Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) Earnings Power Value (EPV): R-20.66 (As of Feb26)


JSE:DCP Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd JSE:DCP
88 GF Score
Price R33.49
GF Value R38.03
Valuation Modestly Undervalued
! 3 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Dis-Chem Pharmacies Earnings Power Value (EPV)?

Dis-Chem Pharmacies JSE:DCP +1.82% 88 Earnings Power Value (EPV) is R-20.66 as of Feb26. GuruFocus rates JSE:DCP with a GF Score™ of 88/100 and a GF Value™ of R38.03 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review.

As of Feb26, Dis-Chem Pharmacies's earnings power value is R-20.66. *

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

Margin of Safety is N/A.

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.


Dis-Chem Pharmacies  (JSE:DCP) 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.


Dis-Chem Pharmacies Earnings Power Value (EPV) Related Terms


Dis-Chem Pharmacies Earnings Power Value (EPV) Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Dis-Chem Pharmacies'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.

Dis-Chem Pharmacies Earnings Power Value (EPV) Chart

Dis-Chem Pharmacies Annual Data
Trend Feb17 Feb18 Feb19 Feb20 Feb21 Feb22 Feb23 Feb24 Feb25 Feb26
Earnings Power Value (EPV)
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 0.90 -3.09 -8.45 -16.42 -20.66

Dis-Chem Pharmacies Semi-Annual Data
Aug16 Feb17 Aug17 Feb18 Aug18 Feb19 Aug19 Feb20 Aug20 Feb21 Aug21 Feb22 Aug22 Feb23 Aug23 Feb24 Aug24 Feb25 Aug25 Feb26
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 -8.45 0.00 -16.42 0.00 -20.66

Dis-Chem Pharmacies Earnings Power Value (EPV) Competitor Comparison

For the Pharmaceutical Retailers subindustry, Dis-Chem Pharmacies'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.


Dis-Chem Pharmacies Earnings Power Value (EPV) vs Healthcare Providers & Services Industry

For the Healthcare Providers & Services industry and Healthcare sector, Dis-Chem Pharmacies's Earnings Power Value (EPV) distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Dis-Chem Pharmacies's Earnings Power Value (EPV) falls into.


JSE:DCP
88GF Score
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd JSE:DCP
Earnings Power Value (EPV) is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Dis-Chem Pharmacies 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.

Dis-Chem Pharmacies's "Earning Power" Calculation:

Average of Last 5 Years Last Year
Revenue 36,270
DDA 1,065
Operating Margin % -2.61
SGA * 25% 242
Tax Rate % 26.47
Maintenance Capex 665
Cash and Cash Equivalents 500
Short-Term Debt 2,880
Long-Term Debt 3,758
Shares Outstanding (Diluted) 858

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 = -2.61%

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 = R36,270 Mil, Average Operating Margin = -2.61%, Average Adjusted SGA = 242,
therefore "Normalized" EBIT = Sustainable Revenue * Average Operating Margin + Average Adjusted SGA = 36,270 * -2.61% +242 = R-704.930006176 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 = 26.47%, and "Normalized" EBIT = R-704.930006176 Mil,
therefore After-tax "Normalized" EBIT = "Normalized" EBIT * ( 1 - Average Tax Rate ) = -704.930006176 * ( 1 - 26.47% ) = R-518.32093494109 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) = 1,065 * 0.5 * 26.47% = R140.924989128 Mil.
"Normalized" Earnings = After-tax "Normalized" EBIT + Excess Depreciation = -518.32093494109 + 140.924989128 = R-377.39594581309 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.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies's Average Maintenance CAPEX = R665 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. Dis-Chem Pharmacies's current cash and cash equivalent = R500 Mil.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies's current interest bearing debt = Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation + Short-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation = 3,758 + 2,880 = R6637.531 Mil.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies's current Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) = 858 Mil.

Dis-Chem Pharmacies's Earnings Power Value (EPV) for Feb26 is calculated as:

EPV = ( ( Norm. Earnings-Maint. CAPEX *) / WACC + CashandEquiv - Int. Bearing Debt ) / Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)
= ( ( -377.39594581309 - 665)/ 9%+500-6637.531 )/858
=-20.66

Margin of Safety (EPV)=( Earnings Power Value (EPV)-Current Price )/Earnings Power Value (EPV)
=( -20.663317287623-33.49 )/-20.663317287623
= N/A

* 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.

What does a Earnings Power Value (EPV) of R-20.66 mean?
Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) has a Earnings Power Value (EPV) of R-20.66 as of Feb26. Bruce Greenwald's earnings power value focuses on current earnings without factoring in future growth. View historical data on Dis-Chem Pharmacies and its competitors.
Is Dis-Chem Pharmacies' Earnings Power Value (EPV) too high?
Dis-Chem Pharmacies' current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is R-20.66. Overall, Dis-Chem Pharmacies has a GF Score™ of 88/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Dis-Chem Pharmacies' Earnings Power Value (EPV) compare to competitors?
Dis-Chem Pharmacies' Earnings Power Value (EPV) of R-20.66 can be compared against companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Earnings Power Value (EPV) for a Healthcare Providers & Services company?
A good Earnings Power Value (EPV) depends on the Healthcare Providers & Services industry context. However, Earnings Power Value (EPV) should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Earnings Power Value (EPV) mean?
A high Earnings Power Value (EPV) can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Bruce Greenwald's earnings power value focuses on current earnings without factoring in future growth. View historical data on Dis-Chem Pharmacies and its competitors. Dis-Chem Pharmacies's current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is R-20.66. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Dis-Chem Pharmacies stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is R38.03, compared to a current price of R33.49 — trading 11.9% below its estimated fair value. The current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is R-20.66. Dis-Chem Pharmacies' overall GF Score™ is 88/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Earnings Power Value (EPV) calculated?
Earnings Power Value (EPV) is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP), the current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is R-20.66 as of Feb26. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dis-Chem Pharmacies stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of R33.49 is trading 11.9% below its estimated GF Value™ of R38.03. GuruFocus considers Dis-Chem Pharmacies to be Modestly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for JSE:DCP:

  • Earnings Power Value (EPV): R-20.66
  • GF Value™: R38.03 vs. price of R33.49 (11.9% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 88/100 with 3 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the JSE:DCP stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Dis-Chem Pharmacies Business Description

Address 23 Stag Road, Glen Austin, Midrand, Johannesburg, GT, ZAF, 1685
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd is a pharmaceutical company based in South Africa. Its product portfolio includes personal care products, beauty products, healthcare and nutrition products, and dispensary and baby care products. The operating segments of the group are Retail and Wholesale. It derives maximum revenue from the Retail segment, which includes company stores, retailers of pharmaceuticals and a variety of health and beauty products, as well as pharma-logistic services and oncology and retailers of pharmaceutical products. The Wholesale segment consists of the CJ wholesale and company distribution businesses, wholesalers of pharmaceuticals, and a variety of health and beauty products. Geographically, the group carries out its business operations principally in South Africa.
88GF Score

Get the complete analysis for JSE:DCP

Earnings Power Value (EPV) is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

R33.49
Price
R38.03
GF Value