Why the Rolls Royce share price fell 11% in August

Manika Premsingh believes FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE: UKX) aerospace engineering giant Roll-Royce Holding plc (LON: RR) might not have performed well recently, but is still worth consideration.

| More on:

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in.

Read More

The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of personal advice. Investments in a currency other than sterling are exposed to currency exchange risk. Currency exchange rates are constantly changing, which may affect the value of the investment in sterling terms. You could lose money in sterling even if the stock price rises in the currency of origin. Stocks listed on overseas exchanges may be subject to additional dealing and exchange rate charges, and may have other tax implications, and may not provide the same, or any, regulatory protection as in the UK.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

August wasn’t exactly a great month for the financial markets. The FTSE 100 index declined (on average) by 4.5% compared to its July levels as global macroeconomic factors continued to create an environment of uncertainty. In line with the overall decline, the aerospace engineering giant Rolls Royce (LSE: RR) also saw a dip in share price during the month. However, its 11% decline was a far sharper fall than that of the overall index.

It has started recovering since, and at the time of writing it was at a level not seen since the first week of August. This brings me to the question – was the decline in its share price collateral damage from the overall market dip? And, is it otherwise a good investment for long-term investors?

Let’s find out.

Results are a mixed bag

The way I see it, there’s a tick mark for health in its headline financials. At the beginning of August, the company reported an increase in revenue and operating profit, in both underlying and reported terms. In fact, it’s worth highlighting that in reported terms, it swung into profits in the first half of 2019 after reporting a loss in the same period of 2018. Underlying profit also showed an impressive 32% increase from last year.

The fact that the company is confident of resolving issues with the Trent 1000, the engine that partly powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, is enough to give confidence that it is in fact on the road to recovery. Issues with the engine led to increased costs for the company, according to the report.

However, earnings per share is a negative number as the group reported a net loss due to higher tax payments. Cash flow was also negative, which the company says is a seasonal feature that will reverse itself later in the year. All in all, while the results were not altogether bad, investors were more concerned about the negatives, evident in the fact that the share price fell on the latest update.

Rating downgrade adds to challenges

Existing investor concern was further underlined when ratings agency Moody’s downgraded Rolls Royce’s debt rating, pointing to cash flow issues. Moody’s earlier stable outlook for the company is now negative, clearly indicating that not everyone’s convinced the company is ready to put its problems behind it. A reduced rating can affect a company’s ability to raise funds, which is not a good sign at a time when it’s running at a loss and has been on a rocky patch for some time.

Silver linings

I’m not entirely averse to the share though. Even with all its troubles, the fact remains that Rolls Royce is a large, well-known company in an industry with high barriers to entry. In other words, it’s not easily replaceable. Its share price has performed over the last decade, even if the more recent years are nothing to write home about. It’s not a share for the fainthearted right now, for sure, but I would make some investment in it for the long term.

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

More on Investing Articles

Investing Articles

Here’s how I’d follow Warren Buffett to start building passive income in 2025

Ben McPoland highlights one FTSE 250 firm with a strong competitive edge that he thinks can continue rewarding investors with…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Burberry shares: undervalued FTSE gems that are ready to rocket?

Burberry shares soared at the beginning of the week as the takeover rumour mill went into overdrive. Is Paul Summers…

Read more »

US Stock

Here are the latest share price forecasts for S&P 500 giant Amazon

Amazon has generated monster gains for investors over the last decade. And Wall Street analysts believe the S&P 500 stock…

Read more »

Man writing 'now' having crossed out 'later', 'tomorrow' and 'next week'
Investing Articles

2 high-yield FTSE 250 shares I’d buy today — and 1 that I’d avoid

UK markets have felt some volatility after last week’s Budget and the FTSE 250 was no stranger to it. Our…

Read more »

Investing Articles

3 reasons the Rolls-Royce share price could soar over the next decade

Sustainable aviation fuel, narrow-body aircraft, and small nuclear reactors could all keep the Rolls-Royce share price climbing over the next…

Read more »

British flag, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and British flag composition
Investing Articles

Here’s how much income I’d get if I invested my entire £20k ISA in cheap BT shares

BT shares are on the up but still cheap, while the FTSE 100 telecoms stock offers a good yield too.…

Read more »

Investing Articles

2 FTSE dividend shares yielding more than 6% with P/Es of less than 9!

Harvey Jones picks out two brilliant FTSE 100 dividend shares that yield more than 6% but are selling at strangely…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Up 105% in a year! Is this rocketing FTSE bank the perfect pick for my Stocks and Shares ISA?

Harvey Jones is drawing up a shortlist of stocks to purchase inside his Stocks and Shares ISA allowance. This FTSE…

Read more »