Why it’s Not Too Late to Follow Warren Buffett Into Home Capital Group Inc.

With the major debacle of Home Capital Group Inc. (TSX:HCG) now one year in the past, investors have a lot of upside on the horizon.

| More on:
The Motley Fool
You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s premium investing services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn moresdf

With the major debacle in shares of Home Capital Group Inc. (TSX:HCG) one year behind us, investors can now rest assured that the worst is over, as those with the right outlook and risk tolerance have stepped in and taken a position as opposed to those who were panicked sellers as the market crumbled.

As is most often the case, once a major shift occurs in any industry or security, there is a realignment of those who hold the shares of the company. More than one year ago, Home Capital Group paid a healthy dividend yield, which attracted many investors seeking a steady dividend payment. In many cases, these were retired investors seeking income from their portfolios and expecting not to draw down on their capital.

Once shares declined in value, however, the market witnessed a major mistake by many investors: shares changed hands from those who lost their capital to more aggressive investors, who acquired shares in the hopes of making substantial capital appreciation. Now one year later, shares are still trading at a reasonable price of $14 with a substantial amount of value remaining for investors who are prepared to accept the risk.

With two quarters of “normalized” earnings in the books, the overall market now has an idea of what can be expected from this alternative lender on a quarterly basis. As a reminder, there is no seasonality to the earnings of this name.

With quarterly earnings of $0.37 and $0.38 per share over the past few quarters, investors now have an idea what the bottom line is expected to be under normal conditions. In the hopes that company management will be able to improve day-to-day operations and efficiencies, the bottom line should increase for many more quarters to come.

In terms of valuation, the current price of $14 per share equates to approximately nine times earnings, if we assume that earnings are to increase by a small amount over the next year.

Is that reasonable?

If we look back more than one year, the quarterly earnings for Home Capital Group were typically in excess of $1 per share, leading to a much higher share price (at the same multiple). With a current footprint that is much smaller, investors seem to be more sour on the name instead of forgiving and moving forward. Due to the smaller footprint of the company, it is now much easier to make the necessary changes to forgo the thinner margin business and retain the most profitable parts.

How do investors capitalize?

There are a few options for investors. The most obvious is to purchase the stock and be ready to enjoy a long ride until shares return to more than $22 per share, which will be more in line with the amount of tangible book value per share. Barring this option, call options may be the best way to go for those seeking to swim in the very deep end of the pool. Time will tell!

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Ryan Goldsman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

More on Investing

Investing

KM Throwaway Post

Read more »

Investing

Carlos Test Yoast Metadata

Read more »

Investing

KM Ad Test

This is my excerpt.

Read more »

Investing

Test post for affiliate partner mockups

Updated: 9/17/2024. This post was not sponsored. The views and opinions expressed in this review are purely those of the…

Read more »

Investing

Testing Ecap Error

Premium content from Motley Fool Stock Advisor We here at Motley Fool Stock Advisor believe investors should own at least…

Read more »

Investing

TSX Today: Testing the Ad for James

la la la dee dah.

Read more »

Lady holding remote control pointed towards a TV
Investing

2 Streaming Stocks to Buy Now and 1 to Run From

There are streaming stocks on the TSX that are worth paying attention to in 2023 and beyond.

Read more »

A red umbrella stands higher than a crowd of black umbrellas.
Stocks for Beginners

Top Recession-Resilient TSX Stocks to Buy With $3,000

It's time to increase your exposure to defensives!

Read more »