The following are today's upgrades for Validea's Low PE Investor model based on the published strategy of John Neff. This strategy looks for firms with persistent earnings growth that trade at a discount relative to their earnings growth and dividend yield.
PAGSEGURO DIGITAL LTD (PAGS) is a mid-cap value stock in the Consumer Financial Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff changed from 60% to 79% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: PagSeguro Digital Ltd. is a disruptive provider of financial technology solutions focused primarily on consumers, individual entrepreneurs, micro-merchants, small companies, and medium-sized companies in Brazil. Its end-to-end digital ecosystem enables its merchants not only to accept payments but also to grow and manage their businesses. The Company operates in a single segment, that is financial service agents. It offers a two-sided ecosystem, providing banking and payments experience through a single interface, with one app, one platform, and one customer support. Its digital banking ecosystem features its free PagBank digital account under the brand PagBank and offers approximately 40 payment methods and 13 cash-out options. The Company offers a range of point of sale (POS) and mobile point of sale (mPOS) devices specifically designed to fit customers' business needs. Its end-to-end payments ecosystem enables its customers to accept a range of online and in-person payment methods.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| SALES GROWTH: | PASS |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | FAIL |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of PAGSEGURO DIGITAL LTD
FS CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES CORP (FSCO) is a small-cap value stock in the Misc. Financial Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff changed from 58% to 77% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: FS Credit Opportunities Corp. (the Fund) is a closed-end management investment company. The Funds primary investment objective is to generate an attractive total return consisting of a high level of current income and capital appreciation, with a secondary objective of capital preservation. The Fund's portfolio of investments includes industries, such as Consumer Services, Health Care Equipment & Services, Financial Services, Commercial & Professional Services, Consumer Durables & Apparel, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Science, Capital Goods, Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail, Energy, Materials, Transportation, Software & Services, Automobiles & Components, Media & Entertainment, Insurance, Real Estate Management & Development, Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Food, Beverage & Tobacco, Household & Personal Products, Technology Hardware & Equipment. Its investment adviser is FS Global Advisor, LLC.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| SALES GROWTH: | PASS |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | FAIL |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of FS CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES CORP
BANK OZK (OZK) is a mid-cap value stock in the Money Center Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff changed from 62% to 81% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Bank OZK (the Bank) is a regional bank that provides a range of financial solutions. The Bank offers a range of products, including checking, savings, loans, mortgages, treasury management, merchant services, trust and estate services, wealth, and credit cards, among others. Its savings products include certificates of deposit, money market accounts, and individual retirement accounts. Its personal lending options include home equity lines of credit, personal lines of credit and auto loans. It offers both a fixed-rate mortgage and an adjustable-rate mortgage. Its online banking enables users to manage their accounts, pay bills, transfer funds, view electronic account statements and others. The Bank also provides individual consultation, financial planning, trust, and investment management services. The Bank conducts banking operations through approximately 240 offices in eight states, including Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, New York, California, and Mississippi.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| SALES GROWTH: | PASS |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of BANK OZK
GENERAL AMERICAN INVESTORS CO INC (GAM) is a small-cap value stock in the Misc. Financial Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff changed from 58% to 77% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: General American Investors Company, Inc. is a closed-end, diversified management investment company. The primary investment objective of the Company is long-term capital appreciation. The Company seeks investments worldwide in public and private companies. The Company invests in various industry sectors, such as information technology, financials, consumer discretionary, healthcare, consumer staples, industrials, communication services, energy, materials, and other. The Companys portfolio includes Republic Services, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Arch Capital Group Ltd., Alphabet Inc., Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Apple Inc., Everest Group, Ltd., The TJX Companies, Inc., ASML Holding N.V., and Amazon.com, Inc.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| SALES GROWTH: | PASS |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | FAIL |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of GENERAL AMERICAN INVESTORS CO INC
AERCAP HOLDINGS N.V. (AER) is a large-cap value stock in the Rental & Leasing industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff changed from 58% to 77% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: AerCap Holdings N.V. is an Ireland-based company, which is primarily engaged in aviation leasing. It provides a range of assets for leasing, including narrowbody and widebody aircraft, regional jets, freighters, engines and helicopters. It provides 10 types of modern narrowbody and widebody cargo aircraft to over 20 customers around the world, including e-commerce, express delivery and general cargo operators. It is a lessor of spare engines, with over 1,000 engines, including engines owned and managed by Shannon Engine Support Ltd (SES), its joint venture with Safran Aircraft Engines, and over 150 customers. Its offer includes new and used commercial passenger and cargo aircraft, and helicopters, on operating lease from its existing fleet and order book. In addition, it offers aftermarket components, equipment and services through its materials business and the lease, purchase and financing of spare engines. Its portfolio consists of about 3,508 aircraft, engines and helicopters.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| SALES GROWTH: | PASS |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | FAIL |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of AERCAP HOLDINGS N.V.
KB FINANCIAL GROUP INC (ADR) (KB) is a large-cap value stock in the Money Center Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff changed from 62% to 81% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: KB Financial Group Inc is a Korean-based company principally engaged in the financial business. The Company operates its business through six segments. The Banking segment consists of retail banking services provided by Kookmin Bank. This segment is engaged in the lending and receiving of large corporations, small and medium-sized businesses, SOHO and household customers, the investment of securities and derivatives, and financing, among others. The Credit Card segment operates credit sales, cash advances and card loans, among others. The Securities segment is engaged in the trading, consignment and acquisition of securities. The Non-life Insurance segment is engaged in the non-life insurance. The Life Insurance segment is engaged in the life insurance. The other segment is engaged in the maintenance of computer-related equipment and systems, the investigation of credit and the collection of debt, among others.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| SALES GROWTH: | FAIL |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of KB FINANCIAL GROUP INC (ADR)
EDISON INTERNATIONAL (EIX) is a large-cap value stock in the Electric Utilities industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff changed from 58% to 77% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Edison International is an electric utility holding company. The Company is focused on providing clean and reliable energy and energy services through its independent companies. It is the parent holding company of Southern California Edison Company (SCE) and Trio. SCE is a public utility primarily engaged in the business of supplying and delivering electricity to an approximately 50,000 square mile area across Southern, Central and Coastal California. Trio is a global energy advisory firm providing integrated sustainability and energy advisory services to large commercial, industrial and institutional organizations in North America and Europe. Trio provides integrated strategy and implementation solutions in sustainability, renewables, energy procurement, conventional supply, energy optimization and transportation electrification.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| SALES GROWTH: | FAIL |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | FAIL |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of EDISON INTERNATIONAL
About John Neff: While known as the manager with whom many top managers entrusted their own money, Neff was far from the smooth-talking, high-profile Wall Streeter you might expect. He was mild-mannered and low-key, and the same might be said of the Windsor Fund that he managed for more than three decades. In fact, Neff himself described the fund as "relatively prosaic, dull, [and] conservative." There was nothing dull about his results, however. From 1964 to 1995, Neff guided Windsor to a 13.7 percent average annual return, easily outpacing the S&P 500's 10.6 percent return during that time. That 3.1 percentage point difference is huge over time -- a $10,000 investment in Windsor (with dividends reinvested) at the start of Neff's tenure would have ended up as more than $564,000 by the time he retired, more than twice what the same investment in the S&P would have yielded (about $233,000). Considering the length of his tenure, that track record may be the best ever for a manager of such a large fund.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
