Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

Symbol Keyword

Dec 9, 2022

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of December 9
Let's take a look at firms raising/lowering their dividends this week.

Dec 8, 2022

Korn Ferry Beats Expectations in Second Quarter
Image: Korn Ferry’s shares still look cheap by our estimates. Image Source: Korn Ferry. Businesses around the world are dealing with new challenges in a post COVID-19 world, and global consulting firm Korn Ferry is working hard to build solutions for them. We continue to include Korn Ferry as an idea in the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and remain huge fans of its enormous free cash flow generation and its pristine balance sheet that holds a material net cash position. We’re sticking with our $75 per-share fair value estimate, which implies upside potential to where shares are trading.

Dec 4, 2022

Dollar General Resets Expectations; We’re Watching Free Cash Flows Closely
Image Source: Valuentum. Though comparable store sales have been consistent over the years at Dollar General, we think the concept is getting “tired” as inflation eats into its value offerings. Inventories are ballooning at the firm and internal supply chain problems will eat into earnings during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022, while the firm continues its aggressive store expansion efforts (with 1,050 new stores expected in fiscal 2023). Dollar General remains an idea in the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio, but it could become a source of “cash” if inventories and free cash flow generation become a bigger issue.

Dec 1, 2022

UnitedHealth Group Sets Bar Low with Newly Issued 2023 Guidance; We Expect Upward Revisions Throughout the Year
Image: UnitedHealth Group issued a strong outlook for 2023. We continue to like shares in the simulated Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Image Source: UnitedHealth. We are huge fans of UnitedHealth Group, and its dividend growth potential remains immense. Since 2010, UnitedHealth Group has increased its dividend at a double-digit pace each year. The top end of our fair value estimate range sits at $618 per share of UnitedHealth Group, indicating that the health care giant also possesses substantial capital appreciation upside potential as well. Looking ahead, we expect that UnitedHealth Group will grow its dividend at a robust pace, aided by its strong free cash flow generating abilities and pristine balance sheet. Shares yield ~1.2% at the time of this writing.

Nov 28, 2022

Deere’s Incredible Pricing Power Shines Through in Fiscal Fourth Quarter
Image: Deere put up excellent fiscal fourth-quarter results for the period ending October 30, 2022. The company's pricing power is phenomenal. Image Source: Deere. Deere & Company put up excellent fiscal fourth quarter results November 23, and the highlight of the quarter was the firm’s tremendous pricing power. Its outlook for fiscal 2023 was solid, too, and we expect considerable operating income expansion on the back of strong double-digit top-line growth as supply chain issues fall to the wayside in the coming quarters as economic conditions normalize. Deere has a sizable net debt position and traditional free cash flow faced pressure on a year-over-year basis during fiscal 2022, but the company may be one of the best ways to combat inflation through equities. Management also expects operating cash flow to bounce back to the range of $9-$9.5 billion in fiscal 2023 from $4.7 billion in the recently completed fiscal 2022. For us, however, Deere isn’t a great fit for the simulated newsletter portfolios given its pricey stock and comparatively small dividend yield of ~1%, but its outlook bodes well for the agricultural supply chain for fiscal 2023. The high end of our fair value estimate for Deere still resides below its current price of $440 per share, meaning investors are paying up to own Deere at the moment.

Nov 22, 2022

Dick’s Sporting Goods Defies Skeptics, Puts Up Strong Comp Performance in Fiscal Third Quarter
Image: Dick’s Sporting Goods is the premiere sporting goods retailer, and the firm’s performance during its recently reported fiscal third quarter showed a key inflection point in same-store-sales growth. Image Source: Dick’s Sporting Goods. On November 22, Dick’s Sporting Goods reported fiscal third quarter results for the period ending October 29 that beat expectations on both the top and bottom line, but the real story was the sporting good retailer’s same-store sales performance, which far exceeded the consensus expectation for the period. With a forward estimated dividend yield of ~1.8% and a solid Dividend Cushion ratio of 3.3, Dick’s Sporting Goods remains one of our favorite ideas within the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio.

Nov 21, 2022

Procter & Gamble’s Bright Investor Day Buoys Our Views on Stock
Image: Procter & Gamble has delivered pre-, during, and post-pandemic, and its long-term growth targets remain reasonable, in our view. Image Source: P&G. Procter & Gamble has raised its dividend in each of the past 66 years and has paid a dividend in each of the past 132 years. Though the maker of Pampers, Bounty, Tide, Crest, and a number of other household brands is facing the market realities of inflationary pressures on consumers, input cost headwinds and retailers tightening their inventories, we think it will be able to achieve its core targets for fiscal 2023, while rewarding dividend investors along the way. With shares yielding ~2.6% at the time of this writing, P&G remains a solid income and dividend growth consideration for conservative investors. The high end of our fair value estimate range stands at $158 per share.

Nov 21, 2022

Target’s Holiday Outlook Sends Mixed Messages; Big Sales Data Week Ahead
Image Source: Valuentum. Both Walmart and Target indicated that discretionary spending may face some pressure heading into the holiday season. Strength in beauty, skin care, and cosmetics may not be enough to cushion the blow that home electronics, sporting goods retailers, and toy makers may face. Though incrementally more positive than we were a few months ago, we remain cautious/defensive on the markets. In light of the tremendous weakness share prices have faced so far this year, we think the market had been anticipating the current slowdown, as retailers continue to adjust to a more difficult economic environment. We continue to wait to see how Black Friday and Cyber Monday numbers shake out to get an incrementally better read on how holiday numbers may pan out, which will have far-reaching implications across the retail and logistics landscapes.

Nov 19, 2022

The Case for the Valuentum Style of Investing
We provide the white paper supporting our innovative, forward-looking stock-selection methodology.

Nov 18, 2022

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of November 18
Let's take a look at firms raising/lowering their dividends this week.