-term overbuild risk is real.

Power Points - Clean Car Discount Cuts Sales—February 2024

New Zealand

Meridian Energy Ltd. operates as a state-owned electricity generator. The Company produces hydro-electric power and supplies electricity to residential, business, and rural customers. Meridian Energy provides services throughout New Zealand.

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Meridian Energy (MEL NZ)

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

Power Points - Wind Regaining Its Puff? — March 2024

Quarterly reports released in February 2024 from the wind turbine manufacturers suggest prices are starting to ease, which would be welcome news...

Forsyth Barr

Equity Strategy - WACC Review; a Lower Rfr and Adding C&ESG

For the first time in three years we are moving our WACC assumptions down. This is driven by a modestly lower (-25 bps) interpolated 10-year...

Forsyth Barr

Power Points - Clean Car Discount Cuts Sales—February 2024

January 2024 saw a good top-up of hydro lakes, easing near-term hydro generation concerns, strong electricity demand growth and EV sales collapsing...

Forsyth Barr

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