ICYMI: Questions for Valuentum’s Brian Nelson

Valuentum’s President Brian Nelson, CFA, answers your questions. Q: What Is Valuentum? A: In short, it is a strategy that combines the concepts of value and momentum within individual stocks. We measure value through the cash-based sources of intrinsic value – net cash on the balance sheet and future expected free cash flow. We measure momentum rather simply, generally via relative strength or other technical and momentum indicators. We like stocks with strong net cash positions on the balance sheet, ones that are generating tremendous free cash flow, and have strong secular growth prospects such that the prospect for expectations of free cash flow can continue to be ratcheted higher. Today, most Valuentum stocks are included in the stylistic area … Read more

ICYMI: Let’s Play Devil’s Advocate: What’s the Bear Case for Realty Income?

By Brian Nelson, CFA We like Realty Income Corp. (O) a lot, but it’s not hard to see that the REIT could potentially have all the makings of a black swan. For one, the stock is loved by almost everyone–REIT investors, income investors, and dividend growth investors alike. Many are simply enamored by its monthly dividend, which it has raised nearly 120 times since it was listed on the NYSE in 1994. Over its 54-year history, the REIT has paid 632 consecutive monthly dividends, too. There’s a ton of things to like about Realty Income, but for this note, let’s build and examine the bear case, one that can be broken into three pillars: 1) its retail exposure, 2) its … Read more

4 REITs For Consideration

CubeSmart (CUBE) Digital Realty Trust (DLR) Realty Income Corp (O) Public Storage (PSA) ———- NOW READ: Why Are the Dividends of REITs So Risky?  NOW READ: The Impact Rising Interest Rates Have on Equity REITs NOW READ: There Are No Free ‘Income’ Lunches ———- It’s Here!  The Second Edition of Value Trap! Order today!   —– Brian Nelson owns shares in SPY, SCHG, QQQ, DIA, VOT, BITO, RSP, and IWM. Valuentum owns SPY, SCHG, QQQ, VOO, and DIA. Brian Nelson’s household owns shares in HON, DIS, HAS, NKE, DIA, and RSP. Some of the other securities written about in this article may be included in Valuentum’s simulated newsletter portfolios. Contact Valuentum for more information about its editorial policies.  Valuentum members have access to our 16-page … Read more

Public Storage Picks Up Simply Self Storage; M&A Remains Hot in Self Storage

Image Source: Public Storage By Brian Nelson, CFA On July 24, Public Storage (PSA) announced that it had agreed to acquire Simply Self Storage from Blackstone (BX) Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT) for $2.2 billion. The news follows the Public Storage-Life Storage (LSI) takeout saga that ended with Life Storage running to Extra Space Storage (EXR) for a deal. A PSA-LSI deal had made a lot of sense, and we’re not sure why LSI wanted nothing to do with PSA, but it may have had to do with a poor cultural fit. LSI apparently said it wasn’t for sale right before it tied the knot with EXR–moves that just didn’t seem to add up, in our view. In any case, … Read more

ICYMI: The Impact Rising Interest Rates Have on Equity REITs

Image: REITs have not performed as well as one might have thought. The Vanguard REIT ETF has underperformed the broader market considerably since 2015, while dividends per share have not grown much, if at all, since 2005. Source: Vanguard By Brian Nelson, CFA The question on most everyone’s minds: How will equity real estate investment trusts (REITs) fare in the current rising interest-rate environment? The topic has long been debated and studied, and there are myriad opinions on the subject. From where we stand, however, there are two main moving parts consisting of fundamental and investment dynamics that investors should be aware of. Let’s have a look. Fundamental Considerations In the discounted cash-flow (enterprise) valuation context, a rising nominal interest rate (real + inflation) … Read more

Extra Space Storage Pursues the Winner’s Curse; LSI Shareholders Should Take the Money and Run

Image Source: Extra Space Storage By Brian Nelson, CFA It would seem that Life Storage (LSI) wants nothing to do with Public Storage (PSA), first refusing to negotiate with Public Storage regarding its proposal to merge, then rolling out a revised severance package for its CEO, CFO and COO on March 17, and now most recently announcing that it would tie the knot with Extra Space Storage (EXR) on April 3. We walked through the background of Public Storage’s overture to merge with Life Storage in the March edition (pdf) of the High Yield Dividend Newsletter, and frankly, we’re a bit puzzled by LSI’s behavior. We’re not sure what Public Storage’s next move will be at this point – whether … Read more

Two Top Income Ideas Locked in Hostile Takeover Battle

Image Source: Public Storage By Brian Nelson, CFA On February 5, self-storage giant Public Storage (PSA) announced that it had launched a hostile takeover attempt of rival Life Storage (LSI) for all of its outstanding shares in an all-stock transaction. According to the terms of the overture, Life Storage shareholders would receive 0.4192 shares of PSA for every share of LSI that they own, implying a 19% premium to the 20-day volume weighted average price of PSA and LSI, as of February 3. We like the proposal and believe that a combined PSA-LSI will be able to drive material synergies. For example, PSA’s same-store direct operating margin is ~80%, while LSI’s is roughly 7 percentage points lower. The combined entity … Read more

Why Are the Dividends of REITs So Risky?

By Brian Nelson, CFA Not all REIT dividends are safe. Many REITs remain capital-market dependent, and some office REITs, retail REITs, and healthcare REITs may be difficult places to generate dependable long-term income in the coming decades, in our view. Office REIT SL Green (SLG) recently cut its payout 13% on December 5, 2022, while another office REIT Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) cut its dividend 29% on January 18, 2023. These are just two of the latest high-profile REIT dividend cuts, and there may be more to come. Contrary to popular opinion, the REIT sector has not been a great source of dependable, reliable income, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. Five REITs cut their dividends in 2019: Medalist Diversified REIT … Read more

Exclusive Call: What To Expect From Valuentum in 2023

Video: 2022 was a successful year by almost every measure from the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and simulated Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio to the simulated High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio and Exclusive publication and beyond. There were some disappointments in 2022, of course, but the year showed the value of a Valuentum membership. Join President of Investment Research Brian Nelson on this year’s Exclusive conference call to learn what to expect from Valuentum in 2023. Cheers! Transcript President of Investment Research Brian Nelson: Happy Holidays everyone! I hope that you are enjoying this special time of year with family and friends, and I wish you all a wonderful 2023! I just wanted to take a few minutes to recap … Read more

Our Reports on the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Dividend Yield: Estimated on a forward-looking annualized basis. VBI: The Valuentum Buying Index, a timeliness indicator that overlays a price-to-fair-value estimate consideration. Fair Value Estimate: Derived by Valuentum’s enterprise valuation process. Dividend Cushion ratio: A ratio assessing the health of the dividend (the higher, the better). Data as of the date of this article. Individual company reports may have been updated subsequent to the publishing of this article, so please download a company’s stock and dividend report for its latest information and data. Note: The data in the tables of each of the below companies’ respective stock pages is updated the weekend after the publishing of this update. Please click on a company name below to view the corresponding equity … Read more