CALM

Video: Quants! You’re NOT Measuring VALUE and Nelson’s Theory of Universal Value

by

President of Investment Research Brian Nelson defines the concept of universal value and shows how quantitative statistical methods are inextricably linked to those of fundamental, financial, business-model related analysis. Value does not exist in respective process vacuums! Value is universal. Find out why. Running time: ~10 minutes.  Tickerized for Valuentum’s stock and ETF coverage universe. Transcript Hi this is Brian Nelson from Valuentum Securities, and this is the tenth edition of a series that I call “Off the Cuff,” where I get in front of the camera and I talk for ten minutes. This is what we have to talk about today. We have to talk about this concept: The Theory of Universal Value. Value does not exist in vacuums … Read more

Earnings Roundup: Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark

by

We love the business models of consumer staples, but recent fundamental performance hasn’t been great, and valuations are a bit stretched. Unilever is blaming natural disasters in the US for its underlying sales growth shortfalls, Procter & Gamble has to deliver now that it defeated Nelson Peltz, and Kimberly-Clark’s meager top-line expansion may not support its valuation. A good business does not always make a good stock. By Brian Nelson, CFA Consumer staples stocks (VDC, FSTA, XLP) are fundamentally-sound entities that sell everyday items that consumers need regardless of the ups and downs of the economic cycle. That makes their business models quite resilient through thick and thin, but it also means that many are household companies that everybody knows … Read more

Amazon To Buy Whole Foods: Not Creative Destruction, Just Destruction

by

Image Source: Mike Mozart Amazon announced plans to buy Whole Foods. We’re viewing the news as affirmation of our decision to stay largely away from retail exposure in the newsletter portfolios. We think a bidding war for Whole Foods is possible, mostly to keep it and its real estate out of the hands of Amazon, potentially setting up for a true “winner’s curse” scenario. The winner will overpay. By Brian Nelson, CFA We’re not pleased, but then again, it’s okay. Amazon (AMZN) announced June 16 that it will buy high-end grocer Whole Foods (WFM) for $42 per share in cash. Though we mentioned that Amazon was expanding into the grocery store market anecdotally, we must say that it still is … Read more

Valuentum’s 3 Breakthroughs in the Field of Finance and More

by

Valuentum’s President Brian Nelson pauses for a picture before speaking at the CFA Society of Houston in March 2017. By Valuentum Editorial Staff Let’s cover Valuentum’s 3 major breakthroughs in the field of finance. The first one is big and may challenge you to rethink everything you think you know about investing. 1. On a logical framework, Valuentum has debunked John C. Bogle’s landmark syllogism that has paved the way for the concept of index investing. Index investing has been built on a logical shortcoming, whether supported by evidence or not. We think it is important that the investment community know of this. Read (pdf): The “Luck” and “Randomness” of Index Funds (2018), Brian Nelson, CFA See video documentation: /FALLACY_of_Index_Funds To … Read more

The Under-reported Story: The Presence of Avian Influenza May Be the “New Norm”

by

Source: Cal-Maine, Valuentum estimates; Urner-Barry Southeastern Regional Large Egg Market Price (per dozen eggs) Egg prices are soaring as the avian flu has run rampant across farms in Midwestern states. According to some studies, the outbreak has reduced the national flock by more than 10%, and it is the largest outbreak on record in US history. Egg prices are the highest they’ve been in some time, and investors may not be fully aware of the implications. A state of emergency has been declared in Iowa, where the impact may be the worst. Scientists believe the virus may recede as temperatures in the Midwest increase, but every company in the food products industry, big or small, is being impacted at the … Read more

Valuentum Economic Castleâ„¢ Rating Update

by

Read: Keeping the Horse Before the Cart: Valuentum’s Economic Castle™ Rating The Economic Castle Focuses on the Magnitude of Economic Value Creation The Valuentum Economic Castle™ rating is an enhancement of the competitive advantage framework (commonly known as economic moat analysis) that has become widespread and ubiquitous within the investing world. Whereas an economic moat framework evaluates a firm on the basis of the sustainability and durability of its competitive advantages, Valuentum’s Economic Castle™ rating evaluates a firm on the basis of the firm’s future economic profit spread (return on invested capital less its weighted average cost of capital). The companies with the strongest Valuentum Economic Castle™ ratings are poised to generate the most economic value for shareholders in the … Read more

Nelson: The 16 Most Important Steps To Understand The Stock Market

by

A previous version of this article appeared on our website July 21, 2013. Refreshed and updated throughout, as of July 2018. By Brian Nelson, CFA After earning my MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and training stock and credit analysts from large organizations over the past decade or so, I have heard just about every question (though I admit I am still surprised by many things and remain a very humble student of the markets). I’ve also spent years perfecting the discounted cash flow process for large research organizations such as Morningstar and studied under one of the most famed aggressive growth investors of all time, Richard Driehaus. My knowledge runs the gamut from value through … Read more

Tyson, ConAgra, Hershey, and Cal-Maine Lead the Pack

by

Stocks Featured: ADM, BG, CALM, CAG, FDP, GIS, HSY, K, KRFT, MKC, MJN, MDLZ, TSN, UN. As we survey recent performance across the Food Products industry (large, small), a number of firms continue to struggle to squeeze out modest growth, while others are putting up rather impressive organic top-line and adjusted earnings expansion. Perhaps the strongest fundamental performer in the group has been meat-processor Tyson Foods (TSN), which recorded impressive bottom-line growth in its fiscal third quarter, released August 5, as operating income in its ‘Chicken’ segment jumped 38% thanks to increased domestic/international production and strong pricing. The company’s fiscal 2014 outlook also speaks to robust chicken production and lower input costs, and we expect the strong top- and bottom-line performance to continue. Tyson Foods has been a 9 on our Valuentum Buying Index for some time and … Read more

There Is Milk At The Store

by

This article first appeared in the September edition of the High Yield Dividend Newsletter. For more information about this publication, please see here. “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” — Winston Churchill By Brian Nelson, CFA Very few of us could have imagined that we’d witness the bull market that began on that fateful day in March 2009 that might very well mark a generational low. In 2009, major investment banks around the globe were struggling to survive, and the fallout in the mortgage markets left the banks holding paper that nobody wanted to own, let alone buy. The global financial system … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending November 2

by

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending November 2. 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 Aircastle (AYR): now $0.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. AllianceBernstein (AB): now $0.69 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.62. American Assets Trust (AAT): now $0.28 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.27. Apollo Global Management (APO): now $0.46 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.43. Arbor Realty Trust (ABR): now $0.27 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. Black Stone Minerals (BSM): now $0.37 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more