Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Oct 27, 2019

BREAKING: General Motors and the UAW Reach a Deal, Ending the Strike
Image Shown: Shares of General Motors had come under fire over concerns regarding the extended UAW strike over the past several weeks, but with the strike now over, shares of GM may begin to converge back towards their intrinsic value. For General Motors, the company was a bigger winner than at first glance. While the strike reportedly will cost the company north of $2.0 billion on a pre-tax basis, General Motors was successful at getting several of its underutilized factories closed. Americans want SUVs, crossovers, and pickup trucks, not passenger cars, so maintaining factories set up to meet demand that isn’t there just doesn’t make sense on an economic basis. We see this deal as being a win-win and part of General Motors’ ability to continue improving its cost structure by removing underutilized assets from its operations while keeping in mind the company often needs approval from the union in order to do so. The pay increases are reasonable, and given that underutilized factories are shutting down, we think General Motors’ cost structure will keep getting better over the coming quarters and years ahead.

Oct 22, 2019

Ford Provides an Update on Its Self-Driving Plans
Image Source: Ford Motor Company – 2018 Annual Report. Ford reiterated that the goal is to begin commercializing its autonomous driving investments starting in 2021 via a self-driving service, likely something akin to a fleet of taxi cabs with built-in autonomous driving equipment and software. Self-driving taxi cab services could in theory create substantial recurring revenue streams that are less cyclical than demand for automobiles, allowing for smoother financial performance and more consistent free cash flows at an automaker like Ford.

Oct 16, 2019

BREAKING: UAW-GM Reaches Deal, More Coming from Valuentum Soon...
BREAKING: UAW-GM Reaches Deal, More Coming from Valuentum Soon...

Oct 7, 2019

General Motors and the Union Strike!
Image Source: General Motors Company – IR Presentation. A holding in both our Best Ideas Newsletter and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolios, shares of General Motors have come under pressure over the past month from the ongoing strike that involves roughly 46,000-48,000 of its workers (primarily in the US). Our fair value estimate for shares of General Motors stands at $48 per share, well above where GM is trading at as of this writing. We continue to like the name and will be monitoring ongoing UAW-GM talks very closely going forward. Shares of GM yield 4.4% as of this writing.

Oct 1, 2019

Carvana Seeks to Disrupt an Enormous Market
Image Source: Carvana Co. – IR Presentation. Carvana seeks to disrupt the used car and used light truck market in the United States as a leading e-commerce platform for used automobile sales. Perhaps best known for its “car vending machines” that are located in key metropolitan areas across the US, Carvana wants to fundamentally transform the way consumers buy, sell, and ultimately ascertain the proper value for used automobiles. Unlike more recent IPOs of high flying companies with absolutely no chance of becoming profitable, Carvana appears to have a scalable business model. For the established companies in this arena, we caution that Carvana may one day represent a serious competitive threat.

Sep 16, 2019

Our Reports on Stocks in the Auto Making Industry
Image Source: HRYMX. The auto manufacturers industry is characterized by high fixed costs, substantial operating leverage, and intense competition. Vehicle sales are impacted by general economic conditions, which are largely out of the control of participants, and by the cost of credit and fuel. Excess capacity, price discounting and other marketing initiatives can pressure the top line, while rising raw material and labor costs can squeeze the bottom line. Changing consumer preferences in type, model and fuel-efficiency can cause abrupt shifts in market share. The structural characteristics of the group are very poor.

Aug 23, 2019

Trump "Tweet Storm" Reveals Increased Frustration with Fed, China
Markets are starting to look toppy.

Aug 18, 2019

Investors Aren’t Sold on Lear’s Ostensibly “Cheap” Valuation and Neither Are We
Image Shown: While Lear Corporation appears attractive at first glance, its technical performance tells a different story. The market is concerned that the global synchronized downturn that has emerged will get worse, which would weigh on Lear’s expected financial trajectory. Global automotive sales are already coming under pressure, and there’s not much Lear, as a leading auto parts supplier, can do about that. We think the market might be right on this one. While Lear appears cheap at first glance, we think this is another Value Trap.

Aug 1, 2019

How About the New Vette? General Motors Bouncing Back
Image Source: GM Chevrolet Next-Generation Corvette, 2020 Stingray revealed July 18. Shares of General Motors held up well in an otherwise weak market August 1 after posting a solid second quarter 2019 earnings report. The new Vette looks sharp.

Jul 25, 2019

Viewing Intrinsic Value as a Range of Outcomes: Tesla’s Margins Come Under Fire in Second Quarter, Shares Sell Off
Image Source: The Valuentum Buying Index almost called the top in Tesla's shares. Tesla shares are under considerable pressure, and we can understand why. Investors are concerned positive free cash flows may be farther away than previously anticipated as Tesla’s margins come under pressure from its transition into the mass-market via the Model 3 offering. We value shares of TSLA at $219 per share at the midpoint of our fair value estimate range and are staying away from the electric automaker as it doesn’t appear the company is firing on all cylinders just yet.