Treasury Wines has announced the acquisition of Frank Family Vineyards for A$432 million and is funded with debt. The US luxury chardonnay brand is a good fit for Treasury Wines and earnings could easily triple on a four-year horizon.  Treasury Americas targets 25% EBITS margins, up from last year’s 16%. Acquiring Franks Family Vineyards adds 170bp alone. While a good deal, it is small. Perhaps more luxury wine brand acquisitions are ahead.

We initiate coverage of Treasury Wine Estates. After a tough 18 months, we expect stabilisation in earnings the shift to a “divisional” model that separates Penfolds will put the spotlight on that segment. The loss of earnings from China is painful, but the reallocation to other markets is likely. The company has scaled back its Americas business to focus on premium wines. The simplification of Treasury and focus on its core brands should support both sales and margins.