Solid State — Significant consensus upgrades

Solid State (LSE: SOLI)

Last close As at 21/11/2024

GBP1.18

−4.50 (−3.69%)

Market capitalisation

GBP68m

More on this equity

Research: Industrials

Solid State — Significant consensus upgrades

Solid State has announced that FY19 results will comfortably exceed previous market expectations on the back of continued strong demand in the Value Added Distribution division and the anticipated recovery in the Manufacturing division materialising. Consensus revenue estimates have risen by 3% and 5% for FY19 and FY20 respectively, and PBT estimates by 25% and 21%. While the share price has responded positively to the news, the shares continue to trade at a substantial discount to peers.

Analyst avatar placeholder

Written by

Industrials

Solid State

Significant consensus upgrades

Technology

QuickView

30 January 2019

Price

365p

Market cap

£31m

Share price graph

Share details

Code

SOLI

Listing

AIM

Shares in issue

8.5m

Business description

Solid State is a high value-add manufacturer and specialist design-in distributor to the electronics industry. It has expertise in industrial/ruggedised computers, electronic components, antennas, microwave systems, secure communications systems and battery power solutions.

Bull

Added-value design capability supports long-term relationships with customers and supports higher margins.

Military and aerospace expertise helped win VPT power conversion solutions franchise.

Pacer acquisition adds to value-added distribution portfolio with little overlap.

Bear

Delays affecting high value-added manufacturing projects for government-funded and major Infrastructure programmes are commonplace.

Revenue development dependent on OEM customers’ sales and marketing activity.

Interest on loan to fund Pacer transaction a drag on profits.

Analyst

Anne Margaret Crow

+44 (0)20 3077 5700

Solid State is a research client of Edison Investment Research Limited

Solid State has announced that FY19 results will comfortably exceed previous market expectations on the back of continued strong demand in the Value Added Distribution division and the anticipated recovery in the Manufacturing division materialising. Consensus revenue estimates have risen by 3% and 5% for FY19 and FY20 respectively, and PBT estimates by 25% and 21%. While the share price has responded positively to the news, the shares continue to trade at a substantial discount to peers.

Strong growth in value-added distribution continues

The strong (13% y-o-y) underlying growth in the Value Added Distribution division noted at the interims has continued into the second half. This is the result of investment two years ago in the sales team, combined with selective expansion of the product portfolio. For example, securing the exclusive VPT franchise, which was announced in April 2018, was key to winning a $3.2m contract for the provision of military-grade power supplies. The integration of Pacer Technologies, which was acquired in November 2018 and added optoelectronic components to the product offer, is progressing well.

H2 manufacturing recovery realised

At the interim stage, management predicted an improved manufacturing revenue performance in the second half based on a group order book at end September that was £29.6m (64% higher than September 2018), of which £18.1m was scheduled for delivery in H219. This improvement has materialised as the division has made the initial deliveries under the contracts totalling £4.3m for battery packs powering warehouse robots and resolved a technical challenge on a high value-added contract enabling product shipment. Importantly, the shift towards higher-margin work, which delivered a 70bp improvement in group gross margin at the interim stage, has been maintained.

Valuation: Trading at a discount to peers

We estimate that c £0.3m of FY19 profits growth is attributable to one-off effects such as FX. Stripping out these one-off effects demonstrates that the group is achieving meaningful year-on-year profits growth, with scope for FY20 upgrades potentially coming from leveraging the Pacer integration and manufacturing contracts. The share price has jumped by 13% on the consensus upgrades. Even so, the shares continue to trade on prospective consensus P/E multiples at a substantial discount to the mean for both our sample of specialist manufacturing companies (10.4x for Solid State vs 17.1x for peers) and our sample of value-added distributors (10.4x vs 14.9x).

Consensus estimates

Year
end

Revenue
(£m)

PBT*
(£m)

EPS*
(p)

DPS
(p)

P/E
(x)

Yield
(%)

03/17

40.0

3.1

31.4

12.0

11.6

3.3

03/18

46.3

3.0

30.9

12.0

11.8

3.3

03/19e

55.0

3.5

35.0

12.2

10.4

3.3

03/20e

68.0

3.5

34.6

12.4

10.5

3.4

Source: Company data, broker consensus. Note: *Adjusted for exceptionals, share-based payments and amortisation of acquisition intangibles.

General disclaimer and copyright

This report has been commissioned by Solid State and prepared and issued by Edison, in consideration of a fee payable by Solid State. Edison Investment Research standard fees are £49,500 pa for the production and broad dissemination of a detailed note (Outlook) following by regular (typically quarterly) update notes. Fees are paid upfront in cash without recourse. Edison may seek additional fees for the provision of roadshows and related IR services for the client but does not get remunerated for any investment banking services. We never take payment in stock, options or warrants for any of our services.

Accuracy of content: All information used in the publication of this report has been compiled from publicly available sources that are believed to be reliable, however we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this report and have not sought for this information to be independently verified. Opinions contained in this report represent those of the Edison analyst at the time of publication. Forward-looking information or statements in this report contain information that is based on assumptions, forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable, and therefore involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of their subject matter to be materially different from current expectations.

Exclusion of Liability: To the fullest extent allowed by law, Edison shall not be liable for any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profits, damages, costs or expenses incurred or suffered by you arising out or in connection with the access to, use of or reliance on any information contained on this note.

No personalised advice: The information that we provide should not be construed in any manner whatsoever as, personalised advice. Also, the information provided by us should not be construed by any subscriber or prospective subscriber as Edison’s solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect, any transaction in a security. The securities described in the report may not be eligible for sale in all jurisdictions or to certain categories of investors.

Investment in securities mentioned: Edison has a restrictive policy relating to personal dealing and conflicts of interest. Edison Group does not conduct any investment business and, accordingly, does not itself hold any positions in the securities mentioned in this report. However, the respective directors, officers, employees and contractors of Edison may have a position in any or related securities mentioned in this report, subject to Edison's policies on personal dealing and conflicts of interest.

Copyright: Copyright 2019 Edison Investment Research Limited (Edison). All rights reserved FTSE International Limited (“FTSE”) © FTSE 2019. “FTSE®” is a trade mark of the London Stock Exchange Group companies and is used by FTSE International Limited under license. All rights in the FTSE indices and/or FTSE ratings vest in FTSE and/or its licensors. Neither FTSE nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the FTSE indices and/or FTSE ratings or underlying data. No further distribution of FTSE Data is permitted without FTSE’s express written consent.

Australia

Edison Investment Research Pty Ltd (Edison AU) is the Australian subsidiary of Edison. Edison AU is a Corporate Authorised Representative (1252501) of Myonlineadvisers Pty Ltd who holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (Number: 427484). This research is issued in Australia by Edison AU and any access to it, is intended only for "wholesale clients" within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 of Australia. Any advice given by Edison AU is general advice only and does not take into account your personal circumstances, needs or objectives. You should, before acting on this advice, consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. If our advice relates to the acquisition, or possible acquisition, of a particular financial product you should read any relevant Product Disclosure Statement or like instrument.

New Zealand

The research in this document is intended for New Zealand resident professional financial advisers or brokers (for use in their roles as financial advisers or brokers) and habitual investors who are “wholesale clients” for the purpose of the Financial Advisers Act 2008 (FAA) (as described in sections 5(c) (1)(a), (b) and (c) of the FAA). This is not a solicitation or inducement to buy, sell, subscribe, or underwrite any securities mentioned or in the topic of this document. For the purpose of the FAA, the content of this report is of a general nature, is intended as a source of general information only and is not intended to constitute a recommendation or opinion in relation to acquiring or disposing (including refraining from acquiring or disposing) of securities. The distribution of this document is not a “personalised service” and, to the extent that it contains any financial advice, is intended only as a “class service” provided by Edison within the meaning of the FAA (i.e. without taking into account the particular financial situation or goals of any person). As such, it should not be relied upon in making an investment decision.

United Kingdom

Neither this document and associated email (together, the "Communication") constitutes or form part of any offer for sale or subscription of, or solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for, any securities, nor shall it or any part of it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or commitment whatsoever. Any decision to purchase shares in the Company in the proposed placing should be made solely on the basis of the information to be contained in the admission document to be published in connection therewith.

This Communication is being distributed in the United Kingdom and is directed only at (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments, i.e. investment professionals within the meaning of Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "FPO") (ii) high net-worth companies, unincorporated associations or other bodies within the meaning of Article 49 of the FPO and (iii) persons to whom it is otherwise lawful to distribute it. The investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to such persons. It is not intended that this document be distributed or passed on, directly or indirectly, to any other class of persons and in any event and under no circumstances should persons of any other description rely on or act upon the contents of this document (nor will such persons be able to purchase shares in the placing).

This Communication is being supplied to you solely for your information and may not be reproduced by, further distributed to or published in whole or in part by, any other person.

United States

The Investment Research is a publication distributed in the United States by Edison Investment Research, Inc. Edison Investment Research, Inc. is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Edison relies upon the "publishers' exclusion" from the definition of investment adviser under Section 202(a) (11) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and corresponding state securities laws. This report is a bona fide publication of general and regular circulation offering impersonal investment-related advice, not tailored to a specific investment portfolio or the needs of current and/or prospective subscribers. As such, Edison does not offer or provide personal advice and the research provided is for informational purposes only. No mention of a particular security in this report constitutes a recommendation to buy, sell or hold that or any security, or that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person

Frankfurt +49 (0)69 78 8076 960

Schumannstrasse 34b

60325 Frankfurt

Germany

London +44 (0)20 3077 5700

280 High Holborn

London, WC1V 7EE

United Kingdom

New York +1 646 653 7026

1,185 Avenue of the Americas

3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036

United States of America

Sydney +61 (0)2 8249 8342

Level 4, Office 1205

95 Pitt Street, Sydney

NSW 2000, Australia

Frankfurt +49 (0)69 78 8076 960

Schumannstrasse 34b

60325 Frankfurt

Germany

London +44 (0)20 3077 5700

280 High Holborn

London, WC1V 7EE

United Kingdom

New York +1 646 653 7026

1,185 Avenue of the Americas

3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036

United States of America

Sydney +61 (0)2 8249 8342

Level 4, Office 1205

95 Pitt Street, Sydney

NSW 2000, Australia

More on Solid State

View All

Latest from the Industrials sector

View All Industrials content

Research: TMT

IQE — Assessment of short-term VCSEL slowdown

IQE’s post-close trading update shows that the short-term dip in production for one of its volume VCSEL programmes had a more severe impact on FY18 performance than management originally estimated. Although we are cutting our FY18 EPS estimate by 10.6%, we note the underperformance compared with management’s guidance given in November appears confined to FY18. Importantly, it does not affect the prospects for photonics growth in the medium term, which are based on multiple VCSEL opportunities. Our revised estimates give an indicative value of 73p/share.

Continue Reading

Subscribe to Edison

Get access to the very latest content matched to your personal investment style.

Sign up for free