MANIFEST 40

MANIFEST 40 Update (9/30/2016)

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Our MANIFEST 40 is a celebration of collective excellence in stock selection, strategy and disciplined patience.

“We have always believed that the collective decisions made by our community of long-term investors are worth huddling over … a place where ideas are born.”

The 40 stocks are something of a barometer because we know that these community favorites are not simply followed … most of them are also widely owned, with considerable diligence and vigilance.

The rate of return remains at 8.8% since inception (9/30/2005) vs. 5.8% for matching investments in the Wilshire 5000 for an excess/relative return of +3.0%. We believe that this portends success for many of our subscribers and investors.

MANIFEST 40: September 2016. Performance Results. These are the most widely followed stocks by Manifest Investing subscribers. Current leader Apple (AAPL) was added on 9/24/2009 and steadily climbed the ranks while generating a relative return of +19.1% (annualized). Figures in parentheses are the June 2016 rankings. Tracking dashboard: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/manifest-40

Quality is still solid at 90 and the overall return forecast is 9.0%, pegged to slightly outperform the Wilshire 5000 or S&P 500. The average sales growth forecast is 6.6%. Again, we’d like to see an emphasis on discovering smaller, faster-growing companies — the focus of our Discovery Club efforts. We miss smaller, less discovered, companies poised to make difference, like Bio-Reference Labs (BRLI) did.

The top performers continue to be Apple (AAPL), Cognizant Technology (CTSH), Starbucks (SBUX), and Home Depot (HD). 57.5% of the decisions have outperformed the market.

Capturing Attention: Charger

CVS Health (CVS) advanced from #34 to #29. We’ve noted that CVS has been ubiquitous on screening results for a while and collectively, you’ve noticed. Fastenal and Microsoft swapped positions in the top 5 but there are no new entries to the 40 this quarter.

The results of $100 invested into any of these positions at the time of addition can be viewed at any time at: https://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/manifest-40

We’ll continue to hope that a few promising faster growers will penetrate a future roll call.

MANIFEST 40 (3/31/2016)

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Your Most Widely-Followed Stocks: An Update

Our MANIFEST 40 is a celebration of collective excellence in stock selection, strategy and disciplined patience.

The 40 stocks are something of a barometer because we know that these community favorites are not simply followed … most of them are also widely owned, with considerable diligence and vigilance.

MANIFEST 40 (March 2016). Performance Results. These are the most widely followed stocks by Manifest Investing subscribers. Current leader Apple (AAPL) was added on 9/24/2009 and steadily climbed the ranks while generating a relative return of +20.3% (annualized) since then. Figures in parentheses are the ranking back in December 2015.

The rate of return is 9.0% since inception (9/30/2005). Bottom line? On an annualized basis, your community favorites have beaten the Wilshire 5000 by +3.6 percentage points — a relative, or excess, return that probably portends outsized success with our actual portfolios.

Quality (90) is solid and the overall return forecast (8.9%) is positioned to outperform the Wilshire 5000. At an average sales growth forecast of 6.8%, we’d to see some faster-growing companies adopted by our community.

Capturing Attention: Chargers

Gilead Sciences (GILD) moved from #25 to #22 as most of the list remained rather steady. Visa (V) is a new addition at #40. The results of $100 positions investing in any of the Top 40 companies can be viewed at any time via the public dashboard on the home page.

“We have always believed that the collective decisions made by our community of long-term investors are worth huddling over … a place where ideas are born.”

The Stocks We Follow (MANIFEST 40)

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We launched the MANIFEST 40 in October 2005, built from the stocks that most frequently appear on subscriber dashboards, and this active and continuously maintained tracking dashboard has delivered a rate of return of 9.2% since inception.

The 40 stocks are something of a barometer because we know that these community favorites are not simply followed … most of them are also widely owned, with considerable diligence and vigilance. Bottom line? On an annualized basis, your community favorites have beaten the Wilshire 5000 by +3.4 percentage points — a relative return that nurtures smiles and bolsters the returns of our actual portfolios.

The average sales growth forecast of the portfolio (6.7%) suggests that it is dominated by the “Up, Straight and Parallel” core contributors. Quality (90) is solid and the overall return forecast (9.7%) is positioned to outperform the Wilshire 5000. We’d like to see the community discover and follow some smaller, faster-growing companies.

Performance Results

The absolute rate of return for the trailing 10 years is 9.2%.

Capturing Attention: Chargers

Gilead Sciences (GILD) moved from #29 to #25 as most of the list remained rather steady. Fastenal (FAST) shuffled up to #4 and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) dropped a couple of positions. The results of $100 positions investing in any of the Top 40 companies can be viewed at any time at:

http://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/manifest-40

Our MANIFEST 40 is a celebration of collective excellence in stock selection, strategy and disciplined patience.

“We have always believed that the collective decisions made by our community of long-term investors are worth huddling over … a place where ideas are born.”

The Stocks We Follow (MANIFEST 40)

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Perspectives

MANIFEST 40 Update

Our MANIFEST 40 is a celebration of collective excellence in stock selection, strategy and disciplined patience. We continuously monitor the 40 most-widely followed stocks by our community of subscribers at Manifest Investing.

“We have always believed that the collective decisions made by our community of like-minded, long-term investors are worth huddling over … a place where ideas are born.”

This managed “tracking portfolio” of your collective favorites has outperformed the Wilshire 5000 by +3.3%. The absolute rate of return for the trailing 9.5 years is 9.6%.

Capturing Attention: Chargers

QUALCOMM (QCOM) continues to ascend, moving from #12 to #11. CVS Health (CVS) has been bolstered of late and moves from #38 to #37.

The results of $100 positions investing in any of the Top 40 companies can be viewed at any time at: http://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/manifest-40

Newcomer

T. Rowe Price (TROW) is a newcomer to the MANIFEST 40. The company was featured in Solomon Select in the July 2014 issue and has been discussed during a number of Round Tables and during other events. The asset manager is highly regarded in this long-term investing community and has been a favorite for decades.

Strongest Performers

The three top performers in the MANIFEST 40 since inception, based on annualized relative rate of return, are Cognizant Technology (+30.7%!), Apple (27.5%), PRA Group (20.2%).

The charter members of the MANIFEST 40: Microsoft (3), Stryker (4), AFLAC (5), Johnson & Johnson (6), General Electric (7), Cisco Systems (10), Walgreen (12), FactSet Research (13), Oracle Corp (17), PepsiCo (18), Teva Pharmaceutical (20), Intel Corp (22), Medtronic (23), Danaher (27) and Wal-Mart (33).

We’ll continue to pay the most attention to these community favorites. Keep up the good hunting!

More Fun With The MANIFEST 40

Here’s the listing (ranked from Most Widely Held, Descending) with a display of Opinions on Parade courtesy of Manifest Investing (consensus-based), Value Line, Morningstar, Standard & Poor’s, Analyst Consensus Estimates and Goldman Sachs.

Mi 40 opinions 20150410

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MANIFEST 40 (December 2013)

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The Stocks You Follow: December 2013 Update. 8 1/4 years. We’ve continuously monitored the 40 most-widely followed stocks by our community of subscribers at Manifest Investing for that long. We think it’s more than a fair assumption that many of these are in your real money portfolios … and for that, we’re optimistic and grateful. This managed “tracking collection” of your collective favorites has outperformed the Wilshire 5000 by +3.1% (relative rate of return, percentage points). The aggregate absolute return has been 9.0% during a period when the annualized total return for the general stock market has been 5.9%. With 8.25 years in the can, the average holding period is 5.7 years.

Peak Performance

Our MANIFEST 40 is a celebration of collective excellence in stock selection, strategy and disciplined patience.

With an average holding period of 5.7 years, the annualized relative return of the current tracking portfolio is approximately +3% versus the Wilshire 5000, approaching our long-term objective. With above average growth (8.5%) and a return forecast of 8.9% (vs. 5.3% for the general market) we see continuing solid performance ahead …

“We have always believed that the collective
decisions made by our community of
like-minded, long-term investors
are worth huddling over …
a place where ideas are born.”

A little over eight years. We established and have been tracking your most widely-followed stocks for more than eight years. Many of the original “40” are still on the list. There have been relative few kings-of-the-hill, including Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), Stryker (SYK) and current pole position and community favorite, Apple (AAPL).

Bottom Line(s)

The annualized rate of return for this tracking portfolio is 9.0%. The Wilshire 5000 has gained approximately 6.0% (annualized) since inception … so the relative return (alpha) of these community favorites is a stellar +3.0%.

The relative return of the ACTIVE, current 40 positions, in the tracking portfolio is also +3.1% annualized.

21-of-38 active entries have outperformed the Wilshire 5000 since selection for an accuracy rating of 55.3% compared to 62.5% in September 2013. 62.5% is well above “average” for selecting “winners” by the overall universe of investors and traders.

MANIFEST 40 (December 27, 2013). These are the most widely-followed stocks by subscribers at Manifest Investing. Current leader Apple (AAPL) was added to the list back on September 24, 2009 and steadily climbed the ranks while generating a relative return of +21.3% (annualized) over the trailing three years despite the swoon of 2013. Figures in parentheses are the ranking back on September 30, 2013.

Chargers

Qualcomm (QCOM) has, once again, continued to move up the charts, going from #16 to #12 over the last three months. QCOM had the greatest percentage gain in dashboard appearances. Other companies making strong showings of interest include recent Solomon Select feature Cognizant Technology (CTSH) and Portfolio Recovery (PRAA).

The results of $100 positions investing in any of the Top 40 companies can be viewed at any time at:

http://www.manifestinvesting.com/dashboards/public/manifest-40

Strongest Performers

The three top performers in the MANIFEST 40 since inception — based on annualized relative return — are Portfolio Recovery (+40.3%), Cognizant Technology (33.7%) and Buffalo Wild Wings (30.6%). $100 invested in Cognizant Technology (CTSH) on 12/15/2008 is now worth $572

Newcomers

We pay considerable attention to the chargers and new additions to the list. Apple was a new addition back on 9/24/2009 and $100 invested then is now worth $564 (relative return = +21.3%).The two newcomers are actually returning former residents: Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) and Gilead Sciences (GILD).

Performance Snapshot (4/30/2013)

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A quick look at some stock selection vehicles, including newsletters, model and tracking portfolios.

Kudos to the Better Investing Stock to Study selection team for the performance delivered since July-2010. Over that same time frame, our Round Table and the Investor Advisory Service have been a little mired, but we consider that a temporary condition all around.

The returns for the MANIFEST 40 collection of our most widely-followed stocks continues to be strong … and we do seem to study and shop in the same tributaries.

Performance snapshot 20130507

Cognizant Technology (CTSH)

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Cognizant Technology (CTSH) is the top-ranked stock based on a combination of fundamental and technical analysis (our Fusion ranking) for the stocks in this week’s update.

As we shared in the stock selection feature for August 2011, Cognizant Technology (CTSH) is anything but a stranger to the subscribers of Manifest Investing and our long-term investing community.

“Knowledge is power.” — Francis Bacon

Apparently, knowing what to do with information is a path to returns based on the leadership returns achieved by all of the information-based companies in our MANIFEST 40 (Oracle, Cognizant, Quality Systems, FactSet etc.)

Cognizant Technology has been selected five times for the Round Table and $100 invested in CTSH as a top-performing member of the MANIFEST 40 tracking portfolio is now worth $440 — absolute total return of 340% and an annualized relative return of +35.4% since December 2008, one of the top-performing entries in this long-term demonstration.

Business Model Analysis

Using the last couple of actual results for years, in combination with analyst consensus estimates for 2013-2014, the sales growth trend/forecast is 17%. If Value Line’s 3-5 year revenue forecast is feasible, the growth forecast could climb to 19%.

Equity Analysis Audit

We’ll use the lower sales growth forecast of 17%, the consensus on projected net margin at 14% and a projected average P/E of 20×.

The result is a return forecast (PAR) of approximately 15%.

Tracking Momentum & Sentiment

To me, S&P is a little tangled in a knot. They have a “Hold” on CTSH despite a fair value of $99.80 that would suggest CTSH is undervalued by 23.5%. I blame the traders and short-term time horizon herd. The same is true for Morningstar. CTSH has been in a trading range for over a year. But I think the reason for the swoons (speed bumps, breathers, etc. — call it anything you want) is pretty clear. The 2008-2009 Great Recession hammered business at CTSH. And the same is true now with Europe lagging and the impact/influence on CTSH is material.

But if you’re in this for the long term — and we are — you believe that recessionary conditions will abate. In fact, you believe that they’ll be back again some day and you’re not stunned or aggravated by this reality.

And when the next round of meaningful recessionary abatement gets underway, this information technology juggernaut will probably reassume the flight trajectory shown the 5-year trailing average (blue line) on the chart.

CTSH is good at what they do. CTSH has a robust field of opportunity and no debt. I think we’re happy it’s a contributor to our Solomon Select, MANIFEST 40 and Round Table tracking portfolios and we’re not ready to send it packing, yet.