Alten and TietoEVRY Shares Hit by Downgrades Amid Economic Concerns

Alten and TietoEVRY Face Market Challenges After Downgrade

Shares of Alten and TietoEVRY have recently experienced significant downward pressure following a downgrade from analysts at BofA Securities. This shift has sparked broader discussions about the growth prospects within the European IT services sector, particularly as these companies grapple with ongoing market weaknesses.

Impacts of Downgrades on Share Performance

As of the latest trading updates, both Alten and TietoEVRY showed a decline of approximately 4.8% and 4.4%, respectively. This is directly linked to BofA's caution regarding essential markets critical to these companies’ revenues.

BofA has reclassified Alten to an "underperform" status, emphasizing that persistent challenges are emerging, particularly in sectors that contribute significantly to its revenue. Such concerns are amplifying as analysts observe troubling trends in the automotive, aerospace, and life sciences industries.

Challenges Facing Key Sectors

Recent profit warnings from major automotive manufacturers, including Stellantis, Volkswagen, Daimler, and BMW, illustrate the significant headwinds these sectors are experiencing. For Alten, these challenges are compounded by similar pressures in the aerospace field, particularly due to ongoing supply chain issues at major companies like Airbus.

This unfortunate blend of economic slowdown and operational challenges sees discretionary IT spending starved of growth, particularly within retail and public sectors. Analysts have observed this trend and are taking into consideration the muted IT budgets, which have only exacerbated the issues Alten faces.

Revised Financial Outlook for Alten

In light of the current economic landscape, BofA revised its financial outlook for Alten, adjusting its organic growth estimates for 2024 and 2025 from 0.9% and 3% down to flat and 2% respectively. These revised predictions fall 2% to 3% below what consensus revenue forecasts had indicated.

The anticipated decline in organic revenue for both the third and fourth quarters is now at -0.9% and -0.8%, respectively, a stark contrast to a modest growth rate of 1.0% reported for the second quarter earlier this year.

Operational Strategies Under Scrutiny

Moreover, analysts have voiced concerns regarding Alten's operational strategy, particularly its plan to double offshore development capacity. This ambitious objective comes with inherent execution risks and necessitates additional investments which could impose further pressure upon its margins.

BofA's report points out that although Alten holds a commendable position in engineering R&D services, their near-term growth outlook remains uncertain due to challenges in predicting demand recovery.

Performance Metrics and Price Targets

As Alten’s shares have dropped 28% this year, they are now trading at a notable 28% discount relative to their five-year median Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio. Following the adjustment by BofA, a new price objective for Alten is set at €92, reduced from €125. This forecast implies a potential downside of around 5% based on a 12x P/E multiple for 2025, reflecting a weakening growth outlook.

TietoEVRY's Downgrade Details

TietoEVRY isn't faring any better; it too has been downgraded to "underperform" mainly due to the same weak end-market trends facing the company’s projections. Analysts foresee further cuts in TietoEVRY's fiscal guidance, as challenges in the IT services sector continue to intensify.

Current forecasts by BofA estimate an average organic growth rate of -1.5% for the European IT services sector in the upcoming third quarter. Although this represents a slight improvement from previous quarters, it still portrays ongoing economic challenges.

Impact of Public Sector Spending

Analysts also highlighted that the slowdown in public sector spending in significant markets is likely to defer the recovery of both project-based and discretionary IT investments until the first half of 2025.

As a result of the newly identified headwinds, BofA has reduced TietoEVRY's 2024 organic growth estimate from -0.2% to -1.1%, while slightly adjusting its EBITA margins downward to 12.6%. This cautious approach leads to anticipated cuts of approximately 3% and 6% for adjusted earnings per share estimates for 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Conclusion: Looking Ahead

Finally, TietoEVRY's new price objective stands at €18—dropped from €20—suggesting zero upside potential based on an unaltered P/E multiple of 8.5x for 2025. This environment leaves both Alten and TietoEVRY at a crossroads as they navigate through these market dynamics amid cautious investor sentiment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What led to the downgrades of Alten and TietoEVRY shares?

The downgrades were due to BofA's concerns regarding the growth prospects of both companies amid ongoing economic challenges in key sectors.

How much have Alten shares dropped this year?

Alten shares have dropped 28% year-to-date, reflecting significant market pressures.

What does BofA predict for Alten's organic growth in the coming years?

BofA revised Alten's organic growth estimates to flat for 2024 and 2% for 2025, which are lower than previous predictions.

What factors are impacting the aerospace sector related to Alten?

The aerospace sector is facing hardships primarily due to ongoing supply chain disruptions, particularly at Airbus.

What is the new price objective for TietoEVRY set by BofA?

The new price objective for TietoEVRY is €18, representing a drop from the previous target of €20 with zero expected upside potential.

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