Paper: Value and Momentum Within Stocks, Too

Please select the image below to download, “Value and Momentum Within Stocks, Too:” Abstract: This paper strives to advance the field of finance in four ways: 1) it extends the theory of the “The Arithmetic of Active Management” to the investor level; 2) it addresses certain data problems of factor-based methods, namely with respect to value and book-to-market ratios, while introducing price-to-fair-value ratios in a factor-based approach; 3) it may lay the foundation for academic literature regarding the Valuentum, the value-timing, and ultra-momentum factors; and 4) it walks through the potential relative outperformance that may be harvested at the intersection of relevant, unique and compensated factors within individual stocks. To download the full report, please click here (pdf). ———- Actual results … Read more

Dick’s Sporting Goods Soars, Raises Dividend 10%

Image: Dick’s Sporting Goods’ shares have soared since the doldrums of the COVID-19 meltdown. By Brian Nelson, CFA On March 14, Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio holding Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS) reported better-than-expected top and bottom-line performance for the fourth quarter and issued a solid outlook for fiscal 2024. Shares of Dick’s Sporting Goods have done fantastic since the worst of the COVID-19 meltdown years ago, and the momentum behind its business remains strong, as evidenced by a nice 10% increase in its quarterly dividend. We expect to raise our fair value estimate of Dick’s Sporting Goods upon our next valuation model update, and the company remains a key idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Management’s commentary in the quarterly … Read more

Dick’s Sporting Goods Still Looks Really Cheap

Image Source: Dick’s Sporting Goods By Brian Nelson, CFA On November 21, Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS) reported solid third-quarter results with sales up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis thanks to comparable store sales growth of 1.7% that lapped an impressive 6.5% increase in the same period a year ago. Non-GAAP earnings per share came in at $2.85 in the quarter, up from $2.60 in last year’s period. The company also raised its 2023 comparable store sales growth guidance range to 0.5%-2% from flat to 2% previously, and it raised its 2023 non-GAAP earnings per share outlook to $12.00-$12.60 from its previous range of $11.50-$12.30. We liked the news and continue to believe that shares of Dick’s Sporting Goods are mispriced. … Read more

Dick’s Sporting Goods Trades at Less Than 10x Expected Fiscal 2023 Earnings; We Like Shares

Image Source: Dick’s Sporting Goods By Brian Nelson, CFA When it comes to retail exposure, Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS) is one of our top considerations. The company reported strong first-quarter fiscal 2023 results for the period ending April 29, 2023, that showed 3.4% same-store-sales growth and a 19% advance in non-GAAP earnings per diluted share. For fiscal 2023, management is targeting positive same-store sales expansion and earnings per diluted share in the range of $12.90-$13.80, implying that shares are trading at less than 10x expected fiscal 2023 earnings. The company has considerable long-term operating lease liabilities, but it has a net cash position. Dick’s Sporting Goods raised its dividend considerably recently, and we continue to like shares in the Dividend … Read more

Walmart Warns: “Prices Are Still High and There Is Considerable Pressure on the Consumer”

  Image Source: Mike Mozart By Brian Nelson, CFA As we wrote in “The Fed ‘Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” in early January, the trade-down trends that we’re seeing in big box retail and with groceries, more generally, are interesting. Inflation started to accelerate with food-at-home prices moving aggressively higher in early 2022, and consumers have been trading down to better value. It probably wasn’t until egg prices soared, however — driven in part by a shortage of egg laying chickens (not just inflationary pressures) – that tipped everyday consumers to budget more cautiously, and the largest big box retailer in Walmart (WMT) is seeing this impact first-hand. Here’s what’s happening on the ground, per Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon on the … Read more

Something New!

Hi everyone: To stay true to our mission, you’ll find something new regarding our methodology. In the coming weeks, you’ll see this table in our work going forward. We just wanted to let you know. We appreciate your membership very much!   ——————————————— About Our Name But how, you will ask, does one decide what [stocks are] “attractive”? Most analysts feel they must choose between two approaches customarily thought to be in opposition: “value” and “growth,”…We view that as fuzzy thinking…Growth is always a component of value [and] the very term “value investing” is redundant.                          — Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway annual report, 1992 At Valuentum, we take Buffett’s thoughts one step further. We think the best opportunities arise from an understanding of … Read more

Announcing Valuentum’s Customer Appreciation Day Winners!

In no particular order — the five winners… As a Chief Investment Strategist that oversees a significant amount of assets, it is vital to have unbiased research that we can lean on for decision making. Brian and the Valuentum team help provide a disciplined and fundamental approach to stock analysis without the typical Wall Street bias or conflicts of interest. The value we get on a monthly basis for having this detailed thought analysis and wise long-term thinking greatly outweighs the cost. We are very happy to have them on our short list of management we trust.  – Stephen H. (October 2022) —– I’d like you to know what my takeaways are from your research: 1) Be wary of capital … Read more

New Payment Option! Valuentum Research Update!

Hi everyone: — We’re excited to say that we’re adding additional payment flexibility at Valuentum. — Many members have expressed interest in paying via other providers, and we have added Square to the mix. You can use credit or debit card or bank (ACH) to pay via invoice. — With all of the goings-on in the financial technology and payments space, we wanted to continue to provide members options to pay their memberships how they want and through who they want. You can always reach out to us at info@valuentum.com. — You’ll notice that we’ve also tightened our focus at Valuentum during the past 12-24 months in advance of what has certainly become a more difficult 2022 than even some … 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

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