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The FTSE quarterly reshuffle has been selected, with Burberry and Metlen Vitality & Metals (LSE:MTLN) getting the call-up from the FTSE 250 to affix the FTSE 100 later this month. Burberry is a widely known inventory that some traders will select to deal with. Nevertheless, Metlen is much less acquainted to some, which is why I needed to discover it and decide if it’s price contemplating.
The brand new child on the block
You may be forgiven for not being that educated relating to Metlen. It solely moved its major itemizing from Athens to London in August. But, within the course of, it recruited sufficient market curiosity to ship a market cap of €7bn. That is nicely above the edge wanted for FTSE 100 inclusion. This reshuffle was the perfect alternative to make this occur. It additionally modified its identify from Mytilineos to Metlen as a part of the transfer.
When the transfer occurs, it’ll mark a milestone, being the primary Greek multinational to interrupt into the FTSE 100. Being added to the primary index triggers necessary shopping for by index funds and ETFs monitoring the benchmark. This might see the share worth rally additional, even after accounting for FTSE 250 index funds promoting the inventory to rebalance.
But, earlier than I get too far forward of myself, let’s run via whether or not the enterprise is doing nicely at a elementary stage.
Speaking via fundamentals
Metlen is a heavyweight Greek industrial and vitality conglomerate. It’s Greece’s largest personal vitality operator. This consists of creating and working thermal, photo voltaic, and wind vegetation to managing grid infrastructure. On the identical time, it runs Europe’s solely absolutely vertically built-in bauxite mine. That is the most typical ore of aluminium.
Evidently, these distinctive promoting factors have made the corporate very worthwhile through the years. There isn’t a lot buying and selling historical past on the London Inventory Trade, however the Athens itemizing reveals the inventory has jumped by 54% over the previous yr.
Given the character of operations, I really feel it’ll have fixed demand going ahead. It combines each renewable vitality parts with regular grid infrastructure. I imagine this helps to future-proof the enterprise, no matter the way it pans out with regard to vitality consumption.
The flipside
Metlen is a brand new enterprise to me. I hadn’t heard of it till very lately. Though it has a superb fame, I attempt to observe Warren Buffett’s recommendation to solely put money into what I do know and am comfy with.
For instance, it has moved to the UK itemizing for larger visibility, which I perceive. On the identical time, I’d prefer to see it mattress right here in first earlier than making a choice. It’s additionally closely uncovered to commodity costs. After all, this is similar with UK-listed vitality firms. However does it make sense for me to take the volatility threat that these shares have, in addition to coping with an organization working exterior of the UK? I’m unsure.
The information over the following few weeks will definitely collect plenty of media consideration. However I’m going to sit down on my palms proper now to see how the market digests issues earlier than making any selections.

