The following are today's upgrades for Validea's Patient Investor model based on the published strategy of Warren Buffett. This strategy seeks out firms with long-term, predictable profitability and low debt that trade at reasonable valuations.
VALUE LINE, INC. (VALU) is a small-cap growth stock in the Broadcasting & Cable TV industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Warren Buffett changed from 86% to 93% 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: Value Line, Inc. (Value Line) is engaged in producing investment periodicals and their underlying research and making available Value Line copyrights, Value Line trademarks and Value Line Proprietary Ranks and other information, to third parties under written agreements for use in third-party managed and marketed investment products and for other purposes. The Company markets its products under brands, including Value Line, the Value Line logo, The Value Line Investment Survey, Smart Research, Smarter Investing and The Most Trusted Name in Investment Research. It covers a range of investments, including stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and options. Its print and digital services include The Value Line Investment Survey, The Value Line Fund Advisor Plus, The Value Line Special Situations Service, The Value Line Daily Options Survey, Value Line Select, Value Line Select: Dividend Income & Growth, Value Line Select: ETFs, The Value Line 600 and 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.
| EARNINGS PREDICTABILITY: | PASS |
| DEBT SERVICE: | PASS |
| RETURN ON EQUITY: | PASS |
| RETURN ON TOTAL CAPITAL: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS: | PASS |
| SHARE REPURCHASE: | PASS |
| INITIAL RATE OF RETURN: | PASS |
| EXPECTED RETURN: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of VALUE LINE, INC.
DOLLAR GENERAL CORP (DG) is a large-cap growth stock in the Retail (Department & Discount) industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Warren Buffett changed from 86% to 93% 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: Dollar General Corporation is a discount retailer. The Company offers merchandise, including consumable items, seasonal items, home products and apparel. Its merchandise includes brands from manufacturers, as well as its own private brand selections with prices at discounts to brands. Its consumables category includes paper and cleaning products, packaged food, perishables, snacks, health and beauty, pet, and tobacco products. Its seasonal products include holiday items, toys, batteries, small electronics, greeting cards, stationery, prepaid phones and accessories, gardening supplies, hardware, automotive and home office supplies. Its home products include kitchen supplies, cookware, small appliances, light bulbs, storage containers, frames, candles, craft supplies and kitchen, bed and bath soft goods. Its apparel products include casual everyday apparel for infants, toddlers, girls, boys, women and men, as well as socks, underwear, disposable diapers, shoes and accessories.
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.
| EARNINGS PREDICTABILITY: | PASS |
| DEBT SERVICE: | PASS |
| RETURN ON EQUITY: | PASS |
| RETURN ON TOTAL CAPITAL: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS: | PASS |
| SHARE REPURCHASE: | PASS |
| INITIAL RATE OF RETURN: | PASS |
| EXPECTED RETURN: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of DOLLAR GENERAL CORP
COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION (COST) is a large-cap growth stock in the Retail (Specialty) industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Warren Buffett changed from 77% to 85% 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: Costco Wholesale Corporation is engaged in the operation of membership warehouses in the United States and Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Australia, Spain, France, Iceland, China, and through its subsidiaries in Taiwan. The Company's average warehouse space is approximately 146,000 square feet. The Company's warehouses on average operate on a seven-day, 70-hour week. The Company offers merchandise in various categories, which include food and sundries (including dry foods, packaged foods, groceries, snack foods, candy, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and cleaning supplies); hardlines (including appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, and garden and patio); fresh foods (including meat, produce, deli, and bakery); softlines (including apparel and small appliances), and ancillary (including gasoline and pharmacy businesses).
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.
| EARNINGS PREDICTABILITY: | PASS |
| DEBT SERVICE: | PASS |
| RETURN ON EQUITY: | PASS |
| RETURN ON TOTAL CAPITAL: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | FAIL |
| USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS: | PASS |
| SHARE REPURCHASE: | NEUTRAL |
| INITIAL RATE OF RETURN: | PASS |
| EXPECTED RETURN: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION
More details on Validea's Warren Buffett strategy
About Warren Buffett: Warren Buffett is considered by many to be the greatest investor of all time. As the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 for decades, and in the process has become one of the world's richest men. (Forbes puts his net worth at $37 billion.) Despite his fortune, Buffett is known for living a modest lifestyle, by billionaire standards. His primary residence remains the gray stucco Nebraska home he purchased for $31,500 nearly 50 years ago, according to Forbes, and his folksy Midwestern manner and penchant for simple pleasures -- a cherry Coke, a good burger, and a good book are all near the top of the list -- have been well-documented.
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.
