EQT Corporation Quarterly Valuation – January 2015 $EQT
Benjamin Graham taught that Intelligent Investors must do a thorough fundamental analysis of investment opportunities to determine their intrinsic value and inherent risk.  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 or by reviewing the 5 Most Undervalued Companies for the Defensive Investor – December 2014. 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 EQT Corporation (EQT) fares in the ModernGraham valuation model.
Company Profile (obtained from Google Finance): EQT Corporation (EQT) conducts its business through three business segments: EQT Production, EQT Midstream and Distribution. EQT Production is a natural gas producer in the Appalachian Basin with 5.4 trillion cubic feet equivalent of proved reserves across 3.5 million acres, as of December 31, 2011. EQT Midstream provides gathering, transmission and storage services for the Company’s produced gas and to independent third parties in the Appalachian Basin. Distribution, through its regulated natural gas distribution subsidiary, Equitable Gas Company, LLC (Equitable Gas), distributes and sells natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers in southwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia and eastern Kentucky; operates a small gathering system in Pennsylvania, and provides off-system sales activities, which include the purchase and delivery of gas to customers. On February 1, 2011, EQT Midstream sold Langley and the associated NGL pipeline to MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P.
Defensive Investor – must pass at least 6 of the following 7 tests: Score = 4/7
- Adequate Size of Enterprise – market capitalization of at least $2 billion -Â PASS
- Sufficiently Strong Financial Condition – current ratio greater than 2 -Â PASS
- Earnings Stability – positive earnings per share for at least 10 straight years -Â PASS
- Dividend Record – has paid a dividend for at least 10 straight years -Â PASS
- 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 -Â FAIL
- Moderate PEmg ratio – PEmg is less than 20 – FAIL
- Moderate Price to Assets – PB ratio is less than 2.5 or PB x PEmg is less than 50 -Â FAIL
Enterprising Investor – must pass at least 4 of the following 5 tests or be suitable for a defensive investor: Score = 4/5
- Sufficiently Strong Financial Condition, Part 1 – current ratio greater than 1.5 -Â PASS
- Sufficiently Strong Financial Condition, Part 2 – Debt to Net Current Assets ratio less than 1.1 -Â FAIL
- Earnings Stability – positive earnings per share for at least 5 years – PASS
- Dividend Record – currently pays a dividend -Â PASS
- Earnings growth – EPSmg greater than 5 years ago -Â PASS
Valuation Summary
Key Data:
| Recent Price | $75.06 |
| MG Value | $57.49 |
| MG Opinion | Overvalued |
| Value Based on 3% Growth | $35.61 |
| Value Based on 0% Growth | $20.88 |
| Market Implied Growth Rate | 11.03% |
| Net Current Asset Value (NCAV) | -$36.09 |
| PEmg | 30.56 |
| Current Ratio | 3.01 |
| PB Ratio | 2.59 |
Balance Sheet – September 2014
| Current Assets | $1,859,000,000 |
| Current Liabilities | $617,000,000 |
| Total Debt | $3,258,000,000 |
| Total Assets | $11,764,000,000 |
| Intangible Assets | $0 |
| Total Liabilities | $7,356,000,000 |
| Outstanding Shares | 152,300,000 |
Earnings Per Share
| 2014 (estimate) | $2.99 |
| 2013 | $2.57 |
| 2012 | $1.22 |
| 2011 | $3.19 |
| 2010 | $1.57 |
| 2009 | $1.19 |
| 2008 | $2.00 |
| 2007 | $2.10 |
| 2006 | $1.80 |
| 2005 | $2.10 |
| 2004 | $2.22 |
Earnings Per Share – ModernGraham
| 2014 (estimate) | $2.46 |
| 2013 | $2.11 |
| 2012 | $1.86 |
| 2011 | $2.13 |
| 2010 | $1.64 |
| 2009 | $1.73 |
Dividend History
Conclusion:
EQT Corporation is suitable for the Enterprising Investor but not for the Defensive Investor.  The Defensive Investor is concerned by the insufficient earnings growth over the last ten years,  and the high PEmg and PB ratios. The Enterprising Investor is only concerned by the level of debt relative to the net current assets.  As a result, Enterprising Investors following the ModernGraham approach based on Benjamin Graham’s methods should feel very comfortable proceeding with further research and comparing the company to other opportunities.  From a valuation side of things, the company appears to be overvalued after growing its EPSmg (normalized earnings) from $1.64 in 2010 to an estimated $2.46 for 2014.  This level of demonstrated growth does not support the market’s implied estimate of 11.03% earnings growth and leads the ModernGraham valuation model, based on Benjamin Graham’s formula, to return an estimate of intrinsic value below the price.
Be sure to check out previous ModernGraham valuations of EQT Corporation (EQT) for greater perspective!
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 EQT Corporation (EQT)?  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.
Disclaimer:  The author did not hold a position in EQT Corporation (EQT) or in any other company mentioned in this article at the time of publication and had no intention of changing that position within the next 72 hours.  Logo taken from Wikipedia for the sole purpose of identifying the company; this article is not affiliated with the company in any manner.
