Source : CIMB Research
Starburst Holdings Ltd - Stopping bullets home and away
1H14 profit (~S$9m) has already exceeded FY13’s (~S$8.7m) on the back of contract wins that will carry on to CY15. A recent IPO was meant to gather funds to double its production capacity. (Annual capacity pre-IPO is ~S$40m revenues). Also, being listed does not hurt its credibility when tendering for larger contracts either. We believe earnings for FY14 could be almost double FY13’s.
Order book growth spurt
Secured orders will safely allow Starburst to recognise another S$17m revenue for 2H14 (1H: ~$21.5m). Actual revenues is likely higher as there is a maintenance element from previous contracts. The key is not current orders but what’s up for grabs. Starburst reckons that it is in the running for 10 contracts in the next 2-3 years, worth ~S$100m. Also, we speculate that with actual contract sizes tripling (~S$30m vs. ~S$10m in 2010-11), the initial guide could be breached. With an industry-wide infrastructure upgrade trickling steadily down to the company, we think the order book will remain strong for the next 1-2 years.
Middle East is the star
The company had its track record forged in servicing Singapore clients. The home base still has work to do as ranges are being upgraded to cope with new threats. But, the bonus is the Middle East market. In 2013, it established an office in Abu Dhabi after winning its first Middle East contract earlier, and also, in recognition of potential orders in the region. Order wins in Qatar, UAE and Kuwait are possible but the big upside is potential work in Saudi Arabia.
Fair value estimates
We value Starburst on a 7.6x – 10.1x CY15 P/E basis, which means that it could trade at S$0.87 – S$1.16. This is at a 20-40% discount to global peers, recognising the relatively small size of Starburst vis-à-vis global players.
Key catalysts for the stock are:
1) the regional upgrade in defence infrastructure,
2) breaking into the Saudi Arabia market and
3) as a potential target for acquisition by larger defence contractors.
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