Meridian Energy Limited Cash Flow Powerhouse
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25 September 2013 Meridian Energy Limited Cash Flow Powerhouse Important Notice, Disclosures, Limitations & Disclaimer – Please refer to page 2 for important disclosures, limitations and disclaimer. • Meridian Energy Limited (Meridian) is New Zealand’s largest electricity Analyst generator, generating around 13,000 GWh annually from low cost hydro and Nevill Gluyas, CFA wind sources. It supplies 272,000 customers and 5,000 GWh p.a. to the Tiwai +64 4 496 5338 Point aluminium smelter. Reliance on hydro generation and its influence on [email protected] electricity prices can result in significant earnings volatility from year to year. • Our risk weighted DCF valuation of $2.00 per share assumes Tiwai smelter remains operating at a 1,500GWh reduced load after 2015 and that real electricity prices increase from circa $70/MWh to $80/MWh by 2025. It also incorporates a modest chance of the Labour/Greens policy being implemented and a chance that Tiwai smelter may close. In contrast, using comparable valuation multiples for Contact Energy (CEN) and Mighty River Power (MRP) imply Meridian shares may trade around $1.50. • We estimate the Labour/Green proposal to reform the NZ electricity market would reduce our base case valuation by $0.69 to $1.39. However, the estimated impact of Tiwai smelter closing is only $0.02 per share. • Factors which could result in an increase in Meridian’s share price include: • • Potential revision of transmission pricing - $0.25 per share. • • Cost reductions - $0.10 per share. • Retail electricity margin improvement - $0.05 per share. Meridian Energy Cash Flow Powerhouse Important Notice, Limitations and Disclaimer Important Notice: Before making an investment decision, investors must consider whether they have sufficient information also having regard to their particular investment needs, objectives, level of acceptable risk and financial circumstances and, if necessary, seek financial advice. If you require personalised financial advice, there is a process to go through before that can be provided to you. First NZ Capital is writing to you about this offer on its own behalf. A firm allocation fee of 1.25% will be paid by the Crown on successful applications to brokers under the Broker Firm Offer. Each NZX Firm and selected trading bank will be paid a broker stamping fee equal to 1.0% of the aggregate proceeds of all Shares sold under the General Offer under valid Applications bearing their stamp. A disclosure statement is available from your First NZ Capital adviser on request, free of charge. If you are a client of First NZ Capital that receives a personalised financial adviser service, a Secondary Disclosure Statement that includes details of the types of fees paid to First NZ Capital and the remuneration of your adviser will have previously been provided to you by your adviser. Potential investors must however make any decision to invest in Meridian instalment receipts on the merits of the investment opportunity as set out in the combined Investment Statement and Prospectus dated 20 September 2013. The Retail Offer is open to New Zealand Applicants (and under the General Offer, certain Eligible Employees) only. This information summary and commentary of certain key issues is for general information purposes only and does not, and does not attempt to, contain all material or relevant information about Meridian, its business or the NZ electricity sector. Application has been made to NZX Limited ("NZX") for permission to list Meridian, and to quote initially the Instalment Receipts and then later the Shares on the NZX Main Board and all of the requirements of NZX relating to that application that can be complied with on or before the date of the Offer Document have been duly complied with. However, NZX accepts no responsibility for any statement in this communication or the Offer Document. The NZX Main Board is a registered market operated by NZX, which is a registered exchange, regulated under the Securities Markets Act 1988. The securities referred to have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered in the United States except in transactions that are exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and other applicable securities laws. Not for distribution or release in the United States. Limitations and Disclaimer This publication has been prepared by First NZ Capital Securities Limited (“FNZCS”) for distribution to clients of FNZCS on the basis that no part of it will be reproduced, altered in any way, transmitted to, copied to or distributed to any other person without the prior express permission of FNZCS. The information, investment views and recommendations in this publication are provided for general information purposes only. To the extent that any such information, views, and recommendations constitute advice, they do not take into account any person’s particular financial situation or goals and, accordingly, do not constitute personalised financial advice under the Financial Advisers Act 2008, nor do they constitute advice of a legal, tax, accounting or other nature to any person. We recommend that recipients seek advice specific to their circumstances from their adviser before making any investment decision or taking any action. This publication does not, and does not attempt to, contain all material or relevant information about the subject companies or other matters herein. The information is published in good faith and has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, accurate and complete at the time of preparation, but its accuracy and completeness is not guaranteed (and no warranties or representations, express or implied, are given as to its accuracy or completeness). To the fullest extent permitted by law, no liability or responsibility is accepted for any loss or damage arising out of the use of or reliance on the information provided including without limitation, any loss of profit or any other damage, direct or consequential. Information, opinions and estimates contained herein reflect a judgement at the date of publication by FNZCS and are subject to change without notice. FNZCS is under no obligation to update or keep current any of the information on this publication. Research may include material sourced from Credit Suisse Group. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Credit Suisse Group shall have no liability to FNZCS or clients or prospective clients of FNZCS or any other person in relation to such research material. All investment involves risk. The bond market is volatile. Bonds carry interest rate risk (as interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa), inflation risk and issuer and credit default risks. Lower quality and unrated debt securities involve a greater risk of default and/or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. The price, value and income derived from investments may fluctuate in that values can go down as well as up and investors may get back less than originally invested. Past performance is not indicative of future results, and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made regarding future performance or investment returns. Reference to taxation or the impact of taxation does not constitute tax advice. The levels and bases of taxation may change. The value of any tax reliefs will depend on investors’ circumstances. Investors should consult their tax adviser in order to understand the impact of investment decisions on their tax position. Where an investment is denominated in a foreign currency, changes in rates of exchange may have adverse effect on the value, price or income of the investment. The market in certain investments may be unavailable and/or illiquid meaning that investors may be unable to purchase, sell or realise their investments at their preferred volume and/or price, or at all. FNZCS, its employees and persons associated with FNZCS may (i) have held or hold securities mentioned in this publication (or related securities) as principal for their own account, (ii) have provided investment advice or other investment services in relation to such securities within the last twelve months, and (iii) have other financial interests, including as a shareholder of the First NZ Capital group of companies, in the matters mentioned herein. Investors should assume that FNZCS, its related companies and affiliated persons and Credit Suisse Group, with whom First NZ Capital has a strategic alliance, do and seeks to do investment banking business with companies covered in its research reports. Specific additional disclosures will be made in relation to companies where First NZ Capital has a transaction role and publishes research. This publication is intended for distribution only to market professional, institutional investor and retail investor clients in New Zealand and other jurisdictions to whom, under relevant law, this publication lawfully may be distributed. It may not be distributed in any other jurisdiction or to any other persons. First NZ Capital Securities Limited is a NZX Firm. A Disclosure Statement is available on request, free of charge. Copyright: First NZ Capital Securities Limited and its related companies, 2013. All rights reserved. Meridian Energy Cash Flow Powerhouse Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Key Issues & Risks