Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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May 11, 2021

Stock Markets Still Healthy, Big Cap Tech and Large Cap Growth Safe Havens
 Image Shown: Facebook’s shares are trading below the low end of our fair value estimate range at the time of this writing. The social media giant registers a 10 on the Valuentum Buying Index as it boasts a tremendous financial position with respect to net cash on the balance sheet and future expected free cash flows. Image Source: Valuentum. It’s easy to get spooked sometimes by the market’s volatility, but what we’ve witnessed the past few days is nothing compared to the volatility during the COVID-19 crisis and the Great Financial Crisis before it—and what we eventually expect the proliferation of price-agnostic trading to do to the markets in the years ahead. We continue to like the areas of big cap tech and large cap growth thanks to their strong competitive positions, solid net cash profiles, and robust and growing future expected free cash flow. Facebook remains our top idea for capital appreciation potential. Newmont Mining is our favorite “inflation hedge” within the metals and mining arena, and investors that would like greater exposure to energy and financials may look to more diversified ETFs to gain access to the broader themes of rising energy resource prices and net interest margins. AT&T is a top equity consideration for the high-yield dividend crowd. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be looking to put some of the dry powder that we raised in January 2021 “to work” in some of the areas we outlined in this article. In the meantime, we’re going to continue to watch this orderly sell-off that’s being driven by valuation model adjustments (to factor in higher inflation expectations) and modest deleveraging from cryptocurrency volatility. All is well.

May 10, 2021

Inflation! How to Think About Value Duration
Image Shown: Longer-duration free cash flow stocks are more impacted by changes in inflationary expectations and interest rates (up or down) than stable and/or stable and growing free cash flow generators. This example shows the impact of falling interest rates (10%-->5%) on stable versus longer-duration hypothetical future free cash flow streams, all else equal (the opposite would directionally be applicable in a rising interest rate environment). There's nothing 'all else equal' in the real world though. In the event of rising inflationary expectations, we would still expect speculative technology stocks to take the biggest hit. On the other hand, we would expect strong and growing free cash flow powerhouses that can price ahead of inflation such as big cap tech to handle the environment well. Though banks, energy, and the metals and mining sectors may lead the market for some time, we still like large cap growth and big cap tech for the long run. What many may be overlooking is that, for those with pricing power, higher inflationary expectations translate into higher product and service prices, too. Big cap tech (and their pricing power) is well-positioned to handle such an environment. We’re not overreacting in any respect, and we’re not going to chase commodity prices or commodity producers higher. Commodity prices are simply too difficult to predict in almost all cases, and banking entities are far too susceptible to boom-and-bust shocks for us to get comfortable with their long-term investment profiles. All in, we’re sticking with companies with strong net cash positions and future expected free cash flows (and solid dividend health, where applicable). Some of the strongest companies that have these characteristics can be found in large cap growth and big cap tech. Facebook remains our top idea for long-term capital appreciation potential. In the meantime, we’re comfortable watching the market chase a rotation into more speculative areas.

May 10, 2021

Utility PPL Is Pursuing a Major Transformation and Has a VBI Rating of 9
Image Source: PPL Corporation – First Quarter of 2021 IR Earnings Presentation. After updating our valuation models for the utility sector, PPL recorded a VBI of 9 and we are keeping a close eye on the firm. Our fair value estimate for PPL sits at $45 per share. As of this writing, shares of PPL yield ~5.8%. The utility’s outlook is bright, and we are excited by its potential upside once the pending transactions with National Grid are complete. In the High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio, we include the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund ETF (XLU) to gain broad exposure to the space.

May 6, 2021

3 Strong Dividend Payers to Consider Within Consumer Staples
Image: Kellogg has raised its dividend payout each year since 2005. Image Source: Kellogg. Kellogg, Colgate-Palmolive, and Clorox offer investors solid exposure to the consumer staples space, while showcasing impressive track records with respect to dividend growth. Each has a net debt position, but all three generate traditional free cash flow in excess of cash dividends paid, meaning growth in each of their payouts should be expected. Clorox has the highest Dividend Cushion ratio of 1.6 at this time (Kellogg’s is 0.1, while Colgate-Palmolive’s is 1.4), and as one might expect, Clorox’s dividend growth prospects are the strongest out of this bunch. For example, Clorox raised its annual payout more than 7% during fiscal 2020, while both Kellogg and Colgate-Palmolive have had more modest dividend increases in recent years. Evaluating the cash-based sources of intrinsic value helps one derive a fair value estimate range, as it helps rank dividend health and dividend growth, as shown in this group's respective Dividend Cushion ratios. All things considered, Kellogg, Colgate-Palmolive, and Clorox could be valuable additions to a diversified dividend growth portfolio.

May 5, 2021

PayPal Reports Strongest First Quarter Results in History!
Image Shown: A snapshot of PayPal's first-quarter 2021 performance. Image Source: PayPal. PayPal’s fundamentals continue to move in the right direction, and we liked its first-quarter report and outlook for the remainder of 2021. The high end of our fair value estimate range for PayPal is $334 per share, and we still view the company as one of the best ideas on the market today.

May 5, 2021

Berkshire Hathaway Charging Higher
Image Shown: Shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc Class B stock are on a nice upward climb year-to-date, and we include BRK.B as an idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. We continue to be enormous fans of Mr. Buffett, Mr. Munger, and Berkshire Hathaway’s resilient business model and promising free cash flow growth outlook. On May 3, the first business day after Berkshire Hathaway reported its first quarter earnings, shares of BRK.A and BRK.B both moved higher during normal trading hours, a sign investors viewed the industrial conglomerate’s latest update quite favorably. We view Berkshire Hathaway as well-positioned to capitalize on the uneven but ongoing recovery in the US economy as COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts are now in full swing (underpinning the domestic economy’s favorable outlook as quarantine measures and social distancing requirements are slowly eased across the country).

May 5, 2021

Video: Sports Cards as an Alternative Asset Class
Image: 1950 Bowman Jackie Robinson. Video: Valuentum's President Brian Nelson explains recent developments in the sports cards and memorabilia market, and why he thinks the area will become a feasible, transparent and liquid alternative asset class for investors to consider in the longer run.

May 4, 2021

Video: Apple’s Cash Based Sources of Intrinsic Value and Dividend Health
Image Shown: Inside an Apple store. Source: Valuentum. Video shown: Valuentum's President Brian Nelson walks through Apple's financial statements to explain the cash-based sources of intrinsic value and how net cash on the balance sheet and future expected free cash flow are key sources of dividend health. This 10-minute video clip is part of a 3+ hour presentation on financial statement analysis provided in April 2021.

May 3, 2021

The Real Reasons Why Buffett Wants You in Index Funds
Image Shown: Since mid-June 2015, on a price-only basis, the S&P 500 (SPY) has nearly doubled, while shares of Kinder Morgan have nearly halved. In Morgan Housel’s book The Psychology of Money, chapter 16 leads in with “Beware taking financial cues from people playing a different game than you are.” The people on CNBC are playing a different game than you, and so is Warren Buffett. Buffett’s principles on stock selection are golden, but you must understand that he is near the top of the Forbes’ Billionaires List. He absolutely should be taking his own advice and indexing! With the threat of long-term inflation and price-agnostic trading, the average American, even with a few million in the bank, is not so lucky. Keep your game sharp.

Apr 30, 2021

Domino’s Pizza Well-Positioned for Long Run
Image Shown: Domino’s has the right business model for the long haul. Unit economics are fantastic for franchisees, while same-store sales continue to benefit from first-mover digital initiatives. Earnings per share growth has been stellar for the past decade. Image Source: April 2021 Presentation. Domino’s has the right business model for the digital economy, and we expect robust net unit growth and retail sales growth in the mid-to-high single-digit range over the next few years. This asset-light, free-cash-flow generating franchisor is stealing market share hand over fist, while it drives robust earnings expansion and buys back its own stock (it has a $1 billion repurchase authorization, as of February 2021). Everything seems in place for Domino’s to remain atop the global quick-service pizza industry, as operational simplicity is the name of the game. Investors need to pay attention to Domino’s net debt load, but we see little in the way of this fantastic growth story. The firm remains one of our favorite restaurant ideas and a holding in the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio.