Value Trap, More Volatility; We’re Waiting and Watching

Image shown: The decision to remove GE from the simulated newsletter portfolios when we did may have been our best call yet.  In this note, let’s talk about the importance of reading Value Trap, learn why we’ve gone “fully invested,” talk a little bit about put options, learn some of the intricacies of the Valuentum process, find out where to find VBI rankings to download and sort, and talk about some of our recently-highlighted ideas in the simulated newsletter portfolios. No Changes to Simulated Newsletter portfolios Brian Nelson, CFA Trust you are having a wonderful Monday morning! I hope that many of you made the conference call last Thursday at 11amET, but if you didn’t, we’ll have another one coming soon. … Read more

The Intricacies of the Valuentum Process

Let’s take a quick overview of the Valuentum processes for capital appreciation and dividend growth with a discussion of how we use the Valuentum Buying Index and the Dividend Cushion ratio. By Brian Nelson, CFA There is a lot behind the Valuentum processes for capital appreciation and dividend growth, respectively, and both the criteria for inclusion to either the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and simulated Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio are different. Our best ideas at any time, however, are always included in the simulated newsletter portfolios. We use our research as a means to identify new ideas for consideration in the simulated newsletter portfolios, as well as to consider removing ideas from the simulated newsletter portfolios. As it relates to … Read more

Catching the Bottom?

Image shown: The depths of how far the S&P 500 (SPY) has fallen more recently, and the timing of the decision to move to being “fully invested” in simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and simulated Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio.   No Changes to Simulated Newsletter portfolios. This article was sent to members via email January 9. That email can be found at the link that follows this article. By Brian Nelson, CFA On the evening of December 26, we emailed members that we were moving to “fully invested” in both the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter and simulated Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. First of all, please let me apologize. I wanted to stay in front of members during one of the most volatile times … Read more

Markets Up Big; Upside Volatility

Image shown: The S&P 500 ETF (SPY) since August 2017. The index has broken through support and is now bouncing back to resistance. By Brian Nelson, CFA Good morning everyone, Are you watching these markets? This is incredible. The Dow finished down 660 points yesterday (briefly dropping 700 points), and today, the Dow is currently trading up 600 points at the time of this writing. Granted, there was Apple’s (AAPL) poor first-quarter 2019 guidance yesterday and the strong jobs report today, but this volatility is not “normal,” no matter what others are saying. A couple announcements up front. For those that already ordered our book Value Trap, I will send you the pdf download to your email address just to make sure … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending April 22

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending April 22. 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 American Water Works (AWK): now $0.375 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.34. Aspen Insurance Holdings (AHL): now $0.22 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.21. Canadian Pacific Railway (CP): now C$0.50 per share quarterly dividend, was C$0.35. Celanese (CE): now $0.36 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.30.           Charles Schwab (SCHW): now $0.07 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. Citizens Financial (CFG): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

Top Research and Ideas You May Have Missed

Is Quant Value Giving Intrinsic Value Investors a Bad Name? Surely, you don’t believe Warren Buffett’s “style” is out of favor? By Brian Nelson, CFA I need to make sure that you’re aware of something very important. The media and perhaps many investment professionals define the concept of “value” as companies with low price-to-book (P/B) ratios, and the concept of “growth” as companies with high price-to-book ratios. This definition of “value” and “growth” and their corresponding returns have been magnified in writings throughout the media and across quantitative research, even in prestigious journals. Warren Buffett has been rallying against most quantitative applications and how “growth” and “value” are defined in popular media and quantitative research for decades.  Here’s one of the Oracle’s most … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week April 29

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending April 29. 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      Adecoagro (AGRO): now $0.1571 per share semi-annual dividend. AGCO (AGCO): now $0.24 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.20. Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX): now $0.20 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.19. Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP): now $0.35 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. Altra Industrial Motion (AIMC): now $0.09 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.08. American Water Works (AWK): now $0.655 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.603. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending April 21

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending April 21. 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 1st Source (SRCE): now $0.19 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.18. American Water Works (AWK): now $0.415 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.375. Aon (AON): now $0.36 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.33. Blackstone (BX): now $0.87 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.47. Celanese (CE): now $0.46 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.36. CONE Midstream Partners (CNNX): now $0.2821 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.2724. Cross … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending April 20

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending April 20. 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 American Water Works (AWK): now $0.455 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.415. AmeriServ Financial (ARSV): now $0.02 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.015. Antero Midstream GP (AMGP): now $0.108 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.075. Antero Midstream Partners (AM): now $0.39 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.365. Badger Daylighting (BADFF): now CAD 0.045 per share monthly dividend, was CAD 0.038. Banco Santander-Chile (BSAC): now $0.9563 per … Read more

Valuentum: Now Bearish, We’ve Been Here Every Step of the Way

Valuentum Has Been Here Every Step of the Way   From the COVID-19 top in February 2020 to the COVID-19 bottom to the massive bull run through the end of 2021, we’ve been here for you.    2022 started out to be a rough year, catching many by surprise.   But Valuentum stayed positive. When the markets headed south in June, Valuentum stood its ground. On June 14, Valuentum said that “we still believe stocks could make a “huge rebound” in the near term.   We reiterated our views a few days later and on June 19, we said that “investors shouldn’t panic during this bear market” and that “stocks remain an attractive proposition at the moment and a very attractive consideration … Read more