Pic:Getty Images
5 ASX stocks to watch as road trips in Australia gain popularity
News
share
- Road trips in Australia are becoming increasing popular and ASX travel stocks catering for the trend could benefit
- Short term rental stock Alloggio Group sees revenue rise 146% to $27.9 million for FY22, exceeding forecasts
- Super Retail Group reports mixed FY22 results, while Experience Co is optimistic about improving bottom line in FY23
Road trips in Australia have become a popular form of travel according to research which shows from couples to families, groups of friends and grey nomads there is a desire for the freedom of the great outdoors.
Research by campervan lending platform Camplify Holdings (ASX:CHL) show Aussies are more likely to travel to their destination by road than by plane. Their FY22 results have backed the research with revenue up to $16.36 million, a ~94% increase on pcp of FY21.
The research showed that 34% of Australians have reported they are researching or actively planning their next domestic holiday and 31% are thinking/dreaming about their next holiday with the majority of respondents planning to travel domestically within a year.
Furthermore, we Aussies love our activities with 69% of respondents choosing to do a sporting activity during their road trips, with 18-40-year-olds more likely to have participated in activities than other age groups.
But what other ASX travel stocks could also benefit from increasing popularity of road trips in Australia?
With the name Alloggio, Italian for accommodation, who doesn’t feel like a holiday? Short term rental stock ALO saw its share price rise 10% to 17 cents on Thursday after announcing it had exceeded forecasts for revenue and earnings for its maiden year on the ASX.
Among key figures, gross revenue rose 146% to $27.9 million, EBITDA increased 113% to $11.2 million and gross bookings value increased 150% on FY21 to $61.9 million.
ALO, which listed in November 2021, reported a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $2 million, an increase of $1.9 million on FY21.
ALO has a range of brands including Winning Holidays, Port Stephens Accommodation, Coffs Harbour Holiday Accommodation, Noosa Holiday Rentals and Coffs Harbour Holidays.
CEO Creedon said the company had positioned itself well to capitalise on the improved outlook for the travel industry with its growing portfolio “strategically positioned in the most popular tourism destinations on Australia’s east coast”.
ALO has invested more than $18 million in management acquisitions in a 12-month expansion program.
The company’s share price has risen ~18% in the past month.
SUPER RETAIL GROUP (ASX:SUL)
Think all the gear you need for a great road trip or adventure holiday and you’ll find it among Super Retail Group’s retail brands. SUL is widely known for automotive retailer Supercheap, but it also owns sporting goods store Rebel Sport, outdoor retailer BCF and outdoor equipment and apparrel brand Macpac.
The company recently reported a mixed result for FY22 including sales up 2.8% to $3.55 billion with digital sales growing 44% to $601 million. However, net profit after tax (NPAT) declined ~20% from $301 million to $241.1 million.
The SUL share price has risen 8.25% in the past month to $10.50.
APOLLO TOURISM & LEISURE (ASX:ATL)
ATL is focused on manufacturing, rental, sales and distribution of a range of recreational vehicles (RV) including motorhomes, campervans and caravans. ATL is due to release its FY22 results today.
ATL is planning a proposed merger with Tourism Holdings (NZL:THL) and plans to divest a large portion of its motorhome rental fleets and its Star RV motorhome brand to satisfy regulators.
In April the the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) raised concerns the acquisition of Apollo will “remove THL’s closest and largest competitor for motorised RV rentals in Australia”.
ACCC’s concerns haven’t seemed to discouraged investors buying into ATL with its share price rising 6.73% in the past month to 56 cents.
EXP offers tandem skydiving, deep ocean diving, treetop rope courses and rainforest tours in the Great Barrier Reef. Started in 1999, EXP now manages 12 outdoor skydiving drop zones across Australia and three in New Zealand.
In a deal worth ~$47 million, EXP recently acquired Trees Adventures, which has 14 parks around Australia and has been operating since 2010.
However, FY22 had its challenges for the company, which reported statutory net loss after tax of $13.6 million compared to $4.8 million in FY21.
“FY22 was the most challenging year since the emergence of the pandemic with Delta and Omricon variants adversely impacting the business, along with labour shortages, extreme weather throughout the second half as well as inflationary pressures on fuel and labour,” the company said in an ASX announcement.
The EXP share price has fallen 16% in the past month to 21 cents but it has commenced FY23 “with cautious optimism” and is expecting improved domestic and international trading conditions.
“We expect our diversified adventure experience portfolio to continue to attract domestic markets, as international markets recover to pre-pandemic levels through to 2025,” the company said.
KMD Brands, formerly Kathmandu Holdings, is a global outdoor, lifestyle and sports company. KMD consists of three brands including Kathmandu, Rip Curl and Oboz.
The company provided a trading update in July and reported record performance in Kathmandu’s key winter promotional period. The Rip Curl brand continues to trade strongly across retail and wholesale channels, while Oboz suppliers have resumed full production following Covid-19 factory closures with inventory levels recovering.
KMD said wholesale demand for Oboz products, which includes hiking boots and shoes, remains significantly above pre-Covid levels.
The company’s share price is also down more than 30% this year to 97 cents.
