FCX

Is a Stock Market Crash Coming? — Coronavirus Update and P/E Ratios

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Image Source: World Health Organization, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Situation Report — 32 We don’t think this is the environment to put new capital to work, and we remain highly cautious of what COVID-19 means for global economic growth not just in the first quarter of 2020 but for the rest of this year (maybe longer). Right now, the US markets are not really factoring in anything related to COVID-19, and perhaps may be adjusting to China’s stimulus in artificially propping up the markets as if the outbreak is somehow a “positive thing.” With the S&P 500 trading at 19.0 forward earnings estimates–estimates that are likely too high given the evidence we are seeing with respect to a slowdown due … Read more

Newmont Posts a Great Earnings Report

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Image Shown: A look at Newmont Corporation’s asset base, which is heavily centered on the Americas and Australia, with some exposure to West Africa as well. Image Source: Newmont – Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2019 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan On February 20, gold miner Newmont Corporation (NEM) reported a fourth quarter and full-year earnings report for 2019 that pleasantly surprised, with shares of NEM up sharply after the report during the trading session that Thursday. Back on January 13 (link here), we added a modest weighting of NEM shares to our Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio as part of our pivot to more defensive names given rising exogenous headwinds to the global economy. While Newmont’s top-line marginally missed consensus … Read more

Newmont Updates Investors Ahead of Earnings

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Image Source: Newmont Corporation – January 2020 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan Back on January 13 (link here), we added Newmont Corporation (NEM) to our Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio with a modest weighting as part of our shift towards more defensive names in light of rising exogenous headwinds to global economic activity. Some important considerations include Newmont increasing its quarterly payout to $0.25 per share from $0.14 per share, which is expected to be declared at the level in April 2020 (the fourth quarter of 2019 dividend, as management puts it, will be paid out in March 2020 at $0.14 per share). As of this writing, Newmont would yield ~2.2% at the new annualized dividend rate. We like Newmont’s dividend … Read more

Coronavirus May Trigger Long-Anticipated Global Recession

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Image: Wuhan New Coronavirus This was the catalyst that nobody was expecting, a novel coronavirus that nobody had in their economic models. We think global economic activity is slowing as we speak, and the spread of the virus may only accelerate in mainland China and elsewhere. Investors should keep a level head and perhaps think about adding protection to their portfolios before it becomes too expensive. By Brian Nelson, CFA How to Use Valuentum’s Investment Research Services >> We’ve walked through a number of scenarios that could trip the global economy into recession–global deflation that tips over the weakest European banks and causes contagion, global military conflict with North Korea or Iran that disrupts economic activity, increased volatility driven by … Read more

Resetting Your Mental Model

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Image Source: affen ajlfe A version of this article was originally published on our website October 6, 2013. Having the right mental model and using the right information can be the reason why you win or lose in investing. “What is the definition of timeliness? Many believe it is getting information to investors as quickly as possible after an event, or updating something every single day or week for immaterial information. I believe in a different definition of timeliness. I believe timeliness is using all information available in a mosaic approach to accurately predict the event before it even happens. Take Kinder Morgan as the latest example. We were the only ones predicting what was going to happen before it did. To investors, … Read more

Alcoa’s Turnaround Still a Work in Progress

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Image Shown: It has been rough for Alcoa Corporation over the past couple of years as the company faces a slowing global industrial economy while trying to optimize its asset base and overall operations in a bid to save on costs. By Callum Turcan After the market close on January 15, alumina, aluminum, and bauxite product leader Alcoa Corporation (AA) reported earnings covering the fourth quarter of 2019. The company’s top- and bottom-line results missed consensus expectations, sending shares of AA lower initially during after-hours trading. Financial Updates For the full-year, Alcoa recorded $10.3 billion in GAAP sales, a GAAP operating loss of $0.4 billion, and GAAP diluted EPS of -$6.07 (negative $6.07). On a non-GAAP adjusted basis, Alcoa’s diluted … Read more

Newmont’s Outlook is Bright Due to More Than Just Gold Prices Rallying

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Image Source: Newmont – Third Quarter 2019 Earnings IR Presentation We are in the process of updating our models on Newmont in light of recent events. By Callum Turcan Newmont Corporation (NEM) announced a huge boost to its dividend on January 6, with its quarterly payout growing by 79% to $0.25 per share from $0.14 previously. As of this writing, that’s good for a forward-looking yield of ~2.4%. Additionally, the company reiterated its commitment to buying back its stock now that the merger between Newmont and Goldcorp is firmly in the rear view mirror (Newmont Corporation used to be known as Newmont Goldcorp Corporation, a name that was shortened this year). We continue to like the name as one of … Read more

Valuentum Exclusive Success Rates Trump Even the Best Quant Hedge Funds

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Image: President of Investment Research Brian Nelson, CFA By Brian Nelson, CFA A new book, “The Man Who Solved the Market,” hit bookshelves last year, and thus far it has been a hit. The text goes into the story of quant hedge fund Renaissance Technologies and its hedge fund, the Medallion Fund, which has put up mammoth returns since inception. Though the book focuses more on the life and times of founder Jim Simons and dedicated only a page or two to the fall of Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM), another quant fund that went belly-up during the late 1990s, it was nonetheless a thoroughly interesting and enjoyable read. But why I am bringing up one of the most successful quant … Read more

Cleveland-Cliffs Buying AK Steel Through All-Stock Transaction

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Image Shown: A tale of two charts, with Cleveland-Cliffs Inc in blue and AK Steel Holding Corporation in orange, after the announcement was that that the former would acquire the latter in an all-stock deal. By Callum Turcan On December 3, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc (CLF) agreed to acquire AK Steel Holding Corporation (AKS) through an all-stock deal, creating a vertically integrated producer of iron ore and steel products in the US. Cleveland-Cliffs operates three iron ore mines in Michigan and Minnesota, along with a hot briquetted iron production plant in Ohio that’s under-construction, and AK steel operates steel mills in North America along with related facilities in Western Europe. Deal Overview Cleveland-Cliffs is offering 0.4 share of CLF for every share … Read more

Caterpillar Misses Estimates and Revises Guidance Downwards

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Image Source: Caterpillar Inc – Third quarter 2019 IR presentation By Callum Turcan On October 23, Caterpillar Inc (CAT) posted third-quarter 2019 earnings with both its top- and bottom-line performance falling well short of consensus expectations. Furthermore, management revised the firm’s adjusted (non-GAAP) EPS guidance for 2019 down to $10.90-$11.40 from $12.06-$13.06 previously, quite the reduction. Please note this represents Caterpillar’s second earnings guidance reduction so far this year. Caterpillar’s weak performance is about much more than just the industrial equipment supplier, it speaks unfavorably to the state of the global industrial economy. Our fair value estimate for Caterpillar stands at $156 per share, and shares of CAT yield 2.9% as of this writing. Revenue Growth Disappearing Management has adjusted … Read more