What immediate and mediumâterm effects could this issuance have on GAP's stock price, cost of capital, and relative valuation compared to other airport operators?
Immediate market reaction
The successful 8.5âŻbnâpeso bond issuance signals that GAP can raise capital on favourable terms, which is generally welcomed by equity investors. In the shortârun we can expect a modest upside in the stock as the market digests the newsâespecially if the bond pricing implied a yield below GAPâs current weightedâaverage cost of capital (WACC). A tighterâthanâexpected yield will be read as a deârisking of the balance sheet, prompting a quickâbounce of 2â4âŻ% on the day of the announcement, provided there is no overriding macroâshock. On the technical side, GAPâs shares have been trading near the 20âday moving average; a break above that level with volume above the 10âday average would confirm the bullish bias.
Mediumâterm implications (3â6âŻmonths)
Cost of capital: By swapping a portion of shortâterm financing for longâdated, fixedârate certificates, GAPâs effective WACC should fall modestly (ââŻ30â40âŻbps) if the bondâs coupon is below the prevailing bankâloan rates in Mexico. A lower WACC improves the netâpresentâvalue of future airportâconcession cash flows, giving the company more leeway for capâex, expansion, or dividend upgrades.
Relative valuation: Most listed airport operators (e.g., ADO, OMA, and the U.S. group AAR) still trade on a âgrowthâpremiumâ of 1.5â2Ă forward EV/EBITDA. With a reduced cost of capital, GAPâs forward EV/EBITDA will compress, moving the multiple closer to the lowâend of the peer range. If the market prices the bond issuance as a sign that GAP can fund growth without diluting equity, the stock could reârate to a 12âmonth EV/EBITDA of ~9â10Ă, narrowing the spread with peers that are currently at ~11â12Ă.
Trading outlook: Assuming the bond issuance is fully subscribed at a modest spread, the upside should be largely baked in within the next 2â3âŻweeks. Over the medium term, the key drivers will be the companyâs ability to translate the cheaper funding into higher operating margins (e.g., through terminal upgrades or trafficâgrowth initiatives) and any macroâpolicy moves that affect Mexican interestârate spreads. A sustained rally beyond the shortâterm bounce will be justified only if GAP delivers incremental earnings or signals a dividend increase, otherwise the stock may revert to its 6âmonth moving average.
Actionable takeâaway â Go long on GAP on the shortâterm bounce (target 2â4âŻ% upside) with a stop just below the 20âday moving average. Hold the position for 3â6âŻmonths only if the company announces concrete useâofâproceeds that lifts EBITDA forecasts; otherwise consider trimming back to a neutral stance as the valuation compression relative to peers materialises.