DexCom earnings beat by $0.03, revenue topped estimates
On Monday, Barclays initiated coverage on shares of HEICO (NYSE:HEI), a prominent manufacturer of aerospace parts, with an Equal Weight rating and a price target of $250. The firm's analysis suggests that HEICO's growth is expected to moderate as the aerospace aftermarket slows down, potentially leading to a reduction in its valuation premium, which has been over 50%.
HEICO's stock has doubled since late 2020 but has not kept pace with its aerospace industry peers. Barclays forecasts that HEICO's Flight Support Group (FSG) organic growth will likely slow down as the aftermarket decelerates, particularly due to its lesser involvement with the increase in aftermarket activities related to LEAP and GTF engines.
Despite having benefited from robust growth in the aerospace aftermarket in recent years, HEICO's FSG revenue growth, averaging 22% since mid-2021, has trailed its peers by an average of 300 basis points. The firm anticipates high single-digit revenue growth and a 150 basis point expansion of EBIT margin to 23% for HEICO, along with deleveraging following the Wencor acquisition, which could result in approximately 15% growth in earnings per share (EPS) and free cash flow (FCF).
Barclays' EPS and FCF estimates for fiscal years 2025-2026 are slightly above the Bloomberg consensus. However, they expect HEICO's growth in these areas to be on par with its less expensive peers such as GE, HWM (BMV:HWM), and TDG.
The analyst notes that HEICO trades at the highest valuation metrics among large aerospace companies, currently at 50 times consensus next twelve months (N12M) price-to-earnings (P/E), 29 times enterprise value to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EV/EBITDA), and has a 2.3% free cash flow yield. Despite this, the premium has decreased as HEICO's growth rate relative to its peers has lessened.
In other recent news, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKa) has made significant investment moves by acquiring new stakes in Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) and Heico, while reducing its stake in Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). The company now owns approximately 690,000 shares of Ulta Beauty and about 1.04 million shares of Heico. Meanwhile, Berkshire Hathaway sold off $77.2 billion worth of stocks in the second quarter, including a significant reduction in its Apple holdings.
Analysts from Jefferies and Stifel have raised their price targets for Heico ahead of its third fiscal quarter results, maintaining a positive outlook for the company. Jefferies has set a new price target of $275, up from $255, while Stifel raised its target to $250. Both firms anticipate strong earnings performance from Heico.
BofA Securities also raised its price target for Heico from $220 to $250, citing strong demand for the company's products and an expanding market presence. The company's recent performance has demonstrated significant year-over-year organic growth in aftermarket replacement parts, with a 21% increase.
Lastly, Heico Corporation has declared an increased semiannual cash dividend of $0.11 per share, marking a 10% rise from the previous dividend. This decision comes as a result of the company's robust performance and a positive future outlook.
InvestingPro Insights
As HEICO (NYSE:HEI) navigates the evolving aerospace market landscape, real-time data from InvestingPro provides a comprehensive view of the company's financial health and market position. With a market capitalization of $28.85 billion, HEICO is trading at a high earnings multiple, with a P/E ratio of 58.22, reflecting its premium valuation in the market. This aligns with the Barclays' observation of HEICO's high valuation metrics relative to its industry peers.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that HEICO has raised its dividend for 7 consecutive years and maintained dividend payments for 49 consecutive years, showcasing its commitment to shareholder returns. The company also boasts a robust revenue growth of 41.13% over the last twelve months as of Q2 2024, which could be a testament to its resilience and ability to innovate. Moreover, analysts predict that HEICO will remain profitable this year, with a solid profit margin over the last twelve months, reinforcing the company's financial stability.
HEICO's stock has experienced a 1-year price total return of 46.56%, indicating strong market performance. The company's ability to sustain dividends and generate growth amidst market fluctuations may offer reassurance to investors. For those interested in deeper analysis, InvestingPro offers further insights with additional InvestingPro Tips available at https://www.investing.com/pro/HEI, providing valuable information for making informed investment decisions.
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