FTSE 250 share Babcock Worldwide (LSE:BAB) is ripping greater in midweek enterprise. At 537p per share, the defence large was final buying and selling 8% greater on Wednesday (13 November).

It had touched near-five-year highs of 580.5p earlier within the session.

Babcock’s share price has soared due to forecast-topping third-quarter financials. My query now’s can the enterprise — which gives engineering companies to the armed companies and civil sector — preserve this momentum going?

Estimates topped

For the six months to September, Babcock loved a 11% revenues bump to £2.4bn. This was higher than the mid-single-digit improve Metropolis analysts had been tipping.

Its underlying working margin declined to 7% from 7.1%, which mirrored larger gross sales of high-margin AH140 frigate licenses the yr earlier than.

Nevertheless, that gross sales bounce meant Babcock’s underlying working revenue rose 10% yr on yr, to £168.8m.

Revenues at its Nuclear division rose 22% within the first half. This was pushed by greater submarine assist and refitting exercise, together with progress in civil nuclear decommissioning and new-build companies.

Gross sales on the Land arm, in the meantime, elevated 8%, yr on yr. This was thanks partly to greater Defence Assist Group (DSG) exercise, the place Babcock shops, maintains, repairs and upgrades UK army automobiles.

Sturdy outlook

It’s maybe unsurprising that Babcock struck a chipper tone following its robust first-half displaying.

Chief govt David Lockwood described Wednesday’s replace as “one other robust set of outcomes [that showed] continued optimistic momentum throughout the group.“

He added that “a backdrop of geopolitical instability means demand for what we do continues to increase, resulting in an expanding and attractive long-term opportunity set.”

Babcock mentioned that 90% of income for the complete yr was underneath contract at the start of October.

It saved full-year steerage on maintain, and reiterated it stays on monitor to satisfy its medium-term objectives of mid-single-digit annual income progress and underlying working margins of not less than 8%.

So what subsequent?

As we speak Babcock sources 74% of its revenues from defence clients, the lion’s share of which comes from the UK. It’s a determine I count on to maintain climbing because the West quickly rearms to counter what it perceives as rising threats from Russia and China.

The UK authorities has dedicated to elevating arms spending to 2.5% of GDP, a degree not seen since 2010. However defence expenditure might must rise additional after President-elect Trump demanded NATO members elevate arms spend to three% of GDP.

Babcock additionally gives companies to different NATO members together with France, Canada and Australia.

Nonetheless wanting low-cost

Regardless of at present’s share price explosion, Babcock’s shares nonetheless look filth low-cost to me. It trades on a ahead price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12.6 instances, which is properly beneath the corresponding readings of different UK defence giants together with BAE Techniques (20.4 instances) and Rolls-Royce (31.4 instances).

On prime of this, the agency trades on a corresponding price-to-earnings progress (PEG) ratio of 0.3. Any studying beneath 1 signifies {that a} share is undervalued.

This low valuation gives scope for additional share price good points, I really feel.

The corporate may not have issues all its personal approach going ahead. It faces excessive competitors in a variety of sectors, whereas provide chain points (within the type of price inflation and provide disruptions) stay a continuing menace.

However I believe it’s a prime FTSE 250 share to think about, particularly at present costs.