Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Mar 27, 2020

Republic Services is Well Prepared
Image Source: Republic Services Inc – March 2020 COVID-19 Investor Update Presentation. Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio holding Republic Services, which was added to the portfolio back on January 13, 2020, is well positioned to ride out the turbulence created by the ongoing novel coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic. Before getting into its recent refinancing activity, please note that roughly four-fifths of Republic Services’ revenues comes from long-term contracts, and that fundamentally, waste disposal services are almost always in demand (hard to combat a healthcare crisis if trash is piling up on the streets, sidewalks, and can’t be properly disposed of in landfills). While its financials will face some pressures from the pandemic, Republic Services should be able to emerge on the other side of this crisis with its business and balance sheet relatively intact. As of this writing, shares of RSG yield ~2.1% and its Dividend Cushion ratio of 1.9 provides for a “GOOD” Dividend Safety rating.

Mar 27, 2020

Lululemon’s Pristine Balance Sheet and Digital Sales Channels Provides Support During These Harrowing Times
Image Source: Lululemon Athletica Inc – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2019 Earnings Infographic. On March 26, Lululemon Athletica reported fourth quarter and full-year earnings for fiscal 2019 (period ended February 2, 2020) that had some bright spots, though shares of LULU initially traded down on March 27. While the company beat on both the top- and bottom-lines, investors are growing increasingly worried about the performance of discretionary consumer goods companies in the face of the ongoing novel coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic. In fiscal 2019, Lululemon’s GAAP revenues rose 21% year-over-year and its GAAP gross margin climbed by ~65 basis points, with its financial performance supported by rising direct-to-consumer sales (up 35% year-over-year) which tend to command higher gross margins. Adjusted comparable sales rose by 9% year-over-year in fiscal 2019 (keeping in mind there was an extra week of sales in fiscal 2018), a growth rate that rises to 10% on a constant-currency basis.

Mar 27, 2020

Grocery Outlet Is Firing on All Cylinders
Image Shown: Discount grocer Grocery Outlet Holdings Corporation has stores in six states; Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. Image Source: Grocery Outlet – December 2019 IR Presentation. On March 24, discount grocer Grocery Outlet Holdings Corp reported fourth-quarter and full fiscal year earnings for fiscal 2019 (period ended December 28, 2019), and the firm beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates (albeit only marginally on the top-line). In the fiscal fourth quarter, the grocer’s GAAP net sales were up 12% year-over-year while Grocery Outlet went from a GAAP net loss of $5 million in the same quarter last fiscal year to a GAAP net profit of $10 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. That was partially due to Grocery Outlet utilizing the proceeds from its IPO in June 2019 to pay down its relatively large debt load, which in turn cut its quarterly interest expenses down by more than half year-over-year. From the end of fiscal 2018 to the end of fiscal 2019, Grocery Outlet’s total debt load (inclusive of short-term debt) fell from over $857 million to just below $448 million.

Mar 27, 2020

Our Reports on Stocks in the Independent Oil & Gas Industry
Images Source: Anadarko. We've reallocated our resources to optimize our energy coverage.

Mar 26, 2020

US Congress Is Getting Ready to Pass a Massive ~$2.2 Trillion Fiscal Stimulus Bill
Image Shown: US equities have started to recover some of their lost ground as the likelihood that the US Congress will pass a massive ~$2.2 trillion fiscal stimulus and emergency spending package, dubbed the CARES Act, has increased significantly over the past week as seen through the bounce in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust. President Trump has clearly indicated that he intends to sign such a bill into law as soon as possible, with the US House of Representatives expected to take up the legislation this upcoming Friday morning on March 27. On March 25, the US Senate worked late into the night to secure a bipartisan compromise on a massive ~$2.2 trillion fiscal stimulus and emergency spending bill to offset the negative impact of the ongoing novel coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic. The bill passed 96-0 after several senators forced a vote on an amendment on that bill that would have changed the nature of the “beefed up” unemployment benefits (that amendment failed 48-48, and would have needed 60 votes to pass). As of this writing, there are over 65,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the US according to Johns Hopkins University, and we sincerely hope everyone, their families, and their loved ones stay safe during this pandemic. A vote in the US House of Representatives is expected this upcoming Friday morning on March 27. The House is expected to convene at 9AM EST and the goal of each party’s leadership is to secure passage of the bill via a voice vote (please note that this differs from unanimous consent, which requires every member of the House to agree to such a legislative process in order to pass a bill without having the majority of lawmakers return to Washington DC, but this is easier/faster to achieve than a recorded roll call vote that would force every member of the House to return). Assuming the House swiftly passes the bill that was approved in the Senate, President Trump has clearly communicated he would sign the bill into law right away. Please note this bill is formally known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (‘CARES’) Act.

Mar 26, 2020

Jobless Claims Spike; Restaurants, REITs In Trouble
Image: DOL. “The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 2,898,450 in the week ending March 21, an increase of 2,647,034 (or 1,052.9 percent) from the previous week.” On March 26, the Department of Labor reported a surge in jobless claims for the week ending March 21 to 3.28 million, a number that “shatters the Great Recession peak of 665,000 in March 2009 and the all-time mark of 695,000 in October 1982,” according to CNBC. The economic situation remains dire as the White House struggles to contain COVID-19 amid what could become one of the worst economic periods since the Great Depression, or one that can turn into the next Great Depression. We also address a couple questions from members regarding Cracker Barrel and the REITs, more generally. Our team is monitoring the stimulus bill in Congress, which just passed the Senate last night. We’ll have more to say about restaurants and REITs as our team pours over the bill and assesses long-run implications. We think this bear-market rally may be short-lived, as we don’t think we’ll see stabilization in the markets until about 6-9 months before a vaccine is widely available, and that may imply a market bottom that may still be 3-6 months ahead. Moral hazard continues to run rampant. The market is bouncing back on what looks to be expectations of an unlimited Fed/Treasury/Congress put, as well as new expectations for hyperinflationary pressures in the longer run in the midst of runaway government spending. Stocks are therefore in demand. We remain skeptical of the sustainability of this bounce, however.

Mar 25, 2020

Nike Reports Blowout Earnings in the Face of COVID-19
Image Shown: Shares of Nike reclaimed some of their lost ground on March 25 after the sports apparel company reported a blowout earnings report. On March 24, Nike Inc reported blowout earnings for its third quarter of fiscal 2020 (period ended February 29, 2020) with its revenues and non-GAAP EPS figures coming in well above consensus estimates. The sports apparel firm’s sales rose by 5% year-over-year on a GAAP basis, and 7% on a constant currency non-GAAP basis, due to strong growth at its Nike Direct offering (a digitally oriented direct to consumer distribution system) which helped drive 36% digital sales growth. Please note that Nike sold off its Hurley brand last fiscal quarter, which management noted shaved 100-200 basis points off Nike’s North American sales growth. This strength in the face of the ongoing novel coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic saw shares of NKE leap during the trading session on March 25.

Mar 21, 2020

Top Ten Dividend Growth Stocks to Consider Amid COVID-19
Image Shown: A look at some of the top dividend growth stocks to consider, companies with strong Dividend Cushion ratios and nice payout growth trajectories, in light of ongoing turbulence in equity markets. The 'Multiplier' column multiplies a company's dividend yield by its Dividend Cushion ratio. The novel coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic continues to wreak havoc on global economies, credit and equity markets, and the livelihoods of many. We sincerely hope everyone stays safe during this pandemic. US equities have sold off aggressively during the past month, with the S&P 500 down ~25% year-to-date as of this writing, punishing the names of several top quality dividend growth opportunities that we will highlight in this note today.

Mar 20, 2020

Op-Ed: Bail Out Boeing, No Other Publicly Traded Companies
Image: Boeing B-17E Fortress 41-2599 "Tugboat Annie"; took part in the Battle of Midway in Jun '42; later ditched at sea on 16 Jan 43. Source.Dear Uncle Sam: Please stop bailing out the competition of small business. We need a changing of the guard. Let capitalism work.

Mar 19, 2020

General Mills’ Pet Segment Continues to Deliver
Image Source: General Mills Inc – Third Quarter Fiscal 2020 Earnings IR Presentation. On March 18, General Mills reported third quarter fiscal 2020 (period ended February 23, 2020) earnings that provided the market with an idea of how major consumer staples brands were performing before the ongoing novel coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic started spreading around the world. In the fiscal third quarter, General Mills GAAP net sales were broadly flat year-over-year as was its GAAP operating income. The firm’s GAAP gross margin took a hit (from higher supply chain costs and input cost inflation) but that was offset by reduced restructuring costs and the lack of a major loss on divestment, allowing for its GAAP operating margin to stay broadly flat year-over-year. All-in-all, a fairly uneventful and uninspiring quarter, but General Mills’ forward guidance caught our eye.