Digital Transformation And E-commerce Will Drive Future Success

Key Takeaways

• Strategic real estate optimization and operational model review focus resources on high-potential areas, enhancing future capital deployment and earnings.
  
• Continued investment in price competitiveness and digital transformation supports market share growth, higher margins, and improved operational efficiencies.
  
• Competitive pressure in Europe, currency fluctuations in Brazil and Argentina, and strategic risks threaten Carrefour's revenue, profitability, and earnings stability.

Catalysts

Engages in the operation of stores that offer food and non-food products in various formats and channels in France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Romania, Brazil, and Argentina, as well as in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

• Carrefour's strategic review of its portfolio, including its operational models and real estate assets, aims to optimize resource allocation and focus on high-potential areas. This could lead to more efficient capital deployment and potentially enhance earnings in the future.
  
• The continued investment in price competitiveness in key markets like France, Spain, and Brazil is expected to boost market share and revenue growth through increased customer attraction and retention.
  
• Carrefour's digital transformation and focus on e-commerce, with an 18% growth to €6 billion in GMV, coupled with private label expansion, could drive higher margins due to the typically better profitability of online channels and private label products.
  
• The strategic acquisition of the remaining shares in Carrefour Brazil is aimed at consolidating market leadership and leveraging a strong growth trajectory. This supports revenue and earnings growth as synergies and operational efficiencies are realized.
  
• Substantial cost reduction initiatives, aiming for €1.2 billion in annual savings, combined with ongoing investments in logistics and store revamping, are designed to enhance operational efficiencies and improve net margins.

Carrefour Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• Analysts are assuming Carrefour's revenue will grow by 1.7% annually over the next 3 years.
• Analysts assume that profit margins will increase from 0.8% today to 1.6% in 3 years time.
• Analysts expect earnings to reach €1.5 billion (and earnings per share of €1.99) by about February 2028, up from €723.0 million today. The analysts are largely in agreement about this estimate.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 8.2x on those 2028 earnings, down from 11.2x today. This future PE is greater than the current PE for the GB Consumer Retailing industry at 5.7x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 2.62% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 9.84%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

Carrefour Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• The company reported a decrease in consumption volumes in the French market, which could lead to stagnant or declining revenues.
  
• Competitive markets in Europe, including Poland and Italy, and the need for continuous price investments, could pressure net margins and profitability.
  
• The depreciation of the Brazilian real and Argentine peso have negatively impacted the company's earnings, and ongoing currency fluctuations present further financial risk.
  
• Disposals and working capital contributions are not guaranteed for the future, bringing uncertainty to the sustainability of free cash flow and potential net income growth.
  
• The strategic review of activities, while aimed at focusing the business, carries risks of potential disruption or misalignment with market expectations, which could impact earnings stability.

Valuation

• The analysts have a consensus price target of €15.182 for Carrefour based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of €21.7, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just €11.0.
  
• In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be €91.7 billion, earnings will come to €1.5 billion, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 8.2x, assuming you use a discount rate of 9.8%.
  
• Given the current share price of €12.51, the analyst price target of €15.18 is 17.6% higher.
  
• We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.