Archive

Think Cheap Oil Will Bankrupt This Industry Titan? Think Again

By Rob Spivey

Thursday, April 16, 2020

A key part of American society that’s mandated in the Constitution has come under pressure with the coronavirus pandemic… In the midst of the crisis, the U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) has come into focus as a key tool to help people get what they need and stay connected. And now, according to Bloomberg, the agency […]

Some Want to Ban This Controversial Investment Strategy... Here's Why That's a Mistake

By Joel Litman

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

In the midst of the market collapse in March, misguided ‘experts’ discussed banning a popular investment strategy… As often happens in a rout, short sellers became a popular target to blame for the decline. European regulators scrambled to stop the practice last month as part of efforts to provide a floor for the market. On […]

This Aircraft Components Producer Is Following the 'Private-Equity Playbook' to 48% Returns

By Joel Litman

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Asset-management firm Blackstone’s (BX) $150 billion in ‘dry powder’ sounds like a big deal, but how this can be used is another story… Last week, CEO Steve Schwarzman discussed in an interview with Bloomberg how Blackstone has $150 billion in cash to look for potential private-equity (“PE”) and real estate targets in this dislocated market. […]

Checking in on What This Important Recession Predictor Says Right Now

By Joel Litman

Monday, April 13, 2020

McDonald’s (MCD) offers a window into how bad things actually are… The fast-food giant released March same-store sales last week. When the numbers came out, I took a quick straw poll of the office on Google Hangouts to see if anyone could guess how much they fell compared to March 2019. The average guess was […]

How Repairing Vacuums Led Me to This 'Boring' but Cash-Gushing Manufacturer

By Joel Litman

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Joel’s note: Both the market and Altimetry are closed tomorrow for Good Friday, so look for the next Altimetry Daily Authority on Monday, April 13. I hope everyone has a safe weekend! The job losses from the coronavirus pandemic are starting to trickle through the rest of the economy… As April 1 rolled around last […]

Investors Think This Dividend-Payer's 4.6% Yield Is in Doubt… Here's Why They're Wrong

By Joel Litman

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

The wave of virtual offerings is creating new risks… It has been impressive to see the conversion of large parts of the U.S. economy to a work-from-home world. However, one of the big areas of concern has been issues with hacking and security in virtual-meeting services like Zoom Video Communications (ZM). But working remotely hasn’t […]

This Pharma Giant's CFO Has No Idea What His Quarterly Earnings Are

By Joel Litman

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Key parts of the supply chain are being disrupted as global lockdowns stretch on… We’ve already started to hear the discussion – and sometimes, jokes – about the growing scarcity of products as many parts of the globe remain shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. You’ve likely read about the run on toilet paper… […]

Insider Buying Is at Historic Highs… Here's Why That's Great News for Stocks

By Joel Litman

Monday, April 6, 2020

Credit markets are still open, and that’s a great sign… As Bloomberg reported last week, cruise ship operator Carnival (CCL) issued $4 billion in bonds… and $79 billion in investment-grade bond issuances were priced throughout the whole week.  U.S. corporations sold a record number of bonds in the first quarter of this year, approaching $800 […]

This Misunderstood Food Giant Is Taking a Page Out of the 'Rockefeller Playbook'

By Joel Litman

Friday, April 3, 2020

Are we living in biblical times? Looking at the news over the past few years, it’s not hard to blame people for wondering if we’re living in Ancient Egypt at the time of Moses. The headlines have been wild… We’ve had rivers turning blood red… Frogs have overrun places they don’t normally appear in… We’ve […]

The Megatrends Supporting This Niche Company Aren't Going Anywhere

By Joel Litman

Thursday, April 2, 2020

So much for bitcoin being ‘digital gold’… In the midst of a market crash, investors often talk about safety assets. Whether it’s U.S. Treasurys, gold, or real estate, people seek investments to park their cash to preserve capital when the markets tumble. For years, we’ve heard about bitcoin as an inflation hedge and a secure […]