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Investing.com -- Halma (LON:HLMA) Plc’s stock rose more than 3% on Thursday following a trading update that reaffirmed its full-year guidance and included an upgrade to its adjusted operating margin forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2025.
The British global group of safety equipment companies now expects EBIT margins to be "modestly above" 21%, an increase from its prior guidance of around 21%.
The company reported that year-to-date order intake has grown year-over-year and remains above revenues, suggesting a positive book-to-bill ratio.
Cash conversion is expected to be strong for the full year. Halma also indicated that it remains on track to achieve good organic constant currency revenue growth.
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) described the update as "reassuring," highlighting that Halma is seeing "modest consensus upgrades in an uncertain macro backdrop," which underscores the resilience of its business model.
The better-than-expected margin performance has been driven by portfolio mix and operational execution.
Additionally, a strong free cash flow position supports the continuation of Halma’s acquisition strategy over the next 12 months.
Jefferies analysts also noted the solid update, expecting a 2% increase in consensus EBITA due to the stronger-than-expected margin performance.
They pointed out that all three of Halma’s divisions outperformed expectations, with order intake continuing to exceed both revenue and prior-year levels.
However, they noted the absence of explicit guidance beyond FY25 and observed that the company’s M&A activity has been relatively subdued compared to previous years, with only £158 million spent on seven acquisitions year-to-date, significantly lower than the £397 million in FY23 and £299 million in FY24.
Morgan Stanley has raised its price target for Halma shares to £27 from a previous target of £25.40, citing stronger operating performance. Its updated 2025 EBIT forecast is now 2% ahead of consensus, with projected EBITA growth of 2.1% in 2025/26 and 0.6% in 2026/27, factoring in currency exchange headwinds.
Halma has completed acquisitions across its three core sectors, including MK Test Systems Limited, G.F.E. – Global Fire Equipment S.A., Advantronic Systems S.L., RemLive Limited, Hathorn Corporation, Lamidey Noury Medical (TASE:BLWV) SAS, and Safe-Com Wireless LLC.
Morgan Stanley noted that Halma’s valuation remains elevated compared to sector peers, trading at a 38% premium to the capital goods sector on a 2026 EV/EBITA basis.
However, this premium is below historical levels, which have averaged closer to 50%. The firm expects Halma’s organic growth to average 7% annually between 2024 and 2028, aligning it with other high-growth industrial companies.
Despite facing a £29 million foreign exchange headwind to revenue, Halma’s upgraded margin guidance and strong order book position it well for continued growth.
"From an operational perspective, there is very little to pick at," Morgan Stanley stated in its note, underscoring the company’s consistent execution in growth, margins, and cash generation.
Jefferies analysts, however, maintained an "underperform" rating on Halma, citing concerns over valuation and the lower level of M&A activity relative to prior years, which they argue could impact long-term inorganic growth.