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Based on information launched by Interactive Investor about its purchasers’ preferences, essentially the most purchased FTSE 100 inventory is Taylor Wimpey (LSE:TW.). That is based mostly on trades between 1 January and 25 February, earlier than the housebuilder introduced its newest outcomes.
On 27 February, the group reported 2024 completions (excluding joint ventures) of 9,972, in comparison with 10,356 in 2023. In 2025, it expects to promote 10,400-10,800 properties.
It sounds as if the housing market could be on the flip. However what’s a good worth for the corporate’s shares? Let’s have a look.
An previous favorite
Probably the most in style strategies for assessing whether or not a inventory affords good worth is to make use of the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. A low quantity may very well be proof of an undervalued firm.
Primarily based on a present (10 March) share worth of 114p – and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for 2024 of 8.4p — Taylor Wimpey’s presently buying and selling on a a number of of 13.6 instances its historic earnings.
Is that this low-cost? At first look, it’s exhausting to inform.
Current historical past
The desk beneath reveals its EPS for the previous 5 years and its share worth at shut of buying and selling on the day its annual outcomes have been introduced. This information’s then used to calculated the P/E ratio on the time.
| 12 months | Adjusted EPS (pence) | Share worth on outcomes day (pence) | P/E ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6.5 | 180.5 | 27.8 |
| 2021 | 18.0 | 138.6 | 7.7 |
| 2022 | 19.8 | 116.8 | 5.9 |
| 2023 | 9.9 | 133.9 | 13.5 |
| 2024 | 8.4 | 112.0 | 13.3 |
The end result is a spread of 5.9-27.8. Apply this to the corporate’s 2024 earnings and it may very well be argued {that a} truthful worth for its shares is wherever between 50p and 234p.
Such a big variation isn’t notably helpful, though it’s value noting that the group’s shares are presently buying and selling 20% beneath the mid-point.
Future progress
Trying additional forward, the consensus forecast of analysts is for EPS of 8.99p (2025), 10.58p (2026), and 12.07p (2027). This suggests a powerful three-year common annual progress fee in earnings of 12.1%.
Nevertheless, assuming this continued for the foreseeable future, it might be 2032 earlier than EPS exceeded these of 2022. Because of rising constructing prices, the trade’s now not in a position to command the margins that it did beforehand. For instance, in 2024, Taylor Wimpey’s working margin was 12.2%, in comparison with 20.9% in 2022.
Even when completions return to earlier ranges, I believe it’ll take rather a lot longer for margins to recuperate, if ever. Certainly, when asserting the corporate’s 2024 outcomes, its chief govt warned that prices are nonetheless rising.
However assuming the 2027 forecast proves to be correct, the ahead earnings a number of drops beneath 10. The common for the FTSE 100’s round 15. On this foundation, the shares seem enticing.
One other funding appraisal approach
Lastly, let’s take a look at discounted future money flows. Primarily based on my calculations, this produces a good worth for the corporate of £6.72bn. That is equal to 191p a share, a 66% premium to as we speak’s share worth. It was final at this stage in April 2021.
Though this method is in style with many traders, together with billionaire investor Warren Buffett, the outcomes are extremely delicate to the assumptions being made. However even permitting for a big margin of error, the result does additional assist the concept that Taylor Wimpey’s shares are undervalued in the meanwhile, even when it’s troublesome to find out exactly by how a lot.
That’s why long-term traders might wish to think about including the inventory to their portfolios.
