What Is Northwind Energy Worth? A Comparables Analysis

Finance
easy40 min0 submissions
Goldman Sachs
Scenario

Northwind Energy (renewables, Europe) is preparing for a sale process. You have been asked to establish a valuation range using trading comparables.

The company. Revenue of €359 M, EBITDA margin of 16% (EBITDA of €57 M), revenue growth of 10%, and net debt of €189 M.

Trading comparables.

PeerEV/EBITDARevenue growthEBITDA margin
Peer A — same sector, 3× larger7.8×6%20%
Peer B — adjacent sector, high growth13.1×31%20%
Peer C — same sector, declining7.6×-1%18%

The banker running the process has proposed simply averaging the three multiples.

Supporting data

target

ebitda m
57
revenue m
359
net debt m
189
ebitda margin pct
16
revenue growth pct
10

comparables

peerev ebitdagrowth pctmargin pct
A7.8620
B13.13120
C7.6-118
Your task

Produce a valuation range. Provide:

  1. Analysis — which comparables you would use and why, and the resulting enterprise and equity values.
  2. Risks — where this methodology could mislead.
  3. Recommendation — your valuation range and the number you would take to the seller.

Critique the banker's proposed approach.

Ready to move forward? Up next: Solstice Travel: Is This Target Growing, or Just Floating?Next question
How you'll be graded

100 points, 60% to pass.

  • adjustments20
  • peer selection25
  • recommendation30
  • multiple analysis25
Hint
Reveal suggested structure
  1. Screen the peers on growth, margin and risk — not sector label alone.
  2. Apply the defensible multiple range to EBITDA to get enterprise value.
  3. Bridge to equity value: EV − net debt.
  4. Adjust for size, growth differential and marketability.
  5. Cross-check with EV/Revenue.
  6. Present a range, and say where in it you would settle.