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Stock Story: Getlink's Channel Tunnel - Dominance in Transport and Resilient Returns

Stock Story: Getlink's Channel Tunnel - Dominance in Transport and Resilient Returns

The Channel Tunnel connecting France and the United Kingdom is widely recognised as one of the world's ultimate engineering marvels. The 50 km tunnel, which includes a 38 km stretch that runs beneath the seabed, is recognised by most travelling on the Eurostar high-speed rail or using the car-shuttle service between Folkestone and Coquelles (near Calais). For investors, many recognise the Channel Tunnel as Getlink's core asset – offering highly attractive and resilient returns, diversified revenue streams, a long concession extending to 2086, and entrenched competitive advantages over alternative sea and air transport options. Getlink’s revenue is derived from several complementary services, which include:

  • LeShuttle: A roll-on service for passenger vehicles, enabling seamless connections between terminals and the national highway networks.
  • LeShuttle Freight: A specialised service offering swift and reliable transport for freight vehicles.
  • Rail Services: Operating under a long-term contract, Eurostar is the key user, operating high-speed rail services.
  • ElecLink: A significant addition since 2022, this 1 GW high-voltage electric cable connects the UK and French power markets, allowing for trading between the two nations.
  • Euroports: Provides rail freight services across France and neighbouring countries.

The Channel Tunnel enjoys material competitive advantages over other transport modes.  In the passenger vehicle segment, LeShuttle offers faster, more reliable travel compared to car ferry services across the Straits of Dover, allowing it to command a price premium and market share of around 60%. In the freight transport segment, high-value or perishable goods benefit from the tunnel’s reliability and time savings, making it the preferred choice for trucking. For rail services, there is no alternative to the tunnel, but its users (Eurostar) compete indirectly with air travel. However, we find rail dominates over shorter-haul trips. The advantages of city-centre-to-city-centre convenience, ease of use, and growing environmental awareness make rail increasingly attractive to travellers. This has led to a market share of 63% in the rail markets of London-Paris (77% share), and London-Brussels/Amsterdam (47% share).

While the Channel Tunnel is a dominant infrastructure asset today, its early history underscores the risks of greenfield projects. Conceived in the 1980s, the project suffered significant delays and cost overruns, opening with a strained balance sheet. Early traffic levels also fell short of forecasts, which led to the company entering bankruptcy protection in 2006 as it sought a debt restructure – highlighting the dual risks of construction and demand uncertainty. However, once the asset stabilised, its long-term earnings potential and strategic importance became clear – a textbook example of the advantages established infrastructure assets offer over new developments.

Despite challenges from COVID-19 and Brexit, Getlink has demonstrated resilience and adaptability. Post-pandemic traffic patterns have shifted but the company’s strategic pricing adjustments have driven aggregate revenue and earnings beyond previous peaks. Key drivers of future growth include: (1) yield optimisation through ongoing pricing strategies that aim to enhance revenue per user, rather than focusing solely on traffic volume recovery; and (2) high-speed rail market expansion from increased competition in the rail market, which will bring down prices, and stimulating demand and adding capacity. In addition, additional services linking European cities with the UK will further bolster demand; and (3) following the success of ElecLink, the company is exploring ElecLink 2, which would expand energy capacity between the UK and France. Although a long-term project, it underscores Getlink’s ability to leverage its core infrastructure for diversified growth.

Getlink’s Channel Tunnel is an irreplaceable asset, offering stable and diversified revenue streams, a strong competitive moat and long-term growth potential. With strategic investments and operational enhancements, the company is well-positioned to adapt to evolving transport and energy demands, ensuring sustained value creation for investors.

By Ben McVicar, CFA - Portfolio Manager and Sector Head Infrastructure and Industrials
Sources: Company disclosures

 

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