GFL Environmental Stock: Due For A V-Shaped Rebound (NYSE: GFL)

After peaking in November 2021 at over $ 40, GFL Environmental (GFL) fell into a downtrend pattern. This bearish selling is hardly unusual. Speculative technology stocks, which have unfavorable valuations like GFL stock fared even worse. Nasdaq is down 20.52% from its 52-week high, underperforming that of GFL stock which is down 39.85% from its high.

Should investors catch the proverbial knife and buy GFL at these levels? The company posted fourth-quarter revenue growth and estimated net leverage at around 4.3 times. Amid the Federal Reserve raising interest rates, even by a nominal 25 basis points, companies with high debt are riskier.

GFL Stock Falls After Fourth Quarter 2021 Results

In Q4, GFL posted revenue or CAD 1.54 billion. The adjusted net income was $ 25.9 million. GFL said it used adjusted figures “ to give effect to (a) the elimination of expenses related to the prior owners and certain other costs and expenses that are not indicative of the underlying business performance. ”.

High-flying technology stocks adjust results liberally. GFL reported adjusted cash flow that excluded such items as asset divestitures and the purchase of property and equipment and intangible assets. Without the $ 278.9 million depreciation, $ 126.7 million amortization of intangible assets, a divestiture loss of $ 86.4 million, and stock-based compensation of $ 14.5 million, GFL lost $ 77.4 million in Q4. In 2021, GFL reported a divestiture loss of $ 152.4 million. This reflected the timing difference between the realization of proceeds from asset divestitures followed by the redeployment into the business.

Opportunity

GFL justified its rich price-to-earnings valuation with acquisitions that lifted growth. On the conference call, Chief Financial Officer Luke Pelosi said it seeks mergers and acquisitions that expand margins. Previously, the company added 5% in top-line growth. Thanks to low net interest costs, GFL may leverage its operating profile. In addition, it benefits from organic re-deployments that will lead to another five to seven basic points of growth.

Future M&A activities should add 30% to 50% in free cash flow growth in the next year and beyond. GFL forecast revenue in the range of CAD 6.265 billion and CAD 6.365 billion. Adjusted EBITDA will be in the range of CAD 1.690 billion and CAD 1.730 billion. Adjusted FCF will be between CAD 665 million and CAD 695 million.

In the last three fiscal years, GFL demonstrated expanding adjusted EBITDA margins. It benefited from controlling costs, leveraging operations, strong productivity, and favorable pricing. Its realization of synergies may slow, reducing its margin expansion rate.

Source: GFL Q4 / 2021 presentation

In the chart below, acquisitions peaked in the fiscal year 2020. It should benefit from synergies related to two large acquisitions. Although acquisitions slowed last year, GFL has a strong M&A pipeline this year.

Source: GFL Q4 / 2021 presentation

From late 2009 through 2018, the company pivoted its business from infrastructure to infrastructure services. Management sees plenty of opportunities to consolidate waste management businesses. Once it finds suitable targets at the right price, it will realize the value and grow profits.

Risk

Investors are shunning companies with massive debts. AT&T (T), for example, will spin off HBO and merge assets with Discovery (DISCA). It will use some of the proceeds to pay its large debt. Viatris (VTRS) sold its prized biosimilar assets for up to $ 3.335 billion. It will use the proceeds to buy back $ 1 billion in stock and pay down debt.

Investors dumped AT&T and Viatris stock despite their attempts to lower debt.

Source: GFL Q4 / 2021 presentation

As shown in slide 8, GFLs net leverage is rising. It ended the year at 4.75 times. GFL Environmental risks missing its 4.3x target. Investors are in no mood to hold highly levered companies at this time. Interest rates may rise by more than 25 bps – 50 bps in the month ahead. This year and next, interest rates could rise even further. That is a potential headwind for GFL.

GFL does not have significant maturities until 2025. In the drug manufacturing space, companies like Bausch Health (BHC) and Teva (TEVA) have a similar debt profile. They do not have significant maturities coming up. Yet markets panic sold shares of both drug firms.

Fair Value

GFL has a poor value score and a fair profit score. However, it scores an “A” grade for growth.

Data from Seeking Alpha Premium

The stock has a strong growth quant score because of the revenue and EBITDA growth:

Furthermore, GFL’s long-term growth of 49.60 earns it an A + as shown below.

FCF per share growth will continue.

The scores suggest that markets are too cautious about GFL’s valuation. In this 5-year discounted cash flow revenue exit model, GFL should trade at a terminal revenue multiple of 2 times.

Metrics	Range	Conclusion
Discount Rate	10.5% – 9.5%	10.00%
Terminal Revenue Multiple	1.9x – 2.1x	2.0x
Fair Value	$ 31.96 – $ 38.95	$ 35.39
Upside	13.7% – 38.5%	25.90%

Model created using finbox

Moreover, assuming GFL’s revenue grows by around 20% annually, GFL stock is worth around $ 35 a share.

(CAD in millions)		Input Projections
Fiscal Years Ending	21-Dec	22-Dec	23-Dec	24-Dec	25-Dec	26-Dec
Revenue	5,526	7,349	9,774	11,924	14,309	16,456
% Growth	31.70%	33.00%	33.00%	22.00%	20.00%	15.00%
EBITDA	1,362	1,543	2,053	2,504	3,005	329
% of Revenue	24.70%	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%	2.00%

Your Takeaway

Investors panic-sold GFL on March 7.

The sentiment is approaching its worst. Invariably, this negativity will reverse. When it does, GFL stock has a good chance of breaking out of its downtrend.