Company Named 'Top Small-Cap Growth Story'

In a July 3 research note, analyst Praveen Narra reported that Raymond James maintained its Strong Buy rating but reduced its target price on Newpark Resources Inc. (NR:NYSE) to $12 per share from $13 (current share price about $7.18) due to the "softer U.S. oilfield and rig count."

Due to the market change, Narra noted that Raymond James now conservatively estimates a Q2/19 EBITDA of $22.5 million, a 10% reduction in 2019 EBITDA and a 9% drop in 2020 EBITDA. For Newpark, the financial services firm lowered its Q2/19 margin projection by 5% and its year-end 2019 margin by 6%.

However, the analyst highlighted that growth is expected in all of Newpark's divisions, thereby increasing margins. The company's fluids segment, he wrote, "still has room for margin expansion as new Gulf of Mexico work and international contracts should offer strong incremental margins."

Margins should see a boost from the company's move into stimulation chemical sales, from which it achieved its first revenue in Q2/19. "The fruits of the fluids expansion are beginning to pay off," Narra indicated. "We model about $80 million in stim/chem sales for 2020."

The shift in its composite mats segment, which serves utilities, toward larger transmission and distribution (T&D) customers, once the transition ends, should also positively impact margins due to higher volume and longer term contracts. "For 2020, we expect topline growth of 15.2% year over year as both exploration and production and T&D work continues to grow," Narra added.

He concluded, "Newpark remains our top small-cap growth story for its unique exposure both in and out of the oilfield," noting that with the free cash flow expected in the next two years, the company remains undervalued. At its current share price of $7.18, Raymond James' target price offers about 60% upside and "is one of our highest upside names," he commented.

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Disclosures from Raymond James, Newpark Resources Inc., July 3, 2019

ANALYST INFORMATION

Analysts Holdings and Compensation: Equity analysts and their staffs at Raymond James are compensated based on a salary and bonus system. Several factors enter into the bonus determination, including quality and performance of research product, the analyst's success in rating stocks versus an industry index, and support effectiveness to trading and the retail and institutional sales forces. Other factors may include but are not limited to: overall ratings from internal (other than investment banking) or external parties and the general productivity and revenue generated in covered stocks.

The analysts Praveen Narra and J. Marshall Adkins, primarily responsible for the preparation of this research report, attest to the following: (1) that the views and opinions rendered in this research report reflect his or her personal views about the subject companies or issuers and (2) that no part of the research analyst’s compensation was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to the specific recommendations or views in this research report. In addition, said analyst(s) has not received compensation from any subject company in the last 12 months.

RAYMOND JAMES RELATIONSHIP DISCLOSURES
Certain affiliates of the RJ Group expect to receive or intend to seek compensation for investment banking services from all companies under research coverage within the next three months.

Raymond James & Associates, Inc. makes a market in the shares of Newpark Resources, Inc.

Raymond James & Associates received non-investment banking securities-related compensation from Newpark Resources, Inc. within the past 12 months.

Additional Risk and Disclosure information, as well as more information on the Raymond James rating system and suitability categories, is available here.