UnitedHealth Group Is a Rock-Solid Dividend Growth Opportunity
January 21, 2021
Image Shown: Shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc, which we added to our Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio back on November 27, continue to climb higher. The top end of our fair value estimate for UnitedHealth Group sits at $401 per share. By Callum Turcan On January 20, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) issued fourth quarter and full-year results for 2020 that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. The health care giant reported a 6% annual increase in its GAAP revenues in 2020, with its ‘Premiums,’ ‘Products’ and ‘Services’ sales all reporting meaningful increases. Its GAAP earnings from operations grew by 14% annually in 2020, though we caution there is some noise due to the deferral of certain medical procedures, a result of
ICYMI: Valuentum’s Brian Nelson on the Latest Howard Marks’ Memo: “Something of Value”
January 21, 2021
Valuentum’s President of Investment Research Brian Michael Nelson, CFA, explains why there are not really value and growth stocks, why most of the research in quantitative finance is spurious and needs to be redefined on a forward-looking basis, and why enterprise valuation (not the efficient markets hypothesis) should be the organizing principle of finance. Nelson explains his views about valuation, what it means to be a value investor, and investing in the context of Oaktree Capital Howard Marks’ latest memo, “Something of Value,” January 11, 2021. Please don’t forget to give the second edition of the book “Value Trap” a 5-star rating on Amazon here. Thank you for your membership! —– Tickerized for holdings in the IWM. Valuentum members have
Chipotle, Domino’s Continue to Deliver for Shareholders
January 19, 2021
Image Shown: Domino’s Pizza Inc aims to grow its market share in the US by leaning heavily on its delivery and digital operations, a realm the firm has significant competitive advantages in, as compared to leaning on carryout operations at physical stores. Image Source: Domino’s Pizza Inc – January 2021 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan In the restaurant industry, one thing the coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic has made clear is that having drive thru operations, a strong online presence and efficient delivery services will be key to meeting consumer demand going forward. Physical restaurant locations that rely on indoor dinning will become relevant once again when the pandemic is contained, something the ongoing distribution of COVID-19 vaccines should help accomplish, but
Walgreens Begins to Recover
January 15, 2021
Image Shown: Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc are beginning to recover. By Callum Turcan Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA) are on the rise after the company recently posted a solid earnings report while also reaching a big divestment deal. As we recently covered, Walgreens is divesting most of its European-focused wholesale pharmaceutical distribution business to AmerisourceBergen (ABC) and that article can be viewed here. Please note Walgreens has a material strategic stake in AmerisourceBergen’s equity which will grow in terms of total shares once the divestment closes. Here is a brief excerpt from that article: On January 6, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc announced it had reached a deal with AmerisourceBergen Corporation (ABC) to sell the “the majority of”
Steris Ties the Knot with Cantel Medical
January 15, 2021
Image Shown: Cantel Medical Corp is getting bought out by Steris PLC through a cash-and-stock deal. The image up above highlights Cantel Medical’s promising long-term growth outlook, though its performance in 2020 was subdued due to headwinds created by the coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic. In our view, Steris was attracted to Cantel Medical’s improving outlook (the latter started to stage an impressive rebound in the second half of calendar year 2020) and the ability for the combined firm to generate substantial synergies. Image Source: Cantel Medical Corp – December 2020 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan On December 2, we highlighted (link here) the ongoing turnaround at Cantel Medical Corp (CMD) and noted that “we (thought) Cantel Medical is one for the
Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week January 15
January 15, 2021
Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending January 15. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Agree Realty Corporation (ADC): now $0.207 per share monthly dividend, was $0.195. Algoma Central (AGMJF): now CAD 0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.13. Allied Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (APYRF): now CAD 0.1417 per share monthly dividend, was CAD 0.1375. Alpine Banks of Colorado (ALPIB): now $24.00 per share quarterly dividend, was $18.00. Apogee (APOG): now $0.20 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1875. Atco
ALERT: We’re Still Bullish! Some Portfolio Tweaks
January 12, 2021
By Brian Nelson, CFA Hi everybody: Trust you’re doing great, and hope you are enjoying your membership to Valuentum! We’ve received a number of questions from members during the past several weeks, and we’d like to address them briefly in this note. We will write a follow-up note in the coming days that goes into our broader outlook for 2021 and beyond. However, we want to get these takeaways to you as soon as possible, as our inboxes have been overflowing. For starters, if you haven’t read our market/analysis recap for the year 2020, please do so, “2020 Won’t Soon Be Forgotten.” Now on to the questions. First question: Is the stock market in a bubble? Answer: Absolutely not. We
New Issue Airbnb’s Shares Pricing In Strong Recovery and Then Some
January 12, 2021
Image Shown: Airbnb is losing money hand over fist while as it grows into its substantial market opportunity. Source: S-1. By Brian Nelson, CFA Rental platform Airbnb (ABNB) has been a part of the latest series of IPOs that have soared out of the gates recently. Shares went public at $68 per share December 10, and now the equity is trading at more than $148 per share at the time of this writing. For those that don’t know the story of Airbnb (AirBed & Breakfast), the concept started in 2007 when, after discovering that every hotel was sold out during an international design conference in San Francisco, the founders started renting airbeds in their apartment to conference attendees. Thirteen years have now
Walgreens Sells European-Focused Wholesale Pharmaceutical Distribution Business to AmerisourceBergen
January 9, 2021
Image Shown: Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc is undergoing a major transformation. Part of that strategy involves divesting its European wholesale pharmaceutical distribution business, Alliance Healthcare, to its strategic partner AmerisourceBergen Corporation. Image Source: Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc – Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2020 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan On January 6, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA) announced it had reached a deal with AmerisourceBergen Corporation (ABC) to sell the “the majority of” its European-focused wholesale pharmaceutical distribution business, Alliance Healthcare, for about $6.5 billion ($6.275 billion in cash along with 2 million shares of ABC). Please note that Walgreens already owns a sizable stake in AmerisourceBergen as the former owned ~28% of the latter’s outstanding shares as
L Brands Continues to Bounce Back
January 8, 2021
Image Source: L Brands Inc – Third Quarter of Fiscal 2020 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan L Brands Inc (LB) is home to the Victoria’s Secret, PINK and Bath & Body Works retail brands (PINK is included within its Victoria’s Secret umbrella). The company has ~2,700 company-operated stores in Canada, the Greater China region, and the US along with more than 700 franchised locations worldwide. Sometime in 2021, L Brands intends to separate Bath & Body Works from its other operations, a plan management reiterated during a virtual December 2020 investor presentation. Bath & Body Works has been growing at a brisk pace of late, while Victoria’s Secret has been a drag on company-wide performance at L Brands. Though
