Latest news with #CFX
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Orange, Osceola boards rebuff Split Oak Forest defenders' last-ditch pleas
Defenders of Split Oak Forest tried but failed Tuesday to persuade Orange County government to take legal action to halt construction of a toll road through the public land's southern wedge. Forest advocates insist Orange County has grounds to oppose the highway, even though it sits solely in the Osceola County portion of the preserve. County lawyers say they don't. Without a lawsuit to stop it, the Central Florida Expressway Authority seems set on its preferred route to run a 1.3-mile leg of the Osceola County Parkway through the forest. CFX already has planted stakes outlining the path, and on Monday Osceola County commissioners approved the plan. The Orange and Osceola meetings marked the apparent, anti-climactic conclusion of one of Central Florida's biggest environmental battles in recent years, one that pitted environmentalists against state road builders and the developers whose land will be served by the project. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the highway cut-through in a closely-watched vote almost exactly a year ago, but the Save Split Oak contingent vowed not to give up the fight. Toll road approved to cut through Split Oak Forest Nearly two dozen supporters of the forest turned out Tuesday to plead with Orange County to intercede. They argued that Osceola County's deal with CFX violates the original pact signed in the 1990's by Orange and Osceola counties to buy the 1,689-acre forest, now considered vital habitat for gopher tortoises and other endangered species. But Orange County Attorney Jeff Newton says the county has no say because CFX will use land only in Osceola. 'This board and the citizens and voters of Orange County could not vote to restrict or regulate any lands in Osceola County,' he explained to a crowd in Orange County Commission chambers. 'They don't have the jurisdiction to do so.' Orange County owns 1,004 acres of the forest. Osceola owns the other 685. Orange County Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad wanted the county — either through Newton's office or outside counsel — to seek an injunction to stop the project, insisting the entire forest would be harmed by the intrusion across Osceola's segment. 'It's not just about what happens on Osceola's part of the forest,' she said. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said the board has thoroughly vetted the issue through a series of meetings and agreements last year. 'I do believe Orange County has taken appropriate action to protect the portion of Split Oak that Orange County owns,' he said. In their Monday meeting, Osceola County commissioners approved the agreement with CFX without discussion. The 11-page document spells out Osceola's duty to release its conservation easement to the road builders. Only a few people attended the meeting. Two held signs that read 'hands off our nature.' 'I just think this is horrible so I had to come,' said Linda Chastain, who sat in the second row of the commission chambers. 'I heard about this being on Osceola's agenda last minute so I had to rush over here.' She attended Orange County's meeting, too, occasionally waving a multi-colored sign that read, 'PROTECT NATURE SERIOUSLY…IT'S UP TO YOU!' But even Semrad — elected last year after promising to continue the fight — could muster little hope by the meeting's end. She listed possible legal issues the county could pursue but added, 'Or is it time for us to just say to the people, 'We've got no shot here. You've lost.' ' shudak@
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Calculating The Fair Value Of Colefax Group PLC (LON:CFX)
A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. If you still have some burning questions about this type of valuation, take a look at the Simply Wall St analysis model . How far off is Colefax Group PLC ( LON:CFX ) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example! Story Continues After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.3%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 9.9%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2034 × (1 + g) ÷ (r – g) = UK£3.1m× (1 + 2.3%) ÷ (9.9%– 2.3%) = UK£41m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= UK£41m÷ ( 1 + 9.9%)10= UK£16m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is UK£41m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of UK£7.9, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. AIM:CFX Discounted Cash Flow May 6th 2025 Important Assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Colefax Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 9.9%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.473. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. See our latest analysis for Colefax Group Next Steps: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For Colefax Group, we've compiled three additional items you should explore: Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Colefax Group (at least 1 which shouldn't be ignored) , and understanding these should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does CFX's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the AIM every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Controversial highway project moving forward, CFX confirms
Central Florida Expressway Authority leaders are continuing to push ahead with a controversial highway project that promises to bring relief to fast-growing eastern Orange and Osceola counties, CFX confirmed Friday. The Osceola Parkway Extension would run 14 miles from SR 417 through the Sunbridge area. 1.3 miles would be through an easement on the protected conservation land. Initially, both Orange and Osceola County leaders were in favor of the project to ease congestion. As the years wore on, opposition to the toll road grew. In November, 86% of Orange County voters backed preserving the forest in a referendum, and Orange County attempted to hit the brakes on its approval of the road. 'I represent a million and a half people that showed up at the polls,' Commissioner Nicole Wilson said. 'It has been an ongoing investment. It belongs to all of us.' In a response to Orange County's concerns about survey stakes appearing in the forest despite their withdrawal of support, CFX leaders said the approval of prior county leaders had already set things in motion. 'We moved forward with the design of the 14-mile expressway based on a number of approvals both Orange and Osceola counties received from state agencies regarding the section through Split Oak,' CFX spokesman Brian Hutchings wrote Friday. Hutchings added that two of CFX's 10-member board represented Orange County, and repeatedly discussed the need for the community's infrastructure to adjust. His email included two pictures from Google Maps to highlight the dramatic difference in development over a 20-year span. One of Orange County's primary concerns was the promised trade of 1,550 acres of land for the Split Oak easement, with commissioners wondering why the road project was progressing despite the deal not being finalized. Hutchings said the land swap was in the works and, along with money that will help restore the former orange groves into prime Gopher Tortoise habitat, was set to be finalized in the 'coming months.' He also reiterated that CFX's project would bring enhancements to Split Oak, including an upgrades entrance, picnic tables and a viewing platform over a pond. At the request of one commissioner, Orange County leaders will discuss what – if any – actions they can take to stop the road project at an upcoming meeting. 'I think it's super important for the county commissioners and the mayor to come to terms with that at some point in time, a bad vote happened,' commissioner Kelly Semrad said. 'I think that it is time… that Orange County come back to the people with an answer that explains how it happened, why it happened, and why it would never happen again.' Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Survey stakes appear in Split Oak Forest as county worries road project is ‘done deal'
Engineering crews and pink survey ribbons were spotted in and near the Split Oak Forest Wednesday, a sign that a controversial road project broadly rejected by voters was continuing to move forward. The ribbons marked the future Osceola Parkway Extension project, which the Central Florida Expressway Authority has pushed for – in conjunction with Osceola County – to bring relief to the rapidly growing and traffic-clogged eastern portion of the area. That community will soon include tens of thousands of homes in the Sunbridge mega-development that crosses the county line. The road is set to splice through the southern portion of the protected land, which was set aside because of its biodiversity and high concentration of gopher tortoises, which dig burrows that support other species. In return, CFX and a developer have offered up 1,500 acres for conservation and agreed to donate money to pay for the remediation of the land, which formerly hosted orange groves. Orange County initially supported the deal, but reversed course amid intense voter opposition. 86% of voters supported a referendum to protect Split Oak. Commissioner Kelly Semrad (D-5) claimed CFX staff recently told her the road was a 'done deal' despite Orange County walking away from the table. 'That it's over,' she recalled being told at a recent meeting. 'That there's nothing that can be done and that they no longer need Orange County sitting at the table.' Semrad is calling a discussion between herself and other commissioners to figure out if any levers are still available to halt the road's development, or if CFX broke any agreements made. She specifically mentioned she hadn't been told the land swap had been finalized. She warned moving forward with the road project could lead to mistrust from voters who could soon be asked to support a transportation sales tax. 'I think it's super important for the county commissioners and the mayor to come to terms with that at some point in time, a bad vote happened,' she said. 'If CFX is telling us the case that this is a done deal, Orange County [should] come back to the people with an answer that explains how it happened, why it happened, and why it would never happen again. If they're going to ask us to increase our sales tax, then we must restore voter confidence.' When asked about how discussions and planning could happen without one of the forest's landowners, Osceola County staff cited pending litigation and declined to respond. CFX leaders said they were working on a response and called the series of questions lobbed their way 'very technical.' FWC leaders also said they were working on a response when asked if they had taken control over the donated land, or knew what date that handover would happen. 'It belongs to all of us. It belongs to your children, and the idea of having it utilized for nothing more than an expressway to a private development interest is an insult to all of us,' Commissioner Nicole Wilson said. 'Quite frankly, it's a manipulation of a multi-jurisdictional agreement.' Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Serpents in St. Cloud: Snake milker among Osceola residents who see rural lifestyle at risk from road projects
Over two decades ago Jack Facente moved to his rural home on five acres in St. Cloud because he needed space and privacy for his milking business. Look at members of this herd and you'll see why — they've got fangs. In a corner of his backyard in 2008 he created a state-of-the-art facility for 140 serpents, mostly coral snakes, housing them in grey plastic cubbies stacked nine high. Facente, 75, extracts their poison, then sells it to create antivenom to treat snake-bite victims. 'Who wants hundreds of venomous snakes next door to them?' Facente asked. 'That's the biggest reason I came out here in the middle of nowhere so I wouldn't have to deal with all that.' But two planned road projects threaten to upend his business and the lifestyles of many of his neighbors — underscoring the price of progress in a fast-growing county where many longtime residents nevertheless cling to the way they've lived for decades. The projects — one a 15- to 20-mile tolled highway by the Central Florida Expressway Authority known as the Northeast Connector and the other a roughly six-mile road by Osceola County called the Sunbridge Parkway Extension — seek to connect critical thoroughfares in an area repeatedly named Florida's fastest-growing by state officials and census data. St. Cloud's population has exploded in recent years. Census data from 2023 revealed just over 66,400 residents called the city home — up nearly 13% in three years from 2020 estimates. Osceola County has grown by a similar proportion in the same time frame, reaching 440,000. With a ballooning population comes growing pains and residents at the center of the projects in the rural Bay Lake Ranch area are feeling the pain. The neighborhood was established roughly 30 years ago with many lots of 10 acres or more. The community is pocked by large, unruly trees and overgrown shrubbery where residents see coyotes, bobcats and once even a panther. They worry property values will go down if an expressway traverses their backyards, and they fret about environmental impacts to nearby Lake Conlin and Lake X. "They're trying to place it right behind our neighborhood where there is a preserve and that's going to affect a lot of wildlife," said Alexandra Cardona, a Bay Lake Ranch resident. "A lot of us moved here for peace and tranquility and we pay higher property taxes because our yards are 1-acre minimum so there's just a lot of impact." Residents hosted meetings in January with CFX and the county that roughly 150 people attended, and a petition opposing the road projects has been signed by nearly 800 — but they're up against the clock. In 2017, CFX began studying the same area for the Northeast Connector Expressway but paused the project over community opposition. Now the agency says it has to act fast — before the area is built out with subdivisions — to provide the eastern-most side of the county its only connection to Florida's Turnpike. "Because of development, it's happening at such a fast pace [in Osceola County] that if we don't do it now, it might not be available in the future and if it is, it will be exponentially more expensive to get right of way," CFX Spokesman Brian Hutchings said by email. Developers D.R. Horton and Tavistock are hoping to build thousands of homes in the area. This is far from the first battle in Osceola pitting rural lifestyles against urban growth, and CFX is growing adept at prevailing. In May, the road agency won the right to build a controversial toll road through a portion of once-protected Split Oak Forest. And in November it made headway against opposition to the Southport Connector Expressway, a 15-mile elevated, six-lane toll road planned through Poinciana. Yet continued resistance from the community makes CFX's grand vision to connect all of Osceola — the Southport Connector Expressway would link to the Northeast Connector Expressway and offer the county's sole southern highway loop — all the more challenging. In addition, law firms have contacted Facente and other residents detailing how the Northeast Connector may require government to seize a portion of their properties using eminent domain. Last month, Facente received a letter from the Winter Park law firm of Harris Harris Bauerle Lopez stating his home could be at risk. Kurt Bauerle, an attorney at the firm who specializes in eminent domain, said many firms advertise services when there's a real possibility of property owners losing some or all of their land. But he acknowledged such proceedings are still years away. Hutchings said it's too early to tell if the projects will involve the eminent domain process, which pays owners for their land while compelling them to sell. "We won't know any possible property impacts within the very large Northeast Connector study corridor until we have an approved alignment and more accurately if/when it is advanced into design," he said by email. "Finally, if a property is going to be impacted, we will contact the owner with a formal letter." The Northeast Connector Expressway is expected to run from the Turnpike northeast to U.S. 192 and north to State Road 534. CFX will build upon the 2017 study and examine new routes for the project, hopefully by year's end. Osceola County's preferred corridor for its new road will connect U.S. 192 to Nova Road using Botanic Boulevard, Old Melbourne Highway and Lake Conlin Road and meet Sunbridge Parkway at a proposed intersection on Nova. Maria Claudia Durango, Osceola's roads outreach consultant, said by email that the four-lane divided highway will feature pedestrian and bike paths and is moving forward to the planned development and environment phase. Durango said the preferred route needs more detailed analysis but will be presented at a public hearing later this year alongside a no-build alternative detailing what traffic could look like without the Sunbridge Parkway Extension. CFX will host a public meeting about the project March 6 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Harmony High School, 3601 Arthur J Gallagher Blvd., and a virtual meeting March 12 from 6-7:30 p.m. Those wishing to attend virtually can register here. The county will host a public meeting about the Sunbridge Parkway Extension on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at the high school in the auditorium. Although much planning and decision-making remains, Facente is anxious. The 2017 study of the Northeast Connector resulted in five proposed corridors — one of which ran through his backyard. "If they pick one of those paths then, yes, I'm concerned," Facente said. "I would probably have to consider stopping the business, because for me to sell and move, restricts where I'm going to go. "With all honesty, at 75 years old, I don't want to move again. I thought I was going to die here."
