Our opinion on the current state of MOTUS(MTH)Motus (MTH) was unbundled from Imperial (IPL) and separately listed on the JSE on 22nd November 2018. It is a company that owns motor dealerships in South Africa, the UK, and Australia. The company has four divisions – import and distribution, retail and rental, motor-related and financial services, and aftermarket parts. It imports and sells more than 80,000 vehicles per annum and runs 356 dealerships and 134 rental outlets for Tempest and Europcar. It offers vehicle finance and fleet management in South Africa with 730,000 clients. It retails parts and accessories for older vehicles through 720 franchised outlets.
Altogether, it has a 20% share of the South African retail vehicle market, selling roughly 100,000 vehicles per annum. It is the importer of Hyundai, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Renault. The CEO, Osman Arbee, said that the company plans to pay generous dividends because of its strong cash flows. The company generates 65% of its turnover in South Africa and 93% of its operating profit. On 1st October 2021, the company announced that it had acquired FAI Automotive in the UK for R550m.
In its results for the year to 31st December 2024, the company reported revenue down 2% and headline earnings per share (HEPS) up 3%. The company said, "The business experienced a challenging first quarter on the back of a slowdown in the economies in which we operate and an improved performance for the second quarter. The second quarter was supported by improved business confidence, lowering of interest rates, and the introduction of the two-pot retirement system in SA."
Technically, the share fell from a high above R130 in September 2022 to levels around R80 in April 2024. It has subsequently recovered to R127 by mid-December 2024 but has been in a downward trend since then. The latest results caused the share price to drop sharply. It is now on a P:E of 6.57 – which makes it reasonably priced in our estimation.
We see this as a very well-established company that is to some extent dependent on the state of the economy and the level of consumer spending. We think it will turn out to be a good investment, especially as the economy improves with the end of loadshedding and the new government of national unity (GNU).