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25 Jan 2021
Coca-Cola Hellenic : FY20 results preview (11 Feb) - Buy

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Coca-Cola Hellenic : FY20 results preview (11 Feb) - Buy
AB INBEV (ABI:EBR), 0 | Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (ABI:BRU), 0 | Coca-Cola HBC AG (CCH:LON), 3,890 | Reckitt Benckiser (Bangladesh) PLC (RECKITTBEN:DHA), 0 | Reckitt Benckiser Group plc (RKT:LON), 4,988
- Published:
25 Jan 2021 -
Author:
Alicia Forry, CFA -
Pages:
6 -
We expect the volume recovery will have stalled in Q4 following the introduction of additional restrictions in many markets in response to the new COVID variants. After organic volumes were +1% in Q3, we now assume Q4 organic volumes will be -0.7%, with price/mix deteriorating again (due to lower margin off-trade channel mix) to -1.9%. Hence we expect Q420E organic sales -2.6% and FY20E organic sales -7.7%. For FY21E, we expect organic volumes to rebound to +6% on easy comps, with price/mix +4% (easy comps and Poland sugar tax effect) and organic sales +10%. Restrictions are likely to last through most of Q1, we think – though this is normally the smallest quarter.
The Emerging segment should once again outperform Established and Developing, as there have been less restrictions in the key Emerging markets of Nigeria and Russia during Q4. CCH has continued to take share in Nigeria.
Our FY20E EBIT forecast is €609.8m (OM 9.9%, -90bps y-o-y) and our FY21E EBIT is €688.8m (OM 10.6%, +69bps y-o-y). The new tax on sugar in Poland is unlikely to lead to any material impact on EBIT, and the possible disruption from the sugar tax in Italy is now a non-issue for 2021 as implementation has been delayed.
We await details of the CFO appointment, as well as any possible strategic update from the recently appointed COO (a newly created position within the group). The pace of further bottling consolidation is uncertain, but the recent CCEP/Coke Amatil deal suggests nothing is impossible – even in the middle of a global pandemic. There are bottling assets in Africa that could be attractive for CCH to own eventually. In the meantime, CCH’s geographic footprint should deliver above sector average growth, and we believe a premium rating is warranted.