Market snapshot: airline stocks on radar plus Ashtead results

UK markets had little to go on in opening trade, after Wall Street was closed on Monday and Asian markets were mixed with understandably low trading volumes overnight.

Even so, the premier index managed some early gains with the airline sector in focus. Pleasing numbers from Ryanair read across to British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (LSE:IAG), while Rolls-Royce Holdings (LSE:RR.) played down any material impact from its engine use following a component failure on a Cathay Pacific flight.

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Elsewhere, Hikma Pharmaceuticals (LSE:HIK) gained on a broker upgrade, while Rightmove (LSE:RMV) took a breather following yesterday’s reported potential bid from REA Group of Australia.

The initial strength means that the FTSE100 has now added 8.4% so far this year, and is around 0.8% shy of the record level it previously set in May. Getting over this line has proved difficult to achieve over recent weeks, with the more recent strength of sterling against the dollar providing a headwind for an index whose constituents derive a large proportion of their revenues from overseas and the US in particular.

Ashtead Group Q1

Ashtead Group (LSE:AHT) has grown revenues in the latest quarter, reaffirmed its full-year guidance and reiterated its confidence in future prospects for the group.

The company derives some 85% of its revenues from the US, and the patchy record of the construction sector has provided a headwind. Even so, the group reported a rise of 2% in revenues for the first three months of its financial year and a 7% increase in rental revenues, the latter of which was propelled by 6% growth in the US unit. Other key metrics could lead to some disappointment, however, with a decline of 2% in operating profit and of 7% in adjusted pre-tax profit.

Ashtead remains a group which selectively grows by bolt-on acquisitions, last year adding 26 new units and another two so far this year. Of course, this increases the group’s presence in its vital US market but this also comes at a cost.

Net debt now stands at $10.76 billion as compared to $9.68 billion last year, and the attached increase in financing costs has had an impact on overall profitability. In addition, factors outside of the group’s control such as customer bankruptcies, strikes and natural events such as hurricanes which impact demand hire are a constant threat.

Even so, the increase of mega projects in the US where the group can provide specialised equipment augurs well for prospects, and the ongoing investment in the business provides new opportunities and income streams. Margins of over 49% are also extremely comfortable, leading to a dividend which has been increased for more than 15 consecutive years, albeit providing a relatively paltry yield of 1.5%.

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The company has been at the centre of speculation for some considerable time that it could switch its listing to the US, from where the vast majority of its revenues and profits derive. Ashtead maintains that it reviews its capital structure regularly, including its listing domicile, but for the moment the group remains a constituent of the FTSE100, thus avoiding another blow to a premier index which has seen a slow exodus of major corporates.

The share price over the last five years has risen by 134%, but more recently progress has been pedestrian. Over three years the shares have given up 8% and, over the last year, have fallen by 3% as compared to a gain of 12% for the wider FTSE100.

Nonetheless, the group’s presence and strength in the world’s major economy is one which keeps growth prospects firmly intact, and the market consensus of the shares as a 'buy' is likely to be consolidated further given the warm share price reaction to this latest update.