International Flavors & Fragrances Inc (NYSE: IFF)

Sector: Basic Materials Industry: Specialty Chemicals CIK: 0000051253
Market Cap 5.51 Bn
P/B 3.25
P/E 13.63
P/S 1.80
ROIC (Qtr) -1.86
Div Yield % 3.94
Rev 1y % (Qtr) -7.90
Total Debt (Qtr) 6.60 Bn
Debt/Equity (Qtr) 0.46

About

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF), a prominent entity in the flavors and fragrances industry, has reported sales of approximately $11.479 billion as of 2023. The company boasts a global presence, spanning over 40 countries, and a diverse product portfolio. Its operations are segmented into four primary areas: Nourish, Health & Biosciences, Scent, and Pharma Solutions. The Nourish segment is dedicated to providing ingredients and solutions for the food and beverage industry, with a focus on natural-based ingredients, flavors, and food...

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Price action

Investment thesis

Bull case

  • Operating cash flow of 900M provides exceptional 450x coverage of minority interest expenses 2M, showing strong core operations.
  • Robust tangible asset base of 11.32B provides 6.27x coverage of working capital 1.81B, indicating strong operational backing.
  • Tangible assets of 11.32B provide robust 7.66x coverage of other current liabilities 1.48B, indicating strong asset backing.
  • Cash position of 621M provides exceptional 310.50x coverage of minority interest expenses 2M, indicating strong liquidity.
  • Robust R&D investment of 690M at 0.37x of SG&A 1.88B demonstrates strong commitment to innovation and future growth.

Bear case

  • Operating cash flow of 900M barely covers its investment activities of 2.17B, with a coverage ratio of 0.42, indicating heavy reliance on external financing for growth which may not be sustainable in a tighter credit environment.
  • With cash reserves of 621M against inventory of 2.32B, the 0.27 cash-to-inventory ratio suggests potential liquidity risks if inventory turnover slows, particularly concerning given current supply chain volatilities.
  • Operating cash flow of 900M provides thin coverage of dividend payments of (409M) with a -2.20 ratio, suggesting potential dividend sustainability issues if operational performance deteriorates.
  • Cash reserves of 621M provide limited coverage of acquisition spending of 2.70B, which is 0.23x, suggesting aggressive expansion might strain liquidity if market conditions deteriorate.
  • Operating cash flow of 900M provides minimal -8.26x coverage of tax expenses of (109M), suggesting potential tax planning inefficiencies or unsustainable tax positions.

Geographical Breakdown of Revenue (2024)

Segments Breakdown of Revenue (2024)

Peer comparison

Companies in the Specialty Chemicals
S.No. Ticker Company Market Cap P/E P/S Total Debt (Qtr)
1 LIN Linde Plc 218.63 Bn 38.41 6.61 25.93 Bn
2 SHW Sherwin Williams Co 110.34 Bn 170.54 11.54 13.58 Bn
3 ECL Ecolab Inc. 80.35 Bn 80.18 5.93 8.67 Bn
4 APD Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. 56.37 Bn 48.29 5.86 18.31 Bn
5 PPG Ppg Industries Inc 34.00 Bn 31.05 2.58 7.91 Bn
6 LYB LyondellBasell Industries N.V. 17.46 Bn 5.03 0.49 13.22 Bn
7 DD DuPont de Nemours, Inc. 16.63 Bn 3.65 0.32 8.90 Bn
8 ALB Albemarle Corp 14.44 Bn 48.94 6.36 3.63 Bn

Industry comparisons

Current Valuation Value Ind Avg Percentile
EV to Assets EV to Assets 0.25 1.52
EV to Cash from Ops. EV/CFO 12.56 12.52
EV to Debt EV to Debt 0.98 13.65
EV to EBIT EV/EBIT 11.23 21.45
EV to EBITDA EV/EBITDA 9.51 14.82
EV to Free Cash Flow [EV/FCF] EV/FCF 15.59 29.24
EV to Market Cap EV to Market Cap 1.17 3.84
EV to Revenue EV/Rev 2.10 89.11
Price to Book Value [P/B] P/B 3.25 5.48
Price to Earnings [P/E] P/E 13.63 16.02
Dividend Metrics Value Ind Avg Percentile
Dividend Coverage Ratio Div Coverage (Qtr) -1.01 -5.31
Dividend Payout Ratio % Div Payout % (Qtr) -99.40 -75.74
Dividend per Basic Share Div per Share (Qtr) 1.60 1.25
FCF Dividend Payout Ratio % FCF Div Payout % (Qtr) 121.58 23.50
Interest Coverage Int. cover (Qtr) -1.09 -8.92
Growth Metrics Value Ind Avg Percentile
Capex Growth (1y) % Capex 1y % (Qtr) -43.26 -1.67
Cash and Equivalents Growth (1y) % Cash & Equiv 1y % (Qtr) 9.52 72.99
Dividend Growth (1y) % Div 1y % (Qtr) -20.40 -3.00
EBIAT Growth (1y) % EBIAT 1y % (Qtr) 89.18 -31.21
EBITDA Growth (1y) % EBITDA 1y % (Qtr) 136.04 51.49
EBIT Growth (1y) % EBIT 1y % (Qtr) 85.89 0.57
EBT Growth (1y) % EBT 1y % (Qtr) 76.88 -80.35
EPS Growth (1y) % EPS 1y % (Qtr) 82.27 -90.82
FCF Growth (1y) % FCF 1y % (Qtr) -63.84 -50.40
Gross Profit Growth (1y) % Gross Profit 1y % (Qtr) 0.60 219.02
Liquidity Ratios Value Ind Avg Percentile
Asset Utilization Ratio Asset Util Ratio (Qtr) 0.43 0.70
Cash Payout Ratio Cash Payout (Qtr) 0.28 0.41
Cash Ratio Cash Ratio (Qtr) 0.15 1.28
Current Ratio Curr Ratio (Qtr) 1.44 3.42
Debt to Equity Ratio Debt/Equity (Qtr) 0.46 0.92
Interest Cover Ratio Int Coverage (Qtr) -1.09 -8.92
Times Interest Earned Times Interest Earned (Qtr) -1.09 -8.92
Profitability Value Ind Avg Percentile
EBITDA Margin % EBITDA Margin % (Qtr) 6.30 -333.97
EBIT Margin % EBIT Margin % (Qtr) -2.46 -374.34
EBT Margin % EBT Margin % (Qtr) -4.71 -379.75
Gross Margin % Gross Margin % (Qtr) 36.40 29.26
Net Profit Margin % Net Margin % (Qtr) -3.70 -380.67