Ferguson - Trian Partners White Paper
Ferguson - Trian Partners White Paper
Ferguson - Trian Partners White Paper
This presentation is for general informational purposes only, is not complete, and does not constitute any advice or recommendation to enter into or conclude any
transaction or confirmation thereof (whether on the terms shown herein or otherwise). This presentation should not be construed as legal, tax, investment, financial
or other advice. It does not have regard to the specific investment objective, financial situation, suitability, or the particular need of any specific person who may
receive this presentation, and should not be taken as advice on the merits of any investment decision. The views expressed in this presentation represent the
opinions of Trian Fund Management, L.P. and certain of its affiliates (collectively, “Trian”) and are based on publicly available information with respect to Ferguson
plc (the “Company”) and the other companies referred to herein. Trian recognizes that there may be confidential information in the possession of the Company and
the other companies discussed in this presentation that could lead such companies to disagree with Trian’s conclusions. Trian does not endorse third-party
estimates or research which are used in this presentation solely for illustrative purposes.
Select figures presented in this presentation, including investment values, have not been calculated using generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) or
International Financing Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and have not been audited by independent accountants. Such figures may vary from GAAP or IFRS
accounting in material respects and there can be no assurance that the unrealized values reflected in this presentation will be realized. Nothing in this presentation
is intended to be a prediction of the future trading price or market value of securities of the Company. There is no assurance or guarantee with respect to the prices
at which any securities of the Company will trade, and such securities may not trade at prices that may be implied herein. The estimates, projections, pro forma
information and potential impact of Trian’s analyses set forth herein are based on assumptions that Trian believes to be reasonable as of the date of this
presentation, but there can be no assurance or guarantee that actual results or performance of the Company will not differ, and such differences may be material.
This presentation does not recommend the purchase or sale of any security.
This presentation is based upon information reasonably available to Trian as of the date noted herein. Furthermore, the information, which includes information and
data used and derived or obtained from filings made with regulatory authorities and from other public filings and third party reports, has been obtained from sources
that Trian believes to be reliable; however, these sources cannot be guaranteed as to their accuracy or completeness. No representation, warranty or undertaking,
express or implied, is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein, by Trian, its principals, partners or employees, and no liability is
accepted by such persons for the accuracy or completeness of any such information. Trian reserves the right to change any of its opinions expressed herein at any
time as it deems appropriate. Trian disclaims any obligation to update the data, information or opinions contained in this presentation.
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Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers (cont’d)
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This presentation contains forward-looking statements. All statements contained in this presentation that are not clearly historical in nature or that necessarily
depend on future events are forward-looking, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan” and similar expressions are generally intended to
identify forward-looking statements. The projected results and statements contained in this presentation or otherwise provided to you that are not historical facts
are based on current expectations, speak only as of the date of this meeting or presentation and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause
actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
projected results and statements. Assumptions relating to the foregoing involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and
market conditions and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the control of Trian.
Although Trian believes that the assumptions underlying the projected results or forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be
inaccurate and, therefore, there can be no assurance that the projected results or forward-looking statements included in this presentation or otherwise provided to
you will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the projected results and forward-looking statements included in this presentation or
otherwise provided to you, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation as to future results or that the objectives and plans
expressed or implied by such projected results and forward-looking statements will be achieved. Trian will not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to
disclose the results of any revisions that may be made to any projected results or forward-looking statements in this presentation or otherwise provided to you to
reflect events or circumstances after the date of such projected results or statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.
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Ferguson Overview
Share Price(1): £66 ($85) Leading North American specialty distributor of plumbing & HVAC
Market Cap: $19.4bn (“blended branches”) and Waterworks / Fire & Fabrication
EV: $20.5bn #1 market share in North American blended branches (plumbing &
HVAC) with a mid-to-high teens market share…no clear national rival
Valuation Metrics(2)
CY 2020 EBITDA: $1.98bn #1 market share in North American Waterworks / Fire & Fabrication
EV/2020 EBITDA: 10.4x with low 20% market share… Core & Main is only large national
competitor
Net Debt / LTM EBITDA: 1,708 branches, 11 DC’s, and ~$20bn revenue in North America
0.7x On September 3, Ferguson announced that it intends to demerge its
UK business(3); Kevin Murphy (US CEO) will become Group CEO on
November 19; Board will consider most appropriate listing structure
for Ferguson going forward
Source: Company filings, FactSet.
Note: Throughout this presentation: “EV” is defined as enterprise value; “EBITDA” is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; “P/E” is defined as price
to earnings ratio; “North America” is defined as US and Canada; “HVAC” is defined as heating, ventilation and air conditioning; ”ROIC” is defined as return on invested capital; “DC” is
defined as distribution center; “CY” is defined as calendar year; “bps” is defined as basis points; “RMI” is defined as “repair, maintenance, and improvement”; and “MRO” is defined as
maintenance, repair, and operations.
(1) As of November 5, 2019.
(2) Based on Wall Street research consensus estimates for calendar year 2019 as of November 5, 2019. 4
(3) Subject to shareholder approval.
Trian’s Investment Thesis
1. Attractive North American Business
Commercial and residential trade customers value convenience and availability over price…labor
costs more than product to end user
Branch-driven business: ~80% of sales originated or distributed from a Ferguson branch or
showroom (Amazon-resilient business)
~75% of blended branch business is repair, maintenance, and improvement oriented (less cyclical)
$11.6 $0.9
2014 2019
2014 2019 6
Source: Company filings, investor presentations.
…That is Misunderstood and Significantly Undervalued
CY 2020 EV / EBITDA
… We believe Ferguson’s
blended branch business
should be valued in-line with 17.2x
specialty RMI distributors
13.4x
12.3x
10.4x
8.3x
(1)
(2)
Source: FactSet, company filings. Figures represent averages. Valuation metrics calculated off of Wall Street research 2019 calendar year estimates.
(1) Deducts Construction & Industrial segment at 8x EBITDA and a pro-rata share of net debt. 7
(2) Minority interest capitalized at 26x net income (Watsco’s current P/E multiple) and added to enterprise value.
Why is Ferguson Mispriced? We Believe Equity Markets Under-
Appreciate the Magnitude of Ferguson’s Evolution
Ferguson EBITA Contribution by Segment
Nordics (2018)
$1,085
Switzerland (2017)
$182
France (2016)
Italy (2011)
$442
Ferguson Brand(1)
Cumulative Organic
+37% +4%
Better Growth (5 Years)(3)
Results
EBITA Growth (5 Years)(3) +68% -59%
40
# of U.S.-Based Research Analysts
35
30
Ferguson’s North American
footprint is >2x the average HD and Lowe’s are
25 of the specialty distributor / often cited as peers for
broadline peer group but Ferguson’s US
20 only 1 US based research business and both
analyst covers the stock (vs. companies have >30
an average of 14 analysts for analysts covering their
15 its peers) stocks
10
0
$0 $5 $10 $15 $20 $25
>$70 $30
North American Sales ($ in billions)
Source: FactSet, SEC filings, company reports.
Note: Trian believes the most relevant peers for Ferguson are specialty building products distributors (Watsco, Pool Corp, SiteOne Landscape Supply, Beacon Roofing Supply) but
we include broadline industrial distributors (Fastenal, WW Grainger, HD Supply, MSC Industrial) and home improvement retailers (Home Depot and Lowe’s) as two additional peer 10
groups that are frequently used as comparables for Ferguson.
Why is Ferguson Mispriced? It is Under-Owned by U.S.
Institutions
Top Shareholder Ownership Top Shareholder Ownership
U.S. Industrial Distributor Market(1) U.S. Home Improvement Retail Market(2)
Total US Top 25 Total US Top 25
Distributor Ferguson HI Retailer Ferguson
Shareholder AUM ($ mil) Holder Shareholder AUM ($ mil) Holder
1 The Vanguard Group, Inc. $7,059 1 The Vanguard Group, Inc. $26,767
2 BlackRock, Inc. $4,939 2 The Capital Group Companies, Inc. $21,910 X
3 State Street Corp. $2,275 3 BlackRock, Inc. $21,771
4 Fidelity Investments $1,792 4 State Street Corp. $16,172
5 The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. $1,706 5 Fidelity Investments $7,264
6 JPMorgan Chase & Co. $1,116 6 Wellington Management $6,272 X
7 T Rowe Price Group, Inc. $1,102 X 7 Northern Trust Corp. $5,274 X
8 Northern Trust Corp. $939 X 8 UBS AG $5,107 X
9 Neuberger Berman Group, LLC $887 X 9 Bank of America Corp. $4,913 X
10 TIAA-CREF $844 X 10 Geode Capital Management, LLC $4,809 X
11 Invesco, Ltd. $829 11 JPMorgan Chase & Co. $4,562
12 Geode Capital Management, LLC $823 X 12 Wells Fargo & Co. $4,013 X
13 Bank of America Corp. $780 X 13 Norges Bank $3,666
14 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. $768 14 The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. $3,197
15 Wells Fargo & Co. $726 X 15 Government Pension Investment Fund $3,009
16 Norges Bank $669 16 TIAA-CREF $2,730 X
17 ClearBridge LLC $653 X 17 AllianceBernstein, LP $2,490 X
18 Dimensional Fund Advisors LP $586 X 18 Morgan Stanley $2,360 X
19 Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment $552 X 19 ClearBridge LLC $2,255 X
20 The Charles Schwab Corp. $534 X 20 The Charles Schwab Corp. $2,105 X
21 The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. $533 X 21 Legal & General Group PLC $2,019
22 Government Pension Investment Fund $510 22 Deutsche Bank AG $1,998 X
23 The Capital Group Companies, Inc. $461 X 23 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. $1,763
24 OppenheimerFunds, Inc. $444 24 The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. $1,715 X
25 Baillie Gifford & Co. $444 X 25 Invesco, Ltd. $1,709
Non-Top 25 Ferguson Owners Non-Top 25 Ferguson Owners
$ Invested in Sector $9,420 $ Invested in Sector $67,950
Source: Bloomberg. Note that Bloomberg only captures approximately 60% of outstanding shares as shareholder disclosure requirements are less comprehensive in the UK than they
are in the US. 11
(1) Total market value owned of MSC, Grainger, Fastenal, HD Supply, SiteOne, Beacon, Pool Corp., Watsco. (2) Total market value owned of Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Why is Ferguson Mispriced? We Believe Its UK Listing Impacts
Trading Volumes
Investors in Ferguson’s U.S.-listed peers benefit from higher trading volumes and increased liquidity as
compared with Ferguson’s shareholders
1.3%
1.0%
0.9%
0.8%
0.7% Peer Average: 0.7%
0.7%
0.6%
0.5%
0.4%
0.4%
0.3%
MSM FAST GWW HDS SITE WSO BECN LOW POOL FERG-GB HD
12
Source: FactSet. Data as of November 5, 2019.
Why is Ferguson Mispriced? We Believe It is Compared to the
Wrong Peers
US Home
UK-Based UK / European US Broadline Improvement US Specialty
Analyst Building Materials Distribution(1) Retail(2) Distribution(3)
Source: Wall Street research.
(1) Fastenal, WW Grainger, HD Supply, MSC Industrial.
(2) Home Depot, Lowe’s. 13
(3) Pool Corp., Watsco, SiteOne Landscape Supply, Beacon Roofing Supply.
We Believe Ferguson is a Far Superior Business to Broadline
Industrial Distributors
Broadline Industrial MRO Distributors
(1) (2)
Branch-Oriented Catalogue / Internet
Businesses Driven
Trade / Contractor Direct sale to end
Oriented Sale customer
Limited Competitive Multiple competitors
Universe sell broadline
Job-Site Delivery & Next Customer less time
sensitive
Day Availability Critical
Residential & Commercial Industrial
RMI Oriented Business Production driven(3)
RMI-Oriented Business
Residential / Commercial
End Markets
15
(1) Weights Home Depot revenue at 55% consumer and Lowe’s revenue at 75-80% consumer per public disclosure
Ferguson Compares Favorably to Leading Specialty Distributors
RMI-Oriented Specialty Distributors
Branch-Oriented
Businesses
Trade / Contractor
Oriented Sale
Limited Competitive
Universe
Job-Site Delivery & Next
Day Availability Critical
Residential & Commercial
RMI Oriented Business
Meaningful Organic and Inorganic
Share Gain Opportunity
90% of
8.3% Ferguson’s
Specialty, RMI-Oriented
6.6%
6.3%
5.5% 5.4%
4.5%
4.2% 4.0%
3.4%
2.7%
US Segment FM(1)
Source: Company filings. 17
(1) Represents HD Supply Facility Maintenance business (~60% EBITDA) and excludes Construction & Industrial business (not comparable to Ferguson).
…Strong Gross Margin Performance…
Gross Margin Change (basis points) (Last 5 Fiscal Years)
130 110
60 60
(20) (40)
(245)
(340) (360)
(510)
(2)
US
Segment(1)
75
60
15
(25) (35)
(50)
While Ferguson has expanded EBITDA
margins over the last 5 years, Trian
believes there is an opportunity to
better leverage growth and improve
margin flow through (175)
(205)
(1)
US
Segment
In September 2007, Invesco plc announced a proposal to move its primary listing from the LSE to the
NYSE (and apply for a secondary listing on the LSE). Invesco’s stock increased by >5% on the date of the
announcement
The relisting was partly motivated by the loss of Invesco’s foreign private issuer status in the US, but
Invesco’s CEO also noted that “Invesco’s size, scale and global focus results in few natural peers on the
London Stock Exchange. A US listing will improve visibility and direct comparability with a more
appropriate peer group of large, global investment management companies.”1
On November 14, 2007, the transaction was approved by 97% of votes cast
In July 2008, Signet Group plc (subsequently renamed Signet Jewelers) announced a proposal to move its
primary listing from the LSE to the NYSE (and apply for a secondary listing on the LSE):
“The Proposal will align the place of listing with the majority of the Group's business activities. Currently
over 70% of the Group's sales, operating profit and net assets are in the US. The Board considers there to
be a potentially larger pool of investors in the US than in the UK who are more familiar with the Group's
business model….In addition, the Board expects that the new parent company would benefit from its
primary listing being amongst a more appropriate public company peer group.”
On August 19, 2008, the transaction was approved by 94% of votes cast
On September 2018, Barrick Gold Corporation and Randgold Resources plc announced a share-for-share
merger (with no premiums) in order to create an “industry leading gold company”. The merger was well
received by shareholders:
While Randgold formerly traded on the LSE, shares of the combined company were expected to trade
exclusively on the TSX and the NYSE
On November 7, 2018, Randgold shareholders approved the transaction by 95% of votes cast
Source: Bloomberg; company filings. 21
(1) Invesco September 25, 2007 press release.
We Believe a US-Listed Ferguson Would Be an Attractive Stock to
Shareholders of Its US-Listed Peers
$412 billion(1)
$19 billion
Over 20x Ferguson’s market capitalization is held at peers trading in the US at far
more expensive valuations than where Ferguson currently trades.
We believe Ferguson is an attractive complementary holding once
investors understand the Company
Source: FactSet.
Note: Circles are sized to scale. 22
(1) Represents the combined market cap of Home Depot, Lowe’s, Pool Corp., Watsco, SiteOne, Beacon Roofing Supply, HD Supply, Fastenal, WW Grainger, MSC Industrial.
Final Thoughts
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