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.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Since the GFC, the global port operators have been under-performing the MSCI world index. The divergence has increased in the last 18 months and is now reaching an extreme. Does this make the sector a buy? We believe the industry dynamics are changing and the sector is pricing in  a structural slowdown in global trade. The growth industry has matured and is now more akin to valuations given to a utilities business i.e. P/E compression is in play despite still strong margins and earnings. We believe that ports sector on a macro basis is moving from a growth stock to a value stock which commands stable but lower P/E.  Wider implications for this would be the investor profile for the ports will change as more value investors get in and growth investors move away. We expect Chinese operators to get aggressive on M&amp;A and cheapest valuation in the sector in years on account of structural weakness to drive M&amp;A.

Since the GFC, the global port operators have been under-performing the MSCI world index. The divergence has increased in the last 18 months and is now reaching an extreme. Does this make the sector a buy? We believe the industry dynamics are changing and the sector is pricing in  a structural slowdown in global trade. The growth industry has matured and is now more akin to valuations given to a utilities business i.e. P/E compression is in play despite still strong margins and earnings. We believe that ports sector on a macro basis is moving from a growth stock to a value stock which commands stable but lower P/E.  Wider implications for this would be the investor profile for the ports will change as more value investors get in and growth investors move away. We expect Chinese operators to get aggressive on M&amp;A and cheapest valuation in the sector in years on account of structural weakness to drive M&amp;A. 

Port Operators - Valuations Downshift on Structural Changes

Last year saw a record amount of container-ship capacity hit the water. We take a look at which operators accepted delivery and which trades they deployed them in. Record delieveries, record maximum ship size.  Last year was full of records in the container shipping industry, but unfortunately for carriers they were mostly of the unwanted variety. One such record (made by bad by virtue of the second worst ever demand growth) was a record intake of new ships. There were 209 new ships that hit the…

Last year saw a record amount of container-ship capacity hit the water. We take a look at which operators accepted delivery and which trades they deployed them in. Record delieveries, record maximum ship size.  Last year was full of records in the container shipping industry, but unfortunately for carriers they were mostly of the unwanted variety. One such record (made by bad by virtue of the second worst ever demand growth) was a record intake of new ships. There were 209 new ships that hit the…

Container Shipping - 2015 Full of Records, Big Ships, Super Size Me and It Ain't Over Yet

Reasonable port valuation supports M&amp;A activities<figure class="editor-figure"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/005/443/original/ports5.JPG?1454570524" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="5443"></figure>Note: Market-weighted EV/EBITDA ticked higher from FY14 level of 14.8x to 15.0x Source: Bloomberg, DMER<figure class="editor-figure"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/005/444/original/ports6.JPG?1454570793" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="5444"></figure> Source: Company, DMER• As the global trade growth moderates, we expect significant volatility to persist in the year ahead. Port companies with sturdy balance sheet will be favoured over growth companies. Debt servicing ratio is expected to trend lower on higher interest and faltering earnings. Therefore, we look for terminal operators with…

Reasonable port valuation supports M&amp;A activitiesNote: Market-weighted EV/EBITDA ticked higher from FY14 level of 14.8x to 15.0x Source: Bloomberg, DMER Source: Company, DMER• As the global trade growth moderates, we expect significant volatility to persist in the year ahead. Port companies with sturdy balance sheet will be favoured over growth companies. Debt servicing ratio is expected to trend lower on higher interest and faltering earnings. Therefore, we look for terminal operators with…

Global Port Operators - Reasonable Valuation Supports M&A Activities

Intensifying concerns about China as it registered its slowest growth since 1990 set the tone for a roller-coaster ride in 2016. The largest emerging country expanded 6.9%y/y in 2015, prompting the IMF to slash its global growth forecast for the third time in less than a year. Drewry Port Index fell 14% in the first three weeks of trading. The divergence between MSCI World and Drewry Port Index is the greatest since January 2015, pointing to a value buy for the port index compared with a year ago.

Intensifying concerns about China as it registered its slowest growth since 1990 set the tone for a roller-coaster ride in 2016. The largest emerging country expanded 6.9%y/y in 2015, prompting the IMF to slash its global growth forecast for the third time in less than a year. Drewry Port Index fell 14% in the first three weeks of trading. The divergence between MSCI World and Drewry Port Index is the greatest since January 2015, pointing to a value buy for the port index compared with a year ago.

Port Operators 2016 - Sieve Out Value Companies Amid Slowing Trade Growth

Ominous start to the year for container shipping with Drewry forecasting container shipping profitability to deteriorate in 2016. Ocean freight rates for cargo moving under contracts on the major East-West trade routes witnessing another reduction in the last quarter of 2015, according to Drewry’s Benchmarking Club, a closed user group of multinational retailers and manufacturers who closely monitor their contract freight rates. The Drewry Benchmarking Club Contract Rate Index, based on Trans…

Ominous start to the year for container shipping with Drewry forecasting container shipping profitability to deteriorate in 2016. Ocean freight rates for cargo moving under contracts on the major East-West trade routes witnessing another reduction in the last quarter of 2015, according to Drewry’s Benchmarking Club, a closed user group of multinational retailers and manufacturers who closely monitor their contract freight rates. The Drewry Benchmarking Club Contract Rate Index, based on Trans…

2016 - Washout Year for Container Shipping

Hong Kong

NWS Holdings Limited operates businesses under three main divisions: Service, Infrastructure, and Ports. Its Service division comprises facilities, contracting, transport, financial, and environmental. The Infrastructure portfolio includes roads and bridges, energy, and water treatment and waste management. Its port division includes container handling, logistics, and warehousing.

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Nws Holdings (659 HK)

Port Operators - Valuations Downshift on Structural Changes

Since the GFC, the global port operators have been under-performing the MSCI world index. The divergence has increased in the last 18 months and is...

Drewry Maritime Financial Research

Container Shipping - 2015 Full of Records, Big Ships, Super Size Me and It Ain't Over Yet

Last year saw a record amount of container-ship capacity hit the water. We take a look at which operators accepted delivery and which trades they...

Drewry Maritime Financial Research

Global Port Operators - Reasonable Valuation Supports M&A Activities

Reasonable port valuation supports M&A activitiesNote: Market-weighted EV/EBITDA ticked higher from FY14 level of 14.8x to 15.0xSource:...

Drewry Maritime Financial Research

Port Operators 2016 - Sieve Out Value Companies Amid Slowing Trade Growth

Intensifying concerns about China as it registered its slowest growth since 1990 set the tone for a roller-coaster ride in 2016. The largest...

Drewry Maritime Financial Research

2016 - Washout Year for Container Shipping

Ominous start to the year for container shipping with Drewry forecasting container shipping profitability to deteriorate in 2016. Ocean freight...

Drewry Maritime Financial Research

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