The following are today's upgrades for Validea's P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
MPLX LP (MPLX) is a large-cap value stock in the Oil Well Services & Equipment industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% 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: MPLX LP is a diversified, large-cap master limited partnership that owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure and logistics assets and provides fuels distribution services. The Company's segments include Crude Oil and Products Logistics, and Natural Gas and NGL Services. The Crude Oil and Products Logistics segment is primarily engaged in the gathering, transportation, storage and distribution of crude oil, refined products, other hydrocarbon-based products, and renewables. These assets consist of a network of approximately 14,766 miles of wholly and jointly-owned pipelines and associated storage assets, refining logistics assets at 13 refineries, 88 terminals including rail and truck racks, one export terminal, storage caverns, tank farm assets, an inland marine business and a fuels distribution business. The Natural Gas and NGL Services segment provides wellhead to market services including gathering, processing and transportation of natural gas and natural gas liquids.
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/GROWTH RATIO: | PASS |
| SALES AND P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| INVENTORY TO SALES: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH RATE: | PASS |
| TOTAL DEBT/EQUITY RATIO: | FAIL |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | NEUTRAL |
| NET CASH POSITION: | NEUTRAL |
Detailed Analysis of MPLX LP
GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORP (GLAD) is a small-cap value stock in the Misc. Financial Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% 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: Gladstone Capital Corporation is a business development company. The Company invests in debt and equity securities, consisting primarily of secured first and second lien term loans to lower middle market businesses. Its investment objectives are to achieve and grow current income by investing in debt securities of established lower middle market companies (companies with annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $3 million to $25 million) in the United States that will provide stable earnings and cash flow to pay expenses, make principal and interest payments on its outstanding indebtedness, and make distributions to stockholders; and provide its stockholders with long-term capital appreciation in the value of its assets by investing in equity securities, in connection with its debt investments, that can grow over time to permit it to sell its equity investments for capital gains. It is externally managed by Gladstone Management Corporation.
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.
| SALES: | FAIL |
| YIELD COMPARED TO THE S&P 500: | PASS |
| YIELD ADJUSTED P/E/GROWTH (PEG) RATIO: | PASS |
| TOTAL DEBT/EQUITY RATIO: | NEUTRAL |
| EQUITY/ASSETS RATIO: | PASS |
| RETURN ON ASSETS: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | NEUTRAL |
| NET CASH POSITION: | NEUTRAL |
Detailed Analysis of GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORP
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
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.
