We’ve Updated Our Fair Value Estimate of Boeing; Has Aerospace Bottomed?

Image: Boeing is expecting to turn the corner with respect to positive free cash flow in 2022 and grow it to ~$10 billion annually by 2025/2026. We think this is achievable. Image Source: Boeing By Brian Nelson, CFA The breakout of COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the airline business and the commercial aircraft-making business alike. But has the commercial aerospace industry finally bottomed? We took a hard look at our valuation model of Boeing (BA), and we’ve tweaked our near-term profitability assumptions and made material changes to our estimates of working capital assumptions in the out-years. Though the result was a lower fair value estimate for the aerospace giant, we reiterate that after several quarters of negative free cash flow, Boeing … Read more

Lockheed Martin On the Road to Recovery, Improved Free Cash Flow Visibility

  Image: Heath Cajandig By Brian Nelson, CFA It was late October 2021 when Lockheed Martin (LMT) took a “big bath” of a third quarter. Back then, Lockheed Martin said it expected 2022 net sales to fall from 2021 levels, to ~$66 billion. At the time, we had been expecting revenue to advance to north of $70 billion during 2022, so the change in trajectory was quite pronounced. Its backlog fell to $134.8 billion from $147.1 billion on a year-over-year basis in the quarter, too. To say that the market was surprised in October would be an understatement because LMT’s stock fell double-digits following the news. Fast forward a few months, and Lockheed Martin is working to get things back … Read more

June Dividend Growth Newsletter & Intrinsic Value Investing

“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 — By Brian Nelson, CFA — To add our new options commentary to your membership, please register here ($500/year). — Hi everyone!  — We remain unequivocally bullish on the markets and intrinsic value investing. We believe value today rests within companies that have strong net cash positions (all cash less short- and long-term debt) and solid expected future free cash flows … Read more

FLIR Systems Repositions Itself

Image Source: FLIR Systems Inc – November 2019 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan An appealing aspect of the defense industry is that it’s largely counter-cyclical, especially for companies that do a lot of business with the US Department of Defense (‘DoD’). The National Defense Authorization Act (‘NDAA’) that covers fiscal 2020 allows for a base budget level of $658.4 billion and an additional $71.5 billion has been allocated to overseas contingency operations. Noteworthy aspects of the NDAA covering fiscal 2020, which was signed into law by President Trump in December 2019, include the creation of a Space Force, a 3.1% pay increase for troops, and paid family leave for all federal workers. With a budget of $738 billion, up $21 … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending July 13

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending July 13. 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 Avangrid (AGR): now $0.44 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.432. Bassett Furniture (BSET): now $0.125 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.11. BP Prudhoe Bay Royalty Trust (BPT): now $1.4076 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.2748. Clough Global Allocation Fund (GLV): now $0.1138 per share monthly dividend, was $0.1135. Clough Global Equity Fund (GLQ): now $0.1278 per share monthly dividend, was $0.1234. Clough Global Opportunities Fund (GLO): … Read more

Podcast: Defense Spending and the Explosion of Cyber Crime

The Valuentum analyst team discusses trends in US and global defense spending and the explosion of Internet crime that is fueling investment in cyber security both in the public and private sectors. ~7 mins. This podcast was originally published November 3, 2016. If you cannot view the video below, please view the transcript that follows or click the link here. Software – Security: CHKP, FEYE, FTNT, IMPV, PANW, PFPT, SYMC, VRSN Aerospace & Defense – Prime: BA, FLIR, GD, LLL, LMT, NOC, RTN Brian Nelson, CFA: This is Brian Nelson for Valuentum Securities, and today I have joining me on our podcast Mr. Kris Rosemann and Mr. Chris Araos. Today, we are going to talk about the landscape for defense spending … Read more