Tax, investments and pension rules can change over time so the information
below may not be current. This article was correct at the time of
publishing, however, it may no longer reflect our views on this topic.
Barratt Developments - strong first half performance
No news or research item is a personal recommendation to deal. All investments can fall as well as rise in value so you could get back less than you invest.
Barratt Developments has delivered a strong first half performance. Total completions were up by 9.4% in the period and total average selling prices increased by 10.8% to c. £254k. Average net private reservations per active site per week increased to 0.66 (2014: 0.58).
The land market remains attractive and the group continues to secure "excellent" reinvestment opportunities, with £558.7m of land approved for purchase in the period.
Barratt has confidence in the full year outlook, with total forward sales up 20.0% on the prior year and market conditions remaining favourable. The group continues to target a minimum gross margin of 20% and minimum return on capital employed of 25% by FY17, along with on-going cash returns to shareholders over the next two years.
The shares rose by 1% in early morning trading.
Our view:
Barratt Developments is enjoying strong volumes and rising selling prices, whilst the forward order book provides good visibility. The group is in excellent shape and is throwing of cash, with plans to return in the order of £667m in ordinary and special dividends by November 2017.
The housing market is currently being supported by rising disposable incomes, low mortgage rates and government schemes such as Help-to-Buy, which are encouraging more people onto the housing ladder. Changes announced in the Autumn Statement (alluded to by Barratt Developments in its half year trading update) should provide further support. George Osborne plans to invest almost £7 billion on measures to help people, especially first-time-buyers, purchase their own home; including an extension of the Help to Buy programme through to 2021.
Land price inflation is running at modest levels, with the government keen to open up further land for development, in recognition of the UK's chronic housing shortage. This is supporting margins, cash flows and returns of capital to shareholders.
With the house building sector trading at significant premium to book value, share prices are likely to be vulnerable if the housing market were to hit a rough patch. For now, market conditions look set to remain favourable, especially whilst the Bank of England is at such pains to stress that interest rates will only rise gently over the next few years.
This article is not advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any investment. No view is given on the present or future value or price of any investment, and investors should form their own view on any proposed investment. This article has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and is considered a marketing communication. Non-independent research is not subject to FCA rules prohibiting dealing ahead of research, however HL has put controls in place (including dealing restrictions, physical and information barriers) to manage potential conflicts of interest presented by such dealing. Please see our full non-independent research for more information.
The information on this website is not intended to be advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any investment mentioned. No view is given as to the present or future value or price of any investment, and investors should form their own view in relation to any proposed investment.
Any information which could be construed as “investment research“ has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication.
The research material provided on our website is not an offer to buy or sell any of the stocks mentioned. Hargreaves Lansdown accepts no responsibility for any use made of these comments and for any consequences that may result. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided and consideration has not been given to the personal circumstances of any investor. Therefore any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk and must assess the suitability of any investment for their own personal circumstances and individual investment objectives. It is not a personal recommendation.
Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of any research material we do not seek to take advantage of it before it is provided to our clients. We aim to establish and maintain and operate effective organisational and administrative arrangements with a view to taking all reasonable steps to prevent conflicts of interest from constituting or giving rise to a material risk of damage to the interests of our clients (including restrictions on dealing for writers of equity commentary).
Hargreaves Lansdown Fund Managers Ltd (HLFM) manages funds that may hold investments which are the subject of commentary prepared and published by other parts of the Hargreaves Lansdown group. Accordingly, appropriate organisational and administrative controls (including physical and information barriers, known as “Chinese Walls“) are in place between different parts of our business, including our marketing and fund management functions, in order to manage these potential conflicts of interest. For more information please see our Conflicts of Interest policy. HLFM currently manages three funds which hold individual equity securities. Details of the significant shareholdings held by these funds can be found here for the HL Select UK Growth Shares fund, here for the HL Select UK Income Shares fund and here for the HL Select Global Growth Shares fund. Hargreaves Lansdown (Nominees) Limited holds individual securities as nominee on behalf of underlying clients of Hargreaves Lansdown, and does not exercise control over or hold the beneficial ownership of these securities.
We do not intend to provide recommendations to buy, sell or hold particular investments, nor do we provide price targets. Our opinions on particular investments (and the facts underlying them) are valid as at the date of publication, but can change at any time, and we may not update our views on any particular investment on a regular basis. Accordingly such opinions and facts may become outdated or obsolete after the date of publication.
Issued by Hargreaves Lansdown Asset Management Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA Register number 115248, see FCA register for registration details) and registered in England and Wales No 1896481. Registered office: 1 College Square South, Anchor Road, Bristol BS1 5HL.