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Recent Articles
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First Read: Microsoft, Alphabet Cash Components Wonderful in Calendar Q2 2023
Jul 25, 2023
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Image: Microsoft’s free cash flow continues to be phenomenal.
There are two primary cash-based sources of intrinsic value, and Microsoft and Alphabet have gobs of them: net cash on the balance sheet and free cash flow. Both Microsoft and Alphabet reported calendar second-quarter results after the market close July 25, and while much will be said about their respective earnings reports, the reality is that the fundamental backdrop for both remains incredibly strong. We think both deserve a hearty weighting in the portfolio of the Best Ideas Newsletter, and we don’t plan to make any changes to our long-term fair value estimates as a result of the quarterly prints.
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Public Storage Picks Up Simply Self Storage; M&A Remains Hot in Self Storage
Jul 24, 2023
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Image Source: Public Storage.
On July 24, Public Storage announced that it had agreed to acquire Simply Self Storage from Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT) for $2.2 billion. The news follows the Public Storage-Life Storage takeout saga that ended with Life Storage running to Extra Space Storage for a deal. A PSA-LSI deal had made a lot of sense, and we’re not sure why LSI wanted nothing to do with PSA, but it may have had to do with a poor cultural fit. LSI apparently said it wasn’t for sale right before it tied the knot with EXR--moves that just didn’t seem to add up, in our view. In any case, we’re glad PSA walked away from a possible “winner’s curse” had it pursued LSI, and we’re largely indifferent to the smaller transaction regarding Simply Self Storage.
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Tesla Is A Net-Cash-Rich, Free-Cash-Flow Generating, Secular-Growth Powerhouse
Jul 24, 2023
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Image: Tesla’s Cybertruck showcasing its versatility. The truck is on track to begin production at Gigafactory in Texas in the coming months. Image Source: Tesla's second-quarter press release.
The cash-based sources of intrinsic value (and the trajectory of growth in them) are the most important considerations when it comes to assessing the attractiveness of an equity. Two of the most important cash-based sources of intrinsic value are net cash on the balance sheet and future expected free cash flows, and in these two areas, Tesla excels. Though we won’t be adding Tesla to any of the newsletter portfolios anytime soon, we like it within a diversified basket of large-cap growth equities, of which the Best Ideas Newsletter in some ways approximates.
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AT&T: A High Yield Dividend Disaster, Now An ESG Nightmare
Jul 24, 2023
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Image: AT&T’s shares continue to disappoint.
We’re not interested in AT&T at all and believe that shares may remain under significant pressure until 1) material top-line growth resumes, 2) the firm’s capital-intensity lessens, 3) free cash flow improves significantly, 4) dividend increases resume 5) its leverage improves and 6) there is more visibility related to the potential contingent liabilities associated with lead-covered cables. We doubt all six of these things will happen, and therefore we believe the best days are likely behind AT&T.
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