Valuentum Weekly: Putin, the Aggressor, But Did the West” Cause the Conflict in Ukraine?”

For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future. And we are all mortal.” — JFK, 1963 Transcript: Thank you for joining us today. It was April 1961, and the U.S. had covertly financed an invasion of Castro’s Cuba to overthrow the government there, a government that had become more opposed to the United States and more friendly with the Soviet Union. The invasion that came to be known as the Bay of Pigs invasion would go on to fail, but it would become part of the saga that ultimately led to the Cuban Missile Crisis the following year … 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

Nvidia Continues to Deliver in the Face of Global Supply Chain Crunch

Image Source: Nvidia Corporation – September 2021 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan On November 17, Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) reported third quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended October 31, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates, and the firm provided favorable guidance covering the current fiscal quarter. The company has done a solid job navigating the ongoing shortage of semiconductor components along with other hurdles, such as logistical bottlenecks and inflationary pressures. Nvidia’s growth runway is enormous as it intends to expand into a new market within the semiconductor space, which we will cover in this note. Shares of NVDA have leapt higher during the past month as the “chip” company’s (Nvidia designs chips that are produced by … 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

Putting the Environmental in ESG

Valuentum’s ESG newsletter helps identify which stocks have strong ESG scores, and which ones come up short. Subscribe to the monthly Valuentum ESG Newsletter today by selecting the ‘Subscribe’ button below (12 editions, $1,000/year).   —– By Valuentum Analysts There is no single definition for ESG investing beyond the words that make up the acronym – Environmental, Social, and Governance. Investors looking at ESG may be doing so for a variety of reasons with a variety of different needs. But for every investor, a focus on ESG allows for a fuller consideration of the company, as a whole, as well as how that company impacts the 21st century landscape, as it relates to rewarding social responsibility by investing in companies … 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

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week July 16

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending July 16. 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 Agree Realty (ADC): now $0.217 per share monthly dividend, was $0.200. Ally Financial (ALLY): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.19. American Financial (AFG): now $2.00 per share special dividend, was $0.50. Bank of America Corporation Deposit Shs Perp Pfd Shs Series E (BAC.PE): now $0.2556 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.2472. Bank of New York Mellon (BK): now $0.34 per share quarterly dividend, was … Read more

Dividend Growth Idea Qualcomm Proactively Managing Fallout from Global Chip Shortage

Image Shown: Qualcomm Inc, one of our favorite semiconductor firms, noted in March 2021 that the rollout of 5G wireless networks is accelerating which in turn supports its outlook. We include shares of QCOM as an idea in our Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Image Source: Qualcomm Inc – 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders IR Presentation By Callum Turcan One of our favorite ways to gain exposure to the semiconductor industry is Qualcomm Inc (QCOM), and we include shares of QCOM as an idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Qualcomm’s IP portfolio and the “chips” that it designs play an essential role in enabling 5G connectivity in smartphones, powering the digital capabilities of modern automobiles, and supporting wireless network operations … Read more

ICYMI — Video: Exclusive 2020 — Furthering the Financial Discipline

ICYMI — Video: Exclusive 2020 — Furthering the Financial Discipline — — In this 40+ minute video jam-packed with must-watch content, Valuentum’s President Brian Nelson talks about the Theory of Universal Valuation and how his work is furthering the financial discipline. Learn the pitfalls of factor investing and modern portfolio theory and how the efficient markets hypothesis holds little substance in the wake of COVID-19. He’ll talk about which companies Valuentum likes and why, and which areas he’s avoiding. This and more in Valuentum’s 2020 Exclusive conference call.   Note: This video was originally published August 2, 2020.    To watch the video >>   The Theory of Universal Valuation —– Valuentum members have access to our 16-page stock reports, … Read more

Nvidia Growing at a Brisk Pace Amid Chip Shortage

Image Source: Nvidia Corporation – GTC Spring 2021 Investor Day Presentation By Callum Turcan On May 26, Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) reported first quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended May 2, 2021) that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Demand for Nvidia’s chips used in data center and gaming offerings remains robust. Looking ahead, Nvidia provided guidance for the fiscal second quarter during its latest earnings update that indicated its strong performance was expected to continue. Earnings Update Revenue from Nvidia’s ‘Gaming’ business operating segment was up 106% year-over-year and 11% sequentially last fiscal quarter as demand for laptops and desktops remained strong. The work-from-home trend became a big part of the weekly routine for many households in the … Read more