Tag: equities

This Stock Could Feed Profits Into Your Portfolio

Posted on by Daniel Cross

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


Long-term value investors understand that truly profitable trends can take time to build up. Stock market sectors wax and wane with the economy and flow along the curvature of the business cycle, but others don't necessarily obey the same rules.

There's an old saying by Mark Twain, “buy land – it's the one thing they’re not making any more of.” Value investors can take it one step further, though. Arable land is limited, and the global population is growing. That makes food production a critical industry that will continue to be relevant regardless of economic direction.

Low oil prices translate into higher consumer spending which benefits food production companies as well. As a defensive non-cyclical industry, demand stays relatively constant regardless of how the economy is performing.

A rising tide lifts all boats, and the food industry is getting quite a lift lately. Several companies have raised guidance for the next quarter, and a number of analysts have upgraded the industry's outlook going forward. Continue reading "This Stock Could Feed Profits Into Your Portfolio" →

A Value Stock That's Out Of This World

Posted on by Daniel Cross

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


Value investors know that the long game is important when picking a stock. Short term gains fluctuate, but solid fundamentals mean that a company will outperform over the long-term regardless of temporary ups and downs in the market.

A few decades ago the field of technology was in its infancy and the computer space was considered highly risky and volatile. Of course, anyone who bought into companies like Apple or Intel back then are certainly reaping the rewards today.

Technology is still an investor's best bet for finding the next breakout industry. Right now IoT (Internet of Things) is the frontrunner with advances being made in data storage, infrastructure, and other forms of "smart" tech. Big data stocks and chipmakers have already seen big gains in the past couple of years and should continue to thrive. But there's another industry that looks very much like computers did back in the late 70's and early 80's – spaceflight.

The introduction of commercial space agencies is brand new. Richard Branson helped kick off the new space race with his Virgin Galactic company and now Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have joined in with their SpaceX and Blue Horizons companies.

While still privately owned entities, there are still ways for investors to hop aboard this exciting new enterprise. Satellite telecommunications hasn't been an industry in focus for Wall Street analysts, but rapidly growing interest in spaceflight and space-related technology means that these companies may be about to enter a new bullish environment that could last decades. Continue reading "A Value Stock That's Out Of This World" →

This Company Is Making Moves That Investors Might Want To Pay Attention To

Posted on by Daniel Cross

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


Companies aren't static entities that hit maturity and simply stop growing. No successful business model calls for a reduction in innovation or a strategy that consists of “just keep doing what we're doing.” Great companies find ways to keep growing and keep building. They challenge themselves to develop new products or services and are never satisfied with the status quo.

Merger and acquisition activity is back on Wall Street – a good sign that the bull is coming back. Companies that are looking to expand look to M&A's as a long play for success. The initial cost can often have a short term temporary negative impact on earnings, but once its complete and overlaps are eliminated, the company can greatly increase its profits.

Some sectors are known for more of this kind of activity than others like technology and healthcare. These industries change so rapidly that a constant turnover is just part of the business model. But when sectors like industrials or retailers start to see that kind of activity, it's a sign that those companies see opportunities for growth on the horizon. Continue reading "This Company Is Making Moves That Investors Might Want To Pay Attention To" →

Invest in Innovation

Posted on by Daniel Cross

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


There's been a huge global push for technological advancement for decades and it doesn't show any sign of slowing up. Beginning with Alan Turing, the creator of what became the modern computer to Bill Gates, the man who made the personal computer a ubiquitous household item, comes a new name: Elon Musk.

This innovator started off as co-founder of PayPal, an online payments system that's come to be accepted at virtually every online retailer. From that success, Musk has come to be associated with a number of technologically innovative companies like Tesla, SolarCity, and SpaceX.

Despite launching an electric car company -- something that had never had widespread success with other car manufacturers -- in an already saturated automotive market, Tesla has become the poster company for breakthrough technologies.

Electric car sales are exploding worldwide. From 2014 to 2015, the total number of electric cars on the road doubled and has now topped 1.3 million. Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates that sales of electric vehicles will soar to 41 million by 2040 and make up around 35% of all light vehicle sales. While the US is currently in the lead with over 400,000 electric vehicles on the road according to the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), the rest of the world is blazing forward with more and more investment into sustainable technologies.

The Name Brand For Innovation

Tesla Motors (NASDAQ:TSLA) is a $26 billion electric auto manufacturer with vehicles on the road in over 30 countries. The company has a variety of vehicles available including a new crossover that has just been put into production. The company is a bit misleading however, although it does manufacture electric cars, the companies real value is its breakthrough lithium-ion battery technology.

Building on the company's battery technology, Tesla is constructing a gigafactory in Nevada that by 2020, will produce more lithium ion cells than the entire world's output in 2013. Battery life prior to Tesla was limiting for electric vehicles preventing them from gaining a foothold in the automotive industry, but new technologies have now expanded that range to more than 200 miles and is expected to increase in future years.

Despite Musk's penchant for innovation, Tesla's stock is one of the more heavily shorted with a short float of more than 30%. This makes the stock unusually volatile with a history of sharp ups and downs. Just take a look at its chart.

Notice the sudden dip and subsequent rise in February. While the 20-day moving average has fallen below the 50-day, it's beginning to mount a comeback – a possible bullish sign. Along with the positive MACD, this stock appears to have room to run.

Tesla isn't cash flow positive right now so it's difficult to place a hard value on it, but the company is expected to have positive earnings in the next 12 months. Over the past four quarters, Tesla has beaten estimates twice, but missed them twice as well.

As a volatile stock with volatile earnings, Tesla is a risky investment but comes with a high potential payoff. Based on next year's earnings and analyst price projections, this stock could be fairly valued at around $232 – a 15% gain.

Check back to see my next post!

Best,
Daniel Cross
INO.com Contributor - Equities

Disclosure: This contributor does not own any stocks mentioned in this article. This article is the opinion of the contributor themselves. The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. This contributor is not receiving compensation (other than from INO.com) for their opinion.

This High-End Retailer Is Beating The Odds

Posted on by Daniel Cross

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


If you've payed any attention to the markets so far this year, it comes as no surprise that we're teetering on the edge of a major bearish reversal after many years in a bull market. The broader indexes are all down for the year and volatility is on the rise. With all the negative action going on right now, a stock that's on its way up stands out.

Stocks that outperform when the major averages are under performing deserve a closer examination. In order to appreciate amidst the storm of bearish momentum, these companies are generally doing something very right.

One company is undergoing a radical transformation and it's stock price is already beginning to show it. Despite all the negative macroeconomic news, this high-end retailer is belting out upside earnings surprises and growing sales both domestically and internationally – including China. Continue reading "This High-End Retailer Is Beating The Odds" →