EBS

Best Idea Vertex Pharma Outperforming in 2022

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Image Shown: Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc, an idea included in our Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio, have performed incredibly well year-to-date through October 2022. By Callum Turcan Through the end of normal trading hours on October 7, shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (VRTX) are up ~34% year-to-date on a price-only basis. We include shares of Vertex Pharma as an idea in the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and remain huge fans of the name. Vertex Pharma’s commercialized drug portfolio consists of various treatments for cystic fibrosis (‘CF’) and the cash flows generated from sales of these therapeutics are used to invest in the biotech company’s robust drug development pipeline. Earnings and Guidance Update On August 4, Vertex Pharma reported second … Read more

One of Our Favorite Dividend Growth Ideas J&J Smashes Consensus Estimates

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Image Shown: Summary of Johnson & Johnson’s first-quarter 2021 earnings results. Image Source: J&J. Valuentum’s Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio >> By Callum Turcan On April 20, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) reported first quarter 2021 earnings that smashed past consensus estimates. In conjunction with the solid earnings report, Johnson & Johnson raised its quarterly dividend 5% sequentially to $1.06 per share or $4.24 per share on an annualized basis, good for a forward-looking yield of ~2.5% as of this writing. The health care giant’s outperformance largely came from its ‘Medical Devices’ segment, which took a beating last year as the COVID-19 pandemic prompted widespread deferrals of elective surgeries. Last quarter, this part of the firm’s business grew its reported sales by … Read more

Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine Gets the Green Light

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Image Shown: We include Johnson & Johnson as an idea in both the Best Ideas Newsletter and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolios. The health care giant is home to over two dozen ‘platforms/products’ that generate $1.0+ billion in annual sales, as you can see in the above graphic. Recently, Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine received emergency use authorization from the US CDC, which will provide public health authorities with another arrow in their quiver as it relates to bringing an end to the public health crisis. Image Source: Johnson & Johnson – Fourth Quarter of 2020 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan At the end of February 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (‘CDC’) gave emergency use authorization … Read more

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

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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

Steris Ties the Knot with Cantel Medical

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Image Shown: Cantel Medical Corp is getting bought out by Steris PLC through a cash-and-stock deal. The image up above highlights Cantel Medical’s promising long-term growth outlook, though its performance in 2020 was subdued due to headwinds created by the coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic. In our view, Steris was attracted to Cantel Medical’s improving outlook (the latter started to stage an impressive rebound in the second half of calendar year 2020) and the ability for the combined firm to generate substantial synergies. Image Source: Cantel Medical Corp – December 2020 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan On December 2, we highlighted (link here) the ongoing turnaround at Cantel Medical Corp (CMD) and noted that “we (thought) Cantel Medical is one for the … Read more

Value Is Not Static and the Qualitative Overlay Is Vital to Our Process

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With prudence and care, the Valuentum Buying Index process and its components are carried out. Our analyst team spends most of its time thinking about the intrinsic value of companies within the context of a discounted cash-flow model and evaluating the risk profile of a company’s revenue model. We have checks and balances, too. First, we use a fair value range in our valuation approach as we embrace the very important concept that value is a range and not a point estimate. A relative value overlay as the second pillar helps to add conviction in the discounted cash-flow process, while a technical and momentum overlay seeks to provide confirmation in all of the valuation work. There’s a lot happening behind the scenes even before a VBI rating is published, but it will always be just one factor to consider. Within any process, of course, we value the human, qualitative overlay, which captures a wealth of experience and common sense. We strive to surface our best ideas for members.

Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine Not a Catalyst for Portfolio Changes

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Image: BioNTech. Next Generation Immunotherapy Presentation, October 2020. By Brian Nelson, CFA The world received great news this week that the days of this terrible COVID-19 pandemic may finally be numbered. On November 9, Pfizer (PFE) and BioNTech (BNTX) announced that “their mRNA-based vaccine candidate, BNT162b2, against SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated evidence of efficacy against COVID-19 in participants without prior evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.” Here is what Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla had to add with respect to the development: Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19. We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development … Read more

Update on Johnson & Johnson

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Image Shown: An overview of Johnson & Johnson’s expectations for fiscal 2021 provided during its second quarter of fiscal 2020 earnings report. We continue to like shares of Johnson & Johnson as a top-weighted holding in our Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Image Source: Johnson & Johnson – Second Quarter of Fiscal 2020 Earnings IR Presentation By Callum Turcan Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is a top-weighted holding in our Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio, and we continue to be big fans of the healthcare and consumer staples giant. The company recently published some key updates that we wanted to draw our members’ attention towards. Before we begin, please note that Johnson & Johnson is near the front of the pack when it … Read more

HCA’s Latest Results Indicate Healthcare Providers Are Holding Up Better Than Expected

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Image Source: HCA Healthcare Inc – Second Quarter of 2020 Earnings Press Release By Callum Turcan The ongoing coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic has had a devastating impact on the financial performance of healthcare providers (operators of hospitals and other medical facilities) due to the decline in the number of elective surgeries performed. Please note elective surgeries tend to be more lucrative for healthcare providers than the other services they provide, generally speaking. Elective surgeries in many US states were indefinitely postponed when the pandemic first hit. In late March, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (‘CARES Act’) which included $100 billion in emergency funding for hospitals and healthcare providers to mitigate the financial blow from the pandemic … Read more

Johnson & Johnson Beats Estimates and Raises Guidance

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Image Source: Johnson & Johnson – Second Quarter of 2020 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan On July 16, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) reported second quarter 2020 earnings that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Most importantly, Johnson & Johnson increased its full-year guidance for 2020 as the firm is well-prepared to ride out the ongoing coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic, in our view. We continue to like shares of JNJ in both the Best Ideas Newsletter and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolios. As of this writing, shares of JNJ yield ~2.7%. Guidance Boost In the upcoming graphic down below, Johnson & Johnson provides a side-by-side comparison of the firm’s previous full-year guidance for 2020 as of April 2020 versus its current … Read more