Realty Income Updates Investors

Image Source: Realty Income Corporation – July 2020 Institutional Investor Presentation By Callum Turcan The real estate investment trust (‘REIT’) Realty Income Corporation (O) recently provided investors with some key financial and operational updates. Realty Income primarily invests in single-tenant commercial properties in the US, Puerto Rico, and the UK, and we include shares of O as a holding with a modest weighting in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Most of Realty Income’s tenants have continued to pay rent during the ongoing coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic, though tenants in select categories have been unwilling or unable to pay during these challenging times. In particular, Realty Income’s movie theater tenants did not pay rent in June or the second quarter of 2020, … Read more

Gap Buys Itself Some Time

Image Shown: An overview of Gap Inc’s net sales by brand. Image Source: Gap Inc – First Quarter Fiscal 2020 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan On June 4, Gap Inc (GPS) reported first quarter fiscal 2020 earnings (period ended May 2, 2020) that missed both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Shares of GPS have gotten crushed due to the ongoing coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic as consumers (particularly those in the US) have spent far less on discretionary goods (like apparel) over the past several months. Combined with the negative impact of physical store closures and the lack of a meaningful online presence, Gap shares sank as its outlook turned dire. Though Gap operates stores in over 40 countries, please note … Read more

Reiterating Our Bullish Long-Term View on Stocks

Reiterating Our Bullish Long-Term View on Stocks Image: The NASDAQ 100 Index remains resilient, bouncing off support, after breaking out to new highs recently. Some of our best ideas are included in the NASDAQ 100, and our favorite concentrations include exposure to big cap tech and large cap growth. We continue to be bullish on equities for the long run. — By Brian Nelson, CFA — Hi everyone, — Hope you are doing great! First, I wanted to let you know that we’re still working to get the second release of the survey out to you. Your participation in the survey will determine whether we launch a new business, so please do fill it out and keep a watchful eye out for … Read more

ICYMI: Survey Coming Later Today, More Market Volatility Expected

ICYMI: Survey Coming Later Today, More Market Volatility Expected Image: The market’s levels of volatility so far in 2020 have been among the greatest in history. Expectations for increased volatility in the marketplace as a result of the proliferation of price-agnostic trading (indexing and quantitative trading) is a key theme of Valuentum’s text, Value Trap: Theory of Universal Valuation. We continue to emphasize the importance of due diligence, enterprise valuation, behavioral thinking, the information contained in prices, and stock selection across equity portfolios. Page 256. — Hi everyone, — Hope you all are doing great!  — Many of you have already filled out the survey, and I can’t thank you enough for that. For those that may have missed the email housing … Read more

*ALERT* Scribbles and More Newsletter Portfolio Changes

*ALERT* Scribbles and More Newsletter Portfolio Changes Image: Why are stock prices increasing while the near-term economy and near-term earnings outlook isn’t as bright as before…How unlimited quantitative easing, runaway government spending, increased inflation expectations impact equity values…Why this year’s earnings expectations or next year’s earnings expectations don’t matter much…Why Valuentum thinks equity values are rising today, even as the near-term outlook remains unclear. Scribbles on page 76 of Value Trap. — “I know it sounds crazy to say so during a global pandemic and during a recession, but the right multiple and the right earnings to use to value this market is an 18-20x multiple on $196 earnings, putting a fair value range on the S&P 500 today of 3,530-3,920. The … Read more

*ALERT* Newsletter Portfolio Changes

*ALERT* Newsletter Portfolio Changes Image: The markets are selling off rather aggressively today, June 11, but it is important to keep things in context. Above, the NASDAQ 100 Index (NDX) just hit all-time highs recently, and some profit taking is to be expected. Though it will make for scary headlines, the move today isn’t out of the ordinary after such a strong run higher. — By Brian Nelson, CFA — We’re making a couple tweaks to the simulated newsletter portfolios today. It has been one of the strongest bull markets we’ve ever seen off the March 23 bottom, and while we continue to be optimistic about some of our favorite ideas, we are now re-positioning the newsletter portfolios after taking advantage of … Read more

ICYMI — Stay Optimistic. Stay Bullish. I Am.

  Image: My great-grandfather (second from left) and his buddies in the 88th Division of the United States Army during World War I, at the time of the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919. He would serve under Major General William Weigel, become proficient in the 37mm gun, and take part in the largest offensive in U.S. military history, the Meuse-Argonne Campaign. As a corporal, he would survive the Great War and the Spanish flu pandemic, returning to the U.S. in May 1919 from the port of Saint-Nazaire, France on his way to Omaha, Nebraska.  This article was published May 15, 2020. — New (updated June 4): We continue to encourage members to study the ‘Duration of (Stock) Value Composition’ in Value Trap: Theory of … Read more

Dow Jones Surges Past 27,000; Bull Market Continues!

Dow Jones Surges Past 27,000; Bull Market Continues! — By Brian Nelson, CFA — Hi everyone! — What a bull market off the lows we are having. I don’t think we’re finished, as I have pounded the table time and time and time again about how bullish I am. In the words of Frank Sinatra, “The Best Is Yet to Come,” and I truly believe that. Yesterday, I explained to readers why we’re seeing this huge rally, “Stay Optimistic. Stay Bullish. I Am.”  — If you understand the duration and composition of equity value (page 74-83 in Value Trap), you can start focusing on what drives share prices and returns. How else could a market rally this much with 13% unemployment, right? How wonderful it … Read more

CubeSmart’s Financial Flexibility Will Come In Handy

Image Source: CubeSmart – March 2020 Investor Presentation By Callum Turcan On May 7, High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio holding CubeSmart (CUBE)–5.0% yield–reported first-quarter 2020 earnings. The company pulled its full-year guidance for 2020 given the uncertainties caused by the ongoing coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic. We appreciate that the self-storage real estate investment trust (‘REIT’) remained comfortably free cash flow positive last quarter, which is one of the reasons why we like CubeSmart as a high yielding play in the REIT world. Quarterly Update As you can see in the upcoming graphic down below, one of the biggest operating expenses CubeSmart (and the self-storage REIT space at-large) faces is property taxes. Rising property values in major metropolitan areas in particular pushes … Read more

ALERT: Important Recap of Valuentum’s Research and Market Events

ALERT: Important Recap of Valuentum’s Research and Market Events: Unequivocally Bullish, S&P Target Range Was Withdrawn Last Month, Continued Focus on Individual Stock Selection with “Moaty” Operations, Huge Net Cash Positions, Strong Expected Future Free Cash Flows, Established Recurring Business Models, and Otherwise Attractive Economic Castles. Big Cap Tech and Large Cap “Growth” Remain Our Favorite Allocations. — Image: Breaking out to new highs, Facebook (FB) is a top weighting in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio (which includes our favorite capital appreciation ideas in a portfolio setting). The social media giant is surging on news of a new Shops feature, something we’ve been expecting and raving about with respect to its potential for years–as we maintain our view that, anti-trust considerations aside, Facebook … Read more