Fresh Del Monte Looks Ripe For The Picking At 0.64x Book Value

Cameron Smith, CFA
2.99K Followers

Summary

  • Earnings at Fresh Del Monte have been under pressure in recent quarters due to cost pressure, leaving the company trading near 52-week lows and only 0.64x book value.
  • The company's current 2.44% dividend yield needs to be taken into perspective with the 2.0% average share repurchase rate over the past decade for a total shareholder yield of 4.44%.
  • Fresh Del Monte is a great hedge to inflation with its 61,000 acres of owned plantations and +125 year history.
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Shares of Fresh Del Monte (NYSE:FDP) are looking ripe for the picking near 52-week lows and trading at 0.64x book value. Earnings at the company have been under pressure in recent quarters due to significantly higher input costs

This article was written by

2.99K Followers
Through always enjoying the concepts of value creation and business management it has allowed me to explore potential investments at an academic and strategic level. My investment ideas are presented through two sides; with the most important being financial performance and the second most important being valuation. In my opinion, if a company does not meet certain financial criteria, a valuation of that company can only mean something if you are investing in the senior debt at best or if you are purely speculating at worst. Focusing on return on invested capital (ROIC), I classify potential investments as either long-term/indefinite investments, medium-term investments, or value traps. 1) Long-term/Indefinite: ROIC of greater than 9% and able to grow intrinsic value 2) Medium-term: ROIC of 6 – 9% and able to maintain intrinsic value. 3) Value Traps: ROIC of less than 6% and not able to meet their cost of capital My investing philosophy stems from Warren Buffett’s focus on long-term moats and value creation while expanding to include potential growth opportunities from the approach of Peter Lynch. At heart, I am a long-term investor that looks to buy value opportunities at a 30 per cent discount to intrinsic value with the potential to earn over 9 per cent return on equity (ROE) adjusted for the equity value per share that is paid at purchase. I believe growth is always a subjective variable but can be estimated through a product of retained earnings and the companies return on equity given the variability of both in the past decade.Disclaimer: While the information and data presented in my articles are obtained from company documents and/or sources believed to be reliable, they have not been independently verified. The material is intended only as general information for your convenience, and should not in any way be construed as investment advice. I advise readers to conduct their own independent research to build their own independent opinions and/or consult a qualified investment advisor before making any investment decisions. I explicitly disclaim any liability that may arise from investment decisions you make based on my articles.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of FDP either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

I have a long position in FDP at an average cost base of $24.61. While the information and data presented in my articles are obtained from company documents and/or sources believed to be reliable, they have not been independently verified. The material is intended only as general information for your convenience, and should not in any way be construed as investment advice. I advise readers to conduct their own independent research to build their own independent opinions and/or consult a qualified investment advisor before making any investment decisions. I explicitly disclaim any liability that may arise from investment decisions you make based on my articles.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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