Research

A revision of Ukrnafta’s prospects incorporates sharply lower expectations, but nevertheless renders the stock underpriced.

Real estate developers face significant problems that are preventing them from completing existing projects. The demand for real estate has dropped significantly due to currency fluctuation in Aug-Nov and the fact that mortgage interest rates skyrocketed from 15.7% (Apr 2008) to an average of 23.2% in UAH and from 11.7% to 17.5% in USD. Prices on the secondary real estate market dropped USD 4% in Sep-Oct 2008. The recent slowdown of construction works and the increase in mortgage interest rates, along with the banking system crisis, has forced the Cabinet of Ministers to create a special working group to implement a number of measures towards reducing negative consequences in the construction sector, which could lead to a high unemployment rate and the real estate sector’s slowdown. Depending on the effectiveness of implementing the below-listed anti-crisis measures, we think that a real estate prices in Kyiv could fall, varying from a slight decrease of 10-15% in a best-case scenario up to 25-30% in a worst-case scenario. In Ukraine’s regions, they could drop 10-15% in the short term, with about a two-month time lag behind the capital. However, we view the construction sector as a far more attractive sector for long-term investment.

The President of Uzbekistan recently signed the “2009 Investment Program”. The overall 2009 CapEx will amount to USD 7.8 bln including USD 1.4 bln FDI. USD 0.9 bln FDI will be invested in the oil & gas sector. Implications of the 2009 investment program include: the building of new roads, bridges, gas and water pipelines; the building of new public health and educational structures and other establishments; the modernization of several industrial enterprises. As a result, we assume that particular companies will be the focus and benefit from the investments in Uzbekistan next year:

The Open Joint Stock Company ‘Kuvasaycement’ is the number three producer of cement in Uzbekistan with a total capacity of 1 mln metric tons of Portland cement per year. The products of Kuvasaycement are exported to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The company plans to expand its CapEx in order to double its cement capacities by 2009 and fulfill more government orders. Currently, the Government of Uzbekistan is planning to undertake a vast infrastructure development program and requires more construction materials than ever before.

The corporate structure of the Enakievo ISW group requires a cleanup: the OJSC Enakievo ISW and Metalen LLC should merge. We speculate that the reorganization: (1) will take place by the year’s end, (2) will follow a particular scenario, and (3) will be positive for Enakievo ISW’s stock.

We decided to review our forecasts for Volyn-Cement [VOLC] as the factory is highly dependent on local real estate developers, that face significant problems in terms of financing existing and new construction projects. We also expect increased pressure due to gas prices increase in 2009. Under current financial crisis conditions, we have revised WACC components, the risk free rate and market risk premium for Ukrainian equities. However, we maintain our BUY recommendation for VOLC shares with a target price of USD 11.2 and an upside of 117%.

Despite his previous decision regarding Parliament’s dismissal (see Sokrat October 9 flashnote), President Viktor Yuschenko put his decree on hold temporarily to ensure that Parliament passes a series of emergency anti-crisis measures. After accepting the President’s version of the anti-crisis legislation in the first reading last week, the Parliament finally passed a law on Friday, October 31, 2008. The law was supported by 243 MPs out of 450.

After an adventurous summer, the young Ukrainian business wizard is about to learn many useful lessons and to face his toughest opponent yet.

Depression on the steel market is confidently pushing its way upstream. The record-high USD 600-700 per mt domestic coke prices during Jul-Sep had been highly detrimental for domestic steelmakers. However, for more than a month, Ukrainian coke and coal prices have been falling. Last week, the price of coal imported from Russia has at last joined the downward dynamics. Notably, Ukrainian coke prices detached from world export levels and fell to levels close to domestic Russian and Chinese prices. This costs decrease is hugely positive for Ukrainian steelmakers. Meanwhile, even as coke fell to USD 332 per mt, coke makers continue to preserve some margins by depressing coal prices. Nevertheless, even though shares of coke makers are being traded at record-cheap levels on T12M multiples, the outlook is uncertain due to production volume decreases, which are expected to accelerate.

Azerbaijan is a country with unrevealed potential and the highest GDP growth rate in the world; however, the high level of real GDP growth is mainly based on the county’s oil extraction. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s GDP per capita level is similar to that of Ukraine. Among the major risks of investing here, we see the state’s authoritarian policy, the country’s reliance on oil export levels, and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.