Discount Rates, Growth Rates, and “Skin in the Game”

In episode 18 of his video series “Off the Cuff,” President of Investment Research Brian Nelson talks about why it is so important for you to learn the discounted cash-flow model and how to think about discount rates and growth rates within it. He also provides a few perspectives on the concept of “skin in the game,” and the areas where it might be good and the areas where it might be bad. Running time: ~12 minutes.

The Fed’s Dislocation and Too Few Stocks?

President of Investment Research Brian Nelson talks about how central banks may be pushing savers into riskier assets than what might otherwise be warranted by their risk profiles, how interest rates should be viewed within the valuation context, and whether too few stocks to invest in is driving a ‘rising tide lifts all boats’ dynamic. A discussion about the severe limitations of the price-to-earnings ratio is included. Running time: ~14 minutes.

Bank Valuations and We’re All Market Timers?

President of Investment Research Brian Nelson dives into questions about why an enterprise free cash flow model is not used for banking and insurance entities, and offers up the idea that we all might be market timers. What do you think? Running time: ~14 minutes.

Video: North Korea, Indexing, and ETFs

President of Investment Research Brian Nelson talks about the non-zero probability of nuclear war, lofty equity market valuations, the impact of ultra-low interest rates, the Bitcoin phenomenon, the importance of paying attention to financial adviser fees, as well as the pitfalls when it comes to assigning styles to ETFs. Running time: ~11 minutes. Aerospace & Defense – Prime: BA, FLIR, GD, LLL, LMT, NOC, RTN Banks – Regional and Asset Management: AB, AINV, AMP, ARCC, BCH, BEN, BGCP, BKU, BLK, BMO, BNS, CM, FSIC, ISBC, KKR, LAZ, LM, MAIN, MTB, NABZY, NYB, OCN, PBCT, PFG, PSEC, RY, SBNY, SBSI, STT, TCAP, TD, VLY, WBK  Banks & Money Centers: AXP, BAC, BBT, BK, C, DFS, FITB, GS, HBC, JPM, KEY, MS, NTRS, PNC, … Read more

Documentary: The Bitcoin Phenomenom

Produced for SQ1.tv, this Bitcoin documentary looks at the history, the ideologies, and the conflict between the politics of the early-adopters and the VCs/entrepreneurs pushing to take Bitcoin mainstream. Source: SQ1.tv. Financial Tech Services: ACIW, EPAY, FDC, FIS, FISV, FLT, GPN, MA, MELI, PAY, PYPL, V, VNTV, VRSK, WEX, WU Banks – Regional and Asset Management: AB, AINV, AMP, ARCC, BCH, BEN, BGCP, BKU, BLK, BMO, BNS, CM, FSIC, ISBC, KKR, LAZ, LM, MAIN, MTB, NABZY, NYB, OCN, PBCT, PFG, PSEC, RY, SBNY, SBSI, STT, TCAP, TD, VLY, WBK  Banks & Money Centers: AXP, BAC, BBT, BK, C, DFS, FITB, GS, HBC, JPM, KEY, MS, NTRS, PNC, RF, STI, TCB, USB, WFC

Bitcoin’s Price Leaps Toward $11,000

Image shown: Cryto-currencies are in vogue, and the most popular Bitcoin has “gone exponetial.” This is incredible. Bitcoin has caught the financial markets by storm, and the ranks of the greedy are driving its price ever higher. Financial Tech Services: ACIW, EPAY, FDC, FIS, FISV, FLT, GPN, MA, MELI, PAY, PYPL, V, VNTV, VRSK, WEX, WU Banks – Regional and Asset Management: AB, AINV, AMP, ARCC, BCH, BEN, BGCP, BKU, BLK, BMO, BNS, CM, FSIC, ISBC, KKR, LAZ, LM, MAIN, MTB, NABZY, NYB, OCN, PBCT, PFG, PSEC, RY, SBNY, SBSI, STT, TCAP, TD, VLY, WBK  Banks & Money Centers: AXP, BAC, BBT, BK, C, DFS, FITB, GS, HBC, JPM, KEY, MS, NTRS, PNC, RF, STI, TCB, USB, WFC

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending November 10

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending November 10. 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 Aaron’s Inc. (AAN): now $0.03 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.0275. Acadia Realty Trust (AKR): now $0.27 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.26. Assurant (AIZ): now $0.56 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.53. Atmos Energy (ATO): now $0.485 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.45. Automatic Data Processing (ADP): now $0.63 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.57. BorgWarner (BWA): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.14. … Read more

Malkiel Balks, Yellen Talks

Let’s first address how research in the financial industry is becoming more and more open to combining value and momentum considerations. We’ll also cover a few takeaways from the stress tests and some ‘strong’ talk from Fed Chair Janet Yellen. By Brian Nelson, CFA It was 1973, and a Princeton economist by the name of Burton Gordon Malkiel had just published A Random Walk Down Wall Street, a book that would turn into one of the most influential studies in support of the efficient markets hypothesis. The book would suggest that asset prices typically exhibit signs of a “random walk,” and as a result, an investor could not consistently outperform market averages in part due to powerful reversion-to-the-mean tendencies. Three … Read more

US Congress Is Getting Ready to Pass a Massive ~$2.2 Trillion Fiscal Stimulus Bill

Image Shown: US equities have started to recover some of their lost ground as the likelihood that the US Congress will pass a massive ~$2.2 trillion fiscal stimulus and emergency spending package, dubbed the CARES Act, has increased significantly over the past week as seen through the bounce in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY). President Trump has clearly indicated that he intends to sign such a bill into law as soon as possible, with the US House of Representatives expected to take up the legislation this upcoming Friday morning on March 27. By Callum Turcan On March 25, the US Senate worked late into the night to secure a bipartisan compromise on a massive ~$2.2 trillion fiscal stimulus … Read more