Rolls-Royce is Going to the Moon (Literally)Its Friday night and here I am with nothing better to do than write an article on what I think is one of the most interesting companies on the market. I am absolutely enamored by Rolls-Royce for reasons I am going to explain in depth. I don't want my idea to be long and boring so I'm going to get straight to the point and explain as best as I can in a few paragraphs. There's a lot of information I want to share with you about this company so I will break the idea up into sections for an easier and more enjoyable reading experience.
Normally I would start my idea writing about the intrinsic value, I'm going to skip that because this company is incredibly overvalued as per the numbers I ran. By the end of this idea hopefully you might learn something new or find value in my writing, I am writing this idea for educational and entertainment purposes. In no way does this idea constitute financial advice but rather provide you with the all the information required to make intelligent and rational financial decisions based on facts, I am not one to be speculating about the market, I prefer to have good reasons to make investments.
As a capitalist, one of the most important things I think about before making a financial decision, is how does the company I am interested in make financial decisions. In this section I will write about how Rolls-Royce uses capital primarily to fund long-term strategic investments in R&D, advanced manufacturing, and new technologies (e.g., SMRs, electric systems), and for efficient working capital management to support day-to-day operations and a strong balance sheet.
A significant portion of capital is invested in R&D to maintain a competitive advantage and innovate. This includes developing new engine technologies (like the UltraFan and the Pearl engine family), improving engine efficiency and durability ("time on wing"), and exploring lower-carbon solutions such as sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), hybrid-electric propulsion, and small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).
Rolls-Royce invests in property, plant, and equipment. Recent examples include investments in its manufacturing facilities (such as the £300 million investment at the Goodwood facility) to enhance capabilities for bespoke projects and improve operational efficiency.
The company focuses on the efficient management of short-term assets and liabilities to ensure robust liquidity and the ability to meet day-to-day expenses. Key aspects include:
- Inventory management: Balancing stock levels to support production and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) services while avoiding excess inventory.
- Receivables collection and payables management: Optimizing cash flow by managing customer relations and supplier payments strategically. The business model for civil aerospace, where revenue comes from engine servicing based on flying hours (Long-Term Service Agreements), heavily influences its working capital dynamics and provides a stable cash flow stream.
Rolls-Royce makes strategic portfolio choices, using capital for acquisitions in key growth areas (e.g., a yacht automation business) and using proceeds from divestitures of non-core activities to reallocate resources to higher-return segments.
A primary goal is maintaining a strong balance sheet with an investment-grade profile. Once this strength is assured, capital is used for shareholder distributions, including reinstating and growing dividends and engaging in share buybacks (e.g., a £1 billion share buyback announced for 2025).
Rolls-Royce is currently executing a share buyback program to return up to £1 billion to shareholders. The program was announced on February 27, 2025, and is expected to be completed no later than December 31, 2025.
The buyback aims to repurchase up to £1 billion worth of shares by the end of 2025. As of July 31, 2025, £0.4 billion (£400 million) had been completed. The purpose is to reduce share capital and fulfill obligations from employee share plans, which should increase earnings per share. UBS AG London Branch is managing the purchases on the London Stock Exchange and other exchanges, operating under the authority granted at the 2024 Annual General Meeting. This share buyback is part of a larger capital return strategy, including a reinstated dividend, reflecting the company's financial turnaround.
Now I will write about what I find interesting to me about Rolls-Royce;
Rolls-Royce has a partnership with NASA and the UK Space Agency to develop micro-nuclear reactors for lunar habitation and exploration. While a full reactor is not yet built, the collaboration is focused on design, development, and testing phases to have a functional system ready for the Moon by the early 2030s.
Key details about the partnership include;
To provide a reliable, continuous, and powerful energy source for a future human lunar base, especially in permanently shadowed regions of the lunar South Pole where sunlight is scarce or non-existent. Rolls-Royce is developing a small, lightweight nuclear fission micro-reactor that measures about 1 meter wide and 3 meters long. This system would produce around 40 kilowatts (kW) of power, enough for a lunar outpost's life support, communications, and scientific experiments.
Roles in the lunar program;
Rolls-Royce: Responsible for the design and development of the reactor concept itself, leveraging its expertise from decades of building nuclear power plants for the UK's submarine fleet.
NASA: Leads the overall Fission Surface Power project and has awarded separate contracts to multiple industry partners (including Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, General Electric, and Brayton Energy) to develop specific components, such as power converters that turn the reactor's heat into electricity.
UK Space Agency: Provides significant funding to Rolls-Royce for research and development, aiming to get a demonstration model on the Moon by 2029 or the early 2030s.
A conceptual model of the micro-reactor has been unveiled. The focus is currently on detailed design stages and developing power conversion technology, with an open solicitation planned for Phase 2 of the project in 2025. The technology is seen as a crucial stepping stone not only for the Moon but also for powering human missions to Mars and for potential commercial and defense applications on Earth, such as providing clean energy to remote locations.
Under CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç, the company has undergone a "miraculous" transformation from a "burning platform" to a robust, cash-generating business. This has resulted in soaring profits, strong free cash flow, and a significantly strengthened balance sheet.
Rolls-Royce operates in industries with high barriers to entry due to the specialized technology, safety regulations, and huge capital requirements involved. Its large, established base of engines ensures a stable stream of aftermarket revenue.
Management has a history of setting conservative forecasts and then outperforming them, which suggests potential for future positive surprises for investors.
In summary, Rolls-Royce offers a compelling investment case for growth oriented investors willing to pay a premium for a high-quality company with a strong competitive position and clear catalysts for future growth.
