Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Mar 23, 2022

Johnson & Johnson’s Outlook Improving, Steadily Putting Legal Issues Behind It
Image Source: Johnson & Johnson – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2021 IR Earnings Presentation. On a price-only basis, shares of Johnson & Johnson are up ~2% year-to-date through the end of regular trading hours March 22, while the S&P 500 is down ~6% during this period. We include shares of Johnson & Johnson as an idea in both the Best Ideas Newsletter and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolios, and we love the company's resiliency in the face of whatever challenges are thrown at it. Investors now have a much better idea of what Johnson & Johnson’s legal settlement liabilities could end up looking like as compared to where things stood a year ago, and while the pending spinoff of its consumer health operations has fundamentally altered its proposition as a straightforward dividend growth opportunity, the stock continues to hold up in an otherwise tumultuous environment. We're not counting J&J out by any means, and the stock remains a core holding in both the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and simulated Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio.

Feb 6, 2022

Weekly: Why We Missed Big on T and FB; Overpriced Staples, Our Call To Action; and More!
In this Valuentum Weekly, in video form, President of Investment Research Brian Nelson, CFA, explains why Valuentum missed big on T and FB, how volatility on names with huge market caps is spiking recklessly, and why the call to action in the book Value Trap remains as relevant as ever given current incentives.

Feb 4, 2022

Undervalued PINS, SNAP Rallying; FB Incredibly Mispriced, and Refreshed Consumer Discretionary Reports
Image: Valuentum's Periodic Screener, February 4. Two of the most undervalued stocks in our coverage Pinterest, Inc. and Snap Inc. are indicated to rally hard February 4 after issuing positive earnings reports, providing further evidence of the importance of the discounted cash flow process and the magnet that intrinsic value estimates are to stock prices.

Dec 28, 2021

General Mills Managing Inflationary Headwinds; Scaling Up Pets Business
Image Source: General Mills Inc – Second Quarter of Fiscal 2022 IR Earnings Presentation. On December 21, General Mills, the firm behind the Cheerios, Pillsbury, and Nature Valley brands (among various others), reported second quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended November 28, 2021) that beat consensus top-line estimates but missed consensus bottom-line estimates. The consumer staples giant also raised its full year guidance for fiscal 2022 in conjunction with its latest earnings report. In the face of major input cost inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints, brought on in part by the coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic and the fiscal/monetary policies enacted to offset the economic damage caused by the public health crisis, General Mills has done a solid job navigating the ever-changing landscape, all things considered.

Dec 14, 2021

Kroger Beats Estimates and Once Again Raises Guidance
Image Source: Kroger Co - Third Quarter of Fiscal 2021 IR Earnings Presentation. Kroger Co recently reported third quarter earnings for fiscal 2021 (period ended November 6, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates, and the retailer also once again boosted its full-year guidance for fiscal 2021. Kroger’s operations include retail store brands such as City Market, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyers, Metro Market, and more, along with its private label brands of consumer staples offerings. Shares of KR have shifted meaningful higher since its latest earnings update as of this writing.

Dec 10, 2021

What Really Is the ”S” in ESG Investing
Image: The Valuentum Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Scoring System shows how “Social” considerations are analyzed. Social considerations tend to ebb and flow and reflect the values of society. Renewed interest in diversity, inclusion, and equity, for example, have made these areas a greater focus for companies and investors. As we have evolved as a society over decades and generations, the types of social considerations that may have primacy will change over time, so it’s important to make sure social considerations are just one part of your research. In addition to looking at how a company scores on the Valuentum ESG rating system and how it aligns with your own values, be sure to also look at whether such an idea is in the simulated newsletter portfolios, how it rates on the Valuentum Buying Index (VBI), its Dividend Cushion ratio for dividend-paying stocks, and much more. It’s extremely important to reward those companies doing the social good, but equity prices and returns will always be driven in part by a company’s cash-based sources of intrinsic value: net cash on the balance sheet and future expected free cash flow.

Nov 22, 2021

Tyson’s Pricing Strength Enables Margin Expansion During Turbulent Time
Image Shown: Tyson Foods Inc put up stellar results for fiscal 2021. Image Source: Tyson Foods Inc – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2021 IR Earnings Presentation. On November 15, Tyson Foods reported fourth quarter earnings for fiscal 2021 (period ended October 2, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates largely due to the firm’s impressive pricing strength, the focus of this article. The company is facing major headwinds from the coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic, from labor shortages to supply chain bottlenecks to rising input costs, though Tyson has adeptly navigated this turbulence while bolstering both its revenues and its margins.

Oct 24, 2021

Philip Morris International Boosts Dividend, Cost Structure Improving
Image Shown: An overview of Philip Morris International Inc’s guidance for 2021. Image Source: Philip Morris International Inc – Third Quarter of 2021 IR Earnings Presentation. On October 19, Philip Morris International reported third quarter 2021 earnings that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. The firm narrowed its reported diluted EPS estimate for 2021 in conjunction with the report, which saw the midpoint of its guidance move marginally lower,. However, Philip Morris International’s non-GAAP currency-neutral adjusted diluted EPS forecast for 2021 now calls for 13%-14% growth over 2020 levels, which is an improvement from its previous guidance calling for 12%-14% growth.

Oct 10, 2021

PepsiCo Flexes Its Pricing Power
Image Shown: PepsiCo Inc is adeptly navigating various inflationary, labor, and logistical hurdles. Investors have started to warm back up to the name and its impressive pricing power over the past several months. On October 5, beverage and snack giant PepsiCo reported third-quarter earnings for fiscal 2021 (period ended September 4, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. PepsiCo also raised its full-year guidance for fiscal 2021 in conjunction with the report.

Sep 22, 2021

Update on High-Yielding Philip Morris
Image Shown: Shares of Philip Morris International Inc have performed quite well over the past year. One of our favorite high-yielding plays is Philip Morris International---5.0% yield---the tobacco giant behind the Marlboro cigarette brand (excluding the US market) and the incredibly popular IQOS product, a heated tobacco unit (‘HTU’) offering. Shares of PM are included as in idea in the High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio and as of this writing, Philip Morris’ stock price is up 23% year-to-date before taking dividend considerations into account. The top end of our fair value estimate range sits at $119 per share of Philip Morris, indicating there is ample room for shares of PM to run higher still.