Most likely large-cap and small-cap merger candidates -BofA
11:42 AM | (IDCC) | By: Kim Khan, SA News Editor
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Most likely large-cap and small-cap merger candidates -BofA
May 15, 2022 11:42 AM ETBorgWarner Inc. (BWA), AGXZD, VSH, VEC, VNDA, SUPN, RGR, LRN, SWBI, SIG, SAFM, PCH, PLAB, PRDO, MLI, MOV, MATX, KLIC, KFY, IDCC, IIPR, HI, HSII, WIRE, DFIN, CRAI, ECOM, CPRX, BCC, ATKR, IWN, RTY, WRK, SEE, JNPR, IEX, HII, CRL, BIO, HSIC, DVA, UAA, TPR, RL, BBW, AAP, XLF, SPY, SP500By: Kim Khan, SA News Editor5 Comments
Connected puzzle pieces with the acronym M&A. Merger and acquisition in business
cagkansayin/iStock via Getty Images
BofA Securities screened for stocks with the the characteristics most likely to attract suitors, both in the large- and small-cap universes.
For S&P 500 (SP500) (SPY) targets, BofA:
Screens based on its preferred valuation metric of free cash flow to enterprise value (FCF/EV) for those trading below the universe median.
Excludes Financials (XLF) and managed care companies.
Limits market cap to $15B or below and requires a history of stable earnings.
With growth a motivation, the screen is limited to companies with long-term growth rates above the universe median.
The top large-cap M&A candidates are:
BorgWarner (NYSE:BWA), FCF/EV 3.4%, consensus LTG 28%
Advance Auto Parts (AAP), 3.6%, 15.3%
Bath & Bod Works (BBW), 5.9%, 16.9%
Ralph Lauren (RL), 6.7%, 80.2%
Tapestry (TPR), 7.5%, 17.2%
Under Armour (UAA), 6%, 56.3%
DaVita (DVA), 5.2%, 11.7%
Henry Schein (HSIC), 4.5%, 16.8%
Bio-Rad Labs (BIO), 2.8%, 13.9%
Charles River Labs (CRL), 2.4%, 14.5%
Huntington Ingalls (HII), 2.5%, 13.6%
IDEX (IEX), 2%, 12%
Juniper Networks (JNPR), 2.6%, 13.9%
Sealed Air (SEE), 2.4%, 12.1%
WestRock (WRK), 3.6%, 20%
For Russell 2000 (RTY) (IWN) targets, BofA looks for:
Single share class
Float greater than 90%
Three years of positive operating cash flow
Positive 3-year sales growth
A 15% discount to industry group median valuation on EV/OCF, EV/FCF, EV/EBIT
Below industry group median net debt/EBIT
Top small-cap M&A candidates are:
Argan (NYSE:AGX), EV/OCF 4.3, EV/FCF 4.6, EV/EBIT 2.4
Atkore (ATKR), 8, 9. 4.9
Boise Cascade (BCC), 4.2, 4.9, 2.9
Catalyst Pharma (CPRX), 9.9, 10.1, 11.4
Channeladvisor (ECOM), 10, 11.7, 18
CRA International (CRAI), 9, 9.3, 12.2
Donnelley Financial (DFIN), 6.1, 8, 4.7
Encore Wire (WIRE), 3.3, 4.3, 2.1
Heidrick & Struggles (HSII), 1.6, 1.7, 3.8
Hilenbrand (HI), 7.7, 8.4, 9.1
Innovate Industrial Properties (IIPR), 19.2, 19.2, 26.8
InterDigital (IDCC), 9.6, 9.8, 11.5
Korn Ferry (KFY), 7.2, 7.9, 7
Kulicke and Sofia Industries (KLIC), 6.3, 6.7, 4.2
Matson (MATX), 4.4, 6.5, 3.8
Movado Group (MOV), 4.8, 5, 5.4
Mueller Industries (MLI), 7.6, 8.1, 4.2
Perdoceo Education (PRDO), 1.6, 1.7, 2.1
Photronics (PLAB), 4.9, 12.3, 7.6
PotlatchDeltic (PCH), 7.3, 8.5, 6.9
Sanderson Farms (SAFM), 4, 4.9, 4
Signet Jewelers (SIG), 3.3, 3.7, 4.6
Smith & Wesson (SWBI), 2.4, 2.6, 1.7
Stride (LRN), 9.5, 9.8, 10
Sturm, Ruger (RGR), 5.7, 6.8, 4.8
Supemus Pharma (SUPN), 12.5, 12.7, 13
Vanda Pharma (VNDA), 2.1, 2.1, 3.2
Vectrus (VEC), 8.7, 10.4, 8.1
Vishay Intertechnology (VSH), 5.2, 9.9, 5
