Fave Five (4/8/2016)

The tracking portfolio has an excess return of +20.4% since inception and 60% of selections have outperformed the Wilshire 5000.

Fave Five (4/8/2016)

Our Fave Five essentially represents a listing of stocks with favorable short term total return forecasts (1 year, according to Analyst Consensus Estimates, or ACE) combined with strong long-term return forecasts and good/excellent quality rankings.

The Fave Five This Week

  • Celgene (CELG)
  • Raymond James (RJF)
  • Shire PLC (SHPG)
  • Stifel Financial (SF)
  • United Therapeutics (UTHR)

Context: The median 1-year total return forecast (via ACE) for the Value Line 1700 is 9.3%. The median 5-year return forecast (MIPAR) is 7.4% (annualized).

The Long and Short of This Week’s Fave Five

The Long & Short. (April 8, 2016) Projected Annual Return (PAR): Long term return forecast based on fundamental analysis and five year time horizon. Quality Ranking: Percentile ranking of composite that includes financial strength, earnings stability and relative growth & profitability. VL Low Total Return (VLLTR): Low total return forecast based on 3-5 year price targets via Value Line Investment Survey. Morningstar P/FV: Ratio of current price to fundamentally-based fair value via www.morningstar.com S&P P/FV: Current price-to-fair value ratio via Standard & Poor’s. 1-Year ACE Outlook: Total return forecast based on analyst consensus estimates for 1-year target price combined with current yield. The data is ranked (descending order) based on this criterion. 1-Year S&P Outlook: 1-year total return forecast based on S&P 1-year price target. 1-Yr Rhino Outlook: 1-year total return forecast based on most recent price target issued by Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan Chase or Morgan Stanley.

Weekend Warriors

The relative return for the Weekend Warrior tracking portfolio is +20.4% since inception. 60.0% of selections have outperformed the Wilshire 5000 since original selection.

Here are some links to fairly recent monthly stock features, Round Table discussions and/or analysis updates for companies in the tracking portfolio:

  • Aaron’s (AAN)
  • Apple (AAPL)
  • Biogen (YouTube video: BIIB discussion starts at 21:45 of the session)
  • Forward Air (FWRD)
  • Stericycle (SRCL) Feb-2014 Round Table nomination by Nick Stratigos (starts at 18:33 of session)

Tracking Dashboard: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/weekend-warriors

Fave Five (4/1/2016)

Fave Five (4/1/2016)

No fooling!

Our Fave Five essentially represents a listing of stocks with favorable short term total return forecasts (1 year, according to Analyst Consensus Estimates, or ACE) combined with strong long-term return forecasts and good/excellent quality rankings.

The Fave Five This Week

  • Aaron’s (AAN)
  • Biogen (BIIB)
  • Celgene (CELG)
  • Inteliquent (IQNT)
  • United Therapeutics (UTHR)

Context: The median 1-year total return forecast (via ACE) for the Value Line 1700 is 13.3%. The median 5-year return forecast (MIPAR) is 6.9% (annualized).

The Long and Short of This Week’s Fave Five

Weekend Warriors

The relative return for the Weekend Warrior tracking portfolio is +5.1% since inception. 67.5% of selections have outperformed the Wilshire 5000 since original selection.

Here are some links to fairly recent monthly stock features, Round Table discussions and/or analysis updates for companies in the tracking portfolio:

  • Aaron’s (AAN)
  • Apple (AAPL)
  • Biogen (YouTube video: BIIB discussion starts at 21:45 of the session)
  • Forward Air (FWRD)
  • Stericycle (SRCL) Feb-2014 Round Table nomination by Nick Stratigos (starts at 18:33 of session)

Tracking Dashboard: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/weekend-warriors

Round Table (March 2016)

Round Table (March 2016)

Stocks Featured

The audience selected Neogen (NEOG).

The performance (since inception) of the Round Table tracking portfolio is 11.8% annualized.

This is a relative return of +2.7% versus the Wilshire 5000.

52.2% of all nominations have outperformed the Wilshire 5000 since selection.

Top Ranked Stocks by Return Forecast AND Quality

The Long & Short. (March 29, 2016) Projected Annual Return (PAR): Long term return forecast based on fundamental analysis and five year time horizon. Quality Ranking: Percentile ranking of composite that includes financial strength, earnings stability and relative growth & profitability. VL Low Total Return (VLLTR): Low total return forecast based on 3-5 year price targets via Value Line Investment Survey. Morningstar P/FV: Ratio of current price to fundamentally-based fair value via www.morningstar.com S&P P/FV: Current price-to-fair value ratio via Standard & Poor’s. 1-Year ACE Outlook: Total return forecast based on analyst consensus estimates for 1-year target price combined with current yield. The data is ranked (descending order) based on this criterion. 1-Year S&P Outlook: 1-year total return forecast based on S&P 1-year price target. 1-Yr Rhino Outlook: 1-year total return forecast based on most recent price target issued by Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan Chase or Morgan Stanley.

Channeling Hugh: Companies Near 52-Week Lows

The following screening results intrigued us. We were simply seeking higher quality companies with decent return forecasts that are hovering near their 52-week lows, very much in the spirit of Hugh McManus and his bargain hunting mode.

When the results were displayed, I had to go back and make sure I hadn’t accidentally limited the sector to “healthcare” — because this is one of the features.  But I didn’t.

I guess this confirms that healthcare stocks have had a rough first quarter.

Fave Five (3/25/2016)

Fave Five (3/25/2016)

Our Fave Five essentially represents a listing of stocks with favorable short term total return forecasts (1 year, according to Analyst Consensus Estimates, or ACE) combined with strong long-term return forecasts and good/excellent quality rankings.

The Fave Five This Week

  • Air Methods (AIRM)
  • Inteliquent (IQNT)
  • Jazz Pharma (JAZZ)
  • Stifel Financial (SF)
  • United Therapeutics (UTHR)

Context: The median 1-year total return forecast (via ACE) for the Value Line 1700 is 13.3%. The median 5-year return forecast (MIPAR) is 7.4% (annualized).

The Long and Short of This Week’s Fave Five

Weekend Warriors

The relative return for the Weekend Warrior tracking portfolio is +3.8% since inception. 60.0% of selections have outperformed the Wilshire 5000 since original selection.

Here are some links to fairly recent monthly stock features, Round Table discussions and/or analysis updates for companies in the tracking portfolio:

  • Aaron’s (AAN)
  • Apple (AAPL)
  • Biogen (YouTube video: BIIB discussion starts at 21:45 of the session)
  • Forward Air (FWRD)
  • Stericycle (SRCL) Feb-2014 Round Table nomination by Nick Stratigos (starts at 18:33 of session)

Tracking Dashboard: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/weekend-warriors

Fave Five (3/18/2016)

Fave Five (3/18/2016)

Our Fave Five essentially represents a listing of stocks with favorable short term total return forecasts (1 year, according to Analyst Consensus Estimates, or ACE) combined with strong long-term return forecasts and good/excellent quality rankings.

The Fave Five This Week

  • Air Methods (AIRM)
  • Biogen (BIIB)
  • Celgene (CELG)
  • Inteliquent (IQNT)
  • Jazz Pharma (JAZZ)

Context: The median 1-year total return forecast (via ACE) for the Value Line 1700 is 18.9%. The median 5-year return forecast (MIPAR) is 6.8% (annualized).

The Long and Short of This Week’s Fave Five

Weekend Warriors

The relative return for the Weekend Warrior tracking portfolio is +5.1% since inception. 59.0% of selections have outperformed the Wilshire 5000 since original selection.

Here are some links to fairly recent monthly stock features, Round Table discussions and/or analysis updates for companies in the tracking portfolio:

  • Aaron’s (AAN)
  • Apple (AAPL)
  • Biogen (YouTube video: BIIB discussion starts at 21:45 of the session)
  • Forward Air (FWRD)
  • Stericycle (SRCL) Feb-2014 Round Table nomination by Nick Stratigos (starts at 18:33 of session)

Tracking Dashboard: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/weekend-warriors

March Madness Market (64)

March Madness (Tournament)

Sometimes you just gotta do something “mindless” and holding a return-based elimination tournament of stocks over the next few weeks of March Madness seemed to fit the bill.

The (64) qualifiers are based on the highest 1-year total return forecasts according to the analyst consensus (ACE) with a minimum stock price of $9. In the first round, #1 plays #64, #2 plays #63, #3 plays #62, etc. There are some community and recently featured favorites such as Stifel Financial (SF), Vertex Pharma (VRTX), Michigan’s own Steelcase (SCS) and Inteliquent (IQNT). There are also “villains” like Valeant Pharma (VRX).  David Einhorn and Greenlight Capital (GLRE) have been red hot — can they extend the trend into the tournament?

The tracking dashboard for Week One is: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/march-madness-64

March madness 64

2 Guys Talk Stock (1/30/2016)

Two Guys Talk Stock

Ken Kavula and Mark Robertson share stock ideas, favorite sources of ideas and screening techniques during this Chicago event. The program is among the most popular at recent national conventions and is on the agenda for the NAIC National Convention (Washington D.C.) in May.

Favorite Resources and Screens Covered

Stocks Discussed

  • Luxoft* (LXFT)
  • Illumina (ILMN)
  • FleetCor Technologies (FLT)
  • Polaris (PII)
  • Customers Bancorp* (CUBI)
  • Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen (PLKI)
  • Mesa Labs (MLAB)

View the program via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysi7T_FTgx0

Fave Five (3/11/2016)

Fave Five (3/11/2016)

Our Fave Five essentially represents a listing of stocks with favorable short term total return forecasts (1 year, according to Analyst Consensus Estimates, or ACE) combined with strong long-term return forecasts and good/excellent quality rankings.

The Fave Five This Week

  • Aaron’s (AAN)
  • Air Methods (AIRM)
  • Argan (AGX)
  • Biogen (BIIB)
  • Inteliquent (IQNT)

Context: The median 1-year total return forecast (via ACE) for the Value Line 1700 is 22.2%. The median 5-year return forecast (MIPAR) is 7.7% (annualized).

The Long and Short of This Week’s Fave Five

Weekend Warriors

The relative return for the Weekend Warrior tracking portfolio is +5.9% since inception. 61.5% of selections have outperformed the Wilshire 5000 since original selection.

Here are some links to fairly recent monthly stock features, Round Table discussions and/or analysis updates for companies in the tracking portfolio:

  • Aaron’s (AAN)
  • Apple (AAPL)
  • Biogen (YouTube video: BIIB discussion starts at 21:45 of the session)
  • Forward Air (FWRD)
  • Stericycle (SRCL) Feb-2014 Round Table nomination by Nick Stratigos (starts at 18:33 of session)

Tracking Dashboard: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/weekend-warriors

Fave Five (2/26/2016)

Fave Five (2/26/2016)

Our Fave Five essentially represents a listing of stocks with favorable short term total return forecasts (1 year, according to Analyst Consensus Estimates, or ACE) combined with strong long-term return forecasts and good/excellent quality rankings.

The Fave Five This Week

  • Aaron’s (AAN)
  • Apple (AAPL)
  • Inteliquent (IQNT)
  • Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ)
  • Skyworks Solutions (SWKS)

Context: The median 1-year total return forecast (via ACE) for the Value Line 1700 is 25.9%. The median 5-year return forecast (MIPAR) is 8,5% (annualized).

The Long and Short of This Week’s Fave Five

Weekend Warriors

The relative return for the Weekend Warrior tracking portfolio is +3.2% since inception. 63.2% of selections have outperformed the Wilshire 5000 since original selection.

Here are some links to fairly recent monthly stock features, Round Table discussions and/or analysis updates for companies in the tracking portfolio:

  • Aaron’s (AAN)
  • Apple (AAPL)
  • Biogen (YouTube video: BIIB discussion starts at 21:45 of the session)
  • Forward Air (FWRD)
  • Stericycle (SRCL) Feb-2014 Round Table nomination by Nick Stratigos (starts at 18:33 of session)

Tracking Dashboard: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/weekend-warriors

16 Stocks On The Launch Pad?

Screening Results (February 2016)

In Search of “First Stage” Potential

by Mark Robertson

As we’ve watched the Broad Assets investment club win three of the last four years in the Groundhog group competition, we’ve searched for a common theme … a genesis of their statistically significant success.

Escape Velocity?

Our May 2014 cover story captured the essence pretty well. We’re looking for companies that are not only well-positioned for the long term with the insurance component of high quality, but companies poised to deliver large year-over-year increases in earnings. If we believe that stock prices follow earnings — and we do — it seems natural to seek these launch pad situations.

This month’s screening results are an attempt to do just that. The list that follows is a collection of excellent quality companies. But they also have relatively large expectations for 2016 earnings vs. 2015. The average forecast increase is 12.4%. All of these top that threshold. We include the relative strength index (RSI) for a glance at oversold potential. (RSI near 30) We’ll check back in a year to see if the EPS step changes take shape and if prices follow. If they do, it won’t hurt my Groundhog 2016 entry a bit.