Bunzl shares hit record high amid strong earnings and buyback plan

Investing.com -- Shares of Bunzl (LON:BNZL) hit a record high on Tuesday following its interim results and the announcement of a new capital returns framework.

At 4:07 am (0807 GMT), Bunzl was trading 8.5% higher at £3,486.

The company’s results beat expectations across several metrics.

Bunzl’s interim EPS of 90.8p was about 2.5% ahead of consensus expectations, which stood at 88.6p. This exceeded RBC Capital Markets’ estimate of 87.7p and Jefferies’ estimate of 89.0p. 

Revenue for H1 was reported at £5,712m, surpassing the Visible Alpha consensus of £5,689m and RBC’s forecast of £5,726m. 

Adjusted EBITA was £455.5m, also beating consensus and RBC’s expectations.

The company's free cash flow was higher than expected, coming in at £310.4 million. Additionally, it converted nearly all of its operating profit into cash, exceeding its goal of 90%. 

Net debt at the end of June was approximately £1.7bn, translating to an adjusted leverage ratio of 1.5x. This robust balance sheet position has enabled the company to undertake significant capital returns

Bunzl has announced a new plan to invest £700 million annually in acquisitions and potentially return money to shareholders. 

The company has started buying back its own shares worth £250 million, with plans to buy back another £200 million by the end of the year. 

The company increased its interim dividend by 10.4% compared to the previous year. It plans to maintain a dividend payout ratio of approximately 2.65 times its earnings for 2024, with further adjustments expected in 2025. 

“BNZL has a solid long-term track record of self-funded EPS growth and progressive dividend growth, but we currently see the group's heavy B2B2C exposure as relatively unattractive against a backdrop of growing headwinds for consumers (both monetary and fiscal) across many key markets,” said analysts at RBC Capital Markets in a note.

Jefferies noted that the company's earnings and cash flow exceeded expectations, and the share buyback program is a sign of its financial strength and commitment to shareholders. 

RBC Capital Markets emphasized the importance of the new capital allocation policy, which aims to find a balance between acquiring new businesses and returning money to shareholders.

However, RBC Capital Markets also cautioned that while the short-term outlook is positive, the company’s dependence on M&A for growth and the high B2B2C exposure may pose long-term challenges.