Terra Vitae Vineyards

[Southern Lad]

Some comments:

1. NTA if you remove deferred tax and restate Vines to assessed market value rather than IFRS mandated depreciated cost is more like $1.20 per share.

2. Although harvest subject to growing season variability, average operating cash flow over the last four years comes in at 6.7 cents per share. The good 2020 harvest is unlikely to reduce this average on a rolling four year basis. Dividend levels are conservative relative to cashflow so profits are being partially used to expand / future proof the business and to reduce debt.

3. The construction of two irrigation dams in the last two years does provide greater protection against hot, dry years.

4. Although debt is relatively high, the fall in interest rates recently will reduce debt servicing costs further once existing interest rate hedging works off.

5. The recently announced development of another 60 ha of vineyard immediately adjacent to the Seddon vineyard will enhance economies of scale through the use of existing plant, staff and irrigation infrastructure.

[Waikaka]

Thanks Southern Lad all useful points.

I notice as well that they have invested heavily in wind frost protection as well as having secure water from the new dams will probably help with that at Keltern at least. Really nice to see a operation with steady growth, reinvesting back into the business and providing moderate dividends. I wish more NZ companies were thinking long term like this.

Adding neighboring properties by lease (like next to Seddon) and then having first right to purchase makes good sense for a patient producer.

Was looking into George Fistonich, seems like a solid reliable bloke and good to see he had a good fight with Brierley back in the day. Asset stripping and ripping up sensible conservative businesses has really hollowed out our economy, glad Villa Maria survived. Too many companies under the pressure of leveraged takeover artists don't invest in redevelopments, R&D, take on too much debt and have a short term outlook. Refreshing to see this is not the case at TVV.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/wine/news...ectid=10618013

Plotted up tonnes grape production vs USD/NZD exchange rate even though they are only connected to that by proxy through Villa Maria. Never put a chart in a post before so testing quietly on this thread to see if it works.

TVV_chart.JPG

I like that the wineries have a wide geographic spread. Probably provides some resilience to adverse weather events.