EU CONSUMER STAPLES: Barry Callebaut; FY25 Results (x2)

Nov-05 16:12

(BARY; Baa3 Neg/BBB- Neg/NR) 

It had a factory that supplies most of NA closed for 3 weeks this quarter and is guiding to a significant impact on 1Q results. Combined with the seasonally -ve FCF in 1H (main crop buying season) it mutes some of the excitement from this morning. We are still unch on seeing the FY results as a firm credit positive, but as Barry mgmt itself implies, Cocoa remains in driver seat and is still volatile.

  • At 5k Cocoa price, targeting CHF1b in FCF
    • Capex to be similar to this year at 300m
    • above lines up with its target 3.5x by year-end (paying ~150m/yr in dividends)

Re. NA production halt:

  •  "we expect as a significant volume decrease in Q1. The key reason relates to North America where we temporarily paused our production site in Saint-Hyacinthe in Canada due to a technical malfunction with one piece of our roasting equipment…The factory is significant contributor to the overall North America production and was closed for around three weeks."

On Cocoa price:

  • "Short term, in other words for the upcoming crop cycle over the next six months, we are cautiously optimistic on supply. It is expected to be broadly similar to this past year, likely a slight decrease in West African crops to be offset by growth in the other origins. "
  • "Long-term structural challenges remain for the industry to solve. Climate change, diseases, farming conditions"
  • "For the first time in two years, the forward curve is flat. You pay the same for cacao delivered in December of this year and December of next year. This is very important. It incentivizes our customers to book rather than wait for lower prices in the future. It also reduces rolling costs associated with hedging significantly. "
  • "Overall liquidity in the market is low and expect volatility to remain higher than before the crisis."

On cocoa-alternatives (some see more attention/money here given Cocoa's long term farming issues):

  • "mid-July '25, we announced our partnership with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences to explore cacao cell culture technology"
  • "today, we are pleased to announce a long-term commercial partnership with Planet A Foods."
    • Planet A makes ChoViva - a Cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from Sunflower seeds

Historical bullets

US 10YR FUTURE TECHS: (Z5) Monitoring Support

Oct-06 16:04
  • RES 4: 114-10   High Apr 7 (cont.)
  • RES 3: 114-00   Round number resistance
  • RES 2: 113-12/29 High Sep 18 / High Sep 11 and the bull trigger 
  • RES 1: 113-00 High Sep 24 
  • PRICE:‌‌ 112-13+ @ 16:59 BST Oct 6
  • SUP 1: 112-12+/01 50-day EMA / 50.0% of Jul 15 - Sep 11 upleg   
  • SUP 2: 111-26   Low Aug 26
  • SUP 3: 111-13+ Low Aug 18 and a key support  
  • SUP 4: 111-01+ 76.4% retracement of the Jul 15 - Sep 11 bull phase  

Treasuries have pulled back from last week’s high print of 112-31+ (Oct 3). Attention is on support at the 50-day EMA, at 112-12+. It has recently been pierced but for now remains intact. A clear break of it would undermine a bull theme and signal scope for a deeper retracement. This would open 111-13+, the Aug 18 low and the next key support. On the upside, initial firm resistance to watch is 113-00, the Sep 24 high. A break would be bullish.   

FOREX: JPY Slide Holds, But Gains Could be Limited Above Y150

Oct-06 15:57
  • JPY slid sharply against all others Monday in the extended response to the surprise victory for Takaichi in the LDP leadership race. Trump congratulated the new Japanese PM, setting the leaders up for their first face-to-face summit on October 28th. Ahead of Takaichi's first formal actions in government, one of her primary policy advisers Honda stated that Takaichi wants the Bank of Japan to proceed "cautiously" on interest rates, and that an October rate hike is "difficult". While the comments appeared to pressure the Bank away from tightening policy, the view that a December hike is not a problem and that the currency is approaching levels deemed too weak helped boost the JPY off lows.
  • The EUR traded weaker in early Europe, following the resignation of the French PM Lecornu - and bedding markets in for an extended period of political risk and
    budget brinkmanship. French equities also see weakness - with the CAC40 easily the underperformer in Europe. Next major support in EURUSD crosses at
    1.1646, the late Sept low. Weakness through here snaps the weak uptrend posted off the August 1st low.
  • The USD's NY morning fade aided EURUSD and GBPUSD well off earlier lows, helping EURUSD almost entirely erase the PM resignation losses. EURGBP still
    traded heavy, however, meaning GBPUSD's rally has the price within range of the Friday high at 1.3486. It's fiscal and political risk that's likely a more primary GBP
    driver for the rest of this year - The front-end of the GBP vol curve provide a further signal for market concern over the Autumn Budget. The flatter
    front-end of the curve and the building premium for 2m implied vols shows markets building a risk premium into the event.
  • We see GBP's driver as the fiscal policy mix ahead. The Gilt curve and, in particular, the longer-end has regained a sense of stability after being marked sharply higher at the beginning of September. How valid and long-lasting this proves to be should determine GBP/USD's ability to trade within range of 1.3525 (50% mid-Sept downleg) and make meaningful headway toward the bull trigger of the July 1st high at 1.3789.
  • Australia's Westpac Consumer Confidence data is the Tuesday highlight, followed by German factory orders for August. US trade balance data was set for release Tuesday, however the extended government shutdown will keep that figure quiet for now. There remains very little pressure on either side to make concessions and rush toward a conclusion for the shutdown at this point - leaving markets with a core expectation for a further week or so of no Federal government activity.
  • Various Fed speakers are due Tuesday, including Bostic, Bowman, Miran and Kashkari - who will be carefully watched for any suggestions that a prolonged government shutdown will hinder the US economy further, and require a more forceful response from the FOMC.

FED: US TSY 26W BILL AUCTION: HIGH 3.695%(ALLOT 3.05%)

Oct-06 15:32
  • US TSY 26W BILL AUCTION: HIGH 3.695%(ALLOT 3.05%)
  • US TSY 26W BILL AUCTION: DEALERS TAKE 28.17% OF COMPETITIVES
  • US TSY 26W BILL AUCTION: DIRECTS TAKE 9.23% OF COMPETITIVES
  • US TSY 26W BILL AUCTION: INDIRECTS TAKE 62.59% OF COMPETITIVES
  • US TSY 26W BILL AUCTION: BID/CVR 3.04