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Ferguson (Ferguson) Earnings Power Value (EPV) : $65.49 (As of Jan24)


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What is Ferguson Earnings Power Value (EPV)?

As of Jan24, Ferguson's earnings power value is $65.49. *

* GuruFocus does not store EPV value into our database if Average Maintenance CAPEX is 0.

Margin of Safety is -231.59

The basic concept of EPV is that one should value a stock based on the current free cash flow of a company and not on future projections which may, or may not, come true. It is arguably a better way to analyze stocks than Discounted Cash Flow analysis that relies on highly speculative growth assumptions many years into the future. Assumption: Current profitability is sustainable.


Ferguson Earnings Power Value (EPV) Historical Data

The historical data trend for Ferguson's Earnings Power Value (EPV) can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

* Premium members only.

Ferguson Earnings Power Value (EPV) Chart

Ferguson Annual Data
Trend Jul14 Jul15 Jul16 Jul17 Jul18 Jul19 Jul20 Jul21 Jul22 Jul23
Earnings Power Value (EPV)
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 30.37 29.69 -6.93 13.25 46.61

Ferguson Quarterly Data
Jan18 Jul18 Jan19 Jul19 Jan20 Jul20 Oct20 Jan21 Apr21 Jul21 Oct21 Jan22 Apr22 Jul22 Oct22 Jan23 Apr23 Jul23 Oct23 Jan24
Earnings Power Value (EPV) Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 26.07 35.08 46.61 57.43 65.49

Competitive Comparison of Ferguson's Earnings Power Value (EPV)

For the Industrial Distribution subindustry, Ferguson's Earnings Power Value (EPV), along with its competitors' market caps and Earnings Power Value (EPV) data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Ferguson's Earnings Power Value (EPV) Distribution in the Industrial Distribution Industry

For the Industrial Distribution industry and Industrials sector, Ferguson's Earnings Power Value (EPV) distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Ferguson's Earnings Power Value (EPV) falls into.



Ferguson Earnings Power Value (EPV) Calculation

Earnings Power Value also known as just Earnings Power is a valuation technique popularised by Bruce Greenwald, an authority on value investing at Columbia University. It is arguably a better way to analyze stocks than Discounted Cash Flow analysis that relies on highly speculative growth assumptions many years into the future.

The basic concept of EPV is that one should value a stock based on the current free cash flow of a company and not on future projections which may, or may not, come true. This valuation tool excludes the potential growth that a company may have so that needs to be looked at separately. Since future growth is excluded from the analysis, only the maintenance capital expenditures are subtracted from after-tax EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) and growth capex is ignored.

Ferguson's "Earning Power" Calculation:

Average of Last 20 Quarters Last Quarter
Revenue 19,095
DDA 217
Operating Margin % 6.35
SGA * 25% 963
Tax Rate % 14.37
Maintenance Capex 258
Cash and Cash Equivalents 639
Short-Term Debt 529
Long-Term Debt 4,760
Shares Outstanding (Diluted) 204

1. Start with "Earnings" not including accounting adjustments (one-time charges not excluded unless policy has changed). "Earnings" are "Operating Income.

2. Look at average margins over a business/Industry cycle: Average Operating Margin = 6.35%

To normalize margins and eliminate the effects on profitability of valuing the firm at different points in the business cycle, it is usually best to take a long-term average of operating margins. Ideally this would be as long as 10 years and include at least one economic downturn. However, since most of companies do not have as long as 10-year history, here GuruFocus uses the latest 5 years data to do the calculation. To smooth out unusual years but reflect recent developments, we take an average of the 5 year margin.

3. Multiply average margins by sustainable revenues and then adjust for maintenance SGA. This yields "normalized" EBIT:

To be conservative, GuruFocus uses an average of the 5 year revenues as the sustainable revenue.
EPV analysis recognises that part of SG&A expenditure is made to maintain and replace the existing assets, while part is made to grow sales. Since EPV is only interested in what it costs a going concern to maintain its existing asset base, it adds back a percentage of SG&A (between 15% and 50% - this is a matter of judgment and industry knowledge) to make up for the fact that some of this expenditure went to fund growth and shouldn't be accounted for. To start off, we assume 25% for the sake of prudence.
Sustainable Revenue = $19,095 Mil, Average Operating Margin = 6.35%, Average Adjusted SGA = 963,
therefore "Normalized" EBIT = Sustainable Revenue * Average Operating Margin + Average Adjusted SGA = 19,095 * 6.35% +963 = $2176.098046 Mil.

4. Multiply by one minus Average Tax Rate (NOPAT):

Same as average operating margin calculation, GuruFocus takes an average of the 5 years tax rates.
Average Tax Rate = 14.37%, and "Normalized" EBIT = $2176.098046 Mil,
therefore After-tax "Normalized" EBIT = "Normalized" EBIT * ( 1 - Average Tax Rate ) = 2176.098046 * ( 1 - 14.37% ) = $1863.2948323777 Mil.

5. Add back Excess Depreciation (after tax at 1/2 average tax rate). This yields "normalized" Earnings:

Excess Depreciation = Average DDA * % of Excess Depreciation (after tax at 1/2 average tax rate) = 217 * 0.5 * 14.37% = $15.5675835 Mil.
"Normalized" Earnings = After-tax "Normalized" EBIT + Excess Depreciation = 1863.2948323777 + 15.5675835 = $1878.8624158777 Mil.

6. Adjusted for Maintenance Capital Expenditure:

First, calculate the revenue change regarding to the previous year. If the revenue decreased from the previous year, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
Second, if the revenue increased from the previous year, then calculate the percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue.
Third, calculate Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase.
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase] was negative, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase] was positive, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase.
Fourth, GuruFocus uses an average of the 5 year maintenance capital expenditures as maintenance CAPEX.
Ferguson's Average Maintenance CAPEX = $258 Mil *.
* GuruFocus does not store EPV value into our database if Average Maintenance CAPEX is 0.

7. Investors require a return of "WACC" for the risk they are taking: WACC = 9%

8. Ferguson's current cash and cash equivalent = $639 Mil.
Ferguson's current interest bearing debt = Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation + Short-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation = 4,760 + 529 = $5289 Mil.
Ferguson's current Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) = 204 Mil.

Ferguson's Earnings Power Value (EPV) for Jan24 is calculated as:

EPV = ( ( Norm. Earnings-Maint. CAPEX *) / WACC + CashandEquiv - Int. Bearing Debt ) / Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)
= ( ( 1878.8624158777 - 258)/ 9%+639-5289 )/204
=65.49

Margin of Safety (EPV)=( Earnings Power Value (EPV)-Current Price )/Earnings Power Value (EPV)
=( 65.494486179376-217.17 )/65.494486179376
= -231.59%

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

* GuruFocus does not store EPV value into our database if Average Maintenance CAPEX is 0.


Ferguson  (NYSE:FERG) Earnings Power Value (EPV) Explanation

Assumption: Current profitability is sustainable.

Earnings power value (EPV) uses a very basic equation which assumes no growth, although it does rely on an assumption about the cost of capital as well as the fact that current earnings are sustainable. It also involves several adjustments to clean up the underlying Earnings figures.


Be Aware

Though using today's earnings in calculating Earnings Power Value, GuruFocus is normalizing these earnings to the business cycle. This eliminates the effects on profitability of valuing the firm at different points in the business cycle. This means that we are considering the average earnings over 5 years.


Ferguson Earnings Power Value (EPV) Related Terms

Thank you for viewing the detailed overview of Ferguson's Earnings Power Value (EPV) provided by GuruFocus.com. Please click on the following links to see related term pages.


Ferguson (Ferguson) Business Description

Traded in Other Exchanges
Address
1020 Eskdale Road, Winnersh Triangle, Wokingham, Berkshire, GBR, RG41 5TS
Ferguson distributes plumbing and HVAC products primarily to repair, maintenance and improvement, new construction, and civil infrastructure markets. It serves over 1 million customers and sources products from 37,000 suppliers. Ferguson engages customers through approximately 1,700 North American branches, over the phone, online, and in residential showrooms. In fiscal 2023, Ferguson derived 95% of its nearly $30 billion of sales in the U.S. According to Modern Distribution Management, Ferguson is the largest industrial and construction distributor in North America. The firm sold its U.K. business in 2021 and is now solely focused on the North American market.
Executives
Kevin Michael Murphy director, officer: Chief Executive Officer C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
Samantha J Long officer: Chief Human Resources Officer ONE KELLOGG SQUARE, PO BOX 3599, BATTLE CREEK MI 49016-3599
Ian T. Graham officer: Chief Legal Officer C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
Jake Schlicher officer: See Remarks C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
Richard Winckler officer: Chief Accounting Officer C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
Michael Jacobs officer: Senior VP of Supply Chain 33 COFFEE LANE, WATERBURY VT 05676
Garland Williams officer: Senior Vice President C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
Thees William T. Jr officer: See Remarks C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
Geoff Drabble director, other: Chairman C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
James A. Paisley officer: See Remarks 500 VOLVO PARKWAY, CHESAPEAKE VA 23320
William Brundage director, officer: Chief Financial Officer C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
Victoria Morrissey officer: Chief Marketing Officer C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
Brian May director C/O FERGUSON PLC, 1020 ESKDALE ROAD, WINNERSH TRIANGLE, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE X0 RG41 5TS
Alan J. Murray director 11125 GULF SHORE DRIVE, NAPLES FL 34108
James S Metcalf director USG CORP, 125 S FRANKLIN STREET DEPT 188, CHICAGO IL 60606

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