Are we on the Verge of Acquisition-Mania?

While much of the world has been zoomed in on pandemic mitigation efforts, civil unrest, and an overreactive stock market, the change of fortunes in tech are worth paying attention to. Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google, and Microsoft have in hand the perfect ingredients of change along with the financial strength to scoop up companies with synergies that can lead to expanded services, higher profits, and fewer competitors. 

Based on the acquisition activity of these giants over the past couple of months, it seems management has adopted an aggressive pro-active posture similar to that of past recessions. Memorable examples of tech acquisitions from previous downturns include IBM in the 1990s that readjusted its business focus to software and service rather than mainframes and hardware. Some of the acquisitions they made during this period included Lotus, Tivoli, and Unison. During the dot-com bust after the turn of the millennium, two little known companies named Google and Facebook began to rise to the prominence they enjoy today. Another company that decided to get aggressive during the Y2K downturn was Apple. It doubled its research and development in 2001 and 2002. The outcome was the introduction of quickly adopted music storage technology, and later, smartphones. Big tech has been served well by aggressively planning to be even stronger when the economy recovers. 

What Big Tech has an Appetite For

The pandemic has pushed to the forefront new or expanded consumer needs that have provided clear demand and opportunity. Under the category of telecommunications alone, the requirements of companies to electronically meet with remote employees or even clients they’re building relationships with is worth billions. Couple that with entertainment technology and online retail needs, and the potential for massive leaps forward in business growth is possible, even for a current giant. But only for those companies positioning themselves to shape tomorrow’s standards.  Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in an investor call in May, “I’ve always believed that in times of economic downturn, the right thing to do is keep investing in building the future. When the world changes quickly, people have new needs, and that means there are more new things to build.” Facebook and the others clearly ramped up activity when the lockdown began.

Cash for transactions is not a problem for the largest tech companies. And their high stock valuations could provide additional “currency” for acquisitions. At the end of 2019, the combined six tech companies were sitting with $557 billion. This pile of cash allows each in the group to go shopping for the best fit for their projections of how the future will look. They can create strategies of how their business will provide for it, then build or buy the missing pieces. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, these firms have been among the top spenders on research and development for most of the last decade.

Tech Activity

As Netflix, Amazon, and the other tech companies adapted to their own employees working remotely, they experienced a spike in their services from others in the country doing the same. The demand of messaging and other teleconferencing software and platforms had spiked.

The world is changing, and many of the new or expanded needs are already obvious. Since March, Microsoft has quickly acquired three cloud computing companies with a variety of capabilities to augment their current services of providing technology to business.

Amazon, which relies on its employees interacting with others, was at once overwhelmed with a surge of online orders. They dealt with the safety concerns of its workers first in part by investing in 175,000 new employees. Then they made their corporate shopping list. According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon is now in advanced talks to buy an autonomous (driverless) vehicle startup named Zoox. The purchase price is estimated to be between $2.7 billion and $3.2 billion.  And, while air transportation dropped almost overnight in response to the pandemic, Amazon placed 12 Boeing 767s in its shopping cart and hit the “Buy Now” button. The online retailer is now equipped with substantially more capacity than ever — acquired at a discount.

Apple is sitting on $193 billion, they’ve scanned their business environment and found four attractive opportunities to swipe right on. In the past few months, they have acquired; DarkSky, a popular weather app for all make smartphones. They picked up Voysis, a digital assistant and speech recognition software company, and Xnor.ai, an artificial intelligence startup. Apple made an acquisition in NextVR that demonstrates their belief in the future. NextVR is a virtual reality (VR) provider that marries live sporting events with VR through various headsets.  An Apple virtual developer conference is in the works.  

Facebook’s activity skyrocketed in March as they were one of the first platforms people flocked to for voice and video chat to keep in touch with others. In April, Facebook said it was taking a $5.7 billion stake (10%) in India’s Reliance Jio, a streaming service where Facebook expects to set up a digital marketplace serving Asia. According to a June 17 Bloomberg article, the investment is being reviewed under India’s antitrust regulations. 

In May, Facebook bought Giphy for an estimated $400 million. Giphy will become part of its Instagram platform. Their expansion in Asia grew earlier this month as they made a large investment in digital payment app Gojek. Gojek now serves 170 million people in South East Asia.  

Also announced this month, Facebook has plans to create a new venture capital fund and is hiring seasoned tech investors. The plan seems to be to selectively fund startups and perhaps later have access or visibility of the firms that offer the most potential. Facebook recently posted this job opening:

Hiring: New Product Experimentation (NPE) team, ideally 10-years of tech experience.

“In this role, you will manage a multi-million dollar fund that invests in leading private companies alongside top venture capital firms and angel investors,”

“You will develop investment and impact theses, lead the execution of new investments, and support existing portfolio companies as needed.”

Facebook has confirmed they have hired someone to fill the role.

Google, too, updated products that people can use to work from home. In April, it said that its video chat service, Google Meet, would be available inside people’s Gmail window and free to anyone with a Google account. It also said it would bolster e-commerce searches by making listings in its shopping search results mostly free, rather than have merchants pay for all their products to appear in the results.

Non-Tech Activity

Tech isn’t the only industry strengthening or expanding their business offerings. Biotech, pharma, retail, and finance, are as well. In late May, Merck announced it would be acquiring Themis; a company focused on vaccines and immune-modulation therapies for infectious diseases.  Roche acquired Stratos Genomics to possess their one-hour DNA sequencing technology. Grubhub was picked up by Just Eat Takeaway.com, which creates new operations in the U.S. for the entry into online food delivery in the United States. Esports acquired the private company LHE Enterprises to capitalize on the surge in online gaming interest. As larger companies in different industries have more clarity of the future business environment, we may see even more non-tech acquisitions.

Take-Away

This period in history will likely be remembered for bringing an acceleration of change. Companies are looking to capitalize on clear trends that are expected to last well after the current challenges. Investors, for their part, can take their own steps to capitalize on new consumer demands. Research of smaller companies that may become acquisition targets could uncover investment opportunities.

Tech is the most notable group making acquisitions to reshape and benefit from a changing world, but there are others. Companies in any industry, which are aggressively seizing the opportunity and perhaps letting go of old ways, could find themselves more powerful when the pandemic resolves itself.  

Investors holding shares of firms targeted for acquisition may never see their company grow into the next behemoth like Apple. This is okay — finding the next “Apple” isn’t as easy as finding small innovative companies that Apple may become interested in owning.

Paul Hoffman

Managing Editor

 

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Sources:

Facebook establishing a venture arm to invest in startups

Facebook
Invests $5.7 Billion in Indian Internet Giant Jio

Building a transformative subsea cable to better connect Africa

Zoom’s Biggest
Rivals Are Coming for It

Top Innovators

Amazon in Advanced Talks to Buy Self-Driving-Car Tech Company Zoox

Facebook to
buy Giphy for $400 million

Microsoft acquires Softomotive to accelerate and expand its Robotic Process Automation capabilities

IBM Acquisitions 1990-1999

Zuckerberg Investor Call Tanscript

Facebook’s Deal With Jio Under Indian Antitrust Review

Would Anyone be Shocked if the Market Suddenly Capsized?

Is the market’s pricing mechanism temporarily broken, or is it now forever changed? Could it be that retail traders and investors are now the “smart money,” or will they be shown to be suckers? These are the debates taking place among veteran traders at their virtual “water-coolers” and among less-seasoned retail investors in online chat rooms and Facebook groups.

We’re approaching mid-year 2020, it’s a presidential election year that began with the stock-market breaking record highs while corporations were guiding earnings expectations lower. These were expected to be headlines that set the tone in the first half. These expectations have all but been overshadowed.  Since the new year opening bell on Thursday, January 2, 2020, we’ve experienced a rollercoaster record high in the S&P followed a rapid 30% drop, which rebounded in a “V-shaped” bottom to close even on the year.

Some of the most followed and admired investors, such as Warren Buffett, Stanley Druckenmiller, Jim Cramer, and others, famously missed the strongest rally in 90 years. At the same time, self-directed investors, mom and pop, and younger, less-seasoned newbies have been participating in some of Wall Street’s biggest and most unexpected moves. 

Hundreds of thousands of individual investors trading small positions online and from phone apps are pushing up prices of companies that have recently filed for bankruptcy protection or teetering on the edge of default.

In a market as different as the 2020 environment, it’s not surprising that the average daily trading volumes for some of the financially unsound names have been up as much as 30 times their 2019 average. The soaring companies are, in many cases, the same firms that have seen skyrocketing interest at brokerages popular with individual investors. 

The website Robintrack, which is not affiliated with the Robinhood trading application, downloads Robinhood’s trading data, then provides users with tools for analysis and allows downloads at no cost. Although Robintrack doesn’t capture data from other retail broker activity, the information can be used as a gauge of trends and popularity of the do-it-yourself investor.

Robinhood Favorites

Below are the top ten stocks (out of top 3000 by market cap) that have seen the largest increase in interest on Robinhood over the last month:

Out of the “Robinhood favorites,” all are household names that most people would recognize. With the exception of Invesco, all are experiencing severe financial challenges. The first on the list, American Airlines, lost $2.2 billion in the first quarter. The second most popular, Hertz, filed for bankruptcy protection on May 22.  The tenth on the list, Norwegian Cruise Lines, warned of a possible bankruptcy in late May. These three provide solid examples of retail popularity along with price movement that is helping to drive prices unpredictably.

 

American Airlines

Source: Robintrack, CNBC Data
Through 6/9/20

Despite the uncertainty in the airline sector, Robinhood users have gone from roughly zero holdings in American Airlines to almost 650,000 shares.  Shares are up 57.35% over the past five trading days, along with the increased volume.  Changes in data, activity, and increases in popularity on Robinhood may become additional indicators of short-term price movements for traders looking for trading plays.

Hertz

Source: Robintrack, CNBC Data Through 6/9/20

Robintrack’s data indicate that 159,000 of their users currently hold Hertz stock. That’s a record high and an increase of over 430% from 37,000 users a month ago. Over the past five trading days, the dramatic increase in volume has been accompanied by a 416% increase in stock price. Did the experts get this one wrong, or are smaller owners ignoring the risk of holding HTZ? Either way, there has been a large amount of money to be made by any standard.

 

Norwegian Cruise Lines

Source: Robintrack, CNBC Data Through 6/9/20

Norwegian Cruise Line’s growth in popularity from approximately zero to now close to 360,000 holders among Robinhood users ignores many of the challenges in the hospitality industry. However, the 39.61% increase in the stock price over the past five trading days has certainly been cause for many self-directed investors to feel their purchase is justified.

Taking from the Poor and Giving to
the Rich?

Are online self-directed investors ushering in a new era of profitable contrarian investing, or will the days ahead prove to be disappointing and costly? Despite the increase in activity, the average holding per user is small, even if Individually, their positions represent significant positions.  As far as Wall Street is concerned, retail is looked at as a block, despite the idea that the activity is hundreds of thousands of small investors rather than one or two institutions with billions taking a position.

The extraordinary movement in both stocks that are popular on Robinhood and in the market as a whole is still in the midst of a powerful move. Expectations among professionals are that historic unemployment and mounting corporate losses, along with a deep recession, will remove the giddiness among all market players. If the experts have it right, the upward movement across the major indexes cannot continue to attract new retail investors, and institutional investors are apt to stick with conventional valuations. These valuations suggest the market is overpriced. If these attitudes hold, it is a recipe for losses for those in the market. This may leave many retail investors battered.

 

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Source: Hundreds of Thousands of Tiny Buyers Swarm to
Insolvency Stocks

Robintrack

Robinhood
traders cash in on the market comeback that billionaire investors missed

Invesco Ltd. Announces May 31, 2020 Assets Under
Management

What’s Moving the Market: Explained in Three Graphs – Part 1 

The pandemic shuts down the economy … and the stock market goes up.  People are rioting in the streets to protest racial injustice … and the stock market goes up.  The United States threatens to strip Hong Kong from special trade status, potentially reigniting trade wars with China … and the stock market goes up.  The rise in the general stock market seems at odds with the economic data being reported.  Granted, the market is supposedly a measure of future results, not current results.  But then how does one explain the market’s strength at the same time that management teams and analysts are racing to lower earnings and cash flow projections? The following three charts perhaps offer some explanation.

 

 

Personal income is up.    Personal income in the US surged 10.5% in April, the biggest jump since the US Bureau of Economic Analysis started compiling data in 1959.  Disposable income rose by 12.9%.  The increase is largely due to an increase in government spending.  Government social benefits accounted for $6.3 billion, or 30% of the personal income in April, almost twice the normal percentage.  One can debate the merits of the government bailout, but the impact is clear.  Government spending has put additional dollars into the hands of consumers.  However, consumers are not spending the increase in income, instead choosing to save it.

 

People are saving, and there is nowhere else to put
money.  People have responded to COVID-19 concerns by staying at home, which has reduced the money they spend on entertainment.  They are also foregoing other discretionary spending due to employment and economic concerns.  The personal savings rate has skyrocketed to historic levels.  The personal savings rate is a measure of savings as a percent of disposable income.  Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America, tells CNBC that checking accounts have 30% to 40% more money in them than 12 weeks ago.  This comes despite historically low-interest rates.  Put plainly; the money must go somewhere, so why not the stock market?  And why not put those dollars in stock that are well known?

 

 

The stock market has become dominated by a handful of tech stocks.  Since bottoming out on March 17, most major indices are up approximately 20%.  Information Technology stocks have led the push with the FAANG stocks (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google) up more than 30%.  Technology stocks are less affected by a reduction in consumer spending due to COVID-19 or racial tension.  In fact, Apple and Google could become major players in the fight against the virus through contact tracing apps, while Facebook and Netflix are seeing increased usage, and Amazon is benefiting from increased home deliveries.  Major stock indices such as the S&P 500 or the Russell 200 are meant to measure the performance of a broad group of stocks comprising all aspects of the economy.  In actuality, the performance of the indices is heavily influenced by a small handful of large companies.  Amazingly, five stocks (Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook) now comprise 18% of the S&P 500’s market capitalization, roughly equal to the market weight of the bottom 300 companies.  This percentage has grown steadily in the last ten years.  The strong performance by the stock market, then, does not necessarily reflect improving economic conditions but rather that of just one sector or maybe even only a handful of companies. 

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Sources:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/29/us-savings-rate-hits-record-33percent-as-coronavirus-causes-americans-to-stockpile-cash-curb-spending.html, Maggie Fitzgerald, CNBC, May 29, 2020.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/looting-protests-and-covid-19-havent-pounded-the-stock-market-160426990.html, Brian Sozzi, Yahoo Finance, June 2, 2020

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-powerful-tech-companies-now-make-up-18-of-the-stock-market-heres-why-this-could-be-a-bad-thing-145710881.html, Brian Sozzi, Yahoo Finance, February 3, 2020

https://qz.com/1862614/personal-income-in-the-us-shot-up-a-record-10-5-percent-in-april/, Karen Ho, Quartz, May 29, 2020

http://arnerichmassena.com/blog/faang-phenomenon-sustainable/, Jillian Perkins, Arnerich Massena, June 29, 2018

https://www.yahoo.com/news/faang-stocks-defying-coronavirus-bloodbath-115111875.html, Ritujay Ghosh, Zacks, May 26, 2020

 

How High Can the Market Go?

The markets continued to defy gravity after NASA, with the help of Zoom, rang the Nasdaq opening bell from space on Tuesday, June 3.  The major indexes have continued to reach higher each day since the March 23^rd bottom, causing some to feel uncomfortable with the current level of the market. Nasdaq has been particularly ballistic. In just under six months this year, the Nasdaq 100 has gained 11.2%.

There are many economic, political, medical, and business concerns that would cause one to expect the market to be down. There are also various measures and valuation methods that suggest the most followed indexes are at their melting point. Rather than listing these concerns or rehashing the extreme valuations, it is helpful to understand the reason for the rise. In this way we are giving the market the benefit of the doubt. After all, successful investors know, the market is never wrong. To make money you must know where it is going, even if you don’t think it should go there.

 

The Sustainability
of Daily Market Increases

The Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (MCSI) is a monthly survey of U.S. consumer confidence levels conducted by the University of Michigan.  The current sentiment has not been this depressed in eight years. Obviously, with 14.7% now claiming unemployment, households are deciding which basic necessities they can afford and which they can put aside. For a large percentage of Americans, this makes discretionary spending out of the question.

With such a large population of consumers avoiding discretionary spending, corporate earnings will be squeezed in most sectors. Businesses already are going bankrupt at a record pace. Some of the more recognizable names that filed for bankruptcy in May included J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, Hertz, and Tuesday Morning. Airlines which had crew shortages in 2019 are laying off thousands this year.

Under even the best conditions, daily stock market increases are not sustainable. So it is safe to project they certainly will come to an end at some point. All rallies do. This latest rally has continued for three reasons. All three are positive expectations rather than actual experience.

1. Expectations of a quick cure and/or vaccine for Covid-19 will get us back to work
2. Expectations for built up post-pandemic demand will be highly stimulative
3. Expectations that Government financial support will be immense and ongoing

These three by themselves are likely just fuel for the current height of the financial markets. After all, at the beginning of this year companies were guiding expectations lower. Channelchek discussed this in an article titled Is
the Market Disregarding Earnings Results? which we published on February 14^th of this year. This was before the coronavirus lockdown and well before the riots that have spread out of Minneapolis. At that time it was easy to make an argument that markets were steamy and needed to cool off a bit. There are significantly more headwinds now, to say the least. Still, the Nasdaq 100 actually passed it’s February 19^th high in midday trading this week.

The University of Michigan also polls consumers on their expectations on improving business conditions. These numbers are quite positive. A higher percent of consumers than any time in the past ten years views the outlook as improving. This survey doesn’t ask “better than last year?”, it asks “better than now?” With this, it isn’t surprising that such a high percentage sees an improvement. Feeling that things will get better may have been the initial spark that stopped the fall in March.

University of Michigan Survey Data

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

The average daily growth in the S&P 500 over the past 50 days is 0.78%, while the return for owning a US Treasury 10-year for 365 days is 0.76%. That’s less than 1/365 in return. Risk versus return is one driver of investor behavior. Confidence is another driver. On the day after election day in 2016 the Dow hit an all-time after a dramatic late-day rally. Nothing had fundamentally changed in the market except increased confidence in business conditions. This stoked some buying which then prompted more buying.

It often only takes a couple of strong days before the attention of a larger pool of investors begins to want in on the rise in prices. This then feeds on itself as more and more see the movement and fear they will miss out. This happened when US stocks bottomed in March 2009. The economy was still bad and quite uncertain. The result, confidence in the future, and governmental support led to the longest bull market in American history.

Take-Away

There are some faint signs that the economy is bottoming. For instance, the number of unemployment claims has slowly declined, and mortgage applications, both refinancing and new purchases, are rising. Airline passenger activity and restaurant traffic are climbing as well.

The opposite of the fear of missing out is fear of staying at the party too long — not booking profits on the way up. This causes a downward movement that is often more rapid than the upward climb. The Fed and participants long the market certainly hope that after defying gravity amid so much uncertainty, that any reduction in pace leads to a soft landing.

                                                                     

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Sources:

University
of Michigan Data

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/how-nasdaqs-opening-bell-defied-gravity-2020-06-03

Koyfin Market Data

Unemployment
BLS

Irrational
Exuberance, Chapter 8

Is the Repeated Outperformance in June of the Russell 2000 Random?

“Sell in May and Go Away” is an investment axiom that suggests investors would do better to lighten their positions in stocks during the summer months. Is this good advice? It doesn’t tell us when in May that we should take our chips off the table. Is it May 1, Memorial Day weekend, May 31? And, is one sector or index more impacted than others? This May, the Nasdaq hit its low for the month on May 3, right before its 800 point climb. The S&P 500 bottomed later on May 14 before shooting up close to 10%. Overall, May 2020 was an excellent month for the major market indexes. If you didn’t sell, there’s a good chance it gave a boost to your portfolio.

What will June and the summer bring? I don’t know of any market sayings for June. I guess you were supposed to have already reduced your positions in May. I do know, from my years on Wall Street, that the trading desks during the summer months are often controlled by the rookies and interns. They’re often trying to demonstrate their abilities while the veterans are out playing golf or lying on a beach in South Hampton. Could this be the root of the “sell in may…” advice?

Serious investors don’t care about sayings; they care about company data, economic numbers, trends, and probabilities. I decided to look back at the trends over the past 20 Junes to see if history provided a verifiable pattern across the most followed market benchmarks.

June
Results Since 2000

Out of the past 20 years, the Russell 2000 has returned positive results 13 times (65%). This doesn’t sound overly impressive until you compare it to the Dow 30 which had been up in June for only 7 of the years (35%), the S&P 500 was up 11 of the 20 (55%), or the Nasdaq that was up 9 Junes (45%) over the past 20 years. So, over the period, only two indexes were up during June more than half the time. I should point out here that this 20-year period was not “cherry-picked” to compare performance history.  A quick review of the data for the ten years prior to this, and the ten years prior to that only reinforced this June “trend” with the small-cap index exceeding the others. Here is a link for the Underlying Data.

 

Data Source: investing.com  

In terms of performance, the track record for the Russell 2000 is even more compelling. With a one-month return average of almost 1% (0.94%) in June since 2000, the Russell has returned more than double the next closest index which is Nasdaq.

 

There May Be a Reason

Rather than caution that past history is not an indication of future performance, I’ll instead make sure readers know that during this period, the best year was 6.89% (June 2019), and the worst June was negative 8.60% (June 2008). So any particular year has its own circumstances. But there is something at play during June with this index. The Russell Indexes are being reworked and this creates activity that could be providing a predictable tailwind. The added companies typically have a good amount of new interest surrounding them. This added interest causes fresh institutional buyers of the new stocks being included and often a rise in their value leading up to and for a short time after their inclusion.

Take Away

Channelchek wrote two informative articles on the impact on investors of index reconstitution. They are Opportunity When Stock Market Indices
are Reshuffled and The Russell Index Reconstitution. These two articles, coupled with the above data, make clear that investors should be aware of how the calendar impacts the index, which measures the lower 2000 stocks of the 3000 largest capitalized companies.

As far as selling everything else now that it’s the last day in May, normal market probabilities may not apply this year. The one thing certain in 2020 is that there are cross-currents that will continue to move markets dramatically. The normal drivers of stock price based largely on recent company performance, for now, are on hiatus. 

 

Paul Hoffman

Managing Editor

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Investor Relations in 2020 — Meeting the Needs of Investors and Companies

Is face-to-face communication gone forever? Are nimbleness and strategic plan more critical than financial reports? Is loyalty from the investment community on par with having the loyalty of customers and employees? Are reputable company-sponsored research firms protecting their reputation when “business as usual” is on hold? Does this leave both investor and customer base maintained? Has the current economic weakness strengthened investor relations firms? These are among the questions addressed in this well-thought-out, well-presented release posted May 4th in USA Today titled: The New Age of Investor
Relations by Stuart Smith, CEO, and Founder of SmallCapVoices.com.

The New Age of Investor Relations

So far in 2020, we learned with abject certainty that “business as usual” is an axiom of the past. COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on the world, leaving in its wake total carnage of economies, businesses, communities, schools and health care systems. As world leaders and health experts attempt to define a semblance of the “new” normal, we’re all reminded that the future can only be forecast, not foretold. This means it’s time to adapt.

Established crisis management plans, from a global perspective, did not anticipate this crisis. Determining the full scale of impact will take decades, though the effect on America’s businesses, however, is closer at hand. As the pandemic peaks and plateaus, we will see which public companies successfully adopted a new-age strategy to retain, attract and communicate with the lifeblood of their existence: the investor community.

The game plan for many CEOs thus far has been to reduce overhead and adjust operations to minimize impact on the bottom-line and ensure continuity with customers. In the midst of these changes, temporary disregard of the financial community to focus on corporate survival is expected, though admissible for only so long and to a small degree. If broader market performance is any indication, existing and perspective stakeholders are watching to gain clear understanding of what measures are taken to manage liquidity. Qualitative information – the company’s new business model and strategic direction – may be more important to convey in the near-term than quantitative financial documents. In order to stabilize stock prices, shareholder performance-expectation must align with the actual decisions made by management.

Of extreme, immediate importance is timely communication that answers the most common questions of the investment community.

For instance: Are there pressures on demand for your goods and services? Are you able to meet this demand? What is the impact from supply chain disruptions? Are projects being delayed or cancelled? How are you managing your human capital? Are you eligible for government assistance?

There are many more questions, with relevancy based upon industry sectors, some of which are impossible to answer during this changing environment. Even so, investors are observing management’s ability to handle the current crisis and evaluating the longer-term merits of making or holding investments. In the absence of concise answers, it is critical that public companies communicate to shareholders how they are monitoring economic indicators and steps they are taking to manage relationships with suppliers and customers.

Is Face-to-Face Gone Forever?

Nothing beats face-to-face communication. The tactility of an in-person meeting can never be replaced, but with the current environment, roadshows, investor luncheons and equity conferences are no longer on near-term calendars. Businesses are forced to find new ways to communicate in both business and social settings. In many cases, the results are better-than-expected and more cost-effective than in-person arrangements. Innovative companies are redirecting their travel dollars to improve their digital presence and create virtual offices. Websites are being overhauled; benign investor relations (IR) sections are coming to life; and webinars and virtual meetings have exploded in both number and the richness of content.

When face-to-face contact is deemed safe, executives will be back on airplanes and checking into hotels. This new digital awareness, however, will not be lost. When the cost-to-benefit analysis is complete, it will gain a permanent place in the IR toolbox.

Planning for Better Times

While trust is a prerequisite for effective IR, it is now more important than ever. “I don’t know what or who to believe,” has replaced “How are you?” as the opening catchphrase. Skepticism is at least on par with optimism.

Fortunately for corporate executives, world governments and mass media have usurped and preserved the lead as those least trustworthy. Mistrust for corporate America, however, still provides a sizable hurdle for those given the task of telling the company story.

When the storytellers are the inside players, the hurdles become taller. Only the most skilled CEOs and CFOs can effectively maneuver through this unprecedented territory. Pure transparency of message – passion without promotion – has always been the bedrock of effective IR and it will be critical in the planning of post-crisis strategies.

Specialized and accredited IR firms – together with third-party, institutional-quality equity research – can help deliver, verify and validate internal messaging.

Think of this in terms of a restaurant. Who best to provide a recommendation: the cook or the customer? Investing in an uncertain future is immensely difficult. But it is the companies with emergent strategies, in the midst of crisis, that captivate the attention of investors. Even Apple was once on the brink of bankruptcy.

Picking the Best Players

Developing an effective IR program is not easy. CEOs and CFOs cannot just hire the solution; they must take an active role in its development. Many companies churn through IR firms, particularly when expectations are not met. Where consistency and clarity of messaging is imperative, churn is not good. Picking the “right” players the first time is imperative in developing a sustainable IR program.

So, what should be looked for in the selection of IR professionals? Specialization is a good start, particularly for companies in complex sectors. It’s akin to choosing a heart surgeon who has performed thousands of surgeries; specific experience will aid in the management of unforeseen circumstances.

Longevity is paramount, both as a firm and in the retention of clients. Longer-term case studies will provide insight into the IR firm’s methodology and how it establishes a rapport with the investment community.

Personnel is also key. Consider the employees of the firm. CEOs and CFOs will need to spend considerable time with the person or team assigned to their account. The chemistry of these relationships will often determine the success of the program. A mutual respect promotes an honest exchange of ideas and information, and a candid discussion of expectations is the kind of relationship that will result in a more cohesive execution of the plan.

Over the last 15 years, attracting the attention of sell-side analysts has become increasingly difficult for small and microcap companies. Independent research provides the foundation for IR initiatives. Through a combination of decimalization, regulation and radical changes in the trading paradigm, small, more illiquid companies struggle to get coverage. Sell-side providers have an equal struggle getting paid by Wall Street for microcap research, so many have moved to higher market cap securities. The evolution of company-sponsored, or “paid” research has provided hope for these companies. With reputable firms, however, the decision to initiate coverage remains with the research department. A rule of thumb: if you can simply “pick them and pay them,” you probably should not.

Company-sponsored equity research (CSR) was stripped of the promotional / propaganda stigma when regulated, licensed equity analysts started writing it. Regulators have clear rules by which this level of analyst must abide by or incur hefty fines, or even ejection from the industry. The broker / dealer that sponsors the publishing analyst is also held responsible for ethical breaches. The relatively small cost to issuers of between $4,000 and $6,000 per month provides little incentive to cheat. Except for the payment method, the CSR process of selection, initiation and coverage through a licensed broker / dealer has not changed. Initially, there were conflict of interest concerns with CSR. Ironically, CSR can reduce conflicts arising from pay-to-play schemes, wherein research is offered in exchange for investment banking arrangements. For a company that has little or no coverage, if CSR is offered, it should be considered using similar standards of specialization and accreditation used in the selection of an IR firm.

Delivering the Message

A balanced and comprehensive IR strategy can only be measured by how it is accessed and by whom. On the research side, CSR or otherwise, institutional investors prefer access through aggregators such as Bloomberg, FactSet, Refinitiv (formerly known as Thomson Reuters) and Capital IQ. Retail distribution is more complex and is usually managed through direct communication with investors or their representatives. A new service, Channelchek.com, offers institutional-quality research on small and microcap companies to anyone who registers on the site. This free service also provides advanced market data, webinars and webcasts, podcasts and news. There are more than 6,000 companies listed on ChannelChek.com, opening a new channel of distribution to individuals and groups who did not have access though the aggregators, which charge hefty fees to users. Family offices, investment advisors, independent brokers, private equity, high-net-worth individuals and the huge and growing group of self-directed investors now have a fighting chance to making more informed decisions like the institutions; plus, at no cost.

Stay Optimistic

Management of even the largest companies are suspending guidance through what should be called the “Uncertainty Pandemic.” The uncertainty, however, doesn’t alleviate the responsibility to execute effective IR with the investment community. Tomorrow’s survival is arguably contingent on today’s strategies. Business leaders must establish flexible, yet defined, crisis management standards – such as the selection of a quality, modern IR firm – and demonstrate their ability to adapt as needed.

While the stock market has seen plenty of volatility this year, the numbers prove that investors are rallying behind American business. At all levels of adversity – and yes, this is probably the highest level we have seen – opportunity exists for those who successfully adapt. One sure strategy is to reevaluate and reenergize IR practices and communication strategies. Investors need companies as much as companies need them. Get on their radar screens. Carpe diem. Seize the day.

About the Author

Stuart Smith is the CEO and Founder of 
SmallCapVoice.com, which is a recognized corporate investor relations firm, with clients nationwide, known for its ability to help emerging growth companies build a following among retail and institutional investors via c-suite corporate profiles.

About Channelchek

Channelchek is among the services that have experienced a growing fan base through the pandemic. The online platform provides company-sponsored research and data on small and micro-cap companies alongside pertinent articles, virtual roadshows, CEO discussions, podcasts, and information on over 6,000 companies. For answers to your questions, please contact Channelchek here.

 

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Suggested
Reading:

Is Company Sponsored Research the Future for Small-Cap Stock
Investors?

The 2020s Could Become the Most Inclusive Decade for
Investors

Do Market Scares Provide Uncommon Opportunity?

Source:

USA Today, May 4, 2020 — The New Age of Investor Relations

The Annual Russell Index Revision and Stocks to Watch

The yearly process of recasting the Russell Indexes began on May 8, 2020, and will be complete by market open on June 29. During the period in between, Russell will rank stocks for additions, for deletions, and to evaluate the names to make sure they conform overall. The methodology is largely transparent to help smooth the process. Still, as you might imagine, with over $900 million invested in passive index funds and $9 trillion in assets linked to Russell indexes, the trading volume of these companies should increase dramatically during this period, and there is, of course, the potential for very profitable long and short trades.

Investors should be aware of the forces at play so they may either get out of the way or become involved by taking positions with those being added or those at the end of their reign within one of the Russell measurements.

COVid-19 Dramatic Valuation
Shifts

The reconstitution mid-year 2020 is going to impact a much larger number of companies than most years. As with everything else related to the financial markets, the price swings will likely be more amplified than usual. That is to say, more companies than in the recent past will move in, out, or to another index. There should be large price swings as we approach the last trading days in June.

The 2020 Russell
US Index Reconstitution Calendar is as Follows:

• Friday, May 8 – “rank day” – Russell US Index membership eligibility for 2020 reconstitution determined from constituent market capitalization at market close.

• Friday, May 22 – “query period” begins – preliminary shares & free-float information for Russell 3000 Index constituents are published daily & queries welcome (query period runs through June 12)

• June 5 – preliminary U.S. index add & delete lists posted to the FTSE Russell website after 6 PM US eastern time.

• June 12 & 19 – U.S. index add & delete lists (reflecting any updates) posted to the FTSE Russell website after 6 PM US eastern time.

• June 15 – “lockdown” period begins – U.S. index adds & delete lists are considered final • June 26 – Russell Reconstitution is final after the close of the U.S. equity markets.

 • June 29 – equity markets open with the newly reconstituted Russell US Indexes.

 

Stocks to Watch

The U.S. equity indexes that are subject to annual reconstitution include the broad-cap Russell
3000  and Russell
3000E, the Russell
Midcap index, the large-cap Russell
1000, Russell
Smallcap Completeness, Russell
2000, Russell
200, Russell
Top 50 Megacap, Russell
2500, Russell
Microcap, and the  Russell
Top 500 Index. These links will provide the definition of each index, which will help if you’re trying to determine what companies will be put into each and what companies will be removed to create the new make-up until next year.

This link (Russell
2000 {19-00}) may help you get started to find stocks with potential movement within some of the indexes. It is a spreadsheet of last year’s Russell 2000, the current largest U.S companies by capitalization (close of business 5/13/20), and a side-by-side comparison to determine which stocks may wind up in the Russell 2000. We’ve identified 101 candidates shown on our spreadsheet that we are watching. We encourage investors that are looking to avoid or become involved with stocks added or removed to do their own analysis and review of price movements.

In a previous article titled There’s Opportunity When Stock
Market Indices are Reshuffled, there are samples of historical price and volume activity surrounding stocks being added or removed from a major index.

 

Suggested Reading:

Stock
Index Adjustments and Self-Directed Investors

Climbing the “Wall of Worry”

The Correlation between Passive
Investing and Underperformance

 

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Source:  

FTSE Russell Press Release

Expect A Record-Breaking Russell Reconstitution

Russell
2000 (19-00)

Russell
Methodology

Confirmation
June 2020

Russell 3000 Index

Monday, May 11, 2020

CoreCivic (CXW)

Dealing With COVID-19 Challenges

CoreCivic is a diversified government solutions company with the scale and experience needed to solve tough government challenges in flexible, cost-effective ways. We provide a broad range of solutions to government partners that serve the public good through corrections and detention management, a growing network of residential reentry centers to help address America’s recidivism crisis, and government real estate solutions. We are a publicly traded real estate investment trust and the nation’s largest owner of partnership correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities. We also believe we are the largest private owner of real estate used by U.S. government agencies. The Company has been a flexible and dependable partner for government for more than 35 years. Our employees are driven by a deep sense of service, high standards of professionalism and a responsibility to help government better the public good.

Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

1Q20 Results. First quarter was performing in-line with management expectations until the COVID crisis hit, forcing the Company to devote significant resources to combat the disease. In addition, an already expected ICE population decline was exacerbated.


What about the Dividend? We believe the dividend remains covered even under our revised estimates, although we will note that management did lower the dividend in 2016 as a result of changes to the South Texas contract. Another alternative to cash dividends would be paying up to 80% of the dividend in stock, although we are not…

Click to get the full report.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst
certification and important disclosures included in the full report. 
NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of
this research summary.  Proper due diligence is required before
making any investment decision. 

Monday, May 11, 2020

CoreCivic (CXW)

Dealing With COVID-19 Challenges

CoreCivic is a diversified government solutions company with the scale and experience needed to solve tough government challenges in flexible, cost-effective ways. We provide a broad range of solutions to government partners that serve the public good through corrections and detention management, a growing network of residential reentry centers to help address America’s recidivism crisis, and government real estate solutions. We are a publicly traded real estate investment trust and the nation’s largest owner of partnership correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities. We also believe we are the largest private owner of real estate used by U.S. government agencies. The Company has been a flexible and dependable partner for government for more than 35 years. Our employees are driven by a deep sense of service, high standards of professionalism and a responsibility to help government better the public good.

Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

1Q20 Results. First quarter was performing in-line with management expectations until the COVID crisis hit, forcing the Company to devote significant resources to combat the disease. In addition, an already expected ICE population decline was exacerbated.


What about the Dividend? We believe the dividend remains covered even under our revised estimates, although we will note that management did lower the dividend in 2016 as a result of changes to the South Texas contract. Another alternative to cash dividends would be paying up to 80% of the dividend in stock, although we are not…

Click to get the full report.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst
certification and important disclosures included in the full report. 
NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of
this research summary.  Proper due diligence is required before
making any investment decision. 

Can the Market Continue to Defy Gravity?

The
stock market’s gyrations this year will be analyzed for generations. The year
2020 isn’t even half over, and to date, the market has experienced an all-time
record high, quickly followed by one of the steepest drops (33.9%, 32 days) in
history. The markets have also registered the highest volatility since the VIX was
launched in January 1990. All of this was immediately followed by a very
profitable market climb, which included the strongest month in 45 years (April
2020).

The remainder of the year is likely to be historic as well. The latest economic releases are unfathomably bad. Over the past six weeks, the US Department of Labor reported 30.3 million new unemployment claims. This represents roughly 20% of the workforce. The read on first-quarter GDP shows a 4.8% contraction in economic output during the quarter. Keep in mind, the first half of the quarter was before the economy was put under sedation, so it was still contributing growth at a robust rate. This portends a much deeper contraction during the current quarter. Corporate earnings have, of course, become extremely strained. This is not necessarily reflected in the major market indexes. Instead, the equity markets have been defying gravity since late March as they have moved upward and are now at the same levels we had a year ago in May. GDP last May was at least 7% stronger than the current pace, and unemployment was low at 3.6%.

Wall
of Worry

The strength of the markets may seem out of place when contrasted against the surrounding economic environment, but this behavior is so common that there is a name for it, “The Wall of Worry.” Investopedia defines it this way: “Wall of worry is the financial markets’ periodic tendency to surmount a host of negative factors and keep ascending. Wall of worry is generally used in connection with the stock markets, referring to their resilience when running into a temporary stumbling block, rather than a permanent impediment to a market advance.” The Investopedia description further explains, “The markets’ ability to climb a wall of worry reflects investor confidence that these issues will be resolved at some point. However, market direction once the wall of worry has been surmounted is impossible to ascertain and depends on the stage of the economic cycle at which it occurs.”

Climbing the wall of worry is what the markets are doing now during the eye of this economic storm.  Since the economic turmoil is self-induced and seems to have an (uncertain) expiration date, the situation is viewed as a temporary impediment. Most would presume the resumption of back-to-work both abroad and in the US before year-end. So the “shelter-in-place” situation that caused the sell-off initially is expected to clear, which leads to the market confidence of investors. The strong markets at first were probably driven by the opportunistic, searching for value, then carried by fear-based investors worried they would miss a chance to get in on the ride upward.

The
Market is Acting Rationally

In addition to looking past the crisis, investors are also picking their spots. When you peel back the layers of the market’s strength to reveal individual sectors rather than look at the performance of the whole composite index, the market appears to be rational. The sectors, where you’d expect strength such as health care and information technology, have acted the most bullish, while materials, real estate, and energy have been laggards. What is more noteworthy is that the strongest of the individual stocks within the S&P are five large-cap names that now account for almost one-fifth of the 500 stocks. If these handful of companies are doing well, their weight impacts the performance in a way that overstates overall market movement.

The success of these five (once small) companies’ accounts for much of the S&P 500’s climb. Small-cap, international, and value stocks are lagging. While these laggards made up some ground last week, they have more to go before they catch and pass the performance of the large-cap companies making up the indexes performance. Surpassing the large-cap stocks is likely to happen eventually. Over time, small-cap and value companies have outperformed large-cap. Look at the list above. Most can remember when four of the five were small-cap companies. The potential for outperformance within the equity arena is much higher away from large-cap equities.

Take-Away

While the market has recently experienced big gainers outpacing weaker names, the question of why stocks are showing strength at all confounds many market participants and TV pundits. The answer is that investors are climbing a classic wall of worry by looking through the next couple of quarterly economic releases. Also, they believe the current situation is temporary, and investors are confident that earnings will normalize in time. So, despite significant earnings declines, this situation is presumed to be short term.

Not unlike most rallies, forward-looking investors got in first. Others saw the move and joined them for fear of missing out; this drove the major market measures higher. Will these investors be quick to hit the sell button if the return to a stronger economic climate is slower than expected? Will the market climb of large-cap stocks cause some to seek opportunity in small-cap stocks or value? We are in the middle of this storm; the worst seems to be over, assessing the damages and repairing them will uncover new opportunities to embrace and others to avoid. Investors with the most information and insight into what is going on beneath the surface of both sectors and companies will have successful portfolios.

Suggested Reading:

Small-Cap
vs Large-Cap Investing

Economic Aid Programs – A Gargantuan Experiment with only
Modest Expectations

The Correlation Between Passive Investing &
Underperformance

Enjoy Premium Channelchek Content at No Cost

Sources:

Fed cuts rates
to blunt coronavirus impact, markets drop

Betting
On Retail Stocks At the End of the Brick-And-Mortar World

Wall of
Worry

30 Million
Americans Have Filed Unemployment Claims

Top 10 S&P 500 Stocks by Index
Weight

An Investment Tool That’s More Important than Ever

The overall stock market performance during April was one for the record books. The Dow 30 (+11.1%) and S&P 500 (+12.7%) put in their best one-month performance since January 1987. The Nasdaq (+15.4%) delivered its greatest one-month gains since June 2000, and the Russell 2000 (+16.22%) outperformed the other three major market indicators.

The April rally was a welcomed reversal from March, which was the worst month since the height of the financial crisis in 2008. The question most stock investors are trying to discern now is, will stocks reverse again in May?  And How best to determine value?

Where to Now?

The economy and its impact on the stock market are in extraordinarily uncertain waters. Any previous trends have all been derailed. This is not just true of the market overall, but also true for both companies that will benefit from the pandemic and the majority which will be hurt by it. One fact that will keep many self-directed investors active is the reality that, during times like these, opportunity is at its highest. It is also true that at times like these the risk of short-term realized or unrealized losses are also at a high level. Volatility, truly is a double-edged sword.

Many market participants are accustomed to companies earnings guidance and earnings forecasts, especially in highly capitalized corporations that are widely covered by sell-side analysts. The quarterly forecasts of these companies are so broadly covered by mainstream news outlets, that they’re sometimes treated and delivered to investors like they’re an event themselves. The problem now is, over the past few weeks analysts along with one company after another have pulled their guidance and stated, “we just don’t know.” This takes away one of the valuation tools investors use in their decisions to buy or sell.

For the companies part, they can not offer the earnings insight into the near future which they do not have. This is safe for them to not offer numbers with far less confidence than the market is accustomed to. Without the companies insight, analysts from both sell-side Wall Street firms and company-sponsored research have placed many companies near-term projected revenue in a wait-and-see mode. The analysts, oddly enough, probably have better visibility out a year or more when the crisis is presumed to be behind us, than they have out three months. This may not be as much of a drawback for investors as it feels.

Investors, enjoy experiencing immediate gratification and reassurance after investing in a company. However, it is long term results (longer than 90 days) that is most often the reason an investment is made in the first place. Similarly, as far as selling,  a long-term negative outlook makes more sense than ridding your portfolio of a company because they are having a one-time hit to EBITDA.

Perhaps the economic lockdown will usher in an era of companies managing for long-term results. An era where analysts don’t feel a need to be as precise about their immediate estimates of income as opposed to longer-term prospects for the company and space in which it does business. Investors for their part could serve their future financial growth better if they look at companies through a longer-term lens. This would allow corporate management to create strategies with a longer-term focus.

Determining Value Now

Lower expectations of forecasting precision over the next two periods from the company’s investor relations or research analysts will be important for investors that want to stay involved and feel comfortable. By definition, people invest for the future, value expectations over a more appropriate time horizon may be the answer to this lack of information. Even during ideal times, it would be foolhardy to invest cash in a stock if you need that cash in a few months. A longer-term focus is more prudent for investors, and if companies are given leeway to focus long-term they should be able to make decisions that drive better results. This is better for investors and there are still forecasting tools. In fact, there are plenty of other fundamentals to review as a measure of future positive performance.

One thing the pandemic has done is cause us to see shifts in the economic landscape that may change industries. Some areas have earned a lot of buy-side interest because of the virus and lockdown and what it might usher in. Recognizing these changes early could be the key to finding performance and benefiting from the new paradigm. These could include industries providing work from home solutions, medical solutions, and safe havens such as precious metals, among many others.  Once industry expectations are recognized, sort through high-caliber industry reports to make sure you aren’t missing anything. From there, find companies within the space and check the recent price trend; you don’t want to chase after a stock that perhaps has already received too many speculative investors. Then comb through institutional-quality research analyst reports to get a clearer picture of the inner workings of the business model and growth prospects. Narrow down the list of possibilities and hope to find the deserving company that has been overlooked in all the other noise.  

Time Horizon Adjustment

The regularity of earnings projections with what had been a short feedback loop provides a sense of control and precision regarding accuracy, but perhaps not usefulness of these forecasts. Even with today’s murky conditions, wide estimation error, or lack of short-term guidance should not be a problem for investors. We know there is a temporary problem. If it were possible to forecast next quarter’s earnings per share for every stock in the S&P 500, any partially astute investor would assume that each companies profits this year are not representative of their longer-term potential. To put it another way, the accuracy of any earnings forecast during the first half of 2020 does not make it a valid measurement for determining normal expectations for the company. Companies that miss estimates can still have great earnings prospects. Conversely, companies that exceed expectations could still face difficulties. Within the past two months, and looking through next quarter, what is going on within the company books, within the various industries, and management goals to drive better performance can hardly be fully assessed by most self-directed investors or small RIA firms. They need more information and deeper insight on industries and company-specifics. The business model itself could be more telling than the numbers. 

Without a crystal ball, we don’t know how “normal” next year will be. However, as an investor, we should try to take advantage. We know the focus should be longer-term. As far as Wall Street analysts are concerned, the direction of future numbers and ability to resume normalcy down the road provides a very good start to discerning where assets should be deployed and which investments are best sold now. Looking out beyond the immediate quarter reduces short-term “noise.”  It also creates a longer-term horizon for management to measure success. Three years, five-years, ten years, these seem like an eternity in a world where immediate expectations drive stock price, and stock prices are available and rapidly changing throughout the day.  But if your investing for a future measured in years, you may be surrounded by opportunities that you’re afraid of taking advantage of because you aren’t as certain what will happen over the next 90 days. This will work against your success in the new paradigm.

 

Paul Hoffman

Managing Editor

 

Suggested Reading:

Stock Index Adjustments and
Self-Directed Investors

The Case for Silver

Small-Cap VS Large-Cap Investing

 

Register for Channelchek Premium Content and Tools at No Cost!

Sources:

Strategies
for Quarterly Earnings

Has Warren Buffett Already Shown His Hand?

Market participants, of all levels, have been wondering aloud about Warren Buffett’s low profile. Shortly after other wealth destroying market events, the “Oracle of Omaha” tended to step-up and calm fears early in the financial turmoil. The orchestrated economic stoppage of today’s lockdown has left investors wondering. They’re wondering if and when they’ll get a glimpse into the thinking of the highly respected Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Well, they don’t have to wonder much longer. His “silence” will end Saturday (May 2) at the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting (held virtually).  The discussions from that meeting have the potential to set the market tone in a number of industries and even the overall mood.

Has He
Already Shown His Hand?

Reviewing his actions and experience after the financial bubble burst late Summer 2008 may lend clues into his current focus. There was an excellent op-ed article written by Buffett for The New York Times just one month after the recognized start of the 2008 financial crisis. The piece was titled “Buy American – I Am” and contains one of his most famous quotes; “A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.” The article uses market history to make compelling arguments for ignoring fear and to confidently move cash from the sidelines and into the market. The only problem with the article, at least according to the author himself; is, he was wrong.

The Oracle of Omaha used the op-ed to “cheerlead” for the country and the markets. He wrote about taking his personal account from 100% U.S. Treasuries to making significant investments in U.S. Companies. The piece helped calm fears and served to inspire others to be comfortable investing while the extent of trouble was not fully clear.

Berkshire Hathaway, in 2008/2009, for its part, took large positions in beaten-up companies with excellent brands and excellent histories. The investments back then included Harley Davidson, General Electric, Tiffany & Co, and construction materials giant USG, among others. When discussing the crisis many months later, Buffett had lamented his timing and said he wished he had written his op-ed later than he did. He had spoken too soon.

This (jumping in early) by itself could easily explain his now shying away from making any bold statements. He is famous for confidently investing when others are fearful, but it is difficult to know when fear is near its peak. In 2008 he expressed extreme optimism only one month after the start of the market crisis. He was reminded that one month is too short to assess a new and highly unusual situation.

Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s business partner and Vice-Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, spoke with The Wall Street Journal a week ago. He was very clear as to what was going on in the Berkshire Hathaway investment mindset and the deals coming their way. In short, he made clear, “The Phone Is Not Ringing Off the Hook.” 

The Vice Chairman also said, “Warren wants to keep Berkshire safe for people who have 90% of their net worth invested here. We’re always going to be on the safe side. That doesn’t mean we couldn’t do something pretty aggressive or seize some opportunity. But basically, we will be fairly conservative. And we’ll emerge on the other side very strong.”

Munger also noted that they generally don’t go out searching for deals with companies. In the past, corporations looking to discuss their situation came to them. He said large corporations are most likely having those conversations with the U.S. government. Certainly, the U.S. has deeper pockets and greater ability to help than Berkshire Hathaway. 

What Others are
Saying

The speculation and consensus among investors is that he is quietly deploying capital and selectively buying shares of companies that are the backbone of America. In a podcast for The Knowledge Project titled “Getting Back Up,” Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, discussed what he thinks Berkshire Hathaway may be doing and should be doing. In the podcast, Ackman is heard saying: “I’m surprised they haven’t done anything yet that’s visible, but my guess is they’ve been buying stocks a lot…” The hedge fund manager added,   “The big opportunity for Berkshire is Berkshire itself.”  He explained it was a “cheap stock” before the market route and now is a “real bargain.” Class B shares of BRK (BRK-B) closed Wednesday at $189.61.

Rest Assured He Will Be Comforting

If history offers any indication, Warren Buffett believes markets always come back. As an “oracle” his projections usually have a soothing mood of confidence. This is not to suggest that anyone should believe the markets have seen their worst, or that everything will perform equally. Instead it would suggest there are many bargains within the equity markets, but the strength of the overall market may have gotten a bit ahead of itself.

As far as thoughts he shares on sectors and industries within the market, the investors will be listening for tips relative to performance spreads between stock classifications, which industries he sees value within, and if he is more likely to be looking offshore this time.

The normally lavish Berkshire Hathaway Annual meeting will be held virtually for the first time. It has been announced that Charlie Munger, who is 96, will not be attending. You can “attend” yourself on Saturday with this live stream this link.

Suggested Reading:

“The Big Short” Dr.
Michael Burry’s Views on the Shutdown

Why Index Funds Could be
a Mistake in 2020

What Now? Post Pandemic
Stock Market Investing

Register for Channelchek Premium Content and Tools at No Cost!

 

Sources:

Berkshire Hathaway 2020 Meeting Press
Release

“Buy American – I Am” NYT, 10/16/08

Charlie
Munger: ‘The Phone Is Not Ringing Off the Hook’

Bill Ackman:
Getting Back Up

Your Move – Three Investment Ideas to Consider Now

(Note: companies that
could be impacted by the content of this article are listed at the base of the
story [desktop version]. This article uses third-party references to provide a
bullish, bearish, and balanced point of view; sources are listed after the
Balanced section.)

Stock market indices have gained a large portion of their value back after having been down as much as 34% over the past month. The major market averages are now off their high less than 20%. The unpredictable massive rally in these benchmarks included record moves that will surely be studied in history books – as will the selloff that took place the month earlier. 

The magnitude of this upward index bounce is very misleading. Have you noticed that most sectors have not participated in any meaningful way? In fact, some of the more deflated stocks are still near their lows, others have fallen further. Here’s why.

Stocks With
the Most Pull

“The top five companies in the
S&P 500 have never occupied a greater share of the benchmark’s total market
capitalization.”  – Mike Bird, WSJ, April 20, 2020

Companies that have added the most to the rise of the Nasdaq and S&P 500 over the past month are tech giants such as Amazon, Intel, and Microsoft. Today, just five stocks MSFT, AAPL, FB, GOOG, and GOOGL account for 20% of the market cap for the entire S&P 500. That exceeds their concentration during the dotcom bubble of 2000.  The entire IT sector now accounts for a 25.4% weighting in the S&P 500 (a/o 4/17/20). None of the other ten major sectors even come close. While technology, which does not have a reputation of being defensive, has contributed most to index returns, some other individual companies have also held up well, especially in healthcare and consumer staples — two more traditional defensive sectors.

 

The performance of the entire S&P is in
large part because of participation by a few stocks.

Where Do We Go From Here

The market seems to be past the “blood in the streets” stage, where investors were tripping over themselves to unload stocks indiscriminately. The extreme rise in the tech sector looks to have been the standard kneejerk reaction by speculators trying to get in early and by those that followed the move and chased stocks behind them. The next move, if the worst is behind us, is typically more rational. That soberness may carry the overall market sideways to down as some participants wait for confirmation that indeed the economic road ahead will be positive.

While the overall indices may simmer, this will likely be because of cooling of the tech stocks while more traditional plays begin to heat up.

Strategies
for Low-Risk Exposure

The crisis fell upon us fast, but we learn fast. The follow-up in the investment markets is likely to be quick. In the same way, everyone quickly learned how to put on a mask, have Zoom meetings, and food shop for longer than a week at a time; investors are going to become more adept at crisis investing.

In the past, crisis investment strategies have always had three strong tenets:

1). Be very selective (not major market investing)

2). Be more defensive (base decisions on worst-case scenario)

3). Be among the first (don’t chase)  

The best risk/return opportunities for investors will likely present themselves from long-term secular trends. The pandemic and the coinciding stay-at-home policies have accelerated many of these trends in tech usage. Look to capitalize on the old strong sectors that could experience a tailwind from the revised world we’re entering.

The old trends that had been worth watching in stocks, that will be enhanced once most of the economic lights are turned back on, include; a world that is more digital, a world that is more in debt and a world that values medical miracles.  

Three
Investment Areas that Should get Warmer

1). Stable and
defensive stocks– This may seem obvious, but many people still get caught up in “sexy” stocks and chasing what is most highlighted on CNBC or Fox Business News. Invest in stocks that display earnings growth trends that are less likely to be negatively impacted by “sheltering in place.”  Many people saw the TP shortage as an inconvenience; investors should have researched it as an opportunity. Consumer staples and healthcare products are always in demand without regard to economic conditions. This places them on stable ground for a defensive position. In many cases, the increased hours people stay at home has placed further demand on items such as soap, and paper products, while possibly lowering demand for items like hair gel and deodorant. This is why specific companies, rather than a consumer goods ETF, is preferable.

Many of these stocks pay dividends. This not only adds to return, it helps make the equities more attractive as yield investors are bumping up against sub 1% government bond rates. Dividends cause the stocks to be less volatile overall.

2). Cyclical stocks– Ahead of a firm-footed recovery, selective investing in cyclical companies that thrive as people open up their wallets, may look different than in the past. Discretionary spending will likely increase in areas that have pent-up demand. These could include household appliances, recreation, online dating, fitness, etc..

3). Long-term trends- We’ve already had a taste of the accelerated structural changes that could define this decade. There has been a digital transformation. This has set much deeper roots in the past month than it has in the past three years. The momentum is not likely to slow. Technological disruptors that improve work and home life seem to be in a position to maintain their above-average growth. Any dip in stock prices allows entry at a reasonable level as renewed activity should once again prove rewarding longer term. E-Commerce also got a boost from the lockdown’s effect on brick and mortar stores. The boost in popularity is likely to stick at a higher level than pre-crisis, thus providing a new base for these products.

Pharmaceutical and biotech companies with pipelines for drug and genetic therapies will continue to garner attention as the population has the pandemic fresh on their mind and now shows increased support for more rapid discovery, clinical trials, and FDA review.

Take-Away

The bounce that we have seen in the major indices is not representative of the movement in the various components of the underlying index. The split or bifurcation likely has sectors overbought while others that should get attention have been overshadowed by these “stars.” The coming recovery is likely to unfold slow but sure. Focusing on the surest beneficiaries of the eventual recovery is less speculative and more prudent. Chasing relatively high-flyers, or owning them by default because you have invested in an index fund may be less profitable. There is still much uncertainty moving forward. Picking your short, medium, and long term positions with more rationally will allow participation in moves upward with comfortable risk-adjusted returns in volatile times.

Suggested Reading:

Why
Index funds Could Be a Mistake in 2020

Stock
Index adjustments and Self-Directed Investing

Additional
Balance in 60/40 Asset Mixes

Sources:

The
Winner Takes All Stock Market Rally

Titans
Dominate Stock market

Twitter- @Birdyword