Last close As at 05/08/2026
GBP8.23
▲ 24.00 (3.00%)
Market capitalisation
GBP802m
Research: TMT
In a difficult trading environment, with customers in the largest target market in a digestion phase after widespread supply chain disruption, discoverIE reported strong underlying operating profit growth and margin expansion. Despite higher net finance costs and currency headwinds, underlying EPS increased 5% y-o-y (+10% at constant exchange rates). We forecast modest growth in FY25 and FY26 and continued margin expansion in line with company targets and expect further M&A to boost growth.
discoverIE Group |
FY24 demonstrates resilient business model |
FY24 results |
Electrical components |
10 June 2024 |
Share price performance
Business description
Next events
Analyst
discoverIE Group is a research client of Edison Investment Research Limited |
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In a difficult trading environment, with customers in the largest target market in a digestion phase after widespread supply chain disruption, discoverIE reported strong underlying operating profit growth and margin expansion. Despite higher net finance costs and currency headwinds, underlying EPS increased 5% y-o-y (+10% at constant exchange rates). We forecast modest growth in FY25 and FY26 and continued margin expansion in line with company targets and expect further M&A to boost growth.
Year |
Revenue |
PBT* |
Diluted EPS* |
DPS |
P/E |
Yield |
03/23 |
448.9 |
46.3 |
35.2 |
11.45 |
20.7 |
1.6 |
03/24 |
437.0 |
48.2 |
36.8 |
12.00 |
19.8 |
1.7 |
03/25e |
453.1 |
49.9 |
37.3 |
12.50 |
19.5 |
1.7 |
03/26e |
466.7 |
52.4 |
39.0 |
13.00 |
18.6 |
1.8 |
Note: *PBT and EPS as per discoverIE’s underlying metric (excludes amortisation of acquired intangibles and exceptional items).
Progress towards FY25 margin target
In FY24, discoverIE reported a 3% revenue decline, a 1% increase at constant exchange rates (CER) and a 1% decline in organic revenue. Despite this, underlying operating profit was 10% higher, helped by higher-margin acquisitions but more materially by internal efficiencies. The underlying operating margin reached 13.1% (+1.6pp y-o-y) and management believes the company is on track to hit its 13.5% target for FY25. Underlying diluted EPS was 5% higher year-on-year after higher net finance costs and currency headwinds. After five acquisitions totalling £83m during the year, gearing stood at 1.5x at year-end, at the bottom end of the company’s target range.
Outlook: Design wins support organic growth
So far this year, discoverIE is trading in line with management’s expectations and management maintains its 13.5% operating margin target for FY25. Strong growth in design wins provide the foundation for revenue growth when customer inventory unwinds are complete and order growth returns. We maintain our FY25 forecasts and introduce forecasts for FY26. The company has an active M&A pipeline and pointed to a similar pace of activity in FY25 as in FY24, with c £80m in funding headroom for acquisitions from credit facilities and internal cash generation.
Valuation: Order growth to trigger upside
The stock trades at a 17% discount to its broader UK industrial technology peer group on FY25e P/E and at a larger discount to peers with a similar decentralised operating model (such as Halma and Spirax). Considering that the earnings outlook has been maintained and discoverIE continues to make excellent progress towards its margin targets, we believe this discount is overdone. The focus on strategic growth markets should reduce cyclicality compared to the wider market and we expect the company to continue to seek higher-margin acquisitions in the fragmented electronics market.
Review of FY24 results
Exhibit 1 summarises performance during FY24.
Exhibit 1: FY24 results highlights
£m |
FY23 |
FY24e |
FY24 |
Diff |
y-o-y |
Revenues |
448.9 |
435.2 |
437.0 |
0.4% |
(2.7%) |
EBITDA |
65.4 |
71.8 |
71.1 |
(1.0%) |
8.7% |
EBITDA margin |
14.6% |
16.5% |
16.3% |
(0.2%) |
1.7% |
Underlying operating profit |
51.8 |
56.4 |
57.2 |
1.4% |
10.4% |
Underlying operating margin |
11.5% |
13.0% |
13.1% |
0.1% |
1.6% |
Normalised operating profit |
54.3 |
58.8 |
59.5 |
1.2% |
9.6% |
Normalised operating margin |
12.1% |
13.5% |
13.6% |
0.1% |
1.5% |
Underlying PBT |
46.3 |
47.2 |
48.2 |
2.0% |
4.1% |
Normalised PBT |
48.8 |
49.6 |
50.5 |
1.7% |
3.5% |
Normalised net income |
36.1 |
36.8 |
37.9 |
2.8% |
4.9% |
Normalised diluted EPS (p) |
36.7 |
37.4 |
38.5 |
3.1% |
4.9% |
Underlying diluted EPS (p) |
35.2 |
35.6 |
36.8 |
3.4% |
4.5% |
Reported basic EPS (p) |
22.3 |
21.9 |
16.2 |
(26.2%) |
(27.5%) |
Dividend per share (p) |
11.5 |
12.1 |
12.0 |
(0.8%) |
4.8% |
Net (debt)/cash |
(42.7) |
(104.1) |
(104.0) |
(0.1%) |
143.6% |
Net debt/EBITDA (x) |
0.7 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
Source: discoverIE, Edison Investment Research
FY24 revenue came in marginally ahead of our forecast (the April trading update had confirmed a revenue decline of 3%), declining by 2.7% y-o-y. At CER, revenue was 1% higher and, excluding acquisitions, was down by 1%. Underlying operating profit came in 1.4% ahead of our forecast, up 10% y-o-y or 16% CER, and the underlying operating margin increased 1.6pp y-o-y to 13.1%. Net finance costs increased 64% y-o-y due to higher levels of debt and higher interest rates. The operating profit upside to our forecast flowed through to PBT and underlying net income, with underlying diluted EPS 3.4% ahead of our forecast and ahead of the top end of the consensus range (35.6–36.3p). The company announced a final dividend of 8.25p to make a full year dividend of 12.0p, just below our 12.1p forecast and 5% higher y-o-y. Year-end net debt of £104.0m was in line with our forecast, resulting in gearing of 1.5x at year-end, at the bottom end of the company’s 1.5–2.0x target range.
Reported EPS included £9.8m of one-off costs, of which £5.9m relates to an agreed disposal. The company decided to sell off part of the Santon business (roughly half in revenue terms) as it was underperforming and looked unlikely to recover. It agreed to sell the solar switches business and the Netherlands-based manufacturing line for a total of £7m in net cash after costs, which is due to be received in FY25. In FY24, it recorded the assets as held for sale (totalling £6.7m) and incurred costs of £5.9m relating to the disposal (of which £2.4m were cash costs and £2.7m was for write-downs of intangible assets). It expects to report a profit on disposal of £2m in FY25.
Divisional performance
Exhibit 2 summarises divisional revenue, operating profit and order progression in FY24.
Exhibit 2: Divisional performance
£m |
FY24 |
FY23 |
Reported |
CER |
Organic CER |
Orders CER |
Revenues |
||||||
Magnetics & Controls |
265.1 |
280.8 |
(6%) |
0% |
(2%) |
(7%) |
Sensing & Connectivity |
171.9 |
168.1 |
2% |
4% |
2% |
(11%) |
Total revenues |
437.0 |
448.9 |
(3%) |
1% |
(1%) |
(8%) |
Underlying operating profit |
||||||
Magnetics & Controls |
40.6 |
38.4 |
6% |
12% |
||
Sensing & Connectivity |
28.9 |
25.6 |
13% |
15% |
||
Unallocated |
(12.3) |
(12.2) |
1% |
1% |
||
Total operating profit |
57.2 |
51.8 |
10% |
16% |
||
Underlying operating margin |
||||||
Magnetics & Controls |
15.3% |
13.7% |
1.6pp |
|||
Sensing & Connectivity |
16.8% |
15.2% |
1.6pp |
|||
Total operating margin |
13.1% |
11.5% |
1.6pp |
Source: discoverIE
Group underlying operating profit benefited from growth in profitability in both divisions as well as practically flat unallocated costs year-on-year. At constant exchange rates, underlying operating profit would have increased 16% y-o-y. Underlying operating margins increased by 1.6pp for both divisions.
During FY24, discoverIE made five acquisitions totalling £83m – with two previously reported and three smaller bolt-ons:
■
Silvertel – acquired in August 2023 for £21m and added to the Magnetics & Controls division.
■
2J Antennas Group – acquired in September 2023 for £45m and combined with Antenova to create a new cluster for industrial wireless connectivity within the Sensing & Connectivity division.
■
Shape – acquired in January for £7.9m. Shape is a US-based designer and manufacturer of specialty transformer equipment and joined the Noratel cluster in the Magnetics & Controls division.
■
DTI – acquired in March for £6.6m of initial consideration, with £3.2m additional consideration contingent on performance over the next three years. US-based DTI produces customised data collection products for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and joined the Beacon cluster in the Magnetics & Controls division.
■
IKN – acquired in March for £2.5m of initial consideration and £0.3m of contingent consideration. IKN, based in Norway, supplies products and services for data centres, networking and cabling systems. IKN joined the Foss cluster in the Sensing & Connectivity division.
Update on KSIs and KPIs
Exhibit 3: Key strategic indicators (KSIs)
FY18 |
FY19 |
FY20 |
FY21 |
FY22 |
FY23 |
FY24 |
FY25 target |
|
Increase underlying operating margin |
6.3% |
7.0% |
8.0% |
7.7% |
10.9% |
11.5% |
13.1% |
13.5%* |
Build sales beyond Europe |
19% |
21% |
27% |
28% |
40% |
40% |
41% |
45% |
Sales from target markets |
62% |
66% |
68% |
70% |
76% |
77% |
75% |
85% |
Reduce carbon emissions – scope 1 & 2 from CY21 |
35% |
47% |
65% |
Source: discoverIE. Note: *Medium-term target 15%.
Exhibit 4: Key performance indicators (KPIs)
FY18 |
FY19 |
FY20 |
FY21 |
FY22 |
FY23 |
FY24 |
Target |
|
Sales growth: CER |
11% |
14% |
8% |
(4%) |
27% |
15% |
1% |
Well ahead of GDP |
Sales growth: continuing organic |
11% |
10% |
5% |
(4%) |
14% |
10% |
-1% |
|
Underlying EPS growth |
16% |
22% |
11% |
(8%) |
20% |
20% |
5% |
>10% |
Dividend growth |
6% |
6% |
N/A – only interim paid |
6% |
6% |
6% |
5% |
Progressive |
ROCE* |
13.7% |
15.4% |
16.0% |
14.5% |
14.7% |
15.9% |
15.7% |
>15% |
Operating cash flow generation |
85% |
93% |
106% |
128% |
101% |
94% |
103% |
>85% of underlying operating profit |
Free cash flow generation |
58% |
94% |
104% |
136% |
102% |
95% |
102% |
>85% of underlying profit after tax |
Source: discoverIE. Note: *Return on capital employed; includes annualisation of acquisitions made in the year.
Reviewing the company’s performance versus its key strategic indicator (KSI) and key performance indicator (KPI) targets:
■
Revenue growth: while organic revenue growth declined during FY24, we note that over the period FY18–24, discoverIE achieved an organic revenue CAGR of 7% through-cycle, which was well ahead of GDP growth over the same period. Management highlighted that the business model is designed to grow faster than GDP during periods of strong economic activity and to be resilient in weaker trading environments.
■
Target markets: the percentage of revenue from target markets will vary depending on the growth rates of the individual verticals and the revenue composition of acquisitions, which often have a higher proportion of revenue from non-core markets on acquisition. During FY24, organic revenue from target markets declined by 2% compared to 3% growth for non-target markets. Within the target markets, Industrial and connectivity (29% of revenue) was down 19% as several large OEMs worked through excess inventory. The three other target markets (46% of revenue) showed growth: Medical was up 5%, Renewables was up 15% and Transport was up 22%. In non-target markets (25% of revenue), Space and aeronautics grew by 21% whereas Other declined by 12%.
■
Sales outside of Europe: this is gradually increasing towards the 45% target. Again, this will depend on the rate of growth in different countries and the geographic composition of acquisitions. In FY24, the business saw organic growth from North America (+20%) and the UK (+3%) while all other geographies declined (Asia -15%, or -1% if one large customer that is destocking is excluded, Nordics flat, Germany -7% and Rest of Europe -9%).
■
Underlying operating margins: as well as benefiting from higher-margin acquisitions (which contributed roughly a quarter of the 1.6pp margin increase), the company has undertaken a series of measures to improve operating efficiency. This includes consolidating manufacturing facilities, moving production to lower-cost regions (eg from the UK and US to Hungary, from the US to Mexico), increasing capacity in low-cost regions (India, China and Thailand), sharing facilities, product re-engineering and cross-selling.
■
Returns: the company generated a return on capital employed (ROCE) of 15.7% for FY24, ahead of the 15% target. Excluding acquisitions, ROCE was 17.8%, up 1.9pp y-o-y.
■
Cash generation: the company beat its targets for operating cash and free cash flow generation, we estimate partly due to lower working capital requirements as revenue declined. We would expect the ratios to reduce as and when business picks up.
Outlook and changes to forecasts
The company received orders worth £390m in FY24, down 11% on a reported basis and down 8% CER. The order book stood at £175m at year-end, equating to around four-and-a-half months of sales, down from the peak of seven months of sales at the end of H123. Book-to-bill for the year was 0.89x, with a small improvement in H224 at 0.91x versus 0.87x in H124. Once customers in the largest target market have worked through their excess inventory, we would expect order intake to move back into growth. Management indicated that the book-to-bill ratio could move above one in H225.
The company won designs with an estimated lifetime value (ELV) of £337m in FY24, up 23% y-o-y, showing improved confidence from the customer base and providing support for longer-term organic growth. 90% of design wins are from target markets.
Trading so far in Q125 has been in line with management’s expectations, noting that Q125 will have a tough comparison period. Management expects that H125 revenue will exceed H224 revenue and that FY25 will see a normal seasonal weighting (a revenue split of 48/52 for H1/H2). It expects to meet its 13.5% underlying operating margin target in FY25 (H224 margin was 13.4%) and its 15.0% medium-term target.
Our FY25 forecasts are substantially unchanged and we introduce forecasts for modest growth in FY26 with risk to the upside.
Exhibit 5: Changes to forecasts
£m |
FY25e old |
FY25e new |
Change |
y-o-y |
FY26e new |
y-o-y |
Revenues |
453.1 |
453.1 |
(0.0%) |
3.7% |
466.7 |
3.0% |
EBITDA |
76.6 |
75.1 |
(2.0%) |
5.6% |
77.6 |
3.4% |
EBITDA margin |
16.9% |
16.6% |
(0.3%) |
0.3% |
16.6% |
0.1% |
Underlying operating profit |
60.9 |
61.0 |
0.2% |
6.6% |
63.4 |
4.0% |
Underlying operating margin |
13.4% |
13.5% |
0.0% |
0.4% |
13.6% |
0.1% |
Normalised operating profit |
63.3 |
63.4 |
0.2% |
6.5% |
65.8 |
3.9% |
Normalised operating margin |
14.0% |
14.0% |
0.0% |
0.4% |
14.1% |
0.1% |
Underlying PBT |
49.9 |
49.9 |
0.0% |
3.5% |
52.4 |
5.1% |
Normalised PBT |
52.3 |
52.3 |
0.0% |
3.5% |
54.8 |
4.8% |
Normalised net income |
38.5 |
38.5 |
0.0% |
1.7% |
40.4 |
4.8% |
Normalised diluted EPS (p) |
38.9 |
39.1 |
0.5% |
1.5% |
40.8 |
4.3% |
Underlying diluted EPS (p) |
37.1 |
37.3 |
0.5% |
1.4% |
39.0 |
4.5% |
Reported basic EPS (p) |
23.1 |
22.9 |
(0.8%) |
41.9% |
24.8 |
7.9% |
Dividend per share (p) |
12.5 |
12.5 |
0.0% |
4.2% |
13.0 |
4.0% |
Net (debt)/cash |
(88.5) |
(89.0) |
0.6% |
(14.4%) |
(74.1) |
(16.7%) |
Net debt/EBITDA (x) |
1.3 |
1.3 |
1.0 |
Source: Edison Investment Research
Exhibit 6: Financial summary
£m |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025e |
2026e |
||
Year end 31 March |
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
||
PROFIT & LOSS |
|||||||||
Revenue |
|
|
297.9 |
302.8 |
379.2 |
448.9 |
437.0 |
453.1 |
466.7 |
EBITDA |
|
|
43.6 |
44.0 |
56.1 |
65.4 |
71.1 |
75.1 |
77.6 |
Normalised operating Profit (before am, SBP and except.) |
31.6 |
31.9 |
44.8 |
54.3 |
59.5 |
63.4 |
65.8 |
||
Underlying operating Profit (before am. and except.) |
29.8 |
30.8 |
41.4 |
51.8 |
57.2 |
61.0 |
63.4 |
||
Amortisation of acquired intangibles |
(9.0) |
(11.1) |
(14.0) |
(15.8) |
(16.2) |
(17.0) |
(17.0) |
||
Exceptionals |
(4.3) |
(2.6) |
(6.5) |
(1.4) |
(9.8) |
(3.0) |
(3.0) |
||
Share-based payments |
(1.8) |
(1.1) |
(3.4) |
(2.5) |
(2.3) |
(2.4) |
(2.4) |
||
Operating Profit |
16.5 |
17.1 |
20.9 |
34.6 |
31.2 |
41.0 |
43.4 |
||
Net Interest |
(4.3) |
(3.6) |
(3.8) |
(5.5) |
(9.0) |
(11.1) |
(11.0) |
||
Profit Before Tax (norm) |
|
|
27.3 |
28.3 |
41.0 |
48.8 |
50.5 |
52.3 |
54.8 |
Profit Before Tax (FRS 3) |
|
|
12.2 |
13.5 |
17.1 |
29.1 |
22.2 |
29.9 |
32.4 |
Tax |
(3.3) |
(4.0) |
(7.4) |
(7.8) |
(6.7) |
(7.9) |
(8.5) |
||
Profit After Tax (norm) |
21.8 |
21.6 |
30.8 |
36.1 |
37.9 |
38.5 |
40.4 |
||
Profit After Tax (FRS 3) |
8.9 |
9.5 |
9.7 |
21.3 |
15.5 |
22.0 |
23.9 |
||
Discontinued operations |
5.4 |
2.5 |
15.5 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
||
Net income (norm) |
21.8 |
21.6 |
30.8 |
36.1 |
37.9 |
38.5 |
40.4 |
||
Net income (FRS 3) |
14.3 |
12.0 |
25.2 |
21.3 |
15.5 |
22.0 |
23.9 |
||
Ave. Number of Shares Outstanding (m) |
84.0 |
88.8 |
93.0 |
95.4 |
95.8 |
95.9 |
96.4 |
||
EPS - normalised & diluted (p) |
|
|
25.1 |
23.4 |
32.1 |
36.7 |
38.5 |
39.1 |
40.8 |
EPS - underlying, diluted (p) |
|
|
24.4 |
22.4 |
29.4 |
35.2 |
36.8 |
37.3 |
39.0 |
EPS - IFRS basic (p) |
|
|
17.0 |
13.5 |
27.1 |
22.3 |
16.2 |
22.9 |
24.8 |
EPS - IFRS diluted (p) |
|
|
16.5 |
13.0 |
26.3 |
21.7 |
15.8 |
22.3 |
24.1 |
Dividend per share (p) |
2.97 |
10.15 |
10.80 |
11.45 |
12.00 |
12.50 |
13.00 |
||
EBITDA Margin (%) |
14.6 |
14.5 |
14.8 |
14.6 |
16.3 |
16.6 |
16.6 |
||
Normalised operating margin (before am, SBP and except.) (%) |
10.6 |
10.5 |
11.8 |
12.1 |
13.6 |
14.0 |
14.1 |
||
discoverIE underlying operating margin (%) |
10.0 |
10.2 |
10.9 |
11.5 |
13.1 |
13.5 |
13.6 |
||
BALANCE SHEET |
|||||||||
Fixed Assets |
|
|
236.4 |
244.6 |
326.5 |
335.9 |
381.0 |
363.1 |
352.4 |
Intangible Assets |
182.2 |
190.8 |
263.3 |
272.0 |
329.5 |
307.7 |
292.9 |
||
Tangible Assets |
46.3 |
45.9 |
45.4 |
44.4 |
41.1 |
45.0 |
49.1 |
||
Deferred tax assets |
7.9 |
7.9 |
17.8 |
19.5 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
||
Current Assets |
|
|
197.4 |
183.6 |
266.2 |
249.8 |
287.7 |
298.0 |
313.2 |
Stocks |
68.4 |
67.7 |
77.8 |
90.0 |
80.1 |
94.8 |
97.7 |
||
Debtors |
90.1 |
84.9 |
78.0 |
74.6 |
88.8 |
81.4 |
83.8 |
||
Cash |
36.8 |
29.2 |
108.8 |
83.9 |
110.8 |
120.8 |
130.7 |
||
Current Liabilities |
|
|
(103.6) |
(107.8) |
(190.3) |
(151.2) |
(185.4) |
(184.6) |
(187.3) |
Creditors |
(94.0) |
(102.2) |
(114.2) |
(107.3) |
(101.0) |
(100.2) |
(102.9) |
||
Lease liabilities |
(5.3) |
(4.8) |
(4.7) |
(4.0) |
(5.7) |
(5.7) |
(5.7) |
||
Short term borrowings |
(4.3) |
(0.8) |
(71.4) |
(39.9) |
(78.7) |
(78.7) |
(78.7) |
||
Long Term Liabilities |
|
|
(129.7) |
(112.0) |
(112.0) |
(130.9) |
(181.7) |
(170.8) |
(159.9) |
Long term borrowings |
(93.8) |
(75.6) |
(67.6) |
(86.7) |
(136.1) |
(131.1) |
(126.1) |
||
Lease liabilities |
(14.7) |
(16.7) |
(16.4) |
(14.8) |
(14.4) |
(14.4) |
(14.4) |
||
Other long term liabilities |
(21.2) |
(19.7) |
(28.0) |
(29.4) |
(31.2) |
(25.3) |
(19.4) |
||
Net Assets |
|
|
200.5 |
208.4 |
290.4 |
303.6 |
301.6 |
305.7 |
318.4 |
CASH FLOW |
|||||||||
Operating Cash Flow |
|
|
48.0 |
56.8 |
42.5 |
52.1 |
66.0 |
61.9 |
70.1 |
Net Interest |
(3.7) |
(3.1) |
(3.3) |
(4.8) |
(7.7) |
(10.6) |
(10.5) |
||
Tax |
(6.4) |
(7.2) |
(7.1) |
(9.0) |
(12.5) |
(13.7) |
(14.4) |
||
Capex |
(6.3) |
(3.9) |
(6.2) |
(5.6) |
(4.9) |
(9.2) |
(9.5) |
||
Acquisitions/disposals |
(73.6) |
(20.5) |
(46.8) |
(25.1) |
(82.8) |
5.0 |
(2.0) |
||
Financing |
53.9 |
(6.6) |
47.2 |
(7.5) |
(9.3) |
(6.6) |
(6.6) |
||
Dividends |
(8.1) |
(2.8) |
(9.4) |
(10.5) |
(11.2) |
(11.7) |
(12.2) |
||
Net Cash Flow |
3.8 |
12.7 |
16.9 |
(10.4) |
(62.4) |
15.0 |
14.9 |
||
Opening net cash/(debt) |
|
|
(63.3) |
(61.3) |
(47.2) |
(30.2) |
(42.7) |
(104.0) |
(89.0) |
HP finance leases initiated |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
||
Other |
(1.8) |
1.4 |
0.1 |
(2.1) |
1.1 |
(0.0) |
0.0 |
||
Closing net cash/(debt) |
|
|
(61.3) |
(47.2) |
(30.2) |
(42.7) |
(104.0) |
(89.0) |
(74.1) |
Source: discoverIE, Edison Investment Research
|
|
Research: TMT
Nano Dimension’s Q124 results confirmed that the Reshaping Nano initiative has made good progress, with significant reductions in operating costs and improved adjusted gross margins materially reducing the adjusted EBITDA loss and cash burn compared to Q123. The company bought back $52m worth of shares in Q124 and expects to continue to do so while the shares trade at a discount to book value. M&A is still firmly on the radar and discussions with potential targets are ongoing.