Independent research on the U.S. markets, Baptista Research

Baptista Research

Independent research on the U.S. markets

Baptista Research is an independent financial research house focused on the U.S. markets. We provide equity research as well as credit research reports on the top-listed U.S. companies with most of our focus on technology, consumer goods and services, automobiles, industrials, oil and gas, pharma, and healthcare. Our research has served more than 3000 institutional investors including mutual funds, hedge funds, banks, family offices, and various buy-side firms. We operate a research subscription service where institutions, as well as retail investors, can have priority access to all our research. We also have a wide distribution of our research reports across some of the top global financial platforms. Apart from equity research and credit research, we also provide advisory services with respect to mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity/ venture capital fundraising, valuation reports, and investment management services for corporates.
Baptista Research is owned and managed by Ishan Majumdar, an ex-Venture Capitalist/ Investment Banker, a Chartered Accountant, and a Masters’ degree holder in Management from HEC Paris. Ishan has nearly a decade of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs), Venture Capital Investing, Corporate Strategy, and Valuation in front-office roles at the likes of BNP Paribas CIB, Credit Agricole CIB, Groupe Danone, and TIW Private Equity. He has worked on and closed multiple acquisition deals, leveraged buyouts, and start-up investment transactions.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Aon delivered a mixed result in the recent quarter, with revenues above market expectations, but it failed to surpass the analyst consensus in terms of earnings.</li><li>For the entire year 2023, as well as for the long term, Aon’s management anticipates organic revenue growth in the mid-single digits or higher.</li><li>Aon Business Services is still a major driver of margin expansion and offers a competitive edge, particularly in an inflationary market.</li></ul>

Aon delivered a mixed result in the recent quarter, with revenues above market expectations, but it failed to surpass the analyst consensus in terms of earnings.For the entire year 2023, as well as for the long term, Aon’s management anticipates organic revenue growth in the mid-single digits or higher.Aon Business Services is still a major driver of margin expansion and offers a competitive edge, particularly in an inflationary market.

Aon PLC: Can The New Pricing Platform Be A Game Changer? – Key Drivers

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>The S&amp;P 500 is 1% above the 4300-4325 area which we anticipated would cap upside for 2023.</li>
<li>Our view since our 5/30/23 ETF Pathfinder is that we cannot be bearish if the SPX is above 4050, and we subsequently moved that line-in-the-sand up to 4165-4200 on 6/6/23.</li>
<li>We are moving that threshold up to 4300, which is short-term support to watch; a break below it could bring selling pressure.</li>
</ul>


The S&amp;P 500 is 1% above the 4300-4325 area which we anticipated would cap upside for 2023.
Our view since our 5/30/23 ETF Pathfinder is that we cannot be bearish if the SPX is above 4050, and we subsequently moved that line-in-the-sand up to 4165-4200 on 6/6/23.
We are moving that threshold up to 4300, which is short-term support to watch; a break below it could bring selling pressure.


Consolidation Likely, But Little Reason to Be Bearish; Buys Within Biotech, Latin American Banks

High Quality Stock Setups, Weekly Stock Bull Finder

Weekly Stock Bull Finder

High Quality Stock Setups

Finding high potential stock setups on quality companies

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>One of the lasting legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic was the acceleration of secular trends which were already in place prior to the start pandemic such as e-commerce, flexible working arrangements, streaming/entertainment at home, digital transformation, MRNA biotechnology, among others.</li><li>Many of these trends in place prior to the pandemic were turbocharged by a quick pivot and responses to adjust to the “new normal” disruption of the dealing with COVID-19 waves, lockdowns, and companies muddling through how to adapt their business model.</li><li>The aftermath of the combination of a bazooka fiscal and monetary stimulus has resulted in the Federal Reserve embarking on the most aggressive interest rate hiking campaign in decades in attempts to arrest and reverse inflation.</li></ul>

One of the lasting legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic was the acceleration of secular trends which were already in place prior to the start pandemic such as e-commerce, flexible working arrangements, streaming/entertainment at home, digital transformation, MRNA biotechnology, among others.Many of these trends in place prior to the pandemic were turbocharged by a quick pivot and responses to adjust to the “new normal” disruption of the dealing with COVID-19 waves, lockdowns, and companies muddling through how to adapt their business model.The aftermath of the combination of a bazooka fiscal and monetary stimulus has resulted in the Federal Reserve embarking on the most aggressive interest rate hiking campaign in decades in attempts to arrest and reverse inflation.

VanEck Gold Miners ETF/USA / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Since late-January/early-February we've recommended shifting to defensives considering our belief that 4165-4200 will cap upside on the $SPX in 2023, while also conceding that a reach to 4300-4325 is possible.</li>
<li>Considering limited upside in both scenarios, we continue to recommend shifting to defensives and believe that now is the time to be tactically overweight defensives</li>
<li>Defensive Sectors including Health Care (XLV), Utilities (XLU), and Staples (XLP) are hitting 2+ month RS highs, and are staging bullish price and RS reversals, as are gold miners (GDX). </li>
</ul>


Since late-January/early-February we've recommended shifting to defensives considering our belief that 4165-4200 will cap upside on the $SPX in 2023, while also conceding that a reach to 4300-4325 is possible.
Considering limited upside in both scenarios, we continue to recommend shifting to defensives and believe that now is the time to be tactically overweight defensives
Defensive Sectors including Health Care (XLV), Utilities (XLU), and Staples (XLP) are hitting 2+ month RS highs, and are staging bullish price and RS reversals, as are gold miners (GDX). 


Defensive Areas Starting to Lead; 10-Yr Treasury Yield Testing Support at 3.35-3.4%

<ul>
<li>SPX is holding above its 200-day MA/3940 coinciding with its prior downtrend from 2022 near 3915; 3915-3940 remains critical support, and is the gateway to a much deeper pullback.</li>
<li>Additionally, the Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) is breaking back above $297, another important line in the sand for us.</li>
<li>The SPX holding at 3915-3940 could be the spark that allows another run toward YTD highs, but we continue to expect 4165-4200 to cap upside on the S&amp;P 500.</li>
</ul>


SPX is holding above its 200-day MA/3940 coinciding with its prior downtrend from 2022 near 3915; 3915-3940 remains critical support, and is the gateway to a much deeper pullback.
Additionally, the Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) is breaking back above $297, another important line in the sand for us.
The SPX holding at 3915-3940 could be the spark that allows another run toward YTD highs, but we continue to expect 4165-4200 to cap upside on the S&amp;P 500.


Still Expecting 4165-4200 on S&P 500 to Cap Upside; Buys Within Insurance and Steel/Metals

United States

Arch Capital Group Ltd. is a Bermuda-based insurance and financial services company that provides reinsurance and insurance products on a worldwide basis.

American International Group, Inc. is an international insurance organization serving commercial, institutional and individual customers. AIG provides property-casualty insurance, life insurance and retirement services.

MetLife, Inc. provides individual insurance, employee benefits and financial services with operations throughout the United States and the regions of Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The Company's products include life insurance, annuities, automobile and homeowners insurance, retail banking and other financial services to individuals as well as group insurance.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and its subsidiaries provide insurance brokerage, risk management, employee benefit, and other related services to clients in the United States and abroad. The Company's principal activity is the negotiation and placement of insurance for its clients. Gallagher also specializes in furnishing risk management services.

The Travelers Companies, Inc. provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals.

Prudential Financial, Inc. provides financial services throughout the United States and several locations worldwide. The Company offers a variety of products and services, including life insurance, mutual funds, annuities, pension, and retirement related services, as well as administration and asset management.

Aflac, Inc. is a general business holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides supplemental insurance to individuals in the United States and Japan.  Aflac's products include accident/disability plans, cancer expense plans, short-term disability plans, sickness and hospital indemnity plans, hospital intensive care plans, and fixed-benefit dental plans.

The Allstate Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides property-liability insurance, as well as other types of insurance in the United States and Canada. The Company primarily sells private passenger automobile and homeowners insurance through independent and specialized brokers. Allstate also sells life insurance, annuity, and group pension products through agents.

Cincinnati Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, offers property and casualty and life insurance.  The Company markets a variety of insurance products and provides leasing and financing services.

Markel Corporation markets and underwrites specialty insurance products and programs to a variety of niche markets.  The Company also underwrites a diverse property, casualty, marine, and aviation insurance and reinsurance business on a worldwide basis.

MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc. is a holding company established through reorganization of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited.  The Group writes marine, fire, casualty, automobile, life, and allied insurance policies. MS&AD Insurance Group also operates financial services and agencies.

China Life Insurance Company Ltd. offers a wide range of life, accident, and health insurance products and services.

China Pacific Insurance (Group) Company, Ltd. is an integrated insurance services provider. The Company offers life and property insurance products through its subsidiaries.

Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc., through subsidiaries, offers property, casualty and life insurance, and asset management services.

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China Limited provides a variety of insurance service in China.  The Company writes property, casualty, and life insurance.  Ping An Insurance also offers financial services.

AIA Group Limited offers insurance and financial services. The Company writes life insurance for individuals, businesses, accident, and health insurance, as well as retirement planning and wealth management services.

Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. offers life and non-life insurance and reinsurance throughout the world.  The Company offers life, health, accident, automobile, marine, aviation, transport, fire, general liability, and credit insurance and reinsurance.

AXA SA is an insurance company which also provides related financial services. The Company offers life and non-life insurance, savings and pension products, and asset management services.  AXA operates in both domestic and international markets.

Muenchener Rueckversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG (MunichRe) provides financial services. The Company offers reinsurance, insurance, and asset management services. MunichRe has subsidiaries in most major financial centers throughout the world.

Zurich Insurance Group AG provides insurance-based financial services. The Company offers general and life insurance products and services for individuals, small businesses, commercial enterprises, mid-sized and large corporations, and multinational companies.

Aon PLC is a professional services provider. The Company is comprised of risk and insurance brokerage consulting. Aon's services include helping manage risk for clients, negotiating and placing insurance risk with other carriers, and advising clients related to health and benefits, retirement, compensation, strategic human capital, and human resource outsourcing.

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Aon (AON US)

Aon PLC: Can The New Pricing Platform Be A Game Changer? – Key Drivers

Aon delivered a mixed result in the recent quarter, with revenues above market expectations, but it failed to surpass the analyst consensus in...

Baptista Research

Consolidation Likely, But Little Reason to Be Bearish; Buys Within Biotech, Latin American Banks

$SPX is 1% above 4300-4325 which we anticipated would cap upside for 2023. Our view since May 30 (ETF Pathfinder) is we cannot be bearish if SPX is...

Vermilion Research

Weekly Stock Bullfinder - Week of 5/15

One of the lasting legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic was the acceleration of secular trends which were already in place prior to the start pandemic...

Weekly Stock Bull Finder

Defensive Areas Starting to Lead; 10-Yr Treasury Yield Testing Support at 3.35-3.4%

Defensive Sectors including Health Care $XLV, Utilities $RYU $XLU, and Staples $XLP are hitting 2+ month RS highs, and are staging bullish price...

Vermilion Research

Still Expecting 4165-4200 on S&P 500 to Cap Upside; Buys Within Insurance and Steel/Metals

The $SPX holding at 3915-3940 could be the spark that allows another run toward YTD highs, but we continue to expect 4165-4200 to cap upside and...

Vermilion Research

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