ICYMI: Valuentum’s Improved Stock and ETF Web Pages

Valuentum has rolled out improved stock and ETF web pages on its website valuentum.com/. Now, subscribers can access key proprietary information on the stock and ETF web pages in addition to the customary stock and ETF reports. Dear reader, We have some exciting news that we can’t wait to share with you! At valuentum.com/, we have rolled out new stock and ETF pages that conveniently include a variety of our proprietary metrics from the Dividend Cushion ratio to the Economic Castle rating and beyond! There’s even mouseover functionality so you can learn about how we define the key metrics across our stock-selection and dividend growth methodologies. You’ll still have access to the stock and dividend reports on the landing pages, … Read more

The “Luck” and “Randomness” of Index Funds

Please select the image below to download the document. Image shown, page 1 of 14. Tickerized for Valuentum’s coverage universe.

Our Overview on Merck in Light of Recent Clinical Events

Clinical data reads can have an outsize impact on the fortunes of the research-based pharma industry, irrespective of the size of the organization. We came away very impressed with the recent release from Merck and felt a timely overview of the various pharmaceutical products developed by the company would be of value to readers. By Alexander J. Poulos Third Quarter Results Image Source: Merck On October 27, Merck (MRK) released its third-quarter results. The results were met with an immediate sell-off in the shares as the pace of the clinical pipeline disappointed. To say the least, we were surprised by the aggressiveness of the sell-off–the catalyst for the leg down in the share price, in our view, is the declaration … Read more

GlaxoSmithKline: Not All Dividends Are Created Equal

Many seeking ideas to generate dividend income may be drawn to slow-growing entities with large dividend yields. However, without proper examination of the balance sheet and competitive position, an investor may enter a position banking on a steady dividend stream only to be caught by a sudden cut in the dividend. It is growing increasingly likely that GlaxoSmithKline may be ready to sacrifice the dividend on the altar in the name of additional M&A, in our view. By Alexander J. Poulos GSK Overview GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) remains a venerable European entity with a number of business lines similar to its US rivals such as Pfizer (PFE). At GSK’s core is its heavy reliance on research to bring forth additional novel branded … Read more

Gilead Sciences’ HCV Guidance Is the Star of the Show

Shares of Gilead Science have been held hostage due to the vagaries of the HCV business. The shares blasted through $100 as the initial sales ramp for its suite of HCV meds took the market by storm. The record revenues posted in 2015 proved to be unsustainable, however, as the curative nature of the treatment meaningfully decreased the eligible pool of patients much to the benefit of society. The Street subsequently punished shares of Gilead as the equity made a near roundtrip back down the high $60’s. The investment community has maintained a near-maniacal obsession with the HCV pipeline with the latest fear of a new competitor stealing share. Let’s examine these key points a bit further. By Alexander J. … Read more

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

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

Divestitures Sweeping Through the Pharmaceutical Industry

Image Source: Paul Sableman There has been a notable rise in the intent of the old guard in the pharmaceutical realm to divest some non-core assets via spin-offs into new, standalone companies. We believe we are on the cusp of a trend of simplification which we feel will aid in growing the top line sustainably, something that has become notoriously difficult for big pharma. By Alexander J. Poulos Eli Lilly Eli Lilly (LLY) mentioned on its recent quarterly conference call the need to explore strategic alternatives for its Elanco animal health unit, which is suffering from sales deceleration due to a decrease in end-user demand for its products. Elanco posted sales of $2.29 billion during the first three quarters of … Read more

Novartis Gearing Up for Growth

Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio idea Novartis continues to grow its free cash flow stream while producing a string of products still in the infancy of their respective growth curves. The pharma/biotech realm remains bedeviled with patent issues that can disrupt cash flow generation once protection is lost, causing us to look for companies positioned for a fresh leg of growth. To that end, let’s take a look at Novartis’ pipeline, near-term potential, and how it relates to its dividend health. By Alexander J Poulos Alcon Division In Novartis’ (NVS) third quarter of 2017, results released October 24, its Alcon division posted an impressive constant-currency revenue jump of 7% from the year-ago period and a 23% year-over-year increase in core operating … Read more

Generic Drug Price Deflation Continues to Weigh on Shares of Teva

Shares of former Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio idea Teva Pharmaceuticals have come under renewed selling pressure after reporting weak quarterly results due largely to deflationary price pressures felt in the generic drug division. Teva has been relatively powerless in stopping the trend. We had removed the shares from the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio well before the last leg down, and the Dividend Cushion ratio warned of tremendous risk to the sustainability of the dividend far in advance. By Alexander J. Poulos and Kris Rosemann Generic Drug Deflation Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA) maintains its position as one of the world’s largest manufacturer of generic medications, but the marketplace for a generic drug differs from the market dynamics of the branded space. We view … Read more

Our Bullish Thesis on Gilead Sciences

We have become enamored with the potential of Gilead Sciences once again as the recent slide in the share price has in our view shaken out the speculative money that fueled the meteoric rise of the equity in 2015. As a value-based research publisher, we tend to focus on the sustainability of cash flow. In the case of Gilead, many believed that all hope had been lost as the continued decline in its Hepatitis C franchise would depress potential future gains. We are heartened by the recent earnings release and technical move, which have combined to give us comfort in adding Gilead Sciences to both the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. By Alexander J. Poulos Overview … Read more