Deutsche Telekom, Memiontec, BASF: Substance for discerning investors

Deutsche Telekom: Why the business is so secure

The principle of the economic moat is simple: It is about the extent to which a company and its business model can withstand changes in the economy and the market. The best way to explain how the economic moat works is to take Deutsche Telekom as an example. Even if the economy were to go downhill and people were once again more afraid of unemployment, Deutsche Telekom's business would probably be secure. The reason: telephone and Internet are basic needs. Very few customers would cancel their contract with Deutsche Telekom just because their own economic prospects are less promising. These conditions make the share attractive even for conservative investors. But what is the current situation of the "pink giant"?

In recent quarters, Deutsche Telekom has succeeded in increasing its revenue. The Company is doing particularly well in the broadband and fiber-optic areas. In mobile communications, more and more customers are turning to mobile data services, which is reflected in higher data consumption. Last year, a figure of more than 6 gigabytes of data per Telekom mobile customer was reported. This figure suggests that users are primarily booking the somewhat more expensive rates and are not deterred by the pricing policy of the top dog - economic moat, after all. The share offers a dividend of around 3% and is just about to climb back towards EUR 20. However, investors should not expect big leaps from Deutsche Telekom.

Memiontec: Bread-and-butter business with a lot of fantasy

The situation is quite different for Memiontec. The water supplier from Singapore, which is also firmly positioned in Indonesia, among other places, was quickly considered an insider tip last summer. The reasons: Memiontec concludes long-term contracts and at the same time benefits from the growing demands of the population and increasing urbanization, especially in Asia. Between the summer and fall of 2021, the share price jumped from EUR 0.15 to EUR 0.60. After that, a consolidation set in but is now stable above the EUR 0.40 mark.

Similar to Deutsche Telekom, Memiontec is also a flawless utility. Especially in Asia, water is still a critical issue. The demand for clean water is increasing, and Memiontec offers comprehensive solutions for drinking water, industrial water and wastewater. The Company currently has orders worth around SGD 84 million on its books. On the stock market, Memiontec is valued at around twice that amount. Since new projects are gradually coming online, and Memiontec often earns money on maintenance for decades, the share must be considered an attractive niche investment among the substance stocks.

BASF: From the Palatinate to the whole world

BASF, the Ludwigshafen-based chemical company, is anything but a niche player. With subsidiaries worldwide, the Palatinate-based Company is particularly strong in the field of surfaces. But basic and agricultural chemicals also play an important role, along with nutrition and care. BASF's figures have recently been good. In the first nine months, sales climbed by a whopping 36% to EUR 58.5 billion. As margins have grown despite rising raw material prices and ongoing logistics problems, more investors are now looking at BASF again. Even before, the Company was the first choice of conservative investors. Its recent successes despite a problematic environment prove investors right. The dividend yield of well over 5% is also a good argument.

While companies such as Deutsche Telekom or BASF are solid and play to their strengths, especially in the crisis, Memiontec shines with a good portion of growth fantasy and an extremely sound business around the water industry in China. Given this regional focus, the share can be considered opportunity-oriented despite the Company's solid orientation.