Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Feb 3, 2022

Dividend Growth Idea Qualcomm Growing Robustly
Image Shown: Dividend growth idea Qualcomm Inc posted a solid earnings update and provided promising near term guidance on February 2. Image Source: Qualcomm Inc – First Quarter of Fiscal 2022 IR Earnings Presentation. On February 2, dividend growth idea Qualcomm reported first quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended December 26, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. The semiconductor company issued guidance for the current fiscal quarter that calls for double-digit revenue and earnings growth versus fiscal year-ago levels, though shares of QCOM still dipped modestly in after-hours trading that day. We continue to like Qualcomm as an idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio as the firm remains a free cash flow cow with a promising growth outlook.

Feb 3, 2022

PayPal’s Margin Pressure, Flattish Earnings Outlook Shocks Market; Fair Value Estimate Reduced
Image Shown: PayPal Holdings Inc grew at a robust pace in 2021 though its margin outlook is not as promising as once believed. Image Source: PayPal Holdings Inc – Fourth Quarter of 2021 earnings press release. PayPal is a solid enterprise supported by its pristine balance sheet, strong free cash flows, and promising revenue growth outlook. The proliferation of e-commerce provides PayPal will a powerful secular tailwind to capitalize on. However, PayPal’s operating leverage is not what it once appeared to be, and that weighs negatively on its margin expansion potential. As noted previously, we have fine-tuned our cash flow valuation model on the company, and now value shares at $160 on a point fair value estimate basis. We continue to include PayPal as an idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio for the time being (as we evaluate the next few quarters). PayPal's refreshed stock page and report will be available shortly.

Feb 2, 2022

Alphabet and PayPal Report Fourth-Quarter 2021 Results
Video: Valuentum's President Brian Michael Nelson, CFA, walks through the fourth-quarter 2021 results of Alphabet and PayPal.

Feb 1, 2022

Exxon Breaks Out! Oil Prices Might Rip Higher Still!
Image: A pretty technical breakout at Exxon Mobil. Valuentum's Callum Turcan: "The tight supply-demand dynamics for oil & natural gas combined with rising geopolitical tensions (West-Russia over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine, reports of potential terror attacks on Northern Iraqi/Kurdish oil infrastructure, West-Iran over Iran's nuclear program and nuclear deal talks reportedly breaking down, civil tensions in Kazakhstan, perennial problems facing Libya and Nigeria's security situation) indicate there is likely room for oil prices to rip higher still."

Feb 1, 2022

Structural Changes in the Airline and Aerospace Business
Image Source: Valuentum. The future profile for air travel demand will be negatively impacted in the long run (relative to pre-COVID-19 expectations) as increased leisure travel from the wealth effect may not completely offset reduced business travel growth impaired by digital solutions permanently disrupting the way companies conduct business. As with Warren Buffett, who recently wrote down the value of metal casting jet-engine supplier Precision Castparts (one of the best aerospace suppliers in the business), we believe intrinsic values of others in the aerospace supply chain have been permanently reduced as well. We’re staying away from airlines and aerospace with the exception of Honeywell, which offers diversified industrial exposure and a “call option” on a gradual aerospace recovery to a “new normal.” Honeywell is included in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio and showed that it can thrive in a business environment where aerospace demand may not live up to pre-COVID-19 long-term expectations. Honeywell yields ~1.9% at the time of this writing.

Jan 30, 2022

Our Favorite Biotech Vertex Pharma Powers Ahead, Leaps 6%+
Image: Vertex Pharma continues to soar toward our fair value estimate. The biotech arena is difficult to navigate, which is why we tend to play it a bit more conservative than most. Vertex Pharma has an established, cash-flow generating portfolio of cystic fibrosis therapies, which has helped to establish a net cash rich balance sheet and a steady stream of robust free cash flow, unlike many biotechs that need external capital and are at risk of never reaching commercialization. We’re excited about Vertex’s clinical pipeline of potentially transformative genetic therapies, and we like its exposure to CRISPR gene-editing technology, which could be a huge business in the years ahead. Vertex Pharma remains our favorite biotech play and an idea in the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio.

Jan 28, 2022

Visa Remains One of Our Favorite Ideas
Image Shown: Visa Inc, one of our favorite companies, has been growing robustly of late. Image Source: Visa Inc – First Quarter of Fiscal 2022 IR Earnings Presentation. On January 27, Visa reported first quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended December 31, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Shares of V shot higher after its results were made public. We include Visa as a “top-weighted” idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and remain huge fans of the company. Our fair value estimate sits at $255 per share of V, well above where Visa is trading at as of this writing, indicating the payment processing giant has ample room to run higher from current levels. Shares of V yield a modest ~0.7% as of this writing.

Jan 28, 2022

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week January 28
Let's take a look at companies that raised/lowered their dividend this week.

Jan 27, 2022

Apple Blows Past Expectations in Fiscal First Quarter!
Image Source: Valuentum. On January 27, 2022, Apple put up one of the best quarters by any company in history and a record for the Cupertino-based iPhone-making giant. Revenue for the quarter ending December 25, 2021, of $123.9 billion advanced 11% on a year-over-year basis, while quarterly earnings per share came in at $2.10. The top line beat expectations by more than $5 billion, even with supply chain hurdles, and the bottom-line beat of $0.20 per share was more than 10%, a huge delta considering the size of the company. We’re viewing the report very positively, and we think the strong performance may ease some broader market concerns. Apple’s gross and operating margins looked healthy, and only performance in its iPad division came in a bit light, but this was almost entirely driven by supply chain issues. Apple generated a solid $19.5 billion in revenue from its ‘Services’ division during the period, up from $15.8 billion in the year-ago quarter, showcasing its ever-growing and “sticky” installed base. Warren Buffett is a big owner of Apple’s stock, and we continue to be in favor of buybacks at Apple, too, even at these price levels. Though Apple’s market capitalization is sizable, we value shares close to $190 each at the high end of our fair value estimate range. Apple remains one of our favorite ideas in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio.

Jan 27, 2022

Net Cash Rich Tesla Reports Solid Free Cash Flow, Closes Out 2021 on a High Note
Image Shown: A look at Tesla Inc’s new ‘Gigafactory’ manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas, that is currently under development. Image Source: Tesla Inc – Fourth Quarter of 2021 IR Shareholder Deck. On January 26, Tesla reported that it had produced ~306,000 vehicles and delivered ~309,000 vehicles during the final quarter of 2021. The electric vehicle (‘EV’) and battery maker beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates in the fourth quarter as it continued to successfully ramp its production capabilities. We plan to fine-tune our cash flow valuation model covering Tesla to take its latest earnings report into account, but we still expect the point fair value estimate to be below where shares are trading at the time of this writing (~$937 per share).