Nelson Nailed Food Price Inflation Risks; Markets Heading Lower

Image Source: Liz West “Milk was up 17%, poultry up 15.9%, while eggs were up 39.8% in the August CPI report.” By Brian Nelson, CFA Hi everyone: I put together a video several weeks ago on August 27, explaining how consumers were tapped out due to inflationary squeezes, particularly at the grocery store, as a big reason for being incrementally more bearish on the equity markets. The August CPI report, released September 13, showed that consumer prices advanced 8.3% on a year-over-year basis and are still accelerating, increasing 0.1 percent from July, where the pace was unchanged. Milk was up 17%, poultry up 15.9%, while eggs were up 39.8% in the August CPI report. We don’t think the market was … Read more

Dividend Growth Idea Dick’s Sporting Goods Beats Estimates, Raises Guidance

Image Shown: Shares of Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc have been on a nice upward climb of late. The sporting goods retailer raised its full-year guidance for fiscal 2022 during its fiscal second quarter earnings report. By Callum Turcan On August 23, Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc (DKS) reported second quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended July 30, 2022) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. The sporting goods retailer also raised its full-year guidance for fiscal 2022 in conjunction with the report, after previously lowering its guidance during its fiscal first quarter earnings update in May 2022. We continue to like Dick’s Sporting Goods as an idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Shares of DKS yield ~1.8% as … Read more

Walmart’s Business Update Likely Means U.S. Is In Recession, But Near-Term Weakness Is Already Baked Into Stock Market

Image Shown: Shares of Walmart Inc dropped sharply during afterhours trading on July 25 as the retailer sharply cut its adjusted operating income and EPS guidance for the current fiscal year as inflationary pressures are taking a sizable toll on its bottom-line. By Callum Turcan On July 25, Walmart Inc (WMT) issued a business update that saw the retailer sharply cut its adjusted operating income and EPS guidance for fiscal 2023 (period ended January 2023), while boosting its consolidated net sales guidance. The company also adjusted its guidance for the fiscal second quarter. Shares of WMT plummeted during afterhours trading on July 25 as investors began to price in concerns over the retailer’s deteriorating margins. We anticipated ongoing weakness in … Read more

Nike Beats Estimates in the Face of Supply Chain Constraints

Image Shown: Shares of Nike Inc shifted higher in the wake of its latest earnings report. By Callum Turcan On December 20, Nike Inc (NKE) reported second quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended November 30, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. The company did its best to navigate serious supply chain hurdles as efforts by public health officials and governments to contain the spread of the coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic in Southeast Asia (a major production hub for apparel and footwear) weighed quite negatively on its ability to meet demand. Earnings Update Nike’s GAAP revenues grew 1% year-over-year in the fiscal second quarter, hitting $11.4 billion, as the company, and the apparel and footwear industry at large, … Read more

Dividend Growth Idea Dick’s Sporting Goods Is Firing on All-Cylinders; Raises Guidance (Again) While Generating Gobs of Free Cash Flow

Image Source: Valuentum By Callum Turcan On November 23, Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc (DKS) reported third quarter earnings for fiscal 2021 (period ended October 30, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. The sporting goods retailer once again raised its full-year guidance for fiscal 2021 in conjunction with its latest earnings report. Dick’s Sporting Goods also raised its guidance when reporting its fiscal second quarter earnings back in August 2021 and its fiscal first quarter earnings back in May 2021, highlighting management’s growing confidence in the company’s near term performance. Though shares of DKS sold off following its latest earnings update, likely due to concerns over inflationary pressures and supply chain hurdles, Dick’s Sporting Goods’ outlook remains rock-solid. … Read more

Dividend Growth Idea Dick’s Sporting Goods Announces Great News

Image Shown: Dividend Growth Idea Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc has put up tremendous performance of late. By Callum Turcan On August 25, Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc (DKS) reported second quarter earnings for fiscal 2021 (period ended July 31, 2021) that soared past consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Furthermore, Dick’s Sporting Goods raised its full-year guidance for fiscal 2021, doubled its minimum share buyback program to $0.4 billion for fiscal 2021, increased its regular quarterly dividend by 21% on a sequential basis to $0.4375 per share (bringing its annualized payout up to $1.75 per share), and announced a special dividend of $5.50 per share during its latest earnings update. We are incredibly pleased with the company’s performance of late. Dick’s Sporting … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week June 4

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending June 4. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE): now $1.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.09. American Eagle Outfitters (AEO): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.14. Eastern Bankshares (EBC): now $0.08 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. Essential Properties (EPRT): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.24. Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PFD C FIX TO FLT (AGM.PC): now $0.375 per share quarterly dividend. First Savings Financial … Read more

ICYMI — Video: Exclusive 2020 — Furthering the Financial Discipline

ICYMI — Video: Exclusive 2020 — Furthering the Financial Discipline — — In this 40+ minute video jam-packed with must-watch content, Valuentum’s President Brian Nelson talks about the Theory of Universal Valuation and how his work is furthering the financial discipline. Learn the pitfalls of factor investing and modern portfolio theory and how the efficient markets hypothesis holds little substance in the wake of COVID-19. He’ll talk about which companies Valuentum likes and why, and which areas he’s avoiding. This and more in Valuentum’s 2020 Exclusive conference call.   Note: This video was originally published August 2, 2020.    To watch the video >>   The Theory of Universal Valuation —– Valuentum members have access to our 16-page stock reports, … Read more

ICYMI: Valuentum’s Brian Nelson on the Latest Howard Marks’ Memo: “Something of Value”

Valuentum’s President of Investment Research Brian Michael Nelson, CFA, explains why there are not really value and growth stocks, why most of the research in quantitative finance is spurious and needs to be redefined on a forward-looking basis, and why enterprise valuation (not the efficient markets hypothesis) should be the organizing principle of finance. Nelson explains his views about valuation, what it means to be a value investor, and investing in the context of Oaktree Capital Howard Marks’ latest memo, “Something of Value,” January 11, 2021. Please don’t forget to give the second edition of the book “Value Trap” a 5-star rating on Amazon here. Thank you for your membership! —– Tickerized for holdings in the IWM. Valuentum members have … Read more

L Brands Continues to Bounce Back

Image Source: L Brands Inc – Third Quarter of Fiscal 2020 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan L Brands Inc (LB) is home to the Victoria’s Secret, PINK and Bath & Body Works retail brands (PINK is included within its Victoria’s Secret umbrella). The company has ~2,700 company-operated stores in Canada, the Greater China region, and the US along with more than 700 franchised locations worldwide. Sometime in 2021, L Brands intends to separate Bath & Body Works from its other operations, a plan management reiterated during a virtual December 2020 investor presentation. Bath & Body Works has been growing at a brisk pace of late, while Victoria’s Secret has been a drag on company-wide performance at L Brands. Though … Read more