Budget flyer easyJet (LSE: EZJ) has well and truly put the jitters up investors in the post-Brexit marketplace.
EasyJet issued a profit warning within days of June’s vote, the firm saying “additional economic and consumer uncertainty is likely this summer.” And the airline followed this with quarterlies last month that showed revenues down 2.6% during April-June, to £1.2bn, with industrial action and adverse weather patterns also denting the top line.
As a consequence, easyJet’s share value has eroded by 35% since the morning after June’s historic vote.
I can’t help but think that this is a massive overreaction by the market, however. While economic conditions in Britain are of course a big deal for easyJet, constrained spending power by domestic holidaymakers should play into the hands of cheap operators.
Besides, easyJet is a major player across the whole of Europe, not just the UK. And the company’s rolling route expansion programme makes it a solid long-term growth pick as passenger numbers steadily build. Data this week showed passenger numbers up 6.7% in July, to 7.51m.
I subsequently reckon a forward P/E rating of just 9 times — allied with a chunky 5.4% dividend yield — makes easyJet a brilliant bargain.
Show off
Broadcasting bruiser ITV (LSE: ITV) has also dived following June’s ballot, the stock shedding 11% of its value to date.
True, the company has recovered ground in recent weeks. But ITV still deals on a prospective earnings multiple of just 11.6 times, well below the FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE: UKX) average of 15 times. And a dividend yield of 3.8% also peaks ahead of the big-cap average.
The screen star has been pressured by slowing advertising revenues in recent times, the impact of huge uncertainty in the run-up to this summer’s vote. And July’s trading update underlined the extent of these problems — net advertising revenues stagnated at £838m during January-July.
But growth across the rest of the group helped to mitigate this problem, with sales at the ITV Studios production arm soaring 31% in the period to £651m.
And the likelihood of further M&A action here, along with further progress at its Online, Pay & Interactive division, should keep ITV’s bottom line growing in my opinion.
Raise the roof
It isn’t difficult to see why Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV) and its housebuilding peers have declined sharply in the wake of June’s vote. After all, their heavy domestic bias leaves them at the mercy of extreme revenues turbulence should homebuyer appetite moderate in the months and years ahead.
Barratt itself has seen its share price rattle 27% lower in the past six weeks. But I can’t see property transactions falling off a cliff, particularly as ultra-low interest rates are likely to support already-favourable mortgage lending conditions.
Besides, Britain’s long-established housing shortage should prevent property values suddenly sinking. Indeed, I believe the housing sector remains an attractive long-term investment destination.
And I reckon Barratt is a steal at current prices, the construction giant boasting a meagre P/E ratio of 7.8 times for 2016 as well as a 6.9% dividend yield.
