Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Sep 28, 2022

Things Are Bad Out There
The Bank of England’s intervention to stem what might have turned into a “run on the bank” dynamic for pension funds in the country amid a collapsing pound has given rise to the view that the Fed may start to slow its rate of increases amid global uncertainty. We think it’s too early to tell. From our perspective, the Fed remains committed to stomping out inflation, something that it may not truly be able to do, given that interest rate hikes may be too blunt of an instrument to stymie food cost inflation, which remains one of the the biggest inflationary headwinds that is hurting consumer budgets. What is happening on the global stage is quite concerning, and we remain bearish on the equity markets. The bull case may very well be a deep recession in the U.S., where dollar cost averaging in the U.S. markets could be had, followed by sharp interest rate cuts by the Fed, and a return to all-time highs. This is not a time to lose interest, but a time to pay even closer attention to your investments. What you do over the next couple years will have implications on your portfolio 5, 10, and 20 years forward. Let’s keep focused on preserving and building long-term wealth!

Sep 1, 2022

Update on Newsletter Portfolio Idea Apple
Image Shown: Shares of Apple Inc have rebounded strongly from their recent lows as of late August 2022. Apple reported third quarter results for fiscal 2022 (period ended June 25, 2022) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Management also noted during Apple’s latest earnings update that supply chain constraints were beginning to ease a bit and that Apple’s near-term growth outlook was improving. We continue to like Apple as an idea in the newsletter portfolios. Shares of AAPL yield ~0.6% as of this writing, and there is an enormous amount of room for Apple to aggressively grow its per-share payout going forward given its financial strength.

Aug 19, 2022

Nelson: The 16 Most Important Steps To Understand The Stock Market
Image Source: Tim Green. We outline the '16 Most Important Steps to Understand the Stock Market.' We think it's important to take a read of these key stock market tenets when things are going great -- and perhaps even more important when things aren't going your way. This continues to be a working document.

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.

Oct 29, 2021

Apple Remains a Free Cash Flow Generating Powerhouse
Image Shown: Apple Inc remained a free cash flow generating powerhouse in fiscal 2021. Key line-items are underlined in red and blue. Image Source: Apple Inc – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2021 Financial Supplement with additions from the author. Apple is not immune to the headwinds facing global supply chains, though its fortress-like balance sheet and stellar free cash flow generating abilities should enable the firm to ride out near-term hurdles with its bright growth trajectory intact. We are huge fans of the tech behemoth and continue to like shares of AAPL as an idea in both the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio.

Aug 12, 2021

Dividend Growth Idea Qualcomm Enters Bidding War to Bolster Automotive Growth Runway
Image Source: Qualcomm Inc – March 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders Presentation. One of our favorite semiconductor plays is Qualcomm. For those just getting familiar with the name, the company is about much more than just supplying components used in smartphones. While the rollout of 5G-capable smartphones will provide Qualcomm’s medium-term financial performance a large boost due to its Snapdragon mobile platform offerings, another key aspect of Qualcomm’s promising growth story is its exposure to the automotive industry.

Jun 15, 2021

Dividend Growth Idea Qualcomm Proactively Managing Fallout from Global Chip Shortage
Image Shown: Qualcomm Inc, one of our favorite semiconductor firms, noted in March 2021 that the rollout of 5G wireless networks is accelerating which in turn supports its outlook. We include shares of QCOM as an idea in our Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Image Source: Qualcomm Inc – 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders IR Presentation. One of our favorite ways to gain exposure to the semiconductor industry is Qualcomm Inc, and we include shares of QCOM as an idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Qualcomm’s IP portfolio and the “chips” that it designs play an essential role in enabling 5G connectivity in smartphones, powering the digital capabilities of modern automobiles, and supporting wireless network operations (including 5G networks). Qualcomm’s business model remained resilient in the face of headwinds caused by the coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic. The company’s asset-light business model (relatively modest capital expenditure requirements to maintain a certain level of revenues) enables Qualcomm is generate sizable free cash flows in almost any environment, and its promising growth outlook is underpinned by secular tailwinds.

Jun 1, 2021

ICYMI -- Video: Exclusive 2020 -- Furthering the Financial Discipline
In this 40+ minute video jam-packed with must-watch content, Valuentum's President Brian Nelson talks about the Theory of Universal Valuation and how his work is furthering the financial discipline. Learn the pitfalls of factor investing and modern portfolio theory and how the efficient markets hypothesis holds little substance in the wake of COVID-19. He'll talk about what companies Valuentum likes and why, and which areas he's avoiding. This and more in Valuentum's 2020 Exclusive conference call.

May 28, 2021

Nvidia Growing at a Brisk Pace Amid Chip Shortage
Image Source: Nvidia Corporation – GTC Spring 2021 Investor Day Presentation. On May 26, Nvidia Corp reported first quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended May 2, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Demand for Nvidia’s chips used in data center and gaming offerings remains robust. Looking ahead, Nvidia provided guidance for the fiscal second quarter during its latest earnings update that indicated its strong performance was expected to continue.

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.