IRC 2015 - Lille

41
CFA Institute Research Challenge Hosted by Local Challenge CFA France Université Lille 2/SKEMA

Transcript of IRC 2015 - Lille

Page 1: IRC 2015 - Lille

CFA Institute Research Challenge Hosted by

Local Challenge CFA France Université Lille 2/SKEMA

Page 2: IRC 2015 - Lille

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STOXX  600  -­‐  Food  &  Beverage   UNIBEL     Fromageries  Bel  

TP:  €399  

[Université  Lille  2/SKEMA]  Student  Research  This  report  is  published  for  educational  purposes  only  by  students  competing  in  the  CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge.   Consumer  Staples  

BEL    

Date:  12th  January  2015                              Ticker:  FBEL                        Recommendation:  BUY  Exchange:  E.N  Paris                              Price:  €300                        Target  Price  :  €399  (+33%)    One  Portion  of  Bel,  One  Giant  Return  for  Shareholders      We   issue   a  BUY   recommendation  with   a   target   price   of   €399  based  on   a  weighted  average   of   DCF,   transaction   and   relative   valuations.   Our   TP   implies   an   upside  potential  of  33%.    §  An  EfYicient  Business  Model  Bel   capitalizes   on   a   simple   and   efSicient   business  model:   a   family   business,   pure   player   in   premium  branded   cheese   production   and   products   with   a   strong   identity,   backed   by   an   expertise   in  miniaturization.    §  Well-­‐Positioned  For  Further  Growth  We  believe  Bel  is  well-­‐positioned  for  further  growth  (we  expect  12%  EPS  CAGR  2013-­‐18E),  driven  by  (1)   international   expansion   led   by   the   5   core   brands;   (2)   market   share   gains   over   the   period  2014E-­‐18E;  and  (3)  an  enviable  strategic  positioning,  well  exposed  to   the  growth  trend  of  on-­‐the-­‐go  and   healthy   consuming,   while   enjoying   premium   pricing   power   (reSlected   in   premium   operating  margins).  Besides,  to  seize  potential  external  growth  opportunities,  management  has  fostered  a  strong  Sinancial  discipline.  As  a  result,  Bel’s  leverage  is  low  (net  debt/EBITDA  close  to  zero),  with  acquisition  Sirepower  estimated  at  more  than  €1bn  in  2015E  assuming  leverage  of  3x  EBITDA.      §  A  Defensive  Stock  To  Own  During  Tough  Times  Despite   the   stock’s   growth  potential,  we  believe   the  defensive  nature   of   the   industry   is   a   key   asset:  Bel’s  activity  can  provide  investors  with  an  attractive  counter-­‐cycle  investment.  Besides,  the  group  has  a  constant  dividend  policy,  which  makes  it  attractive  for  investors  looking  for  constant  dividends:  the  dividend  growth  of  21%  CAGR  for  2013-­‐2018E  implies  a  dividend  yield  of  3%  on  average.      §  Despite  An  Attractive  Risk-­‐Reward  ProYile,  We  Flag  Some  Risks  Bel   trades   at   a   discount   to   its   peers   that   exceeds  25%,   even   adjusted   for   liquidity,   providing   strong  support  to  our  BUY  recommendation.  We  believe  the  discount  is  unjustiSied,  as  reSlected  in  our  target  price  which  points  to  33%  upside  potential.  The  main  concerns  we  have  on  the  stock  are  (1)  its  weak  liquidity;   (2)   the   top-­‐line   and  margin   exposure   to   forex   and   volatile   commodity   prices;   and   (3)   its  exposure  to  Europe  (60%  of  sales),  albeit  decreasing.    Catalysts  (1)  A  QE  announcement  by  the  ECB  given  inSlation  data  in  the  Eurozone  and  the  ongoing  decline  in  oil  prices;   (2)   an   acquisition   announcement,   provided  Bel   does  not  pay   too  much;   (3)   the   creation  of   a  futures   market   for   dairy   raw   materials   by   Euronext;   (4)   worldwide   consumption   trends   toward  healthy   eating   (which   includes   cheese);   and   (5)   increased   share   liquidity   through,   for   example,   the  disposal/placing  of  Lactalis’  24%  stake.    

Market  ProYile    52-­‐week    

Price  Range   €265-­‐314  

Average  3M    Daily  Volume   228.4  

Shares  Outstanding  (m)   6.82  

Market  Capitalization  (€m)   2  062  

Free  Float   4.4%  

Unibel  Holding   67.4%  

Beta   0.41    

Sources:  Factset,  Team  estimates  

Valuation   DCF   Transac   Mult  

Estimated  Prices   €373   €442   €432  

Weights   60%   20%   20%  

Target  Price  (€)   €399  

Financials   2012   2013   2014E   2015E  

EPS  (€)   18.7   18.5   13.9   21.4  

DPS  (€)   6.25   6.25   6.25   7.91  

Sales  (€m)   2  649   2  720   2  828   3  000  

EBIT  (€m)   238   240   169   247  

Net  proSit  (€m)   129   126   94   146  

ROCE   11.4%   9.3%   7.0%   9.7%  

Net  debt/EBITDA  (x)   0.2   0.1   0.2   -­‐0.1  

Sources:  Factset,  Team  estimates  

Valuation  metrics   2012   2013   2014E   2015E  

EV/EBIT  (x)   5.5   7.8   11.7   8.0  

EV/Sales  (x)   0.5   0.7   0.8   0.7  

Sources:  Factset,  Team  estimates  

Source:  Factset  

Dec-­‐14  Dec-­‐10   Dec-­‐11   Dec-­‐12   Dec-­‐13  

Source:  Team  estimates  

Bel  Stock  Price  (100  at  31st  Dec  2010)  Alexandre  RAVERDY  [email protected]  +33(0)6.19.25.79.26    Manon  RICHARD  [email protected]  +33(0)6.16.95.32.54    Ran  XU  [email protected]  +33(0)6.98.13.06.40    Konan  KOUASSI  [email protected]  +33(0)6.66.69.25.96    Maxime  PARRA  [email protected]  +33(0)6.47.61.90.40  

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Investment  Summary      

We  based  our  target  price  on  a  weighted  average  of  three  valuation  models  (DCF,  Transaction  method  and  Relative  valuation).  Despite   its  weak   liquidity  –   taken   into  account   in  each  method  –  we   issue  a  BUY   recommendation   on   Bel  with   a   target   price   of  €399   (33%   upside)   relying   on   its   international  expansion  (attractive  for  investors  given  the  signiSicant  growth  potential),  its  competitive  advantage  in  miniaturization  and  its  acquisition  Sirepower.  From  a  valuation  standpoint,  Bel  is  currently  trading  at  an  undeserved  28%  discount  to  its  peers  on  2015E  EV/EBIT  and  a  25%  discount  to  2015E  EV/Sales,  both  adjusted  for  liquidity,  providing  strong  support  to  our  BUY  recommendation.      International  Expansion  (Figures  1&2)  In  2013,  Bel  sales  accounted  for  c.2.8%  of  world  cheese  market  size  (approximately  €98bn),  of  which  62%  came  from  Europe.  The  trends  in  the  food  industry  provide  attractive  opportunities  for  Bel.  With  the   new  Brookings   production   site   in   the  US   and   further   internationalization,  we   forecast   a  market  share  of  3.1%  by  2018E,  which  implies  a  CAGR  2013-­‐18E  sales  of  6%.    Manufacturing  Know-­‐How  in  Miniaturization  Cheese   portion   format   is   one   of   Bel   strong   designs,   and   miniaturization   stems   from   unique  manufacturing  know-­‐how.  This  is  well-­‐adapted  to  on-­‐the-­‐go  consumption  trend  that  is  driving  demand  worldwide.    A  Sound  Financial  Structure  §  Strong   free   cash   Slow   generation   and   conservative   capital   allocation   has   led   to   a   strong   balance  

sheet.   This   should   also   allow   Bel   to   (1)   continue   to   strongly   invest   in   marketing   (around   21%  between  2014E-­‐18E)  and  R&D  (1%);  and  (2)  increase  its  payout  ratio  from  34%  in  2013  to  50%  in  2018E.    

§  Since   2009,   Bel’s   Net   Debt/EBITDA   has   decreased,   reaching   0.07x   in   2013.   Due   to   the   internal  operating  improvements,  the  ratio’s  downward  trend  should  continue  and  allow  Bel  to  show  a  net  cash   position   from   2015E   (Figure   3),   which   provides   acquisition   headroom.   Interestingly,  management  has  shown  a  selection  skill  and  a  strong   integration  capacity  with  past  acquisitions  (16  local  and  international  brands  including  Leerdammer  and  Boursin).    

   Possible  Investment  Risks    Potential  investors  must  be  aware  of  two  main  risks:  corporate  governance  and  market  risks.    §  Corporate   governance   risk   is   due   to   the   family-­‐controlled   structure.   Some   conSlicts   of   interest  

might  appear  as  the  positions  of  CEO  and  Chairman  are  Silled  by  the  same  person  (member  of  the  family  shareholder).    

§  Illiquidity   may   also   have   a   possible   adverse   impact   on   investors’   returns.   This   market   risk   is  characterized  by  (1)  a  very   low   free   Sloat   (4.4%)  and  (2)  an  historical  average  bid-­‐ask  spread  of  3%.  An  investor  with  a  long-­‐term  investment  horizon  may  be  less  affected  by  this  risk.    

In   addition,   Bel   is   subject   to   foreign   exchange   rate   Sluctuations   as   a   result   of   its   international  operations   and   presence.   Other   risks   (political,   strategic,   etc.)   are   explained   in   the   Investment   Risk  section.    

Figure  1:  Bel  sales  estimates  and  forecasts  

Source:  Team  estimates  

CAGR  2013-­‐18E  

Europe   2.7%  

NME  &  Africa   9.9%  

Americas  -­‐  APAC   10.7%  

World   5.9%  

-­‐200  -­‐150  -­‐100  -­‐50  0  50  100  150  200  250  300  350  400  

€m  

Figure  3:  Net  debt  /  cash  evolution    

Sources:  Bel,  Team  estimates  

Figure  2:  Bel  market  share  estimates  and  forecasts  

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Figure  4:  Bel  stock  price  &  key  events  

Sources:  FactSet,  Bel  

1st  June  2006    Acquisition  of    Gervais  Brand  

5th  November  2007    Acquisition  of    Boursin  

14th  May  2009    Appointment  of  Antoine  Fievet  as    

CEO  &  Chairman  

2nd  July  2012    Announcement  of  a  new  production  site  in  the  US    

7th  February  2013    Acquisition  of    Tranchettes  

18th  June  2012    Appointement  of  Francis  Le  Cam  as  

Deputy  General  Manager  

2009    

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2014  

2013  

2012  

2011    

2010    

2008    

2007    

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

Source:  Team  estimates  

3.1%   3.7%  

9.8%  

1.3%  

0.0%  

2.0%  

4.0%  

6.0%  

8.0%  

10.0%  

12.0%  

World   Europe   NME  &  Africa  

Americas  -­‐  APAC  

2013   2018E  

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2010   2011   2012   2013  

Americas  -­‐  APAC   Africa  -­‐  Middle  East   Europe  

Unibel   Fiévet/Bel  Family  SoSil  SA  (Lactalis  Group)   Other  public  Treasury  Stock  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

Business  Description    Bel  is  the  3rd  largest  branded  cheese  manufacturer  worldwide.  Operations  started  in  1865  for  this  French  family-­‐held  group  when  Jules  Bel  created  a  cheese  ripening  and  trading  business.  After  he  died,  Léon   Bel,   his   son,   took   over   the   business   and   set   out   for   an   industrial   adventure   by   creating  Fromageries   Bel   in   1922,  which   produced   the  well-­‐known   Laughing   Cow  brand.   The   company   then  grew   Sirst   through   the   construction   of   modern   plants   both   domestically   and   internationally,   and  secondly  by  broadening  its  range  of  products.  In  particular,  it  launched  the  Sirst  fat-­‐free  cheese  in  the  early  1930s,  leading  the  way  in  healthy  products.    Since  then,  the  company  has  developed  throughout  the  world.  Today,  the  company  is  active  in  5  continents  with  28  production  plants  and  30  subsidiaries  (Appendix  9).  Its  portfolio  comprises  5  core  brands  (The  Laughing  Cow,  Mini  Babybel,  Leerdammer,  Kiri,  Boursin)  and  25  local  brands.  In  2013,  the  company  employed  10,830  people.      Its   easy-­‐to-­‐carry   and   easy-­‐to-­‐keep   cheeses   also   make   Bel   a   leading   company   in   on-­‐the-­‐go  consumption  with   three   segments   (3   “S“):   Spread   (soft   spreadable   cheese   and   product   containing  cheese),  Snacks,  and  Slices  (hard  cheese)  (Figure  6).  To  achieve  its  goals,  Bel  manufactures  three  types  of  cheese,  distributed  in  120  countries:  Processed  cheese  for  which  the  group  is  a  leader  thanks  to  The  Laughing  Cow  (Bel’s  oldest  brand),  Pressed  cheese  (e.g.  Mini  Babybel  and  Leerdammer)  and  Fresh  &  Spreadable  cheese  (e.g.  Kiri,  Boursin).      Current  strategy  of  the  company  can  be  described  with  the  following  3  pillars:      §  Industrial  Expertise  and  Innovation  Leadership  (Appendix  10).  With   two  R&D  centers   in  Europe  and  R&D  expenses   (1%  of   sales)   two   times  higher   than   its   closest  peers,   industrial   expertise   and   innovation   are   the   cornerstone   of   Bel   and   ensure   it   keeps   a   strong  competitive   advantage.   Since   the   industry   is  mature,   the   group   is   changing   its   product  mix   (e.g.   co-­‐branding).  This  is  why  it  aims  at  broadening  the  range  of  its  brands  as  well  as  renewing  its  recipes  (a  dedicated   team   is   in   charge   of   understanding   the   consumers’   needs).   Besides,   the   company   aims   at  conquering   Asia   by   developing   new   Slavors   while   respecting   their   culture   and   habits.   Its   industrial  expertise  will   enable   the   group   to   increase   its   footprint   in   countries   like   Vietnam,   Japan,   China   and  South  Korea.        §  Internationalization  And  Strengthening  of  The  5  Core  Brands  In   2013,   the   core   brands   accounted   for   70%  of   total   sales   (vs.   32%   in   2008),   4   of   them   among   the  world’s   12   leading   cheese  brands   (Appendix  11).   The   group   aims   at   increasing   its   sales   by  building  new  production  plants   in  high  potential  regions.  For   instance,   the  new  plant   in  Brookings  (USA)  will  produce   10   thousand   tons   of   cheese   each   year   to  meet   the   growing   demand   for  Mini   Babybel.   The  group  thus  plans  to  reach  $1bn  of  sales  in  N.  America  by  2025  (x3  in  10  years).        §  Acquisition-­‐Led  Growth  Focus  On  Premium  Branded  Cheeses  Acquisition-­‐led   growth   gradually   complements   innovation-­‐led   growth.   Indeed,   since   1985,   the  company  has  already  acquired  16  brands  (Figure  8  &  Appendix  12)  and  puts  a  particular  emphasis  on  the  quality  of  the  brands  it  acquires.                    Bel’s  Management,  A  Well-­‐Functioned  Network  of  Experts  Fitting  The  Group’  Strategy    Antoine  Fiévet,  representing  the  5th  generation  of  the  shareholding  family,  became  CEO  and  Chairman  of   the  group   in  2009.   In   the  executive   committee,   the  other   three  deputy  general  managers  all  have  extensive   experience:   Bruno   Schoch   (Finance,   Legal   and   IT)   has   a   strong   knowledge   in   M&A  transactions   perfectly   Sitting   the   group   strategy;   Francis   le   Cam   (Operations)   has   substantial  background   in   International   Management;   and   Hubert   Mayet   is   an   expert   in   manufacturing   and  technology  (Appendix  13).    Shareholder  Structure  Though   Bel   has   been   listed   on   the   Paris   Stock   Exchange   since   1946,   it   remains   controlled   by   the  founding  family.  It  is  the  major  shareholder  today  with  71%  of  the  shares  (of  which  67.4%  is  held  by  Unibel,   its  listed  family  holding  company).  Lactalis,  one  of  Bel’s  competitors,  holds  24%  of  the  shares  (Figure   9).   Free   Sloat   is   therefore   very   low   (4.4%)   but   the   stable   shareholder   structure   allows   an  effective   long-­‐term   strategy.   Free   Sloat   could   increase   should  Lactalis   dispose  of   its   shares:   it  would  boost   liquidity   and   attract   interest   from   institutional   and   retail   shareholders   in   the   stock.   A   move  toward  more  visibility  is  witnessed  by  the  availability  of  the  annual  report  in  English  since  2013.    

60%  25%  

           15%        

Spread   Snacks   Slices  

Figure  6:  Bel  production  3  “S”  

Brand  Creation  

Acquisition  

Leerdammer  (€190m)  (2002)  

Kiri    (1966)  

Boursin  (€400m)    (2008)  

The  Laughing  Cow    (1921)  

Mini  Babybel  (1977)  

Figure  8.  Core  brands    development  

Figure  7:  Sales  breakdown  by  region  (€m)  

Figure  9:  Shareholder  structure  

0.7%  

67.4%  3.5%  

4.4%  

24.1%  

Figure  5:  Breakdown  of  activities  

B  E  L  

Consumers  (Core  market)  

Catering    (Bel  Foodservices)  

Industry  (Bel  Industries)  

Source:  Bel  

Source:  Bel  

Source:  Bel  

Source:  Bel  

NB:  Bel  does  not  provide  the  %  of  each  activity  

Sources:  Bel,  FactSet  

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Philadelphia   Boursin  

Kiri  

Tartare  

The  Laughing  Cow    

Cœur  de  Lion  

Mini  Babybel  

Leerdammer  

Ptit  Louis  

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700  

800  

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15   20   25   30   35   40  

Calcium  (m

g)  

Fat  (g)  

NRV*  

Industry  Overview  and  Competitive  Positioning    The  cheese  industry  offers  attractive  market  dynamics  while  offering  good  resilience  to  economic  cycles.   Product   innovation,   new   social   trends   and   increased   penetration   in   rapidly   growing  regions  such  as  Latin  America,  the  Middle  East  and  Africa  are  the  main  drivers  of  growth.      A  Defensive  Industry  BeneYitting  From  A  Positive  Macro  Backdrop  The   cheese   industry   is   characterized   by   its   defensive   nature:   it   provides   upside   potential   during  expansions  and  protection  during  downturns.  For   instance,  over   the  period  2008-­‐2009,  while  global  GDP  growth  fell  by  2.9%,  cheese  production  growth  remained  positive  and  went  from  0.8%  in  2008  to  0.3%  in  2009  (Figure  10).  As  for  Bel,  its  output  increased  by  0.2%  in  2009.        Cheese   consumption   varies   signiYicantly   from   one   region   to   another   (Figure   11).   The   global  cheese  market  is  valued  at  around  €100bn,  dominated  by  Europe  followed  by  North  America  and  Latin  America.  However,   the  global  cheese  market   is  expected  to  grow  strongly  going   forward,  spurred  by  emerging   countries,   especially   in   Asia-­‐PaciSic   (China,   Indonesia,   Vietnam).   The   global   cheese   output  reached  19m  tons  last  year  (+19%  2005-­‐13)  and  global  demand  is  likely  to  continue  to  be  strong.        Europe:  Steady  As  It  Goes    The   EU-­‐28   accounted   for   48%  of   global   output   in   2013.  With   approximately   48%  of   the   EU   output  derived  from  Germany  (27%)  and  France  (21%),  those  countries  are  the  two  largest  cheese  producers  in  Europe   (Appendix  14).   In  Western  Europe,   cheese  market   is   very  mature,  with   annual  per   capita  consumption   of   €85.   We   thus   expect   a   limited   but   steady   value-­‐led   growth   (0.5%   growth   pa,   as  reSlected  in  our  estimates).        Americas:  A  Growing  Appetite    In  2013,  a  quarter  of  global  total  volume  growth  in  cheese  came  from  just  Brazil  and  the  US.  American  consumers   eat   an   average   15.4kg   (Appendix   15),   and   sales   of   cheese   are   expected   to   increase   as  additional   cheese   varieties   are   continuously   introduced   in   the   market.   Brazil,   with   per   capita  consumption  of  just  6kg,  is  a  very  interesting  market:  further  penetration  should  generate  substantial  new  sales  as  cheese  becomes  a  more  important  food  item  in  the  Brazilian  diet.      Emerging  Markets:  The  New  Eldorado    Emerging  markets  offer  higher  growth  potential  as  consumption  levels  are  still  low  while  the  potential  consumer  base  is  large.  The  two  main  growth  drivers  of  consumption  are  (1)  rising  disposable  incomes  and   (2)   urban  population   growth.  Asia-­‐PaciYic  has   the  highest  potential   as   cheese   is   still   a   very  nascent   market.   This   goes   hand-­‐in-­‐hand   with   demographic   change   and   growth   of   middle   classes  (whose   global   spending   share   should   represent   59%   in   2030E   from   23%   in   2009   (Figure   12),   and  reSlects  a  more  general  trend  of  rising  demand.  In  China  for  instance,  where  Bel  has  been  active  since  2007,   per   capita   consumption   is   still   low   (40g)   due   to   the   sheer   size   of   its   population.   The   bright  outlook  is  reSlected  by  an  expected  CAGR  consumption  of  12%  for  the  period  2014E-­‐18E  according  to  Euromonitor.   In   Near   Middle   East   (NME)   and   Africa,   while   there   is   a   high-­‐growth   potential,   the  region  is  constrained  by  an  underdeveloped  environment:  the  lack  of  a  developed  retail  environment  with  a  limited  cold  chain  infrastructure  in  place  as  an  important  factor  holding  back  cheese  sales.        Key  Industry  Trends    §  Product  Innovation  

With  penetration  of   cheese  nearing   saturation   in  developed   regions   such   as  Western  Europe  or  North   America,   value   creation   is   key.   Different   usages   of   cheese   thus   offer   opportunities,   e.g.  cheese   being   promoted   as   a   cooking   product   in   addition   to   its   conventional   use.   In   emerging  countries,  the  product  mix  will  change  from  the  traditional  types  of  cheese  to  new  cheeses  that  suit  the  demand  (e.g.  sweet  cheese  for  Asia).  

   §  On-­‐The-­‐Go  Consumption  Is  Likely  To  Strengthen  

Cheese   is   gradually   positioned   as   an   on-­‐the-­‐go   snack   both   for   children   and   adults.   This   goes  together  with  the  trend  of  new  cheese  eating  occasions,  where  frequency  of  use  is  increasing  (e.g.  breakfast  +  snacking  or  snacking  +  dinner).  

   §  Rising  Interest  in  Healthier  Products  

Given  mounting  obesity  concerns,  people  tend  to  move  to  reduced  or  fat-­‐free  products    –  low  fat  and  salt  but  high  calcium  and  vitamin  D  -­‐  following  the  inclination  towards  a  healthier  lifestyle.  Bel  has  been  a  pioneer  in  healthy  products  and  keeps  its  advantage  over  its  peers  (Figure  13).  

   §  French  Cheese  Going  Mainstream  

As  one  of  the  largest  cheese  exporters  worldwide,  France  has  an  outstanding  reputation  in  cheese.  French   cheese   might   thus   be   sold   as   a   premium   product,   just   like   wine   in   some   countries.   In  addition,   in  many   countries,   there   tends   to   be   growing   awareness   of  Western   cuisine,   including  French  cuisine.    

 

-­‐3%  

-­‐2%  

-­‐1%  

1%  

2%  

3%  

4%  

5%  

6%  

2007   2008   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013  2014E  

World  GDP  growth  

Cheese  production  growth  

Figure  12:  Share  of  spending  by  the  Global  Middle  Class  (2009  to  2030  forecasts)  

0%  

20%  

40%  

60%  

80%  

100%  

2009   2020   2030  

APAC   Africa  -­‐  Middle  East  Americas   Europe  

Figure  10:  Cheese  versus  GDP  growth  

Figure  11:  Market  size  and  per  capita  cheese  consumption  

Sources:  World  Bank,  OECD  

Sources:    Euromonitor,  IDF  

Source:  World  Bank  

Figure  13:  Nutrition  Mapping  (per  100g)  

Sources:  Team  research  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

*Nutrient  Reference  Value  

12th  January  2015  

0  

5  

10  

15  

20  

25  

30  

0  

5  

10  

15  

20  

25  

30  

Retail  Value  Sales  2014  (lhs)  Per  Capita  Total  Consumption  (rhs)  

kg  €bn  

Bel   Competitors  

4  

Page 6: IRC 2015 - Lille

0  

1  

2  

3  

4  

5  

 0  

 500  

1  000  

1  500  

2  000  

2  500  

3  000  

3  500  

4  000  

0%  

2%  

4%  

6%  

8%  

10%  

12%  

Sales  (rhs)   EBIT  margin  Net  proSit  margin  

€m  

A  Fragmented  Industry  The  global  branded  cheese  production  is  divided  in  four  main  types  of  cheese  manufacturers  (Figure  14):      §  Major  diversiYied  competitors  (e.g.  Kraft,  Mondelez)  which  hold  competitive  advantages  through  

better  economies  of   scale  and  beneSit   from  a   lower  vulnerability   to   the  cheese  market   thanks   to  product  diversiSication  and    strong  bargaining  power  towards  customers  and  suppliers.    

§  Dairy  specialized   family-­‐held  businesses   (e.g.   Bongrain,   Lactalis,   Bel)  with   a   portfolio   of   core  brands;  

§  Small  regional  competitors  (e.g.  Arla  Food,  Dairy  Crest)  that  control  different  stages  of  the  supply  chain  and  beneSit  from  a  strong  presence,  identity  and  substantial  knowledge  of  their  market;  

§  Retail  labels  (e.g.  ReSlets  de  France  for  Carrefour,  Tesco  brand),  which  are  cheaper  and  belong  to  retailers.  They  are  the  only  direct  substitutes  to  branded  cheese.    

   Regulation:  What  Will  Be  The  Impact  of  The  Quota  Abolition  in  Europe?  The   EU   introduced   a   national   quota   regime   for  milk   production   in   1984   to   limit   excess   supply   and  maintain  farmer  proSitability.  This  regime  will  come  to  an  end  in  April  2015  as  the  EU  moves  the  dairy  sector   towards   a   more   market-­‐orientated   future,   but   one   that   protects   producer   interests.   We  therefore  expect  (1)  an  overall   increase   in  production  coupled  with  declining  prices  which  would  be  favorable   to   Bel,   albeit   a   modest   impact   due   to   the   “soft   landing”   provided   by   the   EU;   and   (2)   no  reduction   in   current   price   volatility   after   the   end  of   quotas.   For   further   information,   please   refer   to  Appendices  16  &  17.      Porter’s  5  Forces  NB:   Since   Bel   derives   100%   of   its   revenue   from   industrial   cheese,   we   will   exclusively   focus   on   it  (Figure  15).      §  Rivalry:  as  more  than  20%  of  the  market  is  held  by  six  companies  competing  Siercely,  we  consider  

the  branded  cheese  market  as  rather  fragmented.  §  Bargaining   power   of   customers:   in   most   countries,   the   main   customers   are   the   retailers   or  

supermarket   chains,   which   are   likely   to   offer   alternatives,   such   as   retail   labels.   They   thus   have  signiSicant  bargaining  power.    

§  Bargaining  power  of  suppliers:  suppliers  have  a  low  bargaining  power  since  most  inputs  (milk,  butter,  cream,  cheddar)  are  commodities.  

§  Threat  of  substitutes:  the  direct  substitutes  to  industrial  cheese  are  craft  cheeses.  There  are  also  indirect  substitutes,  such  as  yogurts.    

§  Threat   of   new   entrants:   barriers   to   entry   are   high   because   of   (1)   substantial   capital  requirements;   and   (2)   the   strength   of   the   existing   brands.   Those   features   could   deter   potential  competitors  from  challenging  the  incumbents.  

   Bel’s  competitive  advantage  relies  on  (Appendix  18):      §  A  Long-­‐Standing  Expertise  In  Portion  Format  Meeting  Industry  Trends  Cheese  becomes  more  and  more  commoditized.  Yet  Bel  offers  differentiated  products  that  are  small-­‐sized  and  easy  to  carry  thanks  to  its  expertise  in  miniaturization  technology,  backed  by  a  strong  R&D  (at  1%  of  sales,  2x  higher  than  its  closest  peers).  This  historic  know-­‐how  is  in  line  with  the  new  social  trends  (on-­‐the-­‐go  consumption,  healthy  diet,  etc.).      §  A  Pure  Player  Status  Bel  is  one  of  the  few  companies  whose  business  is  100%  focused  on  cheese.  As  such,  Bel  can  achieve  better   economies   of   scale   on   operating   costs   than   its   closest   peers:   Bel’s   focused   strategy   and  concentrated   core   brand   portfolio   management   allows   leverage   on   R&D   investment,   product  innovation  expenses  and  other  marketing  and  promotional  expenses.      

Financial  Analysis    Growing  Sales  Bel   has   delivered   revenue   growth   every   year   over   the   past   5   years,   even   in   2009   in   the   recession  though  partly  thanks  to  the  acquisition  of  Boursin.  In  2013,  sales  grew  by  2.7%  (+5.3%  on  a  like-­‐for-­‐like  basis,   i.e.  excluding  the  impact  of  forex  Sluctuations,  Figure  17).  Besides,  Bel's  revenues  are  more  and  more  geographically  diversiSied,  in  line  with  the  internationalization  strategy  of  the  core  brands.    We  analyzed  and  estimated  Bel   sales  based  on   the   cheese  market   size   (per   capita   consumption  and  population  size)  and  the  expected  market  share  of  Bel  (Appendix  19).    §  In   Europe,   the   Sive   core   brands   allowed   Bel   to   expend   its  market   share   (estimated   at   3.3%   in  

2013)  and  sustain  its  growth,  particularly  in  Eastern  Europe  with  an  effective  marketing  strategy.  We  forecast  a  2014E-­‐18E  CAGR  of  2.8%,  reSlecting  continued  market  share  gains  in  Eastern  Europe  and  a  more  limited  value-­‐led  growth  in  Western  Europe.  

         

Figure  15:  Porter’s  5  Forces  

Rivalry  (4.5)  Bargaining    Power  of    

Customers  (4)  

Bargaining    Power  of  

 Suppliers  (1.5)  

Threat  of  New    Entrants  (1)  

Threat  of    Substitutes  (3)  

Source:  Team  estimates  

Figure  14:  Company  ranking*    

*in  terms  of  branded  cheese  sales    Source:  Bel  

Lactalis  

Kraft  

Fromageries  Bel  

Bongrain  

Arla  Food  

Mondelez  

1  

2  

3  

4  

5  

6  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

Figure  16:  Sales  and  margins  trends  

Sources:  Bel,  Team  estimates  

5  

Page 7: IRC 2015 - Lille

§  In  the  Americas,  Mini  Babybel  (+23%  in  the  US   last  year)  and  the  Laughing  Cow  drove  revenue  growth.  In  Asia-­‐PaciYic  (APAC),  the  solid  revenue  growth  driven  by  Mini  Babybel  and  Belcube  has  been  offset  by  quality  issues  at  Kiri  in  Japan.  The  expected  2014E-­‐18E  CAGR  of  13.3%  for  the  whole  region  reSlects  both  the  high  growth  potential  of  Mini  Babybel  in  the  US  with  the  new  production  plant  in  Brookings  and  the  huge  growth  potential  in  APAC.  

§  In  Middle  East   and  Africa,   forex   Sluctuations   and  political   uncertainties  hit   revenues,   despite   a  favorable   macro   environment   and   a   strong   growth   driven   by   Kiri   and   The   Laughing   Cow.   The  2014E-­‐18E  CAGR  of  9.9%  will  be  led  by  the  development  of  modern  distribution  channels.  

                                                     Uneven  Margins  To  Stabilize    Bel   achieves   better   EBIT  margins   (9%   in   2013   and   an   historical   average   of   8.5%)   compared   to   its  closest  peers  (7.4%  on  average).  It  is  a  pure  player  in  the  premium  cheese  industry  which  allows  the  company   to   achieve   superior   economies   of   scale   (with   premium   pricing).   However,   the   major  diversiSied   Sirms  achieve  even  better  economies  of  scales   than  Bel  due   to   their  size  (and  the   implied  bargaining  power)  and  the  broadness  of  their  brand  portfolio.    Though  Bel  has  a  strong  internal  control  to  reduce  costs,  three  external  factors  regularly  hit  operating  and  net  proSit  margins:  (1)  raw  materials  prices  volatility,  (2)  one-­‐offs   linked  to  political   instabilities  mainly  in  Near  and  Middle  East  and  (3)  the  currency  exchange  rate  (Appendix  21).      More  precisely,  an  analysis  of  EBIT  margins  by  region  (Figure  18)   leads   to   the   following  conclusion:  stability   in  Western  Europe  has  been  offset  by  risks   in  the  Near  and  Middle  East.  Between  2010  and  2013,  EBIT  margin  in  Western  Europe  averaged  10%  (ranging  from  8.1%  to  11.2%)  while  that  of  Near  and  Middle  East  averaged  7.3%  (ranging  from  2.8%  to  9.8%).  Moreover,  the  peak  of  commodity  prices  reached  in  2011  impacted  all  regions  except  Americas  -­‐  APAC  thanks  to  the  US  entities’  hedging  policy.  The  exchange  rate  largely  explains  the  decrease  in  EBIT  margin  in  2013  in  Americas  –  APAC  (due  to  the  fading  off  of  the  hedging  effect).  In  Greater  Africa,  the  operating  margin  is  stable  and  reached  11%  in  2013.    In  the  short-­‐run,  given  the  high  volatility  of  raw  materials  and  the  unfavorable  forex,  we  estimate  an  operating  margin  of  6%  in  2014E.  However,   in  the  midterm,  we  expect  EBIT  margin  to  recover  from  2015E   to   reach   9.9%   in   2018E,   thanks   to   operating   leverage   (volume   growth)   and   favorable   input  pricing  effects  from  (1)  the  end  of  quotas  in  Europe  in  2015;  (2)  the  increase  of  milk  output  worldwide;  and  (3)  the  introduction  of  European  dairy  futures  for  skimmed  milk  powder,  butter,  etc.  by  Euronext  in  early  2015.      Concerns   about   the   exit   of   Greece   from   the  Eurozone   following   the   coming   legislative   elections,   the  slowdown   in   inSlation   mainly   in   Europe   due   to   the   ongoing   decline   in   oil   prices   (versus   superior  growth  and  imported  inSlation  in  the  US  leading  to  an  interest  rate  differential)  and  the  likely  response  from  the  ECB  (QE  announcement)  are  the  cause  of  the  substantial  depreciation  of  the  euro  against  the  dollar  (from  1.39  EUR/USD  in  March  2014  to  1.18  at  January  2015).  We  believe  this  situation  should  be  favorable  on  Bel’s  margins.  

0%  

2%  

4%  

6%  

8%  

10%  

12%  

Western  Europe  

Americas  APAC  

Near  and  Middle  East  

Greater  Africa  

2010   2011   2012   2013  

Figure  18:  YoY  EBIT  margin  by  region  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

Source:  Bel  

1.60%  

(2.50%)  

1.40%  (2.60%)  

8.90%  

4.50%   4.80%  

2.70%  

7.30%  7.00%  

3.40%  

5.30%  

0%  

1%  

2%  

3%  

4%  

5%  

6%  

7%  

8%  

9%  

10%  

Source:  Bel  

Figure  17:  Sales  growth  bridge  

6  

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ROCE  vs.  WACC  A  comparison  between  the  WACC  and  the  ROCE  shows  the  company  employs  its  capital  effectively  and   generates   shareholder   value.   Our   estimated  WACC   is   5.5%   and   is   based   on   no   debt   capital  structure.      Over  the  period  2009-­‐2018E,  ROCE  is  always  higher  than  the  company’s  cost  of  capital.  The  ROCE  of  7%  in  2014E  is  justiSied  by  the  lower  NOPAT  margin  due  to  high  raw  material  costs  and  an  unfavorable  forex  (Figure  19).    Returns  To  Reach  Low  Teens      The  decrease  in  ROE  between  2013  and  2014E  (from  11%  to  7%)  reSlects  the  expected  decrease  in  net  income,  which  is  not  compensated  by  leverage  (constant  between  2013  and  2014E).  With  the  growth  trends  in  ROA,  thanks  to  a  rising  net  proSit  margin,  the  ROE  should  move  towards  the  low  teens.  The  recovery  should  start  at  the  end  of  2014E  and  ROE  is  expected  to  be  13.5%  in  2018E  (Appendix  22).    Strong  Credit  Metrics    Bel’s  Sinancial  leverage  expressed  as  Net  Debt/EBITDA  is  very  low  and  has  been  declining  for  5  years,  driven  both  by  operating  improvement  and  a  huge  amount  of  cash  (€510m  in  2013)  with  the  issuance  of   two  bonds   in  2012  and  “Schuldschein”   loans   in  2013.  The  ratio  has  dropped  from  1.3x   in  2009  to  reach  0.07x  in  2013.  From  2015E,  Bel  should  have  a  net  cash  position  of  €23m,  implying  a  Net  Debt/EBITDA  ratio  of  -­‐0.07x,  which  reaches  -­‐0.4x  in  2018E.  Therefore  (1)  Bel  can  easily  comply  with  its  debt  covenants  (Net  Debt/EBITDA  ≤  3.5x);  and  (2)  it  leaves  signiSicant  room  for  external  growth  (leverage  of  3x  Net  Debt/EBITDA  should  provide  an  M&A  treasury  chest  of  close  to  €1bn  on  top  of  the  company’s  existing  cash  position,  which  should  reach  €509m  in  2018E)  without  resorting  to  a  capital  increase.        Cash  on  the  balance  sheet  (€510m)  is  more  than  sufSicient  to  cover  short-­‐term  debt  (€106m)  as  well  as  debt  maturing  in  2018  and  2019  (Figure  20).    Cash  Flows    Operating  cash  Slows  have  always  been  close  to  €200m  pa,  except  in  2011  due  to  weak  earnings  and  an  increase  in  NWC.  We  expect  the  OCF  to  reach  a  trough  in  2014E  due  to  the  weak  operating  proSit,  but  it  should  recover  from  2015E  (Figure  21).  Investing  cash  Slows  increased  year-­‐on-­‐year  to  reach  €146m  in  2013.  We  expect  this  trend  to  continue,  linked  to  strong  capital  expenditures.  Capital  expenditures  reached  a  peak  in  2013  at  €149m  due  to  the  construction   of   the   Brookings   production   site   (€113m).   Since   Bel   does   not   plan   to   build   any   new  factory,  we  expect  growth  CapEx  to  go  back  slowly  toward  a  lower  normalized  level  while  maintenance  CapEx   should   be   slightly   higher   compared   to   2012.   From   2016,   Bel   should   have   achieved   its  investment  plan,  hence  a  steady  CapEx/Sales  ratio  of  4%.      

Valuation    

Bel   currently   trades   at   8.8x  EV/EBIT  2015E,  which   is   a   9.5%  discount   to   its   historical   average.   The  stock  also  trades  on  a  28%  discount  to  its  peers,  despite  showing  stronger  EBIT  CAGR  2013-­‐15E  (8.2%  vs.  5.6%  for  its  closest  peers).    We  valued  Bel  using  a  blend  of  DCF  (60%),  relative  (20%)  and  transaction  (20%)  valuation.  We  took  liquidity   into  account   in  each  method  by  applying  a  discount  of  11%  based  on  Damodaran’  synthetic  bid-­‐ask  spread  method  (Appendix  23).    We  derived  a   target  price  of  €399,  which  points   to  33%  upside  potential,   in   full  support  of  our  BUY  recommendation.    By   incorporating   the   company’   strategy   over   a   longer   period   and   giving   an   intrinsic   value,   the  DCF  method  appears  quite  appropriate  for  Bel,  we  thus  gave  it  a  60%  weighting.  The  transaction  method  was   given   a   weight   of   20%   because   it   represents   the   M&A   trend   in   the   Food   &   Beverages   (F&B)  industry.   Finally,   we   used   relative   valuation   with   a   blend   of   peers   multiples   and   a   multiple   factor  regression.  We  decided  to  give  a  weight  of  20%  to  this  method  since  this  reSlects  the  market’s  current  value  assessment  of  sector  peer’s  and,  hence,  of  Bel  itself.      

I.  Discounted  Cash  Flows  The   DCF  model   captures   the   long-­‐term   potential   of   gaining  market   share   in   the   smaller,   but   faster  growing  emerging  markets,  which  embodies  Bel’  strategy.  The  DCF  analysis  gave  us  a  target  value  of  €373   (+24%)   assuming   a   WACC   of   5.5%   (derived   entirely   from   the   cost   of   equity,   which   itself   is  impacted  by  the  stock’s  low  beta  of  0.4)  and  a  liquidity  discount  of  11%.      A  6%  Sales  Growth  Driven  By  Americas  –  APAC  Bel’  strategy  of  further  expansion  of  its  core  brands  and  an  appropriate  product  mix  should  allow  the  group  to  capture  more  market  share  in  APAC.  In  the  US,  the  new  production  plant  will  allow  Bel  to  gain  more  market  share  thanks  to  growing  and  sustainable  demand.  We  therefore  expect  a  2013-­‐18E  CAGR  of  11%  for  the  region  (to  19%  of  group  sales  in  2018E).        

Source:  Team  estimates  

0%  

5%  

10%  

 0  

2  000  

4  000  

2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  Americas  -­‐  APAC  Africa  -­‐  Middle  East  Europe  Sales  growth  

Figure  22:  Sales  forecasts  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

(  400)  

(  300)  

(  200)  

(  100)  

 0  

 100  

 200  

 300  

 400  

Net  Operating  Cash  Flow  Net  Investing  Cash  Flow  Net  Financing  Cash  Flow  

Figure  21:  Evolution  of  cash  Slows  

Source:  Bel  

0  

100  

200  

300  

400  

500  

600  

Cash  on  hand  

2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2023  

Loans  &  Borrowings   Bonds     Schuldschein    

Figure  20:  Debt  maturity  proSile  

Source:  Bel  

ROCE  11%  2012  

ROCE  7%  2014E  

ROCE  11%  2016E  

NOPAT  Margin  

Capital    

Turnover  

Source:  Team  estimates  

Figure  19:  ROCE  decomposition  

€m  

7  

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Western  Europe:  The  Largest  Region  Though  it  is  a  mature  market,  Western  Europe  should  remain  the  core  market  for  Bel  with  the  highest  per  capita  consumption  (€86  per  capita  in  2013).  We  estimate  a  2013-­‐18E  CAGR  of  3%  sales  growth  in  Europe  (including  Western,  Northern  and  Eastern),  which  should  represent  approximately  53%  of  Bel  sales  in  2018E.    Africa  &  Middle  East:  High  Potential  Future  Engine  But  Underdeveloped  Environment  We   expect   growth   in   Africa   and   Middle   East   to   reach   a   CAGR   2013-­‐18E   of   10%,   driven   by   the  development  of  modern  distribution  channels  (especially  in  Egypt  and  Iran),  strong  population  growth  (2%  CAGR  to  2018E)  and  an  increase  in  per  capita  consumption  of  cheese  (from  €5  in  2013  to  €7  per  capita   in  2018E).   Except   for   some   countries   in  Asia,   cheese   is   already  part   of   the  daily  diet,   but   the  growth  rate  should  strengthen  as  refrigeration  becomes  more  widespread.          DeYining  the  WACC  We  calculated  the  cost  of  equity  based  on  the  Fama-­‐French  multifactor  model  (FFM)  using  European  data  since  2000.  In  fact,  since  Bel  is  a  small-­‐cap,  the  FFM  appears  more  appropriate  than  the  CAPM.  The  beta  of  0.4  was  derived  using  Dimson-­‐Scholes  methodologies  to  take  into  account  infrequent  trading.  The  current  France’s  10-­‐Year  OAT  was  used  as  the  risk-­‐free  rate  (0.8%  at  9th  January  2015).  Current  yield,   reaching   high-­‐time   lows,   drives   our  WACC   to   very   low   levels.   This   is   why  we   ran   sensitivity  analyses  as  well  as  Monte  Carlo  simulation  to  study  the  impact  of  several  inputs  on  the  target  price,  of  which  liquidity  (Figure  24).  Please  see  Appendices  23  to  29  for  further  information.    II.  Transaction-­‐based  Valuation    We  analyzed  M&A  deals  (Appendices  30  to  32)  executed  over   the   last   two  years  (except   for  Boursin  which   took  place   in  2007-­‐08)  within   the  Food  &  Beverages   sector   (we  did  not   identify  any   relevant  transaction   in   the   Cheese   sector).   Only   full   ownership   acquisitions   were   retained,   and   we   deemed  relevant   to   include  Bel’s   acquisition  of  Boursin   as   it   perfectly   Sits   the  business  proSile   (international  brands)  and  reSlects  transactions  in  the  cheese  sector.  We  used  the  Adj.  Deal  Value/Sales  multiple  to  compute  the  estimated  price  from  which  we  subtracted  a  takeover  premium  of  29%  (average  premium  since  2011).  We  obtained  a  target  value  of  €442  (pointing  to  47%  upside).    III.  Relative  Valuation    1.  Peers  Multiples  We  derived  a  target  price  of  €450  (50%  upside)  using  EV/Sales  and  EV/EBIT  multiples,  both  based  on  12-­‐month  forward  means  and  adjusted  for  liquidity  (Appendix  33).    Why  We  Chose  These  Two  Multiples  We   favored   using   EV/Sales   and   EV/EBIT   over   other   multiples   because   the   relationship   is   more  signiSicant  and  seems  more  useful  in  predicting  future  performance  (Figures  24  &  25).  We  treat  both  multiples  equally  in  our  valuation  as  there  is  no  evidence  of  predominance  of  one  over  the  other.    Choice  of  Peers  §  Closest  peers,  with  a  core  business  as  similar  as  possible  to  Bel’s  (Bongrain,  Parmalat,  Glanbia).  §  High-­‐growth  small  caps  in  the  F&B  sector,  to  reSlect  Bel’s  growth  model  (Saputo,  Diamond  Foods,  

Synder’s-­‐Lance,  TreeHouse  Foods).  §  Large  diversiYied   groups,   as   they   are   similar   in   terms   of   international   strategy  with   their   core  

brands  (Kraft  Foods,  Danone,  Mondelez  Int.).    Given  the  varying  features  of  the  three  peer  groups,  we  applied  a  different  liquidity  discount  as  well  as  a   different   weight   to   compute   liquidity-­‐adjusted   weighted   average   multiples   (details   provided   in  Appendix  33).      2.  Multiple  Factor  Regression  A  broad  sample  of  200  Sirms  was  used  to  regress  forward  P/E  against  7  variables:  leverage  (LT  Debt/Total  Assets),  EPS  long-­‐term  growth  rate  (g),  payout,  beta,  market  capitalization  (logarithm),  return  on  equity,  illiquidity  ratio  (based  on  Amihud’s  research).    The  5  last  variables  are  dummies  corresponding  to  sub-­‐sectors.  (Figure  26  &  Appendix  34).              With  an  expected  EPS  2015E  of  €21.4,  we  derived  a  target  value  of  €415  (38%  upside).    Combining   both   target   prices   with   a   50-­‐50   weighting,   we   obtained   a   target   value   of   €432   (44%  upside)  for  relative  valuation.    

Figure  26:  Regression  inputs  (2015E)  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

Figure  25:  EV/Sales  15E  vs.  EBIT  margin  15E  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

Sources:  Thomson  Reuters,  Team  estimates  

FBEL  

BH  PLT  

GL9  

KRFT  

BN  

MDLZ  

SAP  

DMND  

LNCE  THS  

R²  =  0.81098  

0.0  

0.5  

1.0  

1.5  

2.0  

2.5  

3.0  

0%   5%   10%   15%   20%  

EV/Sales  15E  

EBIT  Margin  15E  

Figure  23:  WACC  assumptions  

Sources:  FactSet,  Damodaran,  Team  estimates  

Figure  24:  Sensitivity  analysis  

Source:  Team  estimates  

WACC  

Liquidity  Discount  

4%   5.5%   7%  

6%   465   393   341  

11%   440   373   323  

16%   415   352   305  

Rf   0.8%  

Beta   0.41  

Market  risk  Premium  (RMRF)   5.9%  

SMB  Premium   3.4%  

HML  Premium   -­‐1.1%  

Cost  of  equity   5.5%  

Equity  as  a  %  of  target  capital  structure   100%  

WACC   5.5%  

fP / E = α0 +α1(LTDebt

TotalAssets)+α2g+α3payout +α4beta +α5 ln(marketcap)+α6ROE +α7Amihud

Intercept   1.0  

Leverage   0.1  

EPS  growth  rate   0.2  

Payout   0.4  

Beta   0.4  

ln(Market  Cap)   21.7  

ROE   0.1  

Amihud   0.0007  

S50   1  

fP/E   18  

8  

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0%  

2%  

4%  

6%  

8%  

10%  

Investment  Risks    (Appendix  35)    Governance  Risk  |  Family-­‐Held  Business  The   Bel/Fievet   family   directly   and   indirectly   owns   70.9%   of   the   shares.   Besides,   Antoine   Fievet   is  Chairman  and  CEO  and   thus  has   the  decisive  power  both  at   the  board   level   and  at   the  management  level.  In  such  a  structure,  conSlicts  of  interest  between  the  family  and  other  shareholders  might  arise.  This  could  compromise  the  interest  of  minority  shareholders.    Governance  Risk  |  Lactalis    Lactalis  (Besnier  family)  was  a  Unibel  shareholder  until  2005.  In  2005,  the  Bel/Fievet  family  chose  to  reshape   the   group   shareholder   structure   with   a   complex   share   repurchasing   transaction.   Lactalis  withdrew  its  28.5%  stake  in  Unibel  but  remained  a  shareholder  of  Fromageries  Bel  (24%).      Market  Risk  |  Liquidity    Bel  is  a  small-­‐cap.  Free  Sloat  is  very  low  (4.4%)  and  its  shares  are  characterized  by  an  unusually  wide  bid-­‐ask   spread   (3%  on   average   over   the   last   10   years).   Such   a   proSile   is   likely   to   keep   institutional  investors  away   from  buying  the  shares  (Figure  27).  Clearly,  raising   free-­‐Sloat  by,   for  example,  selling  Lactalis’   stake   to   the   market,   would   have   a   positive   impact   on   liquidity   and,   potentially,   valuation  (narrowing  of  the  liquidity  discount).    Market  Risk  |  Fluctuation  of  Raw  Materials  Prices  Volatility   in   raw   materials   prices   (milk,   powder,   butter   and   cream)   can   be   driven   by   supply   and  demand   Sluctuations,  but  also  by  weather  conditions.  Currently,   there   is  a   rise   in  dairy   raw  material  costs,  which  is  driven  by  a  robust  demand  in  emerging  countries  (China  particularly).  Future  prices  are  not  expected  to  reach  2007-­‐08  peaks  as  well  as  those  of  2011  and  2013  (Figure  28).  On  the  contrary,  the   abolition   of   dairy   quotas   in   Europe   in   2015   should   drive   milk   production   upward   and   put  downward   pressure   on   prices.   Despite   this,   we   expect   no   signiSicant   reduction   in   current   price  volatility  especially  due  to  a  reduction  of  price  intervention  in  the  EU.      Market  Risk  |  Forex  Headwinds    As  the  consolidated  Sinancial  statements  are  presented  in  euro,  Bel  is  exposed  to  translation  effect  from  forex  Sluctuations.  This  concerns  more  than  40  %  of  Bel  total  sales.  Bel  is  also  exposed  to  transactional  exchange  rate  risks,  mainly  due  to  commercial  commitments  carried  out  in  currencies  other  than  the  euro   by   its   subsidiaries.   Even   if   Bel   aims   at   hedging   the   annual   budgetary   currency   risk   through  derivatives,   it  currently  remains  exposed  to  currency  volatility.  Besides,   investments  abroad,  such  as  the  Brookings  production  plant,  should  act  as  a  natural  FX  hedge.    Economic  Risk  |  World  GDP  Growth  Slowdown  While  European  growth  forecasts  remain  weak,  deSlation  haunts  Bel’s  core  market  (62%  of  2013  sales)  and   may   trigger   a   vicious   circle   driving   household   consumption   down.   The   FED   progressive  withdrawal  also  sows  the  seeds  of  doubt  on  dollar-­‐addicted  emerging  markets.    Economic  Risk  |  DeYlation  Risk  Euro   area   inSlation   has   been   falling   steadily   for   three   years,   and   slipped   into   negative   territory   in  December   (-­‐0.2%  y/y)   for   the   Sirst   time   since   2009   (Figure   29).   If   the   situation   lasts,   there  may   be  «  demand-­‐deSicient  deSlation  »,   also  known  as  «  bad  deSlation  »   in   the  Eurozone  because  consumers  may   delay   the   purchase   of   goods   and   services   in   the   expectation   that   prices  will   fall.   However,   this  situation  might  lead  to  the  intervention  of  the  ECB  (QE  announcement),  offsetting  this  risk.      Political  Risk  |  Threats  of  Geopolitical  Events  Bel’s  activities  are  subject  to  geopolitical  events  such  as  an  embargo  and  political  crisis.  Depending  on  the  market  importance  for  Bel,  those  may  hit  Bel’s  operating  margin.  In  some  cases  like  in  Middle  East,  Bel  has  been  forced  to  reconsider  its  distribution  channel.        Strategic  Risk  |  Lack  of  Aggressiveness  Bel’  strategy   is   to   innovate  through  prudent  acquisition  of  new  brands.  The   lack  of  aggressiveness   is  reinforced  by  a  family  member  as  CEO  and  may  deter  potential  investors  from  buying  the  shares.      Operating  Risk  |    Unplanned  Breakdown  of  Production  Site  Due  to  the  group  strategy,  some  of  the  products  are  manufactured  in  a  limited  number  of  sites  or  even  in  a  single  site.  If  an  important  site  is  totally  or  partially  damaged,  it  may  have  a  signiSicant  impact  on  the  manufactured   products.   Though   the   group   has   set   up   prevention   plans   and   business   continuity  plans,  the  group’s  operating  proSit  could  be  signiSicantly  affected.        

0  

1  000  

2  000  

3  000  

4  000  

5  000  

Butter  Skim  milk  in  pouder  Whole  milk  in  pouder  

$/t  

Figure  28:  Raw  materials  prices  

Figure  27:  3-­‐month  bid-­‐ask  spread  

Source:  OECD  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

Source:  FactSet  

12th  January  2015  

9  

-­‐  1.0  

 0.0  

 1.0  

 2.0  

 3.0  

 4.0  

 5.0  

Dec-­‐05  

Dec-­‐06  

Dec-­‐07  

Dec-­‐08  

Dec-­‐09  

Dec-­‐10  

Dec-­‐11  

Dec-­‐12  

Dec-­‐13  

Dec-­‐14  

Figure  29:  Eurozone  HICP  (%  y/y)  

Source:  Eurostat  

Oct.  14   Nov.  14   Dec.  14  

LT  Average:  3%  

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Operating  Risk  |  Contamination  Risk  As  a  food  manufacturing  company,  food  safety  is  always  a  key  concern.  The  risk  exists  at  every  stage  of  the  production  cycle:  upstream  risks  (chemical  and  physical)  may   inSluence  raw  materials  and   input  packaging;  downstream  risks  (bacteriological)  for  cheese.  Any  claimed  or  proven  contamination  of  Bel  products  may  harm  its  reputation,  business  activity  and  results.          Responsible  Corporate  Citizen    In  2013,  Bel  issued  publicly  its  CSR  report  for  the  Sirst  time.  It  shows  high  performance  results  in  using  the  Ecovadis  Rating  tools.  Bel  is  rated  with  65/100  in  2013  which  has  achieved  the  Gold  Status  (Figure  30  and  Appendix  36).    Environmental    Bel   has   been   striving   to   improve   its   environmental   performance.   As   a   partner   of   WWF,   Bel   has  developed   and   complied   with   many   internal   and   external   reference   standards   (for   both   their  production   sites   and   their   suppliers)   aimed   at   reducing  water   and   energy   production,   reducing   the  waste   disposal   and   limiting   greenhouse   gas   emissions.   As   a   result,   Bel   has   reduced   its   water  consumption  by  11%  with  a  sales  growth  of  23%  from  2008-­‐13.    Social  As  a  signatory  to  the  United  Nations  Global  Compact  since  2003,  Bel  has  always  focused  on  respecting  human   rights.   Since   its   establishment   in   2008,   “Bel   Foundation”   has   not   only   taken   action   in   the  interest   of   children,   their   well-­‐being,   but   has   also   supported   associations   and   other   philanthropic  projects.  Furthermore,  training  programs  are  taken  to  develop  the  skills  and  promote  internal  mobility,  as  well  as  other  measures  to  improve  the  working  conditions.    Governance  Bel  keeps  an  ongoing  governance  dialogue  within   the   family,   in  pursuit  of   the  most  efSicient  balance  between   family   and   business   forces.   In   accordance   with   AFEP/MEDEF   and   Middlenext   Codes,   Bel  meets   the   independence   requirement   of   board   of   directors.   We   do   however   highlight   a   conSlict   of  interest   as   the  CEO,  Antoine  Fievet   (member  of   the   family   shareholder),   is   also   the  Chairman  of   the  Board   of   Directors.   The   establishment   of   different   committees   and   existence   of   Internal   Audit  Department  ensures  the  continuous  good  functioning  of  the  company.  The  compensation  and  beneSits  are  publicly  released  and  all  their  decisions  are  taken  in  the  shareholders’  interest  (Appendix  37).                                                                

Suppliers    

70/100  

Subcontractors    

43/100  

Bel  (Gold  Status)    

65/100  

Source:  EcoVadis  

Figure  30:  2013  EcoVadis  rating  

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BUY   Forecast  12-­‐month  absolute  total  return  greater  than  6%    

HOLD   Forecast  12-­‐month  absolute  total  return  of  +6%  to  -­‐6%    

SELL   Forecast  12-­‐month  absolute  total  return  less  than  -­‐6%    

Rating  deYinitions:  

10  

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 Appendix  –  Table  of  Contents    Appendix  1.  Income  Statement  Appendix  2.  Balance  Sheet  Appendix  3.  Cash  Flow  Statement  Appendix  4.  Vertical  Common  Size  Income  Statement  Appendix  5.  Horizontal  Common  Size  Income  Statement  Appendix  6.  Vertical  Common  Size  Balance  Sheet  Appendix  7.  Horizontal  Common  Size  Balance  Sheet  Appendix  8.  Key  Ratios    Business  Description  Appendix  9.  Factories  and  R&D  Centers  Worldwide  Appendix  10.  Industrial  Expertise  Appendix  11.  Five  Core  Brands  Appendix  12.  Acquisitions  Appendix  13.  Corporate  Structure      Industry  Overview  Appendix  14.  EU-­‐27  Cheese  Production    Appendix  15.  Cheese  Consumption  Worldwide  Appendix  16.  EU  Quota  Regime  Appendix  17.  PESTLE  Appendix  18.  SWOT  Analysis    Financial  Analysis  Appendix  19.  Sales  Forecasts  Appendix  20.  Financial  Statements  Forecasts  Explanations  Appendix  21.  Non  Recurring  Income  and  Expense  Appendix  22.  DuPont  Analysis    Valuation    Discounted  Cash  Flows  Appendix  23.  Liquidity  Discount  Calculation  Appendix  24.  Free  Cash  Flows  Appendix  25.  Target  Price  Calculation  Appendix  26.  Fama-­‐French  Model  Appendix  27.  WACC  Components  Appendix  28.  Sensitivity  Analyses  Appendix  29.  Monte  Carlo  Simulation    Transactions  Appendix  30.  Comparable  Deals    Appendix  31.  Deal  Value/Sales  Ratio  of  Comparable  Deals  Appendix  32.  Transaction-­‐based  Valuation  Target  Price    Relative  Valuation  Appendix  33.  Peers  Multiples    Appendix  34.  P/E  Ratio  Regression  Model      Investment  Risks  Appendix  35.  Risk  Matrix    Other  Headings  Appendix  36.  ESG  Appendix  37.  Management  Board              

12th  January  2015  CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

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Appendix  1.  Income  Statement    

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

NB:  Forecasts  calculations  are  explained  in  Appendix  20.    

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 Income  Statement  (€m)   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  

Sales   2  221   2  418   2  527   2  649   2  720   2  828   3  000   3  187   3  392   3  619  

Growth   0.2%   8.9%   4.5%   4.8%   2.7%   4.0%   6.1%   6.2%   6.4%   6.7%  

Europe   1  472   1  517   1  597   1  612   1  670   1  711   1  759   1  809   1  859   1  911  

Africa  -­‐  Middle  East   -­‐-­‐   561   549   618   633   696   766   841   924   1  014  

Americas  -­‐  APAC   -­‐-­‐   340   381   419   417   421   475   537   609   693  

Cost  of  Goods  Sold     (1  445)   (1  577)   (1  727)   (1  741)   (1  821)   (1  960)   (2  010)   (2  119)   (2  239)   (2  370)  

Gross  Income   776   841   800   908   899   868   990   1  068   1  153   1  248  

Gross  Income  Margin   34.9%   34.8%   31.7%   34.3%   33.1%   30.7%   33.0%   33.5%   34.0%   34.5%  

SG&A  Expense   (509)   (544)   (531)   (581)   (582)   (608)   (645)   (685)   (729)   (778)  

EBITDA   267   297   269   327   317   260   345   382   424   470  

EBITDA  margin   12.0%   12.3%   10.6%   12.4%   11.7%   9.2%   11.5%   12.0%   12.5%   13.0%  

Depreciation  &  Amortization  Expense   (72)   (86)   (82)   (89)   (77)   (91)   (98)   (102)   (106)   (110)  

EBIT     195   211   187   238   240   169   247   281   318   360  

EBIT  margin   8.8%   8.7%   7.4%   9.0%   8.8%   6.0%   8.2%   8.8%   9.4%   9.9%  

Nonoperating  Income  -­‐  Net   (4)   (6)   (6)   (2)   4   4   4   4   4   4  

Interest  Expense   (24)   (19)   (21)   (17)   (20)   (9)   (9)   (9)   (9)   (9)  

Unusual  Expense  -­‐  Net   (42)   (11)   (16)   (26)   (5)   (20)   (20)   (20)   (20)   (20)  

EBT   125   175   144   193   220   145   222   256   293   335  

Income  Taxes   (37)   (57)   (47)   (63)   (88)   (48)   (74)   (85)   (98)   (112)  

Consolidated  Net  Income   88   118   97   130   131   96   148   171   196   223  

Minority  Interest   (3)   (1)   (1)   (2)   (6)   (2)   (2)   (2)   (2)   (2)  

Net  Income   85   117   96   129   126   94   146   169   194   221  

                       

                   

EPS  (basic)   12.40   16.98   14.07   18.65   18.45   13.85   21.37   24.70   28.38   32.46  

EPS  (diluted)   12.40   16.98   14.07   18.65   18.45   13.85   21.37   24.70   28.38   32.46  

Total  Shares  Outstanding   6.86   6.86   6.84   6.89   6.82   6.82   6.82   6.82   6.82   6.82  

DPS   6.00   5.00   6.25   6.25   6.25   6.25   7.91   10.00   12.65   16.00  

Payout  Ratio  (%)   48.4%   29.4%   44.4%   33.5%   33.9%   45.1%   37.0%   40.5%   44.6%   49.3%  

12  

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Appendix  2.  Balance  Sheet  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

NB:  Forecasts  calculations  are  explained  in  Appendix  20.    

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 Balance  Sheet  (€m)   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  Cash  &  ST  Investments   117   140   143   451   510   379   464   504   584   509  Short-­‐Term  Receivables   414   444   455   458   491   508   528   560   595   631  Inventories   179   224   244   237   259   239   249   264   280   308  Current  Assets   709   809   841   1  146   1  260   1  126   1  240   1  328   1  460   1  447  

                   Net  PP&E   549   540   530   524   588   639   661   686   716   752  Net  Goodwill   383   389   388   385   381   381   381   381   381   381  Net  Other  Intangible  Assets   311   306   303   296   288   288   288   288   288   288  LT  Investments   48   63   64   85   116   116   116   116   116   116  Other  Assets   12   11   11   11   10   15   15   15   11   8  Non  Current  Assets   1  303   1  309   1  296   1  301   1  384   1  439   1  461   1  486   1  512   1  545  

                       Total  Assets   2  012   2  118   2  137   2  447   2  644   2  566   2  701   2  814   2  972   2  992  

                       ST  Debt  &  Current  Portion  LT  Debt   63   56   78   144   153   47   47   47   47   47  Accounts  Payable   275   333   359   368   413   404   442   454   479   508  Other  Current  Liabilities   143   158   158   156   182   182   199   205   216   236  Current  Liabilities   482   547   595   669   748   633   688   706   742   792  

                       Long-­‐Term  Debt   410   324   258   363   378   378   378   361   361   198  Provisions   45   49   51   52   78   78   78   78   78   78  Other  Liabilities   154   169   172   197   213   198   186   196   210   226  Non  Current  Liabilities   609   543   481   612   668   654   642   635   649   502  

                       Total  Liabilities   1  090   1  090   1  076   1  281   1  417   1  287   1  330   1  341   1  391   1  293  

                   Common  Stock  Par/Carry  Value     10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10  Additional  Paid-­‐In  Capital   22   22   22   22   22   22   22   22   22   22  Retained  Earnings   106   135   113   145   1  248   1  300   1  392   1  492   1  599   1  716  Cumulative  Translation  Adjustment/Unrealized  For.  Exch.  Gain   (27)   (10)   (17)   (28)   (59)   (59)   (59)   (59)   (59)   (59)  

Other  Appropriated  Reserves   789   852   923   1  018   -­‐-­‐   -­‐-­‐   -­‐-­‐   -­‐-­‐   -­‐-­‐   -­‐-­‐  Treasury  Stock   (7)   (7)   (6)   (11)   (8)   (8)   (8)   (8)   (8)   (8)  Total  Shareholders'  Equity   892   1  002   1  045   1  155   1  213   1  264   1  356   1  457   1  564   1  680  Accumulated  Minority  Interest   31   26   16   11   14   15   16   17   18   19  Total  Equity   923   1  027   1  061   1  166   1  227   1279   1372   1473   1581   1699  

                   Total  Liabilities  &  Shareholders'  Equity   2  013   2  118   2  137   2  447   2  644   2566   2701   2814   2972   2992  

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Appendix  3.  Cash  Flow  Statement  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

NB:  Forecasts  calculations  are  explained  in  Appendix  20.    

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 Cash  Flow  Statement  (€m)   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  

Earnings  Before  Taxes   125   175   144   193   220   145   222   256   293   335  

Depreciation,  Depletion  &  Amortization   122   92   79   93   77   91   98   102   106   110  

Other  Funds   (15)   (40)   (41)   (41)   (73)   (73)   (73)   (73)   (73)   (73)  

Funds  from  Operations   231   227   182   245   224   162   247   285   326   373  

Changes  in  Working  Capital   (4)   (4)   (20)   12   (8)   (6)   8   (35)   (27)   (34)  

Net  Operating  Cash  Flow   227   223   162   257   216   156   255   250   300   338  

                       

Capital  Expenditures   (79)   (64)   (75)   (81)   (149)   (141)   (120)   (127)   (136)   (145)  

     Maintenance  CapEx   (122)   (92)   (79)   (93)   (77)   (91)   (98)   (102)   (106)   (110)  

     Growth  CapEx   43   28   4   11   (72)   (51)   (22)   (26)   (30)   (34)  

Net  Assets  from  Acquisitions   (1)   (3)   0   (0)   (0)   0   0   0   0   0  

Sale  of  Fixed  Assets  &  Businesses   1   3   1   2   3   3   3   3   3   3  

Purchase/Sale  of  Investments   (0)   (1)   (1)   (0)   0   0   0   0   0   0  

Other  Funds   13   0   (0)   0   0   0   0   0   0   0  

Net  Investing  Cash  Flow   (66)   (65)   (74)   (80)   (146)   (138)   (117)   (124)   (133)   (142)  

                       

Cash  Dividends  Paid   (24)   (40)   (48)   (41)   (52)   (43)   (54)   (68)   (86)   (109)  

Change  in  Capital  Stock   0   0   0   (7)   0   0   0   0   0   0  

Issuance/Reduction  of  LT  Debt,  Net   (263)   (84)   (52)   178   26   0   0   (17)   0   (163)  

Issuance/Reduction  of  ST  Debt,  Net   0   0   0   0   0   (106)   0   0   0   0  

Other  Funds   0   (7)   10   (2)   14   0   0   0   0   0  

Net  Financing  Cash  Flow   (286)   (131)   (91)   127   (12)   (148)   (54)   (85)   (86)   (272)  

                       

Exchange  Rate  Effect   (2)   (0)   2   0   (8)   0   0   0   0   0  

                       

Net  Change  in  Cash   (127)   26   (1)   304   50   (131)   84   40   81   (76)  

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Appendix  4.  Vertical  Common  Size  Income  Statement  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

Appendix  5.  Horizontal  Common  Size  Income  Statement  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

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Vertical  Common  Size  Income  Statement   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  

Sales   100.0%   100.0%   100.0%   100.0%  100.0%  100.0%  100.0%  100.0%  100.0%  100.0%  

Cost  of  Goods  Sold     65.1%   65.2%   68.3%   65.7%   66.9%   69.3%   67.0%   66.5%   66.0%   65.5%  

Gross  Income   34.9%   34.8%   31.7%   34.3%   33.1%   30.7%   33.0%   33.5%   34.0%   34.5%  

SG&A  Expense   22.9%   22.5%   21.1%   21.9%   21.4%   19.8%   22.4%   22.4%   22.0%   22.0%  

EBITDA   12.0%   12.3%   10.6%   12.4%   11.7%   9.2%   11.5%   12.0%   12.5%   13.0%  

Depreciation  and  Amortization   3.2%   3.6%   3.2%   3.4%   2.8%   3.2%   3.3%   3.2%   3.1%   3.1%  

EBIT     8.8%   8.7%   7.4%   9.0%   8.8%   6.0%   8.2%   8.8%   9.4%   9.9%  

EBT   5.6%   7.2%   5.7%   7.3%   8.1%   5.1%   7.4%   8.0%   8.6%   9.3%  

Net  Income   3.8%   4.8%   3.8%   4.9%   4.6%   3.3%   4.9%   5.3%   5.7%   6.1%  

Horizontal  Common  Size  Income  Statement   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  

Sales   100.0%   108.9%   113.8%   119.3%  122.5%  127.3%  135.1%  143.5%  152.8%  163.0%  

Cost  of  Goods  Sold     100.0%   109.1%   119.5%   120.5%   126.0%   135.6%   139.1%   146.7%   154.9%   164.0%  

Gross  Income   100.0%   108.4%   103.2%   117.0%  115.9%  111.9%  127.6%  137.6%  148.7%  160.9%  

SG&A  Expense   100.0%   107.0%   104.5%   114.2%   114.5%   119.5%   126.8%   134.7%   143.4%   153.0%  

EBITDA   100.0%   111.1%   100.7%   122.5%  118.8%   97.4%   129.2%  143.2%  158.7%  176.1%  

Depreciation  and  Amortization   100.0%   119.6%   113.3%   123.6%   107.0%   125.8%   136.6%   141.2%   146.7%   153.1%  

EBIT     100.0%   107.9%   96.0%   122.2%  123.1%   86.9%   126.3%  143.8%  163.1%  184.5%  

EBT   100.0%   140.4%   115.8%   155.1%  176.4%  116.2%  178.1%  205.4%  235.6%  269.2%  

Net  Income   100.0%   136.9%   113.1%   151.1%  148.0%  111.0%  171.4%  198.1%  227.6%  260.3%  

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Appendix  6.  Vertical  Common  Size  Balance  Sheet  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

Appendix  7.  Horizontal  Common  Size  Balance  Sheet  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

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 Vertical  Common  Size  Balance  Sheet     2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  Current  Assets   35.2%   38.2%   39.4%   46.8%   47.6%   43.9%   45.9%   47.2%   49.1%   48.4%  

                   Non  Current  Assets   64.8%   61.8%   60.6%   53.2%   52.4%   56.1%   54.1%   52.8%   50.9%   51.6%  

                   Total  Assets   100.0%   100.0%  100.0%  100.0%  100.0%  100.0%   100.0%   100.0%   100.0%   100.0%  

                   Current  Liabilities   44.2%   50.2%   55.3%   52.2%   52.8%   49.2%   51.7%   52.7%   53.4%   61.2%  

                   Non  Current  Liabilities   55.8%   49.8%   44.7%   47.8%   47.2%   50.8%   48.3%   47.3%   46.6%   38.8%  

                   Total  Liabilities   54.2%   51.5%   50.3%   52.4%   53.6%   50.2%   49.2%   47.7%   46.8%   43.2%  

                   Shareholders  Equity   44.3%   47.3%   48.9%   47.2%   45.9%   49.3%   50.2%   51.8%   52.6%   56.2%  

                   Total  Equity   45.8%   48.5%   49.7%   47.6%   46.4%   49.8%   50.8%   52.3%   53.2%   56.8%  

                   Liabilities  and  Equity   100.0%   100.0%  100.0%  100.0%  100.0%  100.0%   100.0%   100.0%   100.0%   100.0%  

Horizontal  Common    Size  Balance  Sheet     2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  

Current  Assets   100.0%   114.1%   118.6%   161.6%   177.7%   158.9%   175.0%   187.3%   205.9%   204.2%                      

Non  Current  Assets   100.0%   100.4%   99.4%   99.8%   106.2%   110.4%   112.1%   114.1%   116.0%   118.5%                      

Total  Assets   100.0%   105.2%  106.2%  121.6%  131.4%  127.5%   134.2%   139.9%   147.7%   148.7%                      

Current  Liabilities   100.0%   113.6%   123.5%   138.8%   155.3%   131.5%   142.8%   146.6%   154.1%   164.3%                      

Non  Current  Liabilities   100.0%   89.2%   79.0%   100.6%   109.9%   107.4%   105.4%   104.3%   106.6%   82.4%                      

Total  Liabilities   100.0%   100.0%   98.7%   117.5%  129.9%  118.0%   122.0%   123.0%   127.6%   118.6%                      

Shareholders  Equity   100.0%   112.3%   117.2%   129.5%   136.0%   141.7%   152.0%   163.3%   175.3%   188.4%                      

Total  Equity   100.0%   111.4%  115.0%  126.4%  133.0%  138.6%   148.7%   159.7%   171.4%   184.2%                      

Liabilities  and  Equity   100.0%   105.2%  106.2%  121.6%  131.4%  127.5%   134.2%   139.8%   147.7%   148.7%  

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Page 18: IRC 2015 - Lille

Appendix  8.  Key  Ratios  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

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Key  Ratios   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  Activity  Ratios                                          1.  Receivables  Turnover   5.1   5.6   5.6   5.8   5.7   5.7   5.8   5.9   5.9   5.9  2.  Days  of  Sales  Outstanding  (DSO)   71.2   64.8   64.9   62.9   63.7   64.4   63.0   62.3   62.1   61.8  3.  Inventory  Turnover   7.6   7.8   7.4   7.2   7.3   7.9   8.2   8.3   8.2   8.1  4.  Days  of  Inventory  on  Hand  (DOH)   47.8   46.6   49.4   50.4   49.7   46.4   44.3   44.2   44.4   45.3  5.  Payables  Turnover   5.8   6.5   6.3   6.1   5.9   6.0   5.9   5.9   6.0   6.0  6.  Number  of  Days  of  Payables   62.7   56.1   57.6   59.8   61.5   60.7   61.8   62.1   61.2   60.9  7.  Total  Asset  Turnover   1.0   1.2   1.2   1.2   1.1   1.1   1.1   1.2   1.2   1.2  8.  Fixed  Asset  Turnover   4.0   4.4   4.7   5.0   4.9   4.6   4.6   4.7   4.8   4.9  9.  Working  Capital  Turnover   12.6   13.8   14.1   15.1   16.7   17.9   20.2   21.2   19.6   19.3  10.  WC/Sales   7.8%   7.3%   7.2%   6.4%   5.7%   5.7%   4.5%   5.2%   5.3%   5.4%  11.  WCR/Sales   14.3%   13.8%   13.4%   12.3%   12.4%   12.1%   11.2%   11.6%   11.7%   11.9%  12.  CapEx/Sales   3.6%   2.6%   3.0%   3.1%   5.5%   5.0%   4.0%   4.0%   4.0%   4.0%  

   Liquidity  ratios                                          1.  Current  Ratio   1.5   1.5   1.4   1.7   1.7   1.8   1.8   1.9   2.0   1.8  2.  Quick  Ratio   1.1   1.1   1.0   1.4   1.3   1.4   1.4   1.5   1.6   1.4  3.  Cash  Ratio   0.2   0.3   0.2   0.7   0.7   0.6   0.7   0.7   0.8   0.6  4.  Cash  Conversion  Cycle   56.3   55.2   56.7   53.5   51.8   50.2   45.5   44.3   45.3   46.2  5.  ST  Debt/Cash   0.5   0.4   0.5   0.3   0.3   0.1   0.1   0.1   0.1   0.1  6.  CFO/Sales   10.2%   9.2%   6.4%   9.7%   7.9%   5.5%   8.5%   7.8%   8.8%   9.4%  

   Solvency  ratios                                          1.  Net  Debt   356.6   239.7   193.3   56.7   20.7   60.0   -­‐23.4   -­‐62.7   -­‐142.4   -­‐65.6  2.  Net  Debt/Equity   0.4   0.3   0.2   0.1   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   -­‐0.1   0.0  3.  Net  Debt/EBITDA   1.3   0.8   0.7   0.2   0.1   0.2   -­‐0.1   -­‐0.2   -­‐0.3   -­‐0.1  4.  Net  Debt/EBITDA  Minus  CapEx     1.9   1.0   1.0   0.2   0.1   0.5   -­‐0.1   -­‐0.2   -­‐0.5   -­‐0.2  5.  Total  Debt/Total  Assets   0.2   0.2   0.2   0.2   0.2   0.2   0.2   0.2   0.1   0.1  6.  Total  Debt/EBITDA   1.8   1.3   1.2   1.5   1.7   1.7   1.3   1.2   1.0   0.9  7.  LT  Debt/EBITDA   1.5   1.1   1.0   1.1   1.2   1.5   1.1   1.0   0.9   0.8  8.  Asset/Equity   2.4   2.1   2.0   2.1   2.1   2.1   2.0   1.9   1.9   1.8  9.  Interest  Coverage   8.0   11.0   8.8   13.7   12.3   19.3   28.0   31.8   36.0   40.6  10.  CFO/Interest  Expense   9.3   11.7   7.6   14.7   11.0   17.8   29.0   28.3   33.9   38.2  11.  EBITDA/Interest  Expense     10.9   15.5   12.6   18.8   16.2   29.6   39.2   43.4   48.0   53.1  

       ProYitability  ratios                                          1.  Net  ProSit  Margin     3.8%   4.8%   3.8%   4.9%   4.6%   3.3%   4.9%   5.3%   5.7%   6.1%  2.  Gross  ProSit   34.9%   34.8%   31.7%   34.3%   33.1%   30.7%   33.0%   33.5%   34.0%   34.5%  3.  EBITDA  Margin     12.0%   12.3%   10.6%   12.4%   11.7%   9.2%   11.5%   12.0%   12.5%   13.0%  4.  EBIT  Margin     8.8%   8.7%   7.4%   9.0%   8.8%   6.0%   8.2%   8.8%   9.4%   9.9%  5.  EBT  Margin   5.6%   7.2%   5.7%   7.3%   8.1%   5.1%   7.4%   8.0%   8.6%   9.3%  6.  ROA   4.0%   5.6%   4.5%   5.6%   4.9%   3.6%   5.5%   6.1%   6.7%   7.4%  7.  Operating  ROA   9.1%   10.2%   8.8%   10.4%   9.4%   6.5%   9.4%   10.2%   11.0%   12.1%  8.  Return  on  Total  Capital   6.3%   8.5%   7.0%   8.4%   7.4%   5.5%   8.3%   9.1%   9.9%   10.7%  9.  ROE  (Shareholder  Equity)     9.5%   11.9%   9.2%   11.5%   10.5%   7.5%   11.0%   11.8%   12.7%   13.5%  10.  ROCE  (SH  Equity  +  LT  Debt)     10.0%   10.8%   9.6%   11.4%   9.3%   7.0%   9.7%   10.5%   11.3%   12.6%  

   DOL   0.9   -­‐2.4   5.7   0.3   -­‐7.4   7.5   2.2   2.1   2.0  DFL   1.1   1.1   1.1   1.1   1.1   1.1   1.0   1.0   1.0   1.0  DTL   1.0   -­‐2.8   6.1   0.3   -­‐7.8   7.7   2.3   2.1   2.0  

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Appendix  9.  Factories  and  R&D  Centers  Worldwide  

Source:  Bel  

Legend:  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

Factories  

R&D  Centers  

Bel  Headquarters  

12th  January  2015  

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Page 20: IRC 2015 - Lille

Appendix  10.  Industrial  Expertise  

Source:  Bel  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

Mini  Babybel  

Kiri  

«  The  curd  grains  are  molded  and  will  then  be  pressed.  After  an  average  resting  period  of  15  hours,  the  Mini  Babybel  cheeses  will  be  wrapped  in  a  wax  coating  designed  to  protect  and  conserve  them.  »  

“The  milk  and  cream  are  mixed  and  then  pasteurized.  Lactic  ferments,  dairy  proteins,  emulsifying  salts,  and  a  pinch  of  salt  and  milk  calcium  are  added  to  the  mix.  Kiri  is  cooked  then  hot  molded  in  aluminum  shells.”  

12th  January  2015  

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Page 21: IRC 2015 - Lille

Appendix  11.  Five  Core  Brands  

Source:  Bel  

Brand   Year   Type  of  Cheese   Creation     Acquisition   Ranking  Worldwide   #  Countries  

1921   Processed  Cheese   ✓   #4   136  

1966   Fresh  &  Spreadable  Cheese  

✓     #12   N/A  

1977   Pressed  Cheese   ✓    

    #6   76  

2002   Pressed  Cheese   ✓     #11   27  

2008   Fresh  &  Spreadable  Cheese  

✓     N/A   8  

Appendix  12.  Acquisitions  

Source:  Thomson  Reuters  

   Date  of  Completion   Target  Name   Target  Nation   %  Acquired  

November-­‐85   Nestle  Foods  -­‐  Wispride  Brand   United  States   100%  January-­‐91   Maredsous   Belgium   100%  July-­‐94   Cademartori  Introbio   Italy   75%  

November-­‐94   Queserias  Ibericas   Spain   83%  February-­‐96   Kaukauna  Cheese  Wisconsin     United  States   100%  April-­‐96   Grupo  Lacto   Portugal   100%  May-­‐00   Zeletavska  Syrarna   Czech  Republic   100%  June-­‐00   Zempmilk     Slovak  Rep   51.1%  

December-­‐02   Leerdammer  Co   Netherlands   100%  February-­‐06   Kars  Karper  Peynir  ve  Gida     Turkey   -­‐  January-­‐07   Groupe  Danone  SA  -­‐  Gervais  Brand   Czech  Republic   100%  April-­‐07   Shostka  City  Milk  Factory   Ukraine   100%  January-­‐08   Boursin   France   100%  April-­‐08   Jaromericka  Mlekarna   Czech  Republic   100%  April-­‐08   J  &  R     Czech  Republic   71.5%  October-­‐14   Granja  La  Luz     Spain   100%  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

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Page 22: IRC 2015 - Lille

Management  Committee  

Joe  Tayard  Vice-­‐President  Bel  Near  and  Middle  East  

Chakib  Seddiki  Vice-­‐President  Bel  Greater  Africa  

Frédéric  Nalis  Vice-­‐President  Bel  America  

Guillaume  Jouet  Vice-­‐President  Human  Resources,  

Communications  and  Corporate  Social  Responsibility  

Chantal  Layuela  Vice-­‐President  Research  and  Innovation  

Etienne  Lecomte  Vice-­‐President  Bel  Western  Europe  

Eric  de  Poncins  Executive  Vice-­‐President  Group  Strategy,  Development  and  

Transformation  

Robert  Schlingensiepen  Vice-­‐President  Bel  North  East  Europe  

Jennifer  Marquet  Vice-­‐President  Marketing  

Philippe  Champlong  Vice-­‐President  Bel  Asia-­‐PaciSic  

Francis  Le  Cam  Deputy  General  Manager    in  charge  of  Operations  

Hubert  Mayet  General  Manager  in  charge  of  Group  Manufacturing  and  Technical  Division  

Bruno  Schoch  Deputy  General  Manager  in  charge  of  Finance,  Legal  affairs  and  IT  systems  

Executive  Committee  

Philippe  Deloffre  

Pascal  Viénot  (UNIBEL)  

Florian  Sauvin  

Luc  Luyten   James  Lightburn  

Michel  Arnaud  Fatine  Layt  

Board  of  Directors  

Antoine  Fiévet  CEO  &  Chairman  

Appendix  13.  Corporate  Structure  

Source:  Bel  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

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Appendix  14.  EU-­‐27  Cheese  Production  (thousand  tons)  

Source:  Eurostat  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

2182  1936  

1158  793  

732  349  325  315  

187  158  118  113  102  89  79  70  70  68  68  44  33  33  20  16  

0   500   1000   1500   2000   2500  

Germany  France  Italy  

Netherlands  Poland  

United  Kingdom  Denmark  

Spain  Greece  Austria  

Czech  Rep.  Lithuania  Finland  Sweden  Belgium  Romania  Portugal  Hungary  Bulgaria  Estonia  Slovakia  Latvia  Cyprus  Slovenia  

2013  

2007  

Appendix  15.  Cheese  Consumption  Worldwide  (kg  per  capita)  

25.9  

25.2  

24.7  

24.3  

21.7  

21.3  

20.7  

20.1  

19.9  

19.8  

15.4  

11.6  

2.2  

1.7  

0  

0   5   10   15   20   25   30  

France    Iceland  Finaland  Germany  Estonia  

Switzerland  Italy  

Lithuania  Austria  Sweden  

U.S.  U.K.  

South  Korea  South  Africa  

China  

Source:  International  Dairy  Foundation  

12th  January  2015  

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Page 24: IRC 2015 - Lille

Appendix  16.  EU  Quota  Regime  

Source:  Team  estimates    

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

The  EU  introduced  a  national  quota  regime  for  milk  production  in  1984  to  limit  excess  supply  and  maintain  farmer  proSitability.    This  regime  will  come  to  an  end  in  April  2015  as  the  EU  moves  the  dairy  sector  towards  a  more  market-­‐orientated  future,  but  one  that  protects  producer  interests.      It   is   worth   noting   that   the   vast   majority   of   European   countries   have   produced   materially   below   quota   in   recent   years   (except  Germany  and   the  Netherlands),   because   the  EU  has  been  attempting   a   “soft   landing”   through   the   gradual   increase  of   quota   levels  (+1%  per  year  from  2009  through  2013)  and  reduction  of  support  levels.      Here  is  a  summary  of  the  main  academic  papers  on  the  abolition  of  EU  milk  quotas  (actual  vs.  baseline  scenario  in  2020):  

We  therefore  expect:      1.  An  overall   increase   in  production  coupled  with  declining  prices.  We  expect   the   impacts   to  be  modest  due   to   the  soft  

landing  provided  by  the  EU.    2.  No  reduction  in  current  price  volatility  after  the  end  of  quotas.  

Date   Source   Conclusions  

2012  Prospects  for  agricultural  markets  and  income  in  the  EU  2012-­‐2022,  European  Commission,  Agriculture  and  Rural  Development,  December  2012  

The  end  of  quotas  will  have  a  very  limited  impact.  Market  forces  rather  than  regulatory  changes  will  drive  production  and  pricing  

2011  M.  Kempen,  H.P.  Witzke,  I.  Pérez  Dominguez,  T.  Jansson,  P.Sckokai,  Economic  and  environmental  impacts  of  milk  quota  reform  in  Europe,  Journal  of  policy  modeling,  Volume  33:  29-­‐52,  2011  

Increase  in  milk  production  of  4.4%,  drop  in  raw  milk  prices  of  10%  

2008  H.P.  Witzke,  A.  Tonini,  Dairy  reform  scenarios  with  CAPSIM  acknowledging  quota  rent  uncertainty,  12th  Congress  of  the  European  Association  of  the  Agricultural  Economics  -­‐  EAAE,  2008  

Increase  in  milk  production  of  2.8%,  drop  in  raw  milk  prices  of  7.5%.  2008  

2008  V.  Réquillart,  Z.  Bouamra-­‐Mechemache,  R.  Jongeneel  C.  Penel,  Economic  analysis  of  the  effects  of  the  expiry  of  the  EU  milk  quota  system,  Institut  d’économie  industrielle,  March  2008  

Increase  in  milk  production  of  5.2%,  drop  in  raw  milk  prices  of  11%.    

2008  

F.  Chantreuil,  T.  Donnellan,  M.  van  Leeuwen,  P.  Salamon,  A.  Tabeau,  L.  Bartova,  EU  Dairy  Quota  Reform  -­‐  AGMEMOD  Scenario  Analysis,  12th  Congress  of  the  European  Association  of  the  Agricultural  Economics  -­‐  EAAE,  2008    

Increase  in  milk  production  of  4.8%,  drop  in  raw  milk  prices  of  7%.  

12th  January  2015  

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CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

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Appendix  18.  SWOT  Analysis  

OPPORTUNITIES  SWOT  

STRENGTHS   WEAKNESSES  

Ø  Strong  product  identity:  5  core  brands  Ø  Portion  format:  Expertise  in  miniaturization  Ø  Room  for  acquisition    (sound  Sinancial  structure)  

Ø  Presence  of  Lactalis  in  shareholding  structure  Ø  Lack  of  presence  in  South  America  Ø  Outsourcing  of  the  packaging  production.  

Ø  Commodities  and  forex  headwinds  Ø  Sanitary  issues  and  reputation  risks  Ø  Competition  of  retail  label  Ø  Geopolitical  risks  in  Middle  East  

Ø  Consumption  trends  (on-­‐the-­‐go,  healthy  and  gourmet  snacking)  Ø  Quotas  abolition  in  Europe  Ø  Distribution  channel  development  

OPPORTUNITIES   THREATS  

Source:  Team  estimates    

P    E    S    T    L    E  

POLITICAL  Ø  Rise  of  protection  barriers  against  consumption  and  manufactured  goods  Ø  Geopolitical  crisis  

ECONOMIC  Ø  High  volatility  of  forex  and  commodities  exchange  markets  Ø  Substantial  growth  in  urbanization    and  Middle  Class  in  emerging  markets  

SOCIAL  Ø  Current  trends  in  consumption  industry:    

(1)  On-­‐the-­‐go  consumption    (2)  Healthy  food  (3)  Gourmet  snacking  

TECHNOLOGICAL  Ø  Development  of  the  product  mix  particularly  focusing  on  the  higher  value  added  products  in  order  to  

be  less  reliant  on  low  margin  commodity  product  (miniaturization  and  new  formula)  Ø  Involvement  of  genomic  technology    

LEGAL  Ø  Legal  requirements  relative  to  consumer  staples  Ø  End  of  quota  in  Europe  

ENVIRONMENTAL  Ø  Climate  change  adaptation  Ø  Ecological  footprint  

Appendix  17.  PESTLE  

Source:  Team  estimates    

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Appendix  19.  Sales  Forecasts  

Source:  Euromonitor  

To  forecast  Bel  sales,  we  used  a  model  based  on  the  cheese  market  size  (per  capita  consumption  of  cheese  and  population  size)  and  Bel  market  share.  Due  to  the  various  degrees  in  the  maturity  of  the  cheese  market,  we  based  our  model  on  the  market  size  by  region.  Since  Bel  changed  its  geographical  breakdown  in  2010,  we  lacked  historical  sales  before  that  year.    To  obtain  the  market  size  for  the  period  2014E-­‐18E,  we  multiplied  the  population  of  each  region  (source:  United  Nations)  by  per  capita   consumption   in   USD   (source:   Euromonitor).   Then,   we   translated   it   in   EUR   with   EUR/USD   of   1.3391   at   1st   August   2014  (release  date  of  the  Euromonitor  report).      The  biggest  growth  comes  from  Asia-­‐PaciSic,  followed  by  Near  Middle  East  &  Greater  Africa  and  Latin  America,  which  has  pushed  up  the  sales  of  soft  cheese  in  2014  and  should  have  a  high  potential  in  the  future.    

We  estimate  that  Bel  global  market  share  should  reach  3.1%  in  2018E  from  2.8%  in  2013.  In  Europe,  the  market  share  should  grow  steadily   to  reach  3.7%  in  2018E.   In   the  rest  of   the  world,   the  market  share  should  grow  more  rapidly,  and   in  2018E,   the  market  share  outside  of  Europe  should  reach  2.6%.  

Sources:  Team  estimates,  United  Nations  

Source:  Team  estimates  

Table  1:  Estimates  of  per  capita  cheese  consumption        

Table  2:  Estimates  of  Bel  market  share    

Table  3:  Estimates  of  Bel  sales        

12th  January  2015  

NB:  Estimates  are  mid-­‐point  of  a  wider  range  of  possible  outcomes.  

€   2014E   2018E   CAGR  2014E-­‐18E  

Europe   86   88   0.5%  

Africa  -­‐  Middle  East   5   7   6.0%  

APAC   1   3   18.5%  

Northern  America   55   58   1.0%  

Latin  America   30   36   5.0%  

€bn   2014E   2018E   CAGR  2014E-­‐18E  

World   2  828   3  619   6.4%  

Europe   1  711   1  911   2.8%  

Africa  -­‐  Middle  East   696   1  014   9.9%  

Americas  -­‐  APAC   421   693   13.3%  

%   2014E   2018E  

World   2.8%   3.1%  

Europe   3.4%   3.7%  

Africa  -­‐  Middle  East   9.3%   9.8%  

Americas  -­‐  APAC   1%   1.3%  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

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Source:  Team  estimates  

Appendix  20.  Financial  Statements  Forecasts  Explanations  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

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Income  Statement   Explanations  Sales  /  Revenue   Based  on  our  Sales  forecasts  (Appendix  19)  COGS   Diminishing  proportion  of  sales  SG&A  Expense   Historical  trend  Depreciation  &  Amortization  Expense   Historical  median  of  DAn  /  PPE  n-­‐1  Non-­‐Operating  Income  -­‐  Net   Constant  Interest  Expense   Interest  Expense  =  Total  Debtn  *  interest  rate  Other  Financial  Income  and  Expense   Constant  Unusual  Expense  -­‐  Net   Constant  Income  Taxes   Income  Taxes  =  EBTn  *  effective  tax  rate  Minority  Interest   Historical  average  

   Balance  Sheet   Explanations  

Cash  &  ST  Investments   Cash  &  ST  Inv.n  =  Cashn-­‐1  +  Net  change  in  Cash    Short-­‐Term  Receivables   Historical  median  of  Receivablesn  /  Salesn+1  Inventories   Historical  median  of  Inventoriesn/  Salesn+1  

   Net  PP&E   Net  PPEn  =  Net  PPEn-­‐1  -­‐  DAn  +  CapExn  Net  Goodwill   Constant  Net  Other  Intangible  Assets   Constant  LT  Investments   Constant  Other  Non  Current  Assets   Historical  trend  

   ST  Debt  &  Current  Portion  LT  Debt   ST  Debtn  =  ST  Debtn-­‐1  +  Issuance  or  Reduction  of  ST  Debtn  Accounts  Payable   Historical  median  of  ACC  Payablen  /  (COGSn-­‐1  +  ∆Inventoriesn)  Other  Current  Liabilities   Historical  median  of  Other  Current  Liabsn  /  (COGSn-­‐1  +  ∆Inventoriesn)  

   LT  Debt   Bond  reductions:  €17m  in  2016,  €163m  in  2018  /  Constant  the  other  years  Provision  for  Risks  &  Charges   Constant  Other  Liabilities   Historical  trend  

   Common  Stock  Par/Carry  Value   Constant  Additional  paid-­‐in  capital/Capital  Surplus   Constant  Retained  Earnings   Retained  earningsn=  Retained  earningsn-­‐1  +  NIn  -­‐Dividend  paidn  Cumulative  Translation  Adj/Unrealized  For.  Exch.  Gain   None  Other  Appropriated  Reserves   None  Treasury  Stock   Constant  Minority  Interest   Constant  percentage  of  sales  

Cash  Flow  Statement   Explanations  Consolidated  Net  Income      Depreciation,  Depletion  &  Amortization   Historical  median  of  DAn  /  PPE  n-­‐1  Others  Funds   Constant  Changes  in  Working  Capital   ∆WC=∆Inventories+∆Receivables-­‐∆Payables  

   Capital  Expenditures            Maintenance  Capex   Depreciation            Growth  Capex   Total  CapEx  –  Maintenance  CapEx  Purchase/Sale  of  Inv.     Purchase/Sales  of  Inv.=LT  Debtn-­‐LT  Debtn-­‐1  Cash  Dividends  Paid   Team  estimates  

Change  in  Capital  Stock   None  Issuance/Reduction  of  LT  Debt,  Net   Issuance  or  Reduction  of  LT  Debt  =  LT  debtn  -­‐  LT  Debt  n-­‐1  Issuance/Reduction  of  ST  Debt,  Net   None  Other  Funds   None  Exchange  Rate  Effect   None  

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Source:  Bel  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

0  

5  000  

10  000  

15  000  

20  000  

25  000  

30  000  

35  000  

40  000  

45  000  

50  000  

2009   2010   2011   2012   2013  

Gains  (losses)  on  the  sales  of  Sixed  assets   Gains  (losses)  on  the  sales  of  activities  

Restructuring  costs   Other  non  recurring  income  and  expense  

Year   Explanations  

2009   Write-­‐downs  of  goodwill  in  Ukraine,  Turkey  and  the  Czech  Republic  for  €20.9m.  

2010   Economic  conditions  in  Ukraine  led  to  a  further  depreciation  of  €9m  of  tangible  assets.  Loss  of  €2.5m  for  the  disposal  of  the  Czech  entity.  

2011  The   group  wrote   down   a   further   €9m  on   its   Iranian   entity   based   on   impairment   testing.   Additionally,   in   Syria,   the  group  suspended  its  manufacturing  activity  in  mid-­‐July  2012  for  safety  reasons,  and  recorded  a  non-­‐recurring  expense  of  €13.9m,  including  net  provision  charges.  

2012  The   group   suspended   its  manufacturing   activity   in  mid-­‐July   2012   in   Syria   for   safety   reasons,   and   recorded   a   non-­‐recurring  expense  of  €13.9m,   including  net  provision  charges.  The  group  wrote  down  a  further  €7.5m  on  its  Iranian  entity  based  on  impairment  testing.  

2013   €4.5m   impairment   loss   write-­‐down   on   local   US   brands.   The   write-­‐down   was   offset   by   the   reversal   of   provisions  totaling  €4.2m  for  tangible  and  intangible  assets  and  current  assets  belonging  to  the  Syrian  and  Iranian  entities.  

Appendix  21.  Non  Recurring  Income  and  Expense  

€  

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Appendix  22.  DuPont  Analysis  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

0.0  

0.5  

1.0  

1.5  

2.0  

2.5  

3.0  

0%  

2%  

4%  

6%  

8%  

10%  

12%  

14%  

ROE   ROA   Leverage  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

ROE  11.9%   9.2%   11.5%  10.5%   7.5%   11.0%  11.8%   12.7%   13.5%  

Legend  2010   2011   2012  2013   2014E   2015E  2016E   2017E   2018E  

ROA  5.6%   4.5%   5.6%  4.9%   3.6%   5.5%  6.1%   6.7%   7.4%  

Leverage  211.8%   203.7%   205.8%  212.7%   207.7%   198.3%  193.5%   189.3%   182.0%  

Net  ProYit  Margin  4.8%   3.8%   4.9%  4.6%   3.3%   4.9%  5.3%   5.7%   6.1%  

Asset  Turnover  117.1%   118.8%   115.6%  212.7%   207.7%   198.3%  193.5%   189.3%   182.0%  

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1.  Methodology:  Synthetic  bid-­‐ask  spread  method    We  used  11%  as  the  liquidity  discount  for  Bel,  which  is  based  on  the  synthetic  bid-­‐ask  spread  developed  by  Damodaran.    To   calculate   the   illiquidity   discount,  A.  Damodaran  developed   the   synthetic   bid-­‐ask   spread  method,   regressing   the  bid-­‐ask   spread  against  annual  revenues,  a  dummy  variable  for  positive  earnings  (DERN),  cash  as  a  percent  of  Sirm  value  and  trading  volume,  using  data  from  the  end  of  2000.  The  synthetic  bid-­‐ask  spread  is  given  by  the  following  equation:            Table  1.  Liquidity  discount  of  Bel                          

1  DERN  =  1  if    earnings  are  positive  ;  O  if  earnings  are  negative          2The  €  Monthly  trading  volume  of  Bel  is  based  on  the  company  data  in  2013.            2.  Liquidity  of  peers    Each  peer  group  has  a  different  liquidity  proSile.  This  is  why  we  analyzed  the  liquidity  of  each  company,  looking  at  the  daily  average  volume  in  2014.    Since  the  “Large  DiversiSied  F&B”  peer  group  is  highly  liquid,  we  applied  the  11%  liquidity  discount  to  adjust  the  multiples.  However,  we  did  not  apply  any  liquidity  discount  to  the  other  two  peer  groups  as  they  also  have  weak  liquidity.  

0.00   0.00  0.30  

0.68  

2.65  

1.64  

7.92  

0.47   0.34   0.16   0.28  

0  

1  

2  

3  

4  

5  

6  

7  

8  

9  €m  

Bel     CoefYicient  

Intercept   0.145  

Annual  Revenue  (2013,  €m)   2  720   -­‐0.0022  

Cash  /  Firm  Value   0.23   -­‐0.016  

DERN1   1   -­‐0.015  

€  Monthly  Trading  Volume2/  FV   0.0   -­‐0.11  

Liquidity  Discount   11%      

Sources:  Factset,  Bel,  Damodaran  

Source:  Bel  

Figure:  Daily  average  volume  in  2014  (€m)  

Appendix  23.  Liquidity  Discount  Calculation   Back  to  content  

Spread =0.145-0.0022ln(AnnualRevenues)-0.015(DERN)-0.016 CashFirmValue

-0.11€MonthlyTradingVolumeFirmValue

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Appendix  24.  Free  Cash  Flows  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

Sources:  Team  estimates  

12th  January  2015  CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

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To  estimate  terminal  value  in  2018E,  we  used  a  residual  income  model  (Ohlson).  This  model  suggests  that  g2018E  (deSined  as  ROE  x  Rentention  Rate,  RR)  converges  on  a  value  implying  a  gradual  decrease  between  ROCE  and  the  WACC,  using  a  persistence  factor  (ω).  Terminal  value  is  therefore  equal  to  the  following:          where:  EBIT2019E  =  EBIT2018E  x  (1+g2018E)  g2018E  =  ROE2018E  x  RR2018E  =  7%  ω  =1-­‐  ke=  0.945      

TV2018E = (NetPPE2018E +NWC2018E)×1/ω

1+WACC/ω +EBIT2019E(1/ t)

WACC ×WACC

1+WACC/ω

1  Implied  Equity  (2014E)  x(1+  ke)    

30  

Appendix  25.  Target  Value  Calculation  

Year     2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014E   2015E   2016E   2017E   2018E  EBIT   195   211   187   238   240   169   247   281   318   360  as  a  %  of  sales   8.8%   8.7%   7.4%   9.0%   8.8%   6.0%   8.2%   8.8%   9.4%   9.9%  

Tax     37   57   47   63   88   48   74   85   98   112  Tax  rate   29.5%   32.6%   32.7%   32.6%   40.1%   33.3%   33.3%   33.3%   33.3%   33.3%  

EBIT  (1-­‐t)   158   154   140   175   152   121   173   195   220   248  as  a  %  of  sales   7.1%   6.4%   5.5%   6.6%   5.6%   4.3%   5.8%   6.1%   6.5%   6.9%  

Depreciation   72   86   82   89   77   91   98   102   106   110  as  a  %  of  sales   3.2%   3.6%   3.2%   3.4%   2.8%   3.2%   3.3%   3.2%   3.1%   3.1%  

Change  in  NWC   -­‐4   -­‐4   -­‐20   12   -­‐8   -­‐6   8   -­‐35   -­‐27   -­‐34  

Capex   79   64   75   81   149   141   120   127   136   145  as  a  %  of  sales   3.6%   2.6%   3.0%   3.1%   5.5%   5.0%   4.0%   4.0%   4.0%   4.0%  

Free  Cash  Flow  (FCF)   156   180   167   172   88   77   143   204   217   248  Discounted  FCF                           135   184   185   200  TV   2  578  

Discounted  Cash  Flows   704   25%  Discounted  Terminal  Value     2  080   75%  Implied  EV  (2014E)   2  783  Net  Debt  (2014E)   60  Minorities  (2014E)   15  Implied  Equity  (2014E)   2  709  Implied  Equity  (2015E)1   2  858  Number  of  Shares  (2015E)   6.8  Implied  Share  Price  (EUR)   419  Liquidity  Discount   11%  Target  Value  (EUR)   373  

Page 32: IRC 2015 - Lille

Appendix  26.  Fama-­‐French  Model  

Sources:  Team  estimates  

12th  January  2015  CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

Back  to  content  

Since  Bel  is  a  small-­‐cap,  we  decided  to  use  the  Fama-­‐French  three-­‐factor  model  (FFM)  to  compute  the  cost  of  equity,  which  appears  to  be  a  better  measure  of  market  returns  compared  to  the  CAPM.  In  fact,  research  shows  that  two  classes  of  stocks  have  tended  to  do  better  than  the  market  as  a  whole:  (1)  small-­‐caps  and  (2)  stocks  with  a  low  Price-­‐to-­‐Book  ratio.        The  three  factors  are:      §  RMRF,  which  is  the  equity  risk  premium  as  in  the  CAPM.  §  SMB  (Small  Minus  Big),   a   size   factor.   It   is   the  difference  between  small-­‐cap  and   large-­‐cap  returns.   It   is   thus  a   small-­‐cap  return  

premium.  §  HML  (High  Minus  Low),  a  value  factor.  It  is  the  difference  in  returns  between  value  and  growth  stocks.          The  FFM  estimate  of  the  required  rate  of  return  is:      

     We  regressed  the  excess  return  of  Bel  monthly  stocks  (since  2000)  and  Rf  (Fama-­‐French  data)  against  the  three  FF  factors  (RMRF,  SMB,  HML  based  on  FF  European  data  since  2000).  The  linear  regression  gives  us  an  R-­‐Squared  of  21%.        We  applied  Dimson  (1979)  and  Scholes  (1977)  methodology  to  obtain  the  beta.  In  fact,  the  true  systematic  risk  (market  beta)  can  be  obtained  from  security  price  data  subject  to  infrequent  trading.  We  thus  ran  a  multiple  regressions  of  security  returns  against  lagged,  matching   and   leading   market   terms.   A   consistent   estimate   of   beta   is   obtained   by   aggregating   the   slope   coefSicients   from   this  regression  (here,  from  variables  RMRFT-­‐2  to  RMRFT+2).  The  same  methodology  has  been  used  to  obtain  an  estimate  of  SMB  and  HML  coefSicients.  Below  is  a  summary  of  the  results  of  the  regression:  

ke = rf +βmktRMRF+βsizeSMB+βvalueHML

Regression  Statistics  Multiple  R    0.45    R-­‐Squared    0.21    Adjusted  R-­‐Squared    0.13    Standard  Error    6.06    Observations    174    

ANOVA                           df   SS   MSS   F   SigniYicance  F  

Regression   15   1512.48   100.83   2.74   8.9338E-­‐04  Residual   158   5808.13   36.76          Total   173   7320.61              

    CoefYicients   Standard  Error   t-­‐Statistic   Betas  Intercept   0.50   0.51   0.99  RMRF  T-­‐2   0.23   0.10   2.34  

0.41  RMRF  T-­‐1   0.13   0.10   1.37  RMRF  T   0.04   0.09   0.43  RMRF  T+1   0.17   0.10   1.67  RMRF  T+2   -­‐0.15   0.09   -­‐1.66  SMB  T-­‐2   -­‐0.09   0.25   -­‐0.36  

0.94  SMB  T-­‐1   0.32   0.24   1.34  SMB  T   0.13   0.22   0.60  SMB  T+1   0.42   0.25   1.68  SMB  T+2   0.15   0.26   0.58  HML  T-­‐2   0.24   0.22   1.09  

-­‐0.29  HML  T-­‐1   -­‐0.47   0.22   -­‐2.13  HML  T   -­‐0.05   0.20   -­‐0.22  HML  T+1     -­‐0.05   0.23   -­‐0.21  HML  T+2   0.02   0.21   0.12  

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Appendix  27.  WACC  Assumptions  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

Appendix  28.  Sensitivity  Analyses  

12th  January  2015  

Source:  Team  estimates  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

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Analysis  1:  Impact  of  liquidity  discount  and  WACC  on  target  price  

Analysis  2:  Impact  of  French  10-­‐year  yield  on  the  WACC    

WACC  Assumptions   Explanations  Current  Risk-­‐free  Rate   0.8%   France's  10-­‐Year  OAT  (9  January  2015)  Beta   0.41   Fama-­‐French  (FF)  and  Dimson  models  Market  risk  Premium  (RMRF)   5.9%   A.Damodaran:  Total  equity  risk  premium  of  France  Premium  for  stock     2.4%   -­‐  Size  beta   0.94   Fama-­‐French  and  Dimson-­‐Scholes  models  Size  Premium  (SMB)   3.6%   Median  over  the  last  20  years  in  Europe  (FF)  Premium  for  stock     3.4%   -­‐  Value  beta   -­‐0.29   Fama-­‐French  and  Dimson-­‐Scholes  models  Value  Premium  (HML)   3.7%   Median  over  the  last  20  years  in  Europe  (FF)  Premium  for  stock   -­‐1.1%   -­‐  Cost  of  equity   5.5%   Fama-­‐French  model  Equity  as  a  %  of  target  capital  structure   100%   Team  estimates  WACC   5.5%   Team  estimates  

32  

Date   Jan-­‐10   Jan-­‐11   Jan-­‐12   Jan-­‐13   Jan-­‐14   Jan-­‐15  

Rf   3.6%   3.3%   3.3%   2.1%   2.4%   0.8%  

WACC   8.3%   8.1%   8.0%   6.8%   7.1%   5.5%  

    WACC       4.0%   4.5%   5.0%   5.5%   6.0%   6.5%   7.0%  

Liquidity    discount  

9.5%    447      423      400      379      361      344      329    10.0%    445      420      398      377      359      342      327    10.5%    442      418      396      375      357      340      325    11.0%    440      416      394      373      355      339      323    11.5%    438      413      392      371      353      337      321    12.0%    435      411      389      369      351      335      319    12.5%    433      409      387      367      349      333      318    

Page 34: IRC 2015 - Lille

Appendix  29.  Monte  Carlo  Simulation  

In  addition  to  our  sensitivity  analyses,  we  performed  a  Monte  Carlo  simulation  to  analyze  how  the  long-­‐term  growth  rate  (deSined  as  ROE*RR)  and  the  WACC  may  affect  the  target  price.  We  added  liquidity  as  well  since  it  constitutes  a  key  feature  of  the  stock.    The  results  of  the  simulation  gives  support  to  our  BUY  recommendation.      Base  assumptions  are  summarized  in  the  table  below:  

Source:  Team  estimates  

12th  January  2015  

0  

50  

100  

150  

200  

250  

Frequency  

Monte  Carlo  Results  

DCF:  €373  

Statistics  Mean   339.6  Median   337.3  Max   501.3  Min   261.7  25th  percentile   320.1  75th  percentile   355.8  

Factor   Data  range   Parameters  

g2018E  

N  =  5000  

Mean  =  7%  σ  =  1%  

WACC   Mean  =  5.5%  σ  =  0.5%  

LIQ   Mean  =  11%  σ  =  0.5%  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

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BUY  HOLD  SELL  

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Appendix  30.  Comparable  Deals  

Source:  Thomson  Reuters  

Appendix  31.  Deal  Value/Sales  Ratio  of  Comparable  Deals  

Date  Announced   Acquiror  Name   Target  Name   %  of  Shares  Acquired  

Deal  Value  ($m)  

November-­‐07   Fromageries  Bel  SA   Boursin   100.00   579.21  

December-­‐13   Nuova  Castelli  SpA   Alival  SpA   100.00   103.41  

April-­‐13   PAI  Partners  SAS   R&R  Ice  Cream  PLC   100.00   1  218.58  

October-­‐13   Saputo  Inc   Warrnambool  Cheese  &  Butter   100.00   459.72  

NB:  We  used  the  deals  of  the  last  two  years  in  the  Food  and  Beverages  sector  (except  for  Boursin).    

Target  Name   Deal  Value/Sales   Adj.  Deal  Value/Sales*  

Alival  SpA   0.41   0.29  R&R  Ice  Cream  PLC   2.14   1.51  

Boursin   4.21   2.97  Warrnambool  Cheese  &  Butter   1.06   0.75  

Median   1.60   1.13  

*Adj.  Deal  Value/Sales  is  equal  to  Deal  Value/Sales  less  the  transaction  premium  in  the  Food  &  Beverages  sector  observed  over  the  last  two  years  (29%)  

Source:  Thomson  Reuters  

12th  January  2015  

Source:  FactSet  

Acquiror  Name   Country   Business  description   Target  Name   Country   Business  description  

Fromageries  Bel  SA   FR  

Listed  company  which  is  engaged  in  the  processing  

and  sale  of  branded  cheeses  

Boursin   FR   Private  company  which  manufactures  and  supplies  cheese  products.  

Nuova  Castelli  SpA   IT  

Private  company  which  supplies  and  distributes  dairy  specialties  and  canned  Sish  products.  

Alival  SpA   IT   Private  company  which  manufactures  and  distributes  cheese  products.  

PAI  Partners  SAS   FR   Private  equity  Sirm   R&R  Ice  Cream  PLC   UK  

Private  company  which  manufactures  and  sells  ice  creams,  lollipops  and  other  

frozen  confectionery  products.  

Saputo  Inc   CA  

Listed  company  which  produces,  markets,  and  distributes  dairy  and  grocery  products.  The  company  operates  its  

business  through  Canada,  U.S.A.  and  International  

Warrnambool  Cheese  &  Butter   AU  

Listed  company  engages  in  the  manufacturing,  processing  and  sale  of  cheese,  milk  powder,  butter,  and  cream.  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

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34  

Page 36: IRC 2015 - Lille

12th  January  2015  

Appendix  32.  Transaction-­‐based  Valuation  Target  Price  

Source:  Thomson  Reuters  

Transaction-­‐based  Valuation  Median  Adj.  Deal  Value/Sales   1.13  Sales  2015E  (€m)   3  000  Deal  Value  (€m)   3  385  Shares  outstanding  2015  (m)   6.82  Implied  Price  (€)   496  Liquidity  discount   11%  Target  Price  (€)   442  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

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Appendix  33.  Peers  Multiples  

Table  1:  Valuation  Table  

   

Price    (9  January  2014)  

Mkt  Cap    (€bn)   EV   EV/EBIT    

(x)  EV/Sales    

(x)  EBIT  margin  

 (%)  

EUR             2014E   2015E   2014E   2015E   2014E   2015E  

Fromageries  Bel   FBEL   300.0   2  007       2  235   13.2   9.1   0.8   0.7   6.0%   8.2%  Bongrain     BH   51.5   723       1  421   7.3   6.8   0.3   0.2   3.6%   3.5%  Parmalat     PLT   2.4   4  318       3  439   11.8   10.5   0.7   0.6   5.5%   5.8%  Glanbia     GL9   12.6   3  730       4  208   20.8   18.7   1.5   1.4   7.2%   7.6%  Closest  Peers  -­‐  Mean                   13.3   12.0   0.8   0.8   5.4%   5.6%  Premimum  /  (Discount)  to  mean   (1%)   (25%)   (2%)   (1%)   10%   46%  

Kraft  Foods  Group     KRFT   53.9   31  736       38  927   13.5   12.0   2.2   2.2   16.6%   18.2%  Danone     BN   53.2   34  263       39  983   14.1   13.3   1.9   1.8   13.4%   13.5%  Mondelez  Intl  A   MDLZ   31.5   52  834       65  727   18.4   16.6   2.2   2.1   11.8%   12.6%  Large  DiversiYied  (F&B)  -­‐  Mean                   15.3   13.9   2.1   2.0   13.9%   14.7%  Premimum  /  (Discount)  to  mean   (14%)   (35%)   (62%)   (63%)   (57%)   (44%)  

Saputo     SAP   24.7   9  648       11  092   14.7   13.4   1.4   1.3   9.5%   9.5%  Diamond  Foods     DMND   22.9   720       1  237   21.3   16.6   1.7   1.5   7.9%   9.3%  Snyder's-­‐Lance     LNCE   25.2   1  774       2  041   17.5   14.9   1.4   1.3   8.1%   8.9%  TreeHouse  Foods     THS   77.1   3  262       4  475   15.2   12.5   1.4   1.2   9.4%   9.9%  High-­‐Growth  Small  Caps  (F&B)  -­‐  Mean                   17.2   14.4   1.5   1.3   8.7%   9.4%  Premimum  /  (Discount)  to  mean   (23%)   (37%)   (47%)   (45%)   (31%)   (13%)  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

FBEL  

BH  

PLT  

GL9  

KRFT  BN  

MDLZ  

SAP  

DMND  

LNCE  

THS  

R²  =  0.18641  

5  

7  

9  

11  

13  

15  

17  

19  

21  

(20%)   (10%)   0%   10%   20%   30%   40%  

EV/EBIT  15E  

EBIT  CAGR  13-­‐15E  

FBEL  

BH  PLT  

GL9  

KRFT  

BN  

MDLZ  

SAP  

DMND  

LNCE  THS  

R²  =  0.81098  

0.0  

0.5  

1.0  

1.5  

2.0  

2.5  

3.0  

0%   5%   10%   15%   20%  

EV/Sales  15E  

EBIT  Margin  15E  

Figures:  EV/Sales  15E  vs.  EBIT  margin  15E  and  EV/EBIT  15E  vs.  EBIT  CAGR  13-­‐15E  

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CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

Table  2:  Liquidity-­‐adjusted  Multiples  

    Weight   EV/EBIT  (x)   Applied  discount   Liquidity-­‐adj.  EV/EBIT  (x)  Closest  Peers   70%   12.0   0%   12.0  Large  DiversiSied  (F&B)   10%   13.9   11%   12.6  High-­‐Growth  Small  Caps  (F&B)   20%   14.4   0%   14.4  Weighted  Average     12.5  

    Weight   EV/Sales  (x)   Applied  discount   Liquidity-­‐adj.  EV/Sales  (x)  Closest  Peers   70%   0.8   0%   0.8  Large  DiversiSied  (F&B)   10%   2.0   11%   1.8  High-­‐Growth  Small  Caps  (F&B)   20%   1.3   0%   1.3  Weighted  Average     1.0  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

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Table  3:  Target  Price  Calculation    

EV/EBIT  Weighted  avg  liq.  adj.  2015E  EV/EBIT  (x)   12.5  EBIT  2015E  (€m)   247  Enterprise  Value  2015E  (€m)     3  090  Net  Debt  2015E  (€m)   -­‐23  Minority  Interest  2015E  (€m)   16  Equity  Value  2015E  (€m)   3  132  Nb  shares  outstanding  (m)   6.82  Target  Value  (€)   459  

EV/Sales  Weighted  avg  liq.  adj.  2015E  EV/Sales  (x)   1.0  Sales  2015E  (€m)   3  000  Enterprise  Value  2015E  (€m)     2  996  Net  Debt  2015E  (€m)   -­‐23  Minority  Interest  2015E  (€m)   16  Equity  Value  2015E  (€m)   3  003  Nb  shares  outstanding  (m)   6.82  Target  Value  (€)   440  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

    Weight   Target  Value  (€)  

EV/EBIT  (x)   50%  450    

EV/Sales  (x)   50%  

Table  4:  Multiple  weight  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

36  

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Appendix  34.  P/E  Regression  Model  

Sources:  FactSet,  Team  estimates  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge  

BEL  Estimated  P/E   18  EPS  2015E   21.4  Target  Value  (EUR)   415  

Regression  Statistics  Multiple  R   0.81  R-­‐Squared   0.65  Adjusted  R-­‐Squared   0.62  Standard  Error   8.11  Observations   200  

ANOVA       df   SS   MSS   F   SigniYicance  F  

Regression   16   22239.67   1389.98   21.14   1.84801E-­‐33  Residual   183   12033.00   65.75  Total   199   34272.67              

    CoefYicients   Standard  Error   t-­‐Statistic  Intercept   -­‐33.33   8.50   -­‐3.92  Leverage   19.30   4.75   4.06  EPS  growth  rate   37.79   2.31   16.36  Payout   0.39   2.07   0.19  Beta   -­‐8.90   1.83   -­‐4.87  LMV   2.12   0.38   5.51  ROE   6.68   4.54   1.47  Amihud   -­‐1292.07   3522.17   -­‐0.37  S10   -­‐6.08   5.00   -­‐1.22  S15   -­‐2.40   4.13   -­‐0.58  S20   1.72   3.62   0.47  S25   1.46   3.69   0.39  S30   -­‐1.26   3.93   -­‐0.32  S35   1.71   3.96   0.43  S40   1.01   3.66   0.28  S45   -­‐0.92   3.79   -­‐0.24  S50   2.33   5.80   0.40  

12th  January  2015  

NB:  S10  to  S50  are  dummy  variables  corresponding  to  the  sub-­‐sectors  of  the  companies  (S30  for  Bel).  

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Below  are  the  results  of  the  P/E  regression  model  used  to  compute  the  estimated  forward  P/E.  The  7  variables  used  are:  leverage,  EPS  long-­‐term  growth  rate  (g),  payout,  beta,  market  capitalization  (logarithm),  return  on  equity,  illiquidity  ratio  (based  on  Amihud’s  research).      

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Contamination  Risk  

Unplanned  Breakdown  of  a  Production  Site  

Forex  Headwinds  

Raw  Material  Price  Volatility  

Governance  Risk   Market  Risk   Economic  Risk   Operational  Risk  Political  Risk  Strategic  Risk  

I  M  P  A  C  T    

PROBABILITY  

Governance  Risk  

Liquidity  Risk  

World  GDP  Growth  Slowdown  

Lack  of  Aggressiveness  

Threats  of  Geopolitical  Events  

CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

Appendix  35.  Risk  Matrix  

Source:  Team  estimates  

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38  

DeSlation  Risk  

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CFA  Institute  Research  Challenge   12th  January  2015  

Appendix  36.  ESG  

Source:  Company  

Source:  Bel  

Back  to  content  

Social       Environmental       Gouvernance                      

Rewards  •  2013  :  EcoVadis  ,  GOLD  statut  obtained  •  2014:    "Aressy  Award”  (for  CSR  (corporate  Social  Responsibility)  communication)  •  2014  :  «  CR  Reporting  Awards  2014  »  Sinalists  •  2013  :  CSR  trophy  was  given  to  the  Lebanese  team  to  reward  the  “Happiness  Heroes”  initiative,  led  by  the  Picon®  brand  •  2013  :  "The  Best  and  Brightest  Companies  to  Work  For®"  awards    

    •  2012  :  "  Lean  &  Green  Award  "  (for  reducing  CO2  emission)  •  Ranked  between  the  top  5  of  GAIA  index  (120  enterprises)(  reward  its  CSR  policy)  •  2013  :  Little  Chute  site  in  the  US  was  awarded  the  title  of  Dairy  plant  of  the  year  by  industry  magazine  Dairy  Foods    

    •  2012:  "Lombard  &  CIE"  award  (French  Family  Business    for  combining  tradition  and  innovation)  •  2013  :  "Lynx  Awards"  -­‐  Gold  prize  in  "the  branded  content  and  entertainment"  category  and  -­‐  Bronze  prize  in  the  "corporate  reputation  section  of  public  relations"  category  •  2014  :  Finance  Leaders  -­‐  Gold  prize  

                                       

       Internal  Rules  and  membership  

•  2003  :  membership  to  the  United  Nations  Global  Compact  •  2008  :  creation  of  Bel  Foundation  (children)  •  "Responsible  Purchasing  Charter"  •  "Purchasing  Ethics  Charter  for  buyers"  •  2013  :  join  the  "Supply  Chain  Initiative"  (to  promote  balanced  relationships  throughout  the  food  supply  chain)  •  2013:    creation  of  the  Sharing  Cities  program  •  Partnership  with  SOS  Children’s  Villages,  Le  rire  médecin,    Comic  Relief  and  Arcenciel  association  •  The  Group’s  Health  and  Safety  manual  and  policy  

    •  "Sustainable  Purchasing  Charter"    •  WASABEL  (Water  Saving  At  BEL)    •  ESABEL  (Energy  Saving  At  BEL)    •  2012  :  a  three-­‐year  partnership  agreement  with  WWF  •  Life  Carbon  dairy  •  CSR  Packaging  Passport  •2013  :  member  of  EUROPEN  

    •  AFEP  MEDEF's  &  code  •  MiddleNext  Code  •  Annual  Audits  each  year  •  Code  of  Best  Business  Practices  (in  17  languages)  •  Responsible  Communications  Charter  •  Group  procedure  with  regard  to  the  processing  of  the  personal  data  of  consumers  •  Crisis  management  manual  and  procedures  

                                                                       

       CertiYications  

•OHSAS  18001  for  occupational  health  and  safety  management  •  Global  Food  Safety  Initiative  standards  :  82%  of  their  products  are  manufactured  on  sites  certiSied  

    •  ISO  14001  for  environmental  management  •  Leerdammer  products  certiSied  by  the  Forest  Stewardship  Council  (FSC)  •  "Best  livestock  farming  practices  charter"  :  100%  of  their  producers  have  signed  in  France  &  "The  Cow  Compass"  in  Netherland    

    •  ISO  9001  for  quality  management  •  ISO  26000,  which  is  the  benchmark  international  standard  for  corporate  social  responsibility          

                       

       

Name   Start  term  

Current  Postion  in  BEL   Previous  experiences   Start  

term  Current  Position  in  

Unibel  SA   Age   Remuneration  (2013)   Note  

Antoine  Fiévet   2009   Chairman  and  

CEO  2001-­‐2009  Director  of  Board  in  Bel  and  a  managing  partner  of  Unibel  SA   2005   Chairman  of  the  

Management  Board   51   €1  161  219   Paid  by  Unibel  

Bruno  Schoch   2008  

Deputy  CEO  responsible  for  Sinancial  and  legal  affairs  and  information  systems  

2003-­‐2008  Financial  Director,  and  then  Director  of  Strategy  and  Development  at  Unibel  SA              Before  2003  Several  posts  in  auditing  (Deloitte)  and  M&A  (Chase  Manhattan  Bank,  Swiss  Bank  Schweizerischer  Bankverein)  

2005   Member  of  the  Management  Board   50   €763  096   Paid  by  

Unibel  

Francis  Le  Cam   2012  

Deputy  CEO  responsible  for  operations  

1995-­‐2003  CEO  of  Bel  France,  and  then  Vice-­‐Chairman  for  Western  Europe  zone                  Before  1995  Various  experiences  (P&G,  Danone)  of  mass  consumption  goods  (marketing,  sales  etc.)  in  international  companies    

NONE   NONE   67   €781  332   Paid  by  Bel  

Appendix  37.  Management  Board  

Source:  Bel  

39  

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Disclosures: Ownership and material conflicts of interest: The author(s), or a member of their household, of this report does not hold a financial interest in the securities of this company. The author(s), or a member of their household, of this report does not know of the existence of any conflicts of interest that might bias the content or publication of this report. Receipt of compensation: Compensation of the author(s) of this report is not based on investment banking revenue. Position as a officer or director: The author(s), or a member of their household, does not serve as an officer, director or advisory board member of the subject company. Market making: The author(s) does not act as a market maker in the subject company’s securities. Disclaimer: The information set forth herein has been obtained or derived from sources generally available to the public and believed by the author(s) to be reliable, but the author(s) does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to its accuracy or completeness. The information is not intended to be used as the basis of any investment decisions by any person or entity. This information does not constitute investment advice, nor is it an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security. This report should not be considered to be a recommendation by any individual affiliated with CFA France, CFA Institute or the CFA Institute Research Challenge with regard to this company’s stock.

CFA Institute Research Challenge