Issues
The evidence has clearly improved during the past week or two, and that’s a good thing; we’re putting another couple of toes back into the water tonight, adding two half-sized positions in what we think can be leaders of the next uptrend. That said, we’re content to go slow for now, mostly because, while selling pressures have eased, buying power really hasn’t shown up yet, and until it does, there’s a chance the bears could reappear.
Still, overall, we’re increasingly optimistic, so we think putting a little money to work and then listening to the market’s clues makes sense. Get all the latest inside tonight’s issue.
Still, overall, we’re increasingly optimistic, so we think putting a little money to work and then listening to the market’s clues makes sense. Get all the latest inside tonight’s issue.
Thank you for subscribing to the Cabot Undervalued Stocks Advisor. We hope you enjoy reading the April 2021 issue.
As value investors, we look for companies that are selling at a discount to their underlying value. But how do we measure that value? In this issue, we briefly describe and discuss the EV/EBITDA metric, which is our preferred valuation tool.
While our stocks generally did well this past week, there wasn’t much news. With earnings season starting next week, most companies are remaining fairly quiet.
One change we made was to reduce our rating on Tyson (TSN) from a Buy to a Hold. The shares have about 8% upside to our recently raised price target. From here, we’d like to learn more about its earnings power, which hopefully will be provided in its fiscal second quarter report, before deciding to either raise or sell.
Please feel free to send me your questions and comments. This newsletter is written for you and the best way to get more out of the letter is to let me know what you are looking for.
I’m best reachable at Bruce@CabotWealth.com. I’ll do my best to respond as quickly as possible.
Thanks!
As value investors, we look for companies that are selling at a discount to their underlying value. But how do we measure that value? In this issue, we briefly describe and discuss the EV/EBITDA metric, which is our preferred valuation tool.
While our stocks generally did well this past week, there wasn’t much news. With earnings season starting next week, most companies are remaining fairly quiet.
One change we made was to reduce our rating on Tyson (TSN) from a Buy to a Hold. The shares have about 8% upside to our recently raised price target. From here, we’d like to learn more about its earnings power, which hopefully will be provided in its fiscal second quarter report, before deciding to either raise or sell.
Please feel free to send me your questions and comments. This newsletter is written for you and the best way to get more out of the letter is to let me know what you are looking for.
I’m best reachable at Bruce@CabotWealth.com. I’ll do my best to respond as quickly as possible.
Thanks!
While the headlines read “S&P 500 at All-Time Highs,” it’s not all smooth sailing in the market as countless stocks are still suffering from the Nasdaq rout that started a month ago.
Current Market OutlookFor the first time in a few weeks, we’re seeing some signs of spring when it comes to the Nasdaq and growth stocks, as many found support near or above their early-March lows and have begun to perk up, including some that have rallied back above their 50-day lines. (The Nasdaq itself has done this, too, which is obviously encouraging.) Moreover, we’re seeing many more six- to 10-week structures out there, which are far more palatable than the jagged three-week bases seen a while back. That said, we’re not out of the woods—the major indexes remain divergent (not the healthiest situation) and very few growth names are hitting new highs. For the first time in a while, we do think the market has a chance to kick into gear, but we have to see it to believe it; we’re nudging our Market Monitor up to a level 6, but still think the general game plan (small positions, buying cyclical names on weakness) makes sense for now.
This week’s list is a nice mix of growth and cyclicals, many of which look like either potential breakouts or early-stage pullbacks. Our Top Pick is Amkor Technology (AMKR), which might need a little more seasoning but has held up great during the correction and is now pushing ahead.
| Stock Name | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 10X Genomics (TXG) | 191 | ||
| Align Technology (ALGN) | 548 | ||
| Amkor Technology (AMKR) | 26 | ||
| Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) | 19 | ||
| The Gap, Inc. (GPS) | 30 | ||
| Lam Research (LRCX) | 661 | ||
| Lennar (LEN) | 105 | ||
| Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) | 94 | ||
| Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG) | 253 | ||
| ShockWave Medical, Inc. (SWAV) | 133 |
The market as a whole is looking healthier, though there are still symptoms of a broad unfolding market top. But our stocks look healthy and all have the potential to move higher from here, so the only change in our portfolio today is the downgrade of DKNG to Hold.
As for today’s recommendation, it’s a company with a great growth story (in the insurance industry) that just came public last May.
Details inside.
As for today’s recommendation, it’s a company with a great growth story (in the insurance industry) that just came public last May.
Details inside.
The second quarter and major league baseball opens today after a good week for Explorer recommendations. Tech stocks struggle a bit but some EV stocks bounce back as investors look to play the long game. The Biden infrastructure plan captures media attention and today’s new recommendation should benefit from one of the plan’s more ambitious goals—universal broadband access
The action of high-growth stocks continues to be sloppy despite the strong performance of most underlying businesses.
To help ease our portfolio thorough this period I’ve been evaluating companies with exposure to the reopening economy, and I think I’ve nailed it.
Today’s stock is an online retailer serving younger generations. These consumers should be among the most active spenders as the world opens up again. And this up-and-coming retailer should be a major beneficiary.
Enjoy!
To help ease our portfolio thorough this period I’ve been evaluating companies with exposure to the reopening economy, and I think I’ve nailed it.
Today’s stock is an online retailer serving younger generations. These consumers should be among the most active spenders as the world opens up again. And this up-and-coming retailer should be a major beneficiary.
Enjoy!
Note: We are publishing this issue early due to our office being closed this Friday for a holiday.
The daffodils and Bradford pear trees are in bloom here in Tennessee; I’ve already begun my spring cleaning; I’ll get my second COVID-19 shot on Monday; and the markets and economy are holding up nicely--all in all, a great way to usher in a new season.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average has managed to stay above 32,000, housing continues to be strong, and more people came back into the job market this month, as unemployment claims declined to 684,000.
In this issue, our Feature Recommendation is a company operating in the container ship industry, which is recovering from crushing blows dealt by the coronavirus pandemic last year. As the flow of goods and services continues to climb, this stock should also profit.
And speaking of profits, we are banking some dollars with the sale of cbdMD, Inc. (YCBD), gaining about 76%.
Many thanks to subscribers who joined us on our first monthly Platinum Club call. We hope you can tune in for our next one on April 13.
We’ll check in with you with a Special Alert if anything major occurs in our portfolio. In the meantime, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Happy Investing!
The daffodils and Bradford pear trees are in bloom here in Tennessee; I’ve already begun my spring cleaning; I’ll get my second COVID-19 shot on Monday; and the markets and economy are holding up nicely--all in all, a great way to usher in a new season.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average has managed to stay above 32,000, housing continues to be strong, and more people came back into the job market this month, as unemployment claims declined to 684,000.
In this issue, our Feature Recommendation is a company operating in the container ship industry, which is recovering from crushing blows dealt by the coronavirus pandemic last year. As the flow of goods and services continues to climb, this stock should also profit.
And speaking of profits, we are banking some dollars with the sale of cbdMD, Inc. (YCBD), gaining about 76%.
Many thanks to subscribers who joined us on our first monthly Platinum Club call. We hope you can tune in for our next one on April 13.
We’ll check in with you with a Special Alert if anything major occurs in our portfolio. In the meantime, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Happy Investing!
Thank you for subscribing to the Cabot Turnaround Letter. We hope you enjoy reading the April 2021 issue.
This month we look at defense industry stocks. These stocks have been left aside as investors rush to capture post-pandemic winners, and as the market has doubts about the Biden administration’s commitment to defense spending. Yet, these concerns appear overdone, and investors aren’t considering the possibility of a ramp-up in response to rising global tensions. We discuss six interesting stocks.
We also look at high yield bonds. Our call in February 2020, that “the Sun May Be Setting On High Yield Bonds,” appears to be the right one once again. Yield levels and spreads have returned to remarkably low levels. Our discussion also outlines what favorable and unfavorable conditions look like.
Our feature recommendation is pet health company Elanco Animal Health (ELAN). This company has produced mediocre operating and stock price performance since its 2018 spin-off from Eli Lilly. Yet, changes appear to be coming with the arrival of a credible activist that is reshaping the board of directors.
We also include comments on recent price target and rating changes, including our recent Sell recommendations on Valero Energy (VLO) and Volkswagen AG (VWAGY).
Please feel free to send me your questions and comments. This newsletter is written for you. A great way to get more out of your letter is to let me know what you are looking for.
I’m best reachable at Bruce@CabotWealth.com. I’ll do my best to respond as quickly as possible.
This month we look at defense industry stocks. These stocks have been left aside as investors rush to capture post-pandemic winners, and as the market has doubts about the Biden administration’s commitment to defense spending. Yet, these concerns appear overdone, and investors aren’t considering the possibility of a ramp-up in response to rising global tensions. We discuss six interesting stocks.
We also look at high yield bonds. Our call in February 2020, that “the Sun May Be Setting On High Yield Bonds,” appears to be the right one once again. Yield levels and spreads have returned to remarkably low levels. Our discussion also outlines what favorable and unfavorable conditions look like.
Our feature recommendation is pet health company Elanco Animal Health (ELAN). This company has produced mediocre operating and stock price performance since its 2018 spin-off from Eli Lilly. Yet, changes appear to be coming with the arrival of a credible activist that is reshaping the board of directors.
We also include comments on recent price target and rating changes, including our recent Sell recommendations on Valero Energy (VLO) and Volkswagen AG (VWAGY).
Please feel free to send me your questions and comments. This newsletter is written for you. A great way to get more out of your letter is to let me know what you are looking for.
I’m best reachable at Bruce@CabotWealth.com. I’ll do my best to respond as quickly as possible.
Updates
Emerging market stocks have been attempting to find a bottom after a month of accelerating declines. The week has been fairly calm, with the iShares EM Fund (EEM) and many of our stocks showing some signs of basing.
In this weekly update, we have one stock that moves from Hold to Buy.
After a one-to-two-week pullback (the S&P 500 and Dow peaked back on June 12, while the Nasdaq high came a week later, on June 20) the broad market has found support for now, moving mostly sideways since our last update. Markets have been closed since 1 p.m. (Eastern time) Tuesday due to the Independence Day holiday.
We could see some funky trading action next week since the Wednesday Fourth of July holiday will mean a lot of people out of the office. But then the market will start looking forward to Q2 earnings reports, which will begin to come out in late July and early August. Stay the course as the volatility probably isn’t over hasn’t yet translated to lowered growth expectations.
In this weekly update, we have no changes to the portfolio, but that’s expected given the current market environment and the recent sales in previous weeks. A lot of of our stocks are influenced by the corporate news splashes and media headlines which I cover in today’s update.
Raise some cash. Our Cabot Tides are now on the fence, and more important, individual stocks have been hammered during the past week, with a few showing abnormal action. In the Model Portfolio, we’ve sold a few positions lately, leaving us with around 40% in cash.
In today’s update, I outline the reasons why I have every intention of remaining invested in various oil industry stocks in the foreseeable future and give a detailed update on all positions in the portfolio.
Despite all the tariff talk, small caps continue to hold up well and even rose by 0.3% this past week.
Emerging market stocks have had a nasty week, with the iShares EM Fund (EEM) dropping decisively below its 25- and 50-day moving averages. While we have several stocks that are vulnerable, we’re going to stand pat for now and have no moves in the portfolio.
In this weekly update, you’ll find great news from RV-makers Thor Industries (THO) and Winnebago (WBO), the potential for a near-term breakout in shares of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), and exciting news about the Disney-Comcast-Fox takeover tussle and how it’s affecting the Discovery Communications (DISCA) share price.
Stocks pulled back yesterday, but the market’s intermediate-term trend remains up. Stay the course, and resist overreacting to the oscillations.
I wrote to you recently about upcoming changes in the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS), which classifies stocks into 11 sectors and dozens of industries, and is commonly used in professional portfolio management as a guideline to portfolio diversity.
Alerts
As the futures indicated, the market is down sharply this morning, though the major indexes have bounced from their lows. As of 10:45 am, the Dow is sinking 454 points while the Nasdaq is down 118 points.
The market looks set to open down relatively sharply this morning, with the futures indicating opening losses in the 0.7% to 1% range for the major indexes. However, our focus is really on the overall evidence, which is clearly worsening.
Our second recommendation is some profit-taking in a mutual fund.
Our first idea is an ETF whose top five holdings are: L3Harris Technologies Inc (LHX, 8.25% of assets); Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT, 7.48%), United Technologies Corp, (UTX, 7.01%), Boeing Co (BA, 6.82%), and Honeywell International Inc (HON, 6.61%).
The shares of this global pharmaceutical company were just upgraded to ‘Buy’ at Citigroup.
You may have noticed media articles last Friday regarding U.S. listed Chinese stocks that had a negative impact on share prices.
The shares of this diagnostic company were recently upgraded by Benchmark to ‘Buy’ and Zacks reported that the shares are now ‘Oversold’, and noted that earnings estimates for the company have been increased five times in the past two months.
Shares of this animal health company fell after the announcement of its recent acquisition, but it appears that was an overreaction.
It’s been just over a week since the first Issue of Cabot Early Opportunities became available and I’d first like to thank all of you for jumping in early, and for the loads of positive feedback I’ve received.
Yesterday, investment manager Elliott Management Corp. sent a letter to Marathon Petroleum (MPC), the nation’s largest energy refiner, seeking changes that could potentially increase the MPC share price.
This preferred stock is issued by a large regional bank and pays above average yields.
Our second recommendation is a sale of a company whose guidance has faltered.
Portfolios
Strategy
A few Cabot Options Trader subscribers have asked me about ways to protect gains in their portfolios, so I thought I would write to everyone with a couple of strategies using options to hedge your portfolio.
A subscriber recently asked me if I keep a journal of my trades. Many traders keep journals so they can look back at their trades and evaluate what they did right and what they did wrong.
Want to know how the big institutional investors use options? Here is an example of how one trader spent $132 million on three technology stocks.
Options trading has its own vernacular. To know how to do it, you need to know what every options term means. Here are some of the basics.
Our Cabot Top Ten Trader’s market timing system consists of two parts—one based on the action of three select, growth-oriented market indexes, and the other based on the action of the fast-moving stocks Cabot Top Ten features.