Coronavirus Doesn't Alter Atlas Arteria's Solid Longer-Term Outlook

Atlas Arteria is a global toll-road group with, effectively, two assets. By far its most valuable asset is a 31% stake in Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhone. Despite APRR's dominant motorway network in eastern France, the short concession life, high base capital expenditure requirements and subdued organic growth make it less attractive than some motorways. Nonetheless, lower interest and tax rates should drive strong growth in APRR's earnings and distributions in the medium term. Longer term distribution growth is likely to be held back by the eventual normalisation of interest rates and, from the mid-2020s, the need to pay off all debt at APRR before handing the motorway concession back to the government in 2035. After the APRR concession ends, Atlas Arteria’s distributions will fall by two thirds to a level supported by the smaller Dulles Greenway.