Skip to content

Cash Flow

Apr 07 2023

Normalizing The Abnormal?

  • Apr 7, 2023

In recent years, we’ve supplemented our longstanding normalized earnings technique with the simpler method of referencing any past peak in EPS (or, for that matter, trailing peaks in other corporate fundamentals, like cash flow and sales per share).

Apr 07 2023

ISM: Down, But Not Out

  • Apr 7, 2023

Early evidence shows the recent banking calamity knocked down already-fragile measures of confidence and activity, as exhibited by the ISM Manufacturing Composite posting a fifth-consecutive reading below 50.

Jun 05 2021

The Earnings Recession Is History

  • Jun 5, 2021

We expected that the earnings recovery from the shortest-ever U.S. recession would be the fastest on record. Trailing figures for the MSCI USA Index now confirm this: Trailing EPS and Cash Flow Per Share have surged to new highs only 14 months after their March 2020 peaks. 

Apr 21 2021

Valuing The Experiential Reopening

  • Apr 21, 2021

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 brought a sudden halt to social gatherings, crowd events, and even personal contacts. Experiential business models were hardest hit by forced closures and lockdowns; cruise ships were forbidden to sail, restaurants and theme parks were closed, and air travel and hotel occupancy dwindled, all in an attempt to minimize personal interactions. The stocks of leisure services companies took a beating in March 2020, with Chart 1 documenting the virus’ impact on 34 large and midcap stocks representing this theme.

Apr 08 2021

EAFE And EM: Long Past Their “Peaks?”

  • Apr 8, 2021

We applied the “Peak Cash Flow” valuation methodology to the EAFE and MSCI Emerging Markets Index and found them both priced at only about one-half of today’s MSCI U.S. multiple. However, the ratios are already above anything achieved during the 2009-2020 global bull market.

Apr 08 2021

A Pricey Alternative To The S&P 500?

  • Apr 8, 2021

This month we focus on the valuations of the MSCI USA Index—which is nearly identical to the S&P 500. This is worth following mainly because the folks at MSCI are kind enough to provide us with much longer-term histories of Cash Flow and Book Value Per Share.

Apr 07 2021

Research Preview: The Experiential-Reopening Trade

  • Apr 7, 2021

A strong argument can be made that experiential consumer services was the economic sector hardest hit by the pandemic lockdown. Cruise ships were forbidden to sail, restaurants and theme parks were closed, and air travel and hotel occupancy dwindled—all in an attempt to minimize personal/public interaction. The stocks of experiential companies took a beating in March 2020.

May 07 2020

Calculate The Next Low... With The Last Peak?

  • May 7, 2020

How does one value a stock market in which 12-month forward EPS estimates show their widest dispersion in history? A good start might be with methods we use when forward estimates show practically no dispersion (like three months ago). In either case, we place little weight on such estimates; each revision usually has only marginal impact on our 5-Year Normalized EPS.

Jun 07 2018

Cycles And Taxes And GICS, Oh My!

  • Jun 7, 2018

Analyzing quarterly financial results and developing insights about upcoming periods is always difficult, but the first quarter of 2018 was unusually complicated.

Feb 07 2018

Multiple Contraction—Just A Little Patience?

  • Feb 7, 2018

Things were bigger when you were a kid. Like that enormous sweatshirt your aunt gave you for your birthday or that hand-me-down ten-speed bike with the cross bar taller than your shoulders.

Jan 18 2018

Muster Drill: To The Value Lifeboats

  • Jan 18, 2018

While we’re not calling for an imminent market top, we are keeping a diligent watch from the crow’s nest for signs of a coming market correction.

Jan 06 2017

Trends In Corporate Debt And Coverage Ratios

  • Jan 6, 2017

Long-term debt (LTD) issued by S&P 500 companies has risen 75% since 2010, and the resulting deterioration in leverage ratios has been all too evident.