BB&T Corporation (BBT) Annual Valuation

In the wake of the great financial crisis it can sometimes be difficult for Intelligent Investors to find a solid financial company in which to invest, because they require specific achievements over the historical period.  Many investors may simply decide to throw out the worst years with the rationale that they are outliers that shouldn’t be considered when evaluating the company’s prospects, but doing so would involve speculation.  We don’t know whether the financial crisis will happen again, but we do know that if it does, we can expect to see similar results as we did before.  By continuing to require the same standards for the historical period, Intelligent Investors are able to widdle down banks to only those with the best financial position, and then they are able to determine an intrinsic value to get a sense of whether the company is a good investment.  In addition, a company must have strong financial statements to prove that it is stable enough for Intelligent Investors.  This is best done by utilizing a systematic approach to analysis that will provide investors with a sense of how a specific company compares to another company.  By using the ModernGraham method one can review a company’s historical accomplishments and determine an intrinsic value that can be compared across industries.  What follows is a specific look at how BB&T Corporation fares in the ModernGraham valuation model.

Company Profile (obtained from Google Finance): BB&T Corporation (BB&T) is a financial holding company. BB&T conducts its business operations primarily through its commercial bank subsidiary, Branch Bank, and other nonbank subsidiaries. The Company’s principal operating subsidiaries include Branch Banking and Trust Company, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; BB&T Securities, LLC, Richmond, Virginia; Regional Acceptance Corporation, Greenville, North Carolina; American Coastal Insurance Company, Davie, Florida, and Sterling Capital Management, LLC, Charlotte, North Carolina. BB&T’s operations are divided into six reportable business segments: Community Banking, Residential Mortgage Banking, Dealer Financial Services, Specialized Lending, Insurance Services and Financial Services. In April 2012, it acquired the life and property and casualty insurance operating divisions of Roseland, New Jersey – based Crump Group Inc. On July 31, 2012, it acquired BankAtlantic.

BBT data by YCharts

Defensive Investor – must pass all 6 of the following tests: Score = 5/6

1. Adequate Size of Enterprise – market capitalization of at least $2 billion – PASS
2. Earnings Stability – positive earnings per share for at least 10 straight years – PASS
3. Dividend Record – has paid a dividend for at least 10 straight years – PASS
4. Earnings Growth – earnings per share has increased by at least 1/3 over the last 10 years using 3 year averages at beginning and end of period – FAIL
5. Moderate PEmg ratio – PEmg is less than 20 – PASS
6. Moderate Price to Assets – PB ratio is less than 2.5 or PB x PEmg is less than 50 – PASS

Enterprising Investor – must pass all 3 of the following tests or be suitable for a defensive investor: Score = 2/3

1. Earnings Stability – positive earnings per share for at least 5 years – PASS
2. Dividend Record – currently pays a dividend – PASS
3. Earnings growth – EPSmg greater than 5 years ago – FAIL

Valuation Summary

Key Data:

Recent Price	$37.63
MG Value	$18.56
MG Opinion	Overvalued
Value Based on 3% Growth	$33.07
Value Based on 0% Growth	$19.39
Market Implied Growth Rate	4.00%
PEmg	16.50
PB Ratio	1.20

Balance Sheet – 9/30/2013

Total Debt	$20,402,000,000
Total Assets	$181,050,000,000
Intangible Assets	$7,418,000,000
Total Liabilities	$159,001,000,000
Outstanding Shares	704,930,000

Earnings Per Share

2013	$2.89
2012	$2.70
2011	$1.83
2010	$1.16
2009	$1.15
2008	$2.71
2007	$3.14
2006	$2.81
2005	$3.00
2004	$2.80
2003	$2.07

Earnings Per Share – ModernGraham

2013	$2.28
2012	$1.95
2011	$1.72
2010	$1.84
2009	$2.31
2008	$2.89

Dividend History

BBT Dividend data by YCharts

Conclusion:

BB&T Corporation does not qualify for either the Defensive Investor or the Enterprising Investor.  The company has not demonstrated sufficient growth over either the 5 year or 10 year period.  Value investors seeking to follow the ModernGraham approach based on Benjamin Graham’s methods may find better opportunities elsewhere through research, such as by reviewing ModernGraham’s valuation of Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC).  From a valuation perspective, the company has seen its EPSmg (normalized earnings) go from $2.89 in 2008 to $2.28 for 2014.  This lack of growth certainly does not support the market’s implied growth estimate of 4%.  As a result, the ModernGraham valuation model returns an intrinsic value that is above the market price, and the company appears to be overvalued at this time.

The next part of the analysis is up to individual investors, and requires discussion of the company’s prospects.  What do you think?  What value would you put on BB&T Corporation (BBT)?  Where do you see the company going in the future?  Is there a company you like better?  Leave a comment on our Facebook page or mention @ModernGraham on Twitter to discuss.

If you like our valuations, why not check out ModernGraham Stocks & Screens?  It’s a great way to review the valuations while screening for things like low PE ratio, undervalued companies, etc.!

Disclaimer:  The author did not hold a position in BB&T Corporation (BBT) or any of the other companies listed in this article at the time of publication and had no intention of changing that position within the next 72 hours.

Logo taken from the Wikipedia; this article is not affiliated with the company in any manner.