Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

Symbol Keyword

Apr 19, 2024

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of April 19
Let's take a look at firms raising/lowering their dividends this week.

Mar 23, 2023

"Charles Schwab CEO on SVB fallout, contagion risk and deposits" -- CNBC Television
Image: Shares of Charles Schwab have faced considerable pressure as a result of the ongoing regional bank crisis. Charles Schwab CEO Walter Bettinger recently talked with CNBC's Sara Eisen about developments at the brokerage house.

Oct 20, 2021

Quants and High-Frequency Trading the Real Cause of the GameStop Frenzy?
Image: The cause of the GameStop trading frenzy remains largely unclassified as it appears to us that quant and high-frequency trading played a much bigger role in the market disruption than what is being reported. We think the SEC staff put out a fantastic “GameStop Report” with some excellent information. However, the report did not get to the crux of the matter, failing to disclose what actually caused the extreme market volatility in meme stocks, while glossing over the substantial increase in institutional accounts, likely belonging to quant/trend/momentum funds, that contributed to the trading frenzy this year. We think investors and market participants deserve to know more about what caused this threat to market integrity and structure as the continued proliferation of which may only grow larger and larger in the coming decades. If it was quant trading, then we encourage the SEC to take steps to ensure that such trading is curbed effectively as it is clear that such price-agnostic activity is not contributing to market efficiency.

Feb 8, 2021

Stock Market Outlook for 2021
2020 was one from the history books and a year that will live on in infamy. That said, we are excited for the future as global health authorities are steadily putting an end to the public health crisis created by COVID-19, aided by the quick discovery of safe and viable vaccines. Tech, fintech, and payment processing firms were all big winners in 2020, and we expect that to continue being the case in 2021. Digital advertising, cloud-computing, and e-commerce activities are set to continue dominating their respective fields. Cybersecurity demand is moving higher and the constant threats posed by both governments (usually nations that are hostile to Western interests) and non-state actors highlights how crucial these services are. Retailers with omni-channel selling capabilities are well-positioned to ride the global economic recovery upwards. Green energy firms will continue to grow at a brisk pace in 2021, though the oil & gas industry appears ready for a comeback. The adoption of 5G wireless technologies and smartphones will create immense growth opportunities for smartphone makers, semiconductor players and telecommunications giants. Video streaming services have become ubiquitous over the past decade with room to continue growing as households “cut the cord” and instead opt for several video streaming packages. We’re not too big of fans of old industrial names given their capital-intensive nature relative to capital-light technology or fintech, but there are select names that have appeal. Cryptocurrencies have taken the market by storm as we turn the calendar into 2021, but the traditional banking system remains healthy enough to withstand another shock should it be on the horizon. Our fair value estimate of the S&P 500 remains $3,530-$3,920, but we may still be on a roller coaster ride for the year. Here’s to a great 2021!

Nov 12, 2020

ICE’s Purchase of Ellie Mae Gives Us Pause
Image Source: IntercontinentalExchage. Intercontinental Exchange’s acquisitive behavior and weakening balance sheet have given us pause. The company may have bitten off more than it can chew with its $11 billion cash and stock acquisition of Ellie Mae, a cloud-based provider in mortgage finance, and we question its new debt-funded strategic direction, which takes it further from its core bread-and-butter operations we liked so much.

May 19, 2020

Video: A Call for More Policy Action in a Post COVID-19 World
Image: There may no longer be any basis for believing in efficient markets. Investors were bidding up the price of the wrong company because of confusion over its ticker symbol. This is just one example of how markets are inefficient. Bailouts coupled with Fed and Treasury stimulus from COVID-19 will have profound implications on investment behavior, with expectations for indexing and quantitative strategies to continue to proliferate. New rules may be required to ensure that investors' interests are truly being put first. President of Valuentum Brian Nelson presents a call to action.

Oct 4, 2019

Economic Commentary: Apple $225+, Brokers Tumble, Auto Sales Look Tired
Image: Shares of TD Ameritrade Holdings have been punished as online trading commissions go to zero. "Though all signs point to increased volatility, we maintain our view that we’re well-positioned in the newsletter portfolios, and the ideas highlighted in the Exclusive publication consider the backdrop economic conditions we closely monitor." -- Brian Nelson, CFA

Aug 23, 2018

In the News: Pot, Pop, and Pricing Wars
Let’s take a look at some of the hottest topics around the markets.

Jan 16, 2015

We Need To Bring Back Respect To This Industry
The financial industry has been mired in avoidable embarassments from glorified commercials to encouraging overleveraged risk-taking. Valuentum's President Brian Nelson talks about how investors have lost respect for investment professionals during the past decade, and why the industry must reinvent itself to properly serve its core customer.