Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Nov 30, 2023

Net-Cash-Rich, Free-Cash-Flow Generating Powerhouse Salesforce Has a Long Growth Runway
Image Source: Salesforce. On November 29, Salesforce reported excellent fiscal third-quarter results and issued an outlook for its fiscal fourth quarter that came in better than expectations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average component’s results were welcome news as the bellwether revealed that spending on cloud-based CRM software remains robust. In the quarter ending October 31, revenue advanced 11% on a year-over-year basis, while non-GAAP diluted earnings per share came in at a solid $2.11. Its outlook was rosier than what the Street was expecting. For the fiscal fourth quarter, the company is targeting non-GAAP earnings per share in the range of $2.25-$2.26 per share, better than the consensus forecast of $2.18. The strong quarter only increases our confidence in Salesforce’s longer-term outlook, and we plan to raise our fair value estimate of the firm upon our next report update.

Nov 29, 2023

Latest Report Updates
Check out the latest report refreshes on the website.

Oct 31, 2023

3 Mid Caps With Net Cash And Strong Free Cash Flow
Image: Chewy's best-in-class customer service is paying off in strong free cash flow generation. We're huge fans of companies with net cash on their balance sheet and strong free cash flow generating potential. This view has led us to favor the areas of big cap tech and the stylistic area of large cap growth in the newsletter portfolios, but there are other companies emerging with similar economics on a smaller scale. Chewy, Inc. E.L.F Beauty and DocuSign are three that come to mind, and all three of these names boast a strong balance sheet and favorable free cash flow dynamics. Each of these companies is also benefiting from secular growth trends as they seek to gain market share against rivals. Though certainly not without valuation risk as the trajectory of free cash flow expectations will certainly cause volatility in their respective stocks, we think all three may be worthy of consideration for the aggressive, risk-seeking investor targeting long-term capital appreciation.

Oct 22, 2023

There Will Be Volatility
Image: An ETF tracking Russell 1000 "growth" stocks has outperformed an ETF tracking Russell 2000 "value" stocks since the beginning of 2021. To us, the market remains hypersensitive to almost every economic data point that hits the wires, and we’re just not going to play that game. The macro headlines and never-ending news flow are what many quant and algorithmic traders are trading on, and to a very large extent, for investors with a long-term horizon, these macro data points just don’t factor into the equation. When valuing equities, we’re always after mid-cycle expectations, not peak or trough performance, so our valuations implicitly embed a "normal" recession. Warren Buffett didn’t become a billionaire buying and selling on macro data points, and volatility is simply to be expected given the proliferation of price-agnostic trading these days. Instead of panicking over higher interest rates, we think investors should view the Fed’s work thus far as future potential dry powder to stimulate both the economy and the markets. Whenever you feel like stocks are no good, have a read of Warren Buffett’s classic piece written during the Great Financial Crisis, “Buy American. I Am.” To us, we still like stocks for the long run. Happy investing!

Sep 20, 2023

ICYMI: Questions for Valuentum’s Brian Nelson
Valuentum's President Brian Nelson, CFA, answers your questions.

Jul 20, 2023

Stock Report Updates
Check out the latest report updates on the website.

Jun 26, 2023

Latest Report Updates Concentrated in Mining & Chemicals and Healthcare Industries
In our 16-page equity research reports, we offer a fair value estimate for each company based on a rigorous and transparent discounted cash flow process, assess the attractiveness of a stock based on a firm-specific margin of safety, and provide a relative valuation comparison in the context of the company’s industry and peers. Each report includes detailed pro forma financial statements, explicit fundamental forecasts, and scenario analysis. A cross section of the ValueCreation and ValueRisk ratings provides a financial assessment of a company’s business quality (competitive position), while the ValueTrend and Economic Castle ratings offer insight into the trajectory of a firm’s economic profit creation (ROIC versus WACC). Included in each 16-page report is a company's rating on the Valuentum Buying Index (VBI), a methodology that combines rigorous financial and valuation analysis with an evaluation of a firm's technicals and momentum indicators to derive a score between 1 and 10 for each company (10=best). We believe the VBI methodology helps identify the most attractive stocks at the best time to consider buying, helping to avoid value traps and lagging performance due to the opportunity cost of holding a stock with great potential but at an inopportune time. The Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio puts the VBI into practice. Read more about the Valuentum Buying Index rating system, "Value and Momentum Within Stocks, Too." Members can access our 16-page company research reports by using our 'Symbol' search box in our website header.

Jun 7, 2023

Apple’s 'Vision Pro' Not in Our Valuation Model; Expect Upside
Image: Apple released its first major product since the Apple Watch in the Vision Pro on June 5. The device opens the door to the era of spatial computing and is priced at $3,499. Apple unveiled its Vision Pro at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5. We were impressed with the new major product launch, its first since the release of the Apple Watch nearly a decade ago but estimating the total market opportunity for a $3,499 device is a difficult one. The Vision Pro will be available in early 2024 and will compete in many areas with the Meta Quest, and we expect Apple’s annual numbers come next year to be impressive. The market for high-end consumer devices is a large one, and from what we can tell, the number of possible applications of the Vision Pro are many. We’re not making any changes to our valuation of Apple until we get a better feel for just how big of a needle-mover the Vision Pro will be, but we expect to raise our fair value estimate of Apple. The company has another winner on its hands, in our view.

May 23, 2023

Call Me Unconcerned
Image: Large cap growth has dominated returns the past five years. The Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio continues to have significant exposure to this area. We’re taking it slow this time of year. With the area of large cap growth nearly doubling since the beginning of 2018, trouncing the return of the broader market, dividend growth strategies, the area of small cap value and general REIT indices, it’s just hard to find much wrong with staying pat. The proliferation of artificial intelligence will likely propel big cap tech and large cap growth to new highs, while small cap value may continue to be weighed down by the banks--and dividend-oriented strategies may face continued pressure from rising interest rates and tired real estate markets. Things were a bit murky during 2022, but thanks for keeping the faith.

May 22, 2023

Nice! -- NASDAQ-100 Follows Through on Breakout
Image: NASDAQ-100 breaks through August 2022 resistance.