Data Center Leads Intel’s Impressive Top-Line Growth; Guidance Raised

Image Source: Intel third-quarter earnings presentation Intel reported strong third quarter results and subsequently raised its full-year guidance for a number of metrics. The company continues to throw off gobs of free cash flow and boasts a solid combination of a competitive dividend yield and a strong Dividend Cushion ratio. By Kris Rosemann Simulated newsletter portfolio idea Intel (INTC) has found itself out of the market’s favor of late as a result of a delayed chip launch that some expect will allow rivals to take notable market share from the company, but shares gained nicely following its third quarter report, released after hours October 25. Intel’s top-line advanced 19% on a year-over-year basis to an all-time company record of $19.2 … Read more

Best Ideas Newsletter Portfolio Not Bad Thus Far in 2018

Part of what we take pride in at Valuentum is telling things how they are. If things are going great, we let you know. If things aren’t going as good as they could be, we don’t hold back. In the year of crypto and cannabis, 2018 hasn’t been the best year for the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio, but it hasn’t been bad either.  By Brian Nelson, CFA We wrote up an extensive piece on the background of the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio earlier this year, and we encourage everyone to have a read of that here (pdf). We made some changes to the goals of the newsletter portfolio prior to the beginning of this year. For starters, we … Read more

Big Movers for the Week Ending September 28

Those topping the big-movers board for the week ended September 28 include Gilead, Apple, Altria, Hasbro, Novartis, and more. By Christopher Araos This is a new weekly series launched to help readers stay up to date with big movers within the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and simulated Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Best Ideas Newsletter Winners Biotech powerhouse Gilead Sciences (GILD) advanced 2.3% during the week ending September 28 as the company announced a launch of generic versions for Epclusa and its blockbuster Harvoni. Another key mover of 2.2% on the week was Apple (AAPL), which persuaded a federal appeals court to throw out $234 million in damages for infringement of University of Wisconsin’s computer processing technology. Altria Group (MO) … Read more

Intel Unveils Plans to Take on Heightened Competition

Image source: Intel analyst presentation Shares of simulated newsletter portfolios idea Intel have faced material selling pressure in mid-2018 as a result of a number of reports of increased competition from rivals, namely AMD. We’re not worried and still like the company’s valuation profile. By Kris Rosemann Chip-making giant Intel’s (INTC) delays in its 10-nanometer chip program have the market concerned over its position relative to rivals such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which is planning to launch its 7-nanometer chops in early 2019. Intel’s 10-nanometer are now not expected to be launched until late 2019 and likely won’t ship in material volume until 2020. Though the actual speed difference and overall performance between the two chips remain up for … Read more

On Diversification

Diversification is one of the most important components of equity investing. By Brian Nelson, CFA I wanted to touch base briefly today to see how everyone is doing, and how we can continue to make our website better. We’ve been getting a lot of great feedback on the ability to download our data in Excel and create your customized screens. Instead of having to click on a number of the web pages on the website to access the screens, all you have to do is download the Excel file, and use the standard sorting functionality in it. Let us know if you think we need to host a walk through of how to use the Excel screener. We think it … Read more

Valuentum’s Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) Distribution

The weighted average cost of capital is one of the most subjective measures in corporate finance, but it is also one of the most important ones. “The most important item over time in valuation is obviously interest rates…If interest rates are destined to be at low levels…It makes any stream of earnings from investments worth more money. The bogey is always what government bonds yield….Any investment is worth all the cash you’re going to get out between now and judgment day discounted back. The discounting back is affected by whether you choose interests rates like those of Japan or interest rates like those we had in 1982…When we had 15 percent short-term rates in 1982, it was silly to pay … Read more

Dividend Growth Newsletter Portfolio Earnings Roundup

Three simulated Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio ideas reported second-quarter earnings July 26. Let’s take a look at the results. By Kris Rosemann Altria Tightens Bottom-Line Guidance Despite Double-Digit Smokeable Volume Declines Simulated newsletter portfolio idea Altria’s (MO) top line continues to contract alongside industry-wide volume declines, but its second quarter report, released July 26, revealed its domestic cigarettes market share also took a hit, falling 70 basis points from the year-ago period to 50.2%. Net revenue fell 5.4% as domestic cigarette shipment volume declined 10.8% on a year-over-year basis due to the aforementioned industry decline, trade inventory movements, and retail share losses. Adjusted operating companies income (OCI) in its smokeables segment fell 2.8% as volume declines were partially offset by … Read more

In the News: More Tariff Talk Keeps Markets Volatile

Many market observers were caught by surprise after President Trump continued down a path of escalating trade tensions late July 10. By Kris Rosemann As with many developments surrounding the Chinese (FXI, MCHI) economy, metals have found themselves at the fore of the discussion. After the Trump Administration threatened additional 10% tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports July 10, copper (COPX) and other metals prices plunged as the newest list of targeted goods includes manufacturing export industries, electronics, textiles, metal components, and auto parts. It is worth noting that the US imports far more Chinese goods than vice versa, suggesting China would not be able to match US tariffs dollar-for-dollar if a full-on trade war ensues, though such a … Read more

In The News: Facebook, China and the Semiconductor Complex

Facebook gets a new Street high price target, while news ebbs and flows regarding US-China tech relations. By Brian Nelson, CFA There’s a new Street high price target on one of our favorite ideas, Facebook (FB), and it’s $275 per share. Facebook has been the most recent 10 on the Valuentum Buying Index, and despite ongoing “noise” with respect to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, we value shares at $250 each. We’re also reiterating our view that our discounted-cash-flow-based valuation only considers ongoing trends on an advertising-only business model, not incremental upside from processing payments on its platform or innovation at Instagram, which recently put together a new product called IGTV, a You-Tube-like offering. We think the Facebook “story” is still … Read more

Study: Valuentum’s Best Ideas Newsletter Portfolio

To read the study, please click on the image to download the pdf document (pdf).