Microsoft Is Buying Activision On Way to Becoming Video Game Giant

Image Shown: Microsoft Corporation is buying Activision Blizzard Inc, the largest buyout for a US tech firm ever. Image Source: Microsoft Corporation – January 2022 IR Presentation covering its acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc By Callum Turcan On January 18, Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) made history by making an all-cash offer to purchase Activision Blizzard Inc (ATVI) for $95 per share. The boards of both companies have already approved the deal. Inclusive of Activision’s net cash position, the deal is worth $68.7 billion which makes it the largest buyout ever for a US tech firm according to CNBC. This deal is expected to close in fiscal 2023 (Microsoft’s fiscal year ends in June). Once it closes, assuming the deal pasts antitrust … Read more

The Metaverse: Qualcomm Expands Partnership with Microsoft

Image Source: Qualcomm Inc – November 2021 Investor Day Presentation By Callum Turcan A lot of attention has been directed towards the idea of a metaverse, which in short is an expansive digital universe where users can interact with one another via digital avatars of themselves (or whatever avatar the user prefers). This universe could, in theory, combine the functionality of computers and smartphones with almost every digital platform and application in existence. Users could perform both productivity-related activities (collaborating on work projects, holding team meetings, working with clients) and leisure-related activities (playing games with friends and family, meeting up with distant relatives, watching concerts, other live events, TV shows, and movies) in a seamless fashion. The user would not … Read more

Net Cash Rich Micron Technology Beats Estimates and Issues Favorable Near Term Guidance

Image Source: Micron Technology Inc – First Quarter of Fiscal 2022 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan On December 20, Micron Technology Inc (MU) reported first quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended December 2, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Underlying demand for Micron Technology’s DRAM, NAND, and NOR offerings (used as memory solutions in personal computers, automobiles, data centers, smartphones, and various electronics devices) remained robust last fiscal quarter. The company has done a great job navigating supply chain hurdles and semiconductor component and equipment shortages in the wake of the coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic to continue meeting booming customer demand.  Shares of Micron Technology surged higher after it published its latest earnings report December 20 … Read more

Dividend Growth Stocks Soar!

Dear members: — We’re watching one of the strongest stock market rallies we’ve seen in some time during the trading session December 7. At the time of this writing, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up over 500 points, the S&P is up nearly 100, while the NASDAQ is up a tremendous 440+. We continue to like what we see. — Almost every idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio is up today, led by Chipotle (CMG) +5.9%, PayPal (PYPL) +3.3%, Domino’s (DPZ) +3.1%, Apple (AAPL) +2.9% and Alphabet (GOOG) +2.9%. — We’re loving the moves by Valuentum-style stocks today, and we’re even more excited to report that every idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio is advancing today, as shown below. We know … Read more

Shares of Dividend Growth Idea Qualcomm Surge Higher

Image Shown: Shares of dividend growth idea Qualcomm Inc have skyrocketed since the start of November in the wake of its latest earnings update and favorable guidance put out during a recent investor day event. By Callum Turcan Over the next decade, dividend growth idea Qualcomm Inc (QCOM) expects its addressable market opportunity will grow by $100 billion, reaching $700 billion, according to guidance put out during a big Investor Day event held on November 16. We appreciate Qualcomm’s ever-expanding growth runway and include shares of QCOM as an idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. On November 3, Qualcomm reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2021 earnings (period ended September 26, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Additionally, Qualcomm … Read more

Hard Work and the Trust That Binds

Image Source: Terry Johnson By Brian Nelson, CFA We’ll have our traditional Valuentum Weekly email coming out on Sunday, and I’m excited to say our team is putting the finishing touches on our technology industry update, so we’ll have a whole bunch of fresh reports for you to look at Sunday evening/Monday morning. It’s easy to forget how much we’ve been through the past two years. Often, we forget how helpful the warning that markets were going to crash was the weekend before they did on February 22, 2020, “Is a Stock Market Crash Coming? – Coronavirus Update and P/E Ratios,” how we thought dollar-cost-averaging made sense at the bottom in March 2020, and how we went “all-in” in April … Read more

Qualcomm Explodes Higher Towards Our Fair Value Estimate; Semiconductor Supply Chain Update

Image Source: Qualcomm’s shares have surged toward our fair value estimate. We continue to like shares of this dividend growth giant. By Brian Nelson, CFA  On November 3, communications chip-maker Qualcomm (QCOM) reported strong results for its fiscal fourth quarter (the calendar third quarter), rounding out an excellent fiscal 2021. We’re reiterating our $170 per share fair value estimate for QCOM and the company as an idea for long-term dividend growth investors. Shares yield ~1.7% at the time of this writing. The growth rates in revenues, earnings before taxes (EBT), net income, and diluted earnings per share (EPS) were fantastic for the fiscal year. On a GAAP basis, revenues leapt 43%, EBT advanced 80%, net income jumped 74%, while EPS … Read more

Apple Remains a Free Cash Flow Generating Powerhouse

Image Shown: Apple Inc remained a free cash flow generating powerhouse in fiscal 2021. Key line-items are underlined in red and blue. Image Source: Apple Inc – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2021 Financial Supplement with additions from the author By Callum Turcan On October 28, Apple Inc (AAPL) reported fourth-quarter earnings for fiscal 2021 (period ended September 25, 2021) that missed consensus top-line estimates and matched consensus bottom-line estimates. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, noted during the firm’s latest earnings call that “we set a new September quarter record of $83.4 billion” though “supply constraints” weighed negatively on its performance and “had around a $6 billion revenue dollar impact” last fiscal quarter. Silicon shortages were cited as a key headwind, with … Read more

Dividend Growth Idea Qualcomm Enters Bidding War to Bolster Automotive Growth Runway

Image Source: Qualcomm Inc – March 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders Presentation By Callum Turcan One of our favorite semiconductor plays is Qualcomm Inc (QCOM). For those just getting familiar with the name, the company is about much more than just supplying components used in smartphones. While the rollout of 5G-capable smartphones will provide Qualcomm’s medium-term financial performance a large boost due to its Snapdragon mobile platform offerings, another key aspect of Qualcomm’s promising growth story is its exposure to the automotive industry. Background Information Historically, Qualcomm has focused on supplying components to the automotive industry in the realm of infotainment (such as enabling radio, TV, mapping, and navigation services), telematics (combining automotive technologies with telecommunications and other technologies), and … Read more

Facebook, PayPal, Apple Earnings Reports and More!

Image shown: Qualcomm’s chart is looking mighty attractive. By Brian Nelson, CFA We continue to like Facebook (FB), PayPal (PYPL) and Apple (AAPL) as ideas in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio following their calendar second-quarter 2021 reports, released recently. Vertex Pharma (VRTX) is our favorite way to play emerging CRISPR technologies through its partnership with CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP), and we were mighty pleased with Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio holdings Republic Services (RSG) solid 8% dividend increase and Qualcomm’s (QCOM) impressive momentum. Facebook’s revenue soared 56% in the second quarter, and the company leveraged its operating margin to over 1000 basis points of year-over-year expansion. Both net income and diluted earnings per share more than doubled at the social media giant … Read more