Standard & Poor’s has announced an upward revision in its long-term credit rating for Repsol from BBB- to BBB. It has also improved its short-term rating from A-3 to A-2, with both ratings assigned a stable outlook. S&P had already improved its outlook for the Spanish oil major from “stable” to “positive” in July, leaving the door open for a ratings upgrade.
Repsol is the Spanish firm with the biggest exposure to Venezuela, which S&P has said is in selective default for failing to make $200 million in overdue coupon payments on its 2019 and 2024 global issues.
Víctor Peiro (GVC Gaesco) | The emerging markets are performing well this year and so the context is favourable for revisiting the privatisation process in those countries. Brazil is set to sell off a raft of different assets, including state-owned utility Electrobrás. Several big Spanish companies could be interested in acquiring these assets.
Sonia Ruiz de Garibay (GVCGaesco) | Although a simultaneous investment recommendation for oil and airline stocks might seem a contradiction in terms, the fact they are both heavily influenced by oil prices gives them a very important element in common. Oil is an earning driver for the oil industry, while for the airlines sector it is an important costs’ element, accounting for over 20% of the total. Repsol and IAG are currently good bets.
José Benito de Vega | Moody’s has lifted Repsol’s outlook from negative to stable and confirms long- term debt rating at Baa2. Analysts were expecting this upgrading after Repsol presented a new strategic plan for 2016-2020. In fact, Repsol’s stock price performance has revalued 11%, less than the Ibex, but a lot higher than the Stoxx 600 Oil & Gas (-1%).
The Greek government has given authorisation to local firm Energean Oil and Gas and Spain’s Repsol to explore and operate hydrocarbon deposits in the region of Aitoloacarnania, in western Greece.
Repsol made net profit of 689 million euros in the first quarter of 2017, up 59% from a year earlier, fuelled by plans implemented to increase the company’s resilience and flexibility against the current backdrop of low prices. Its downstream business was the main driver of its strong first quarter performance.
One of the benefits of the Talisman acquisition for Repsol has been precisely the reduction of geopolitical risk in its Upstream business, given that the lion’s share of its Downstream activity is carried out in Europe.
Carax-Alphavalue | Amongst integrated oil companies, Repsol (Add, Spain) is one of the smallest with a €19bn market cap despite its latest acquisition (Talisman) doubling its size (production seen at 725kbpd by 2020 from 355kbpd in 2014).
If a slowdown started in the Spanish economy for 2017, this would find Spain’s private companies in a healthy situation with regard to their debt: at end-2015, this was below the eurozone average (106.4% of GDP).