Many housebuilder stocks within the FTSE 100 have come under significant pressure due to macroeconomic headwinds.
Rising interest rates are pushing the property markets into a slump as mortgages become more expensive. And the latest results from firms such as Taylor Wimpey (LSE:TW.) demonstrate the extent of the damage quite clearly, with revenue and underlying profits down by double digits.
But is this secretly a buying opportunity?
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Explosive long-term potential?
Since the start of 2022, this home construction business has seen its market capitalisation shrink by roughly a third. But so far in 2023, it seems the tide is shifting, with the stock rising by nearly 10%. That’s because while the top line is shrinking, it’s actually fallen less than analysts were expecting. And among its peers, the firm seems to be proving far more resilient.
The surge in house prices before inflation threw a spanner in the economy and helped bolster Taylor Wimpey’s balance sheet. And now the group is sitting on around £740m in cash and equivalents versus only around £113m in debts. Compared to its peers, that places the firm in a far more favourable financial position.
However, what’s drawn my attention in particular is the group’s landbank. Based on the latest figures, Taylor Wimpey controls enough land to build an extra estimated 83,000 homes, with a further 140,000 potential plots currently in the pipeline.
It’s going to take easily more than a decade to finish building these properties. But in terms of value, it roughly translates into £62bn of potential revenue waiting to be unlocked.
While the current housing environment is far from ideal, this industry is cyclical. So when the property market begins to stabilise and rise again, the company could be perfectly positioned to thrive in the long run, especially considering the stock is currently priced below the value of its net assets.
Taking a step back
As encouraging as the future of this business seems, there are some caveats to consider. Most notably, it’s unclear when the housing market is likely to ramp back up. Current analyst views are that non-London property prices will stabilise in 2024 before resuming their upward move in 2025.
However, as with all forecasts, this isn’t guaranteed. And should the recovery of the property market take longer than expected, Taylor Wimpey’s cash coffers may start to run dry, especially if home sales continue to drop in the meantime.
Apart from potentially leading to dividend cut-related share price volatility, it may also compromise the long-term earnings potential. After all, if the economic outlook becomes more severe, management may be forced to sell off some of its development land to stay afloat.
Needless to say, Taylor Wimpey shares still have risks circling. But the company has a long history of navigating through economic wobbles. And given its seemingly superior position versus its rivals, I’m cautiously optimistic about the long-term outlook on this company at its current price.
That’s why it’s on my shortlist for potential additions to my income portfolio today.
