Key Insights
- The projected fair value for Melisron is ₪286 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity
- Melisron's ₪270 share price indicates it is trading at similar levels as its fair value estimate
- Peers of Melisron are currently trading on average at a 165% premium
Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Melisron Ltd. (TLV:MLSR) as an investment opportunity by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward.
We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.
View our latest analysis for Melisron
The Model
We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.
Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:
10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast
2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 | 2033 | |
Levered FCF (₪, Millions) | ₪1.11b | ₪1.20b | ₪1.27b | ₪1.34b | ₪1.39b | ₪1.44b | ₪1.48b | ₪1.52b | ₪1.56b | ₪1.59b |
Growth Rate Estimate Source | Est @ 10.92% | Est @ 8.21% | Est @ 6.31% | Est @ 4.99% | Est @ 4.06% | Est @ 3.41% | Est @ 2.95% | Est @ 2.63% | Est @ 2.41% | Est @ 2.25% |
Present Value (₪, Millions) Discounted @ 11% | ₪993 | ₪965 | ₪921 | ₪868 | ₪811 | ₪753 | ₪696 | ₪641 | ₪590 | ₪541 |
("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)
Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = ₪7.8b
After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 1.9%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 11%.
Terminal Value (TV)= FCF2033 × (1 + g) ÷ (r – g) = ₪1.6b× (1 + 1.9%) ÷ (11%– 1.9%) = ₪17b
Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= ₪17b÷ ( 1 + 11%)10= ₪5.8b
The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is ₪14b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of ₪270, the company appears about fair value at a 5.6% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind.
Important Assumptions
The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Melisron as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 11%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.564. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.
SWOT Analysis for Melisron
- Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows.
- Earnings declined over the past year.
- Interest payments on debt are not well covered.
- Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Real Estate market.
- Current share price is below our estimate of fair value.
- Lack of analyst coverage makes it difficult to determine MLSR's earnings prospects.
- Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow.
Next Steps:
Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Melisron, we've compiled three pertinent elements you should further examine:
- Risks: To that end, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with Melisron (including 1 which can't be ignored) .
- Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!
- Other Environmentally-Friendly Companies: Concerned about the environment and think consumers will buy eco-friendly products more and more? Browse through our interactive list of companies that are thinking about a greener future to discover some stocks you may not have thought of!
PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Israeli stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.
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Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
About TASE:MLSR
Acceptable track record second-rate dividend payer.