2,350-2,750 on the S&P? Could the Coronavirus Catalyze a Financial Crisis?

Image: We think a rather modest sell-off in the market to the target range of 2,350-2,750 on the S&P 500 is rather reasonable in the wake of one of the biggest economic shocks since the Global Financial Crisis. The chart above shows how far markets have advanced since 2011, and an adjustment lower to the target range of 2,350-2,750 is rather modest in such a context and would only bring markets to late 2018 levels (note red box as the target range). The range reflects ~16x S&P 500 12-month forward earnings estimates, as of February 14, adjusted down 10% due to COVID-19. When companies like Visa talk about a couple percentage points taken off of growth rates, one knows that … Read more

Excited By COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates

Image Shown: The race is on to find a cure, or better yet a vaccine, for COVID-19. Image Source: Pfizer Inc – First Quarter 2020 Earnings IR Presentation Key Takeaways The race for a COVID-19 cure and vaccine is rapidly evolving with a lot of exciting press releases being put forth. Gilead has taken the lead with a viable treatment, Sorrento is working toward a cure, and it seems most all of big pharma and biotech is racing to find a vaccine, from Johnson & Johnson to Sanofi/GSK and beyond. Though the evaluation of the full data set from a Phase 2 clinical trial means a lot more than the evaluation of a limited set of data from a Phase … Read more

Generic Pharmaceuticals: Patent Expiration and Low Global Utilization Rates Create Opportunities

Key Takeaways: ·       The generic pharmaceutical industry will benefit from a patent expiry “mountain” in 2015. ·       Penetration and utilization rates of generics vary considerably by country. Japan, Italy, Spain, France, and Australia are most likely to see the greatest increases in generic penetration rates. ·       We expect further M&A activity in Japan, as global players seek to gain a generics stronghold in this under-penetrated, yet burgeoning pharmaceutical market. ·       Emerging market growth will offer significant opportunities for firms levered to Latin America and South Africa. ·       The potential for biosimilars remains a key catalyst for the group. ·       Ideas o       Teva Pharma (TEVA) is our favorite idea in the generics space thanks primarily to its upside valuation potential and global position. We’re particularly big fans … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending May 12

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending May 12. 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 The Brink’s (BCO): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.10. Buckeye Partners (BPL): now $1.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.2375. BWX Technologies (BWXT): now $0.11 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.09. Cabot (CBT): now $0.315 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.30. Canadian Pacific Railway (CP): now CAD 0.5625 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.50. Clorox (CLX): now $0.84 per share quarterly dividend, was … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending May 3

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending May 3. 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 Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX): now $0.165 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.145. American Campus Communities (ACC): now $0.47 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.46. Ames National Corporation (ATLO): now $0.24 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.23. Apple (AAPL): now $0.77 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.73. BP Midstream Partners (BPMP): now $0.3126 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.3015. Cal-Maine Foods (CALM): now $0.272 per share quarterly … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week April 30

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending April 30. 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 Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX): now $0.16 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. Altra Industrial Motion (AIMC): now $0.08 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. Ameriprise Financial (AMP): now $1.13 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.04. American Water Works (AWK): now $0.6025 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.5500. Ames National (ATLO): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. Apple (AAPL): now $0.22 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

US Congress Is Getting Ready to Pass a Massive ~$2.2 Trillion Fiscal Stimulus Bill

Image Shown: US equities have started to recover some of their lost ground as the likelihood that the US Congress will pass a massive ~$2.2 trillion fiscal stimulus and emergency spending package, dubbed the CARES Act, has increased significantly over the past week as seen through the bounce in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY). President Trump has clearly indicated that he intends to sign such a bill into law as soon as possible, with the US House of Representatives expected to take up the legislation this upcoming Friday morning on March 27. By Callum Turcan On March 25, the US Senate worked late into the night to secure a bipartisan compromise on a massive ~$2.2 trillion fiscal stimulus … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of February 3

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 3. 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                AFLAC (AFL): now $0.42 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.40. ALLETE (ALE): now $0.6775 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.6500. American Financial (AFG): now $4.00 per share special dividend, was $0.63. Avista (AVA): now $0.46 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.44. Bank of Botetourt (BORT): now $0.1925 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1850. BCE (BCE): now CAD 0.9675 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.9200. … Read more

Oncology News a Key Driver of Big Pharma

Image Source: Images Money By Kris Rosemann There’s no shortage of excitement in the pharmaceutical (XLV, IBB) sector as of late. It’s almost on a weekly basis that we hear of some pharma giant involved in a merger, attempted acquisition, or buyout rumor, but it makes sense that ongoing consolidation will be an theme across the group, particularly when considering the outlook for top-line growth across the biotech/pharma space, which remains weighed down by pricing pressures. More recently, for example, diabetes giant Novo Nordisk (NVO) noted that it expects average drug prices in 2017 to be down in the low- to mid-single digit range from 2016 levels after the completion of the majority of its negotiations with pharmacy benefits managers … Read more