UK investors are piling into Vodafone! Should I buy this FTSE 100 stock?

In response to information from AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown, UK investors have been busy snapping up shares of Vodafone (LSE: VOD). Certainly, this was essentially the most purchased FTSE 100 inventory on each platforms final week (primarily based on the variety of offers positioned by clients).

Should I observe the group and make investments too? Right here are my ideas.

Issues

To type my choice, I’m going to take a look at just a few key issues. The primary is the share worth development.

Now, this isn’t a dealbreaker by hook or by crook. But it surely does inform me whether or not investors have been bullish, bearish, or impartial on the inventory.

Over the previous 12 months, Vodafone shares have been mainly flat in comparison with the FTSE 100’s 13% rise. Over 5 years, Vodafone inventory is down 57%.

I see just a few apparent explanation why investors proceed to be unconvinced right here.

Firstly, Vodafone has not been rising. Income was €43.6bn in FY 2019, however solely €36.7bn in FY 2024 (ended March). Looking forward to FY 2026, the highest line is predicted to develop to €38.1bn.

Admittedly, the corporate has been actively divesting revenue-generating property to streamline operations and deal with core markets. However the reality stays that general development has been disappointing.

Once more, this doesn’t essentially rule out the inventory for me. I personal shares of Authorized & Normal and British American Tobacco for earnings, despite the fact that neither have been setting the world alight when it comes to development.

Nevertheless, each corporations have an incredible report of accelerating their payouts. In distinction, Vodafone’s dividend per share has gone from 9.24 euro cents per share in 2019 to a forecast 5.3 for 2025. That’s anticipated to fall to five.1 cents per share subsequent 12 months.

Whereas that does put the ahead dividend yield above 6%, the earnings prospects aren’t actually tempting me.

Lastly, there’s the inescapable challenge of debt. Constructing and working telecoms infrastructure is notoriously capital-intensive. On the finish of September, web debt was a hefty €31.8bn.

Regardless that that determine was down from €33.2bn in March 2024, the lower was primarily pushed by the €4.1bn sale of Vodafone Spain. 

Some good bits

So why have investors been shopping for the shares en masse? Presumably it pertains to the Vodafone UK-Three UK merger that was cleared in December.

It will create the UK’s largest cell phone operator, with some 27m subscribers, and a plan to create one in all Europe’s most superior 5G networks. A brand new management staff was introduced final week for the long run merged entity. 

Maybe these investors additionally turned bullish after the corporate’s latest Q3 outcomes. Income elevated 5% 12 months on 12 months to €9.8bn, with robust development in Africa. And a mammoth €2bn has been earmarked for share buybacks following the €8bn sale of Vodafone Italy.

In the meantime, the inventory continues to look ultra-cheap, buying and selling at simply 10 occasions earnings. So there seems to be vital worth on provide, not less than on paper.

Should I make investments?

One other fear I have although is that income is heading within the incorrect course in Vodafone’s key market of Germany.

In the meantime, it’s dedicated to investing £11bn to construct out 5G within the UK. It could possibly be some time earlier than the advantages of that huge expenditure materialise.

Weighing issues up, I’m going to provide this worth inventory a miss.