Independent Research, US Dominant Players, Investment Talk

Investment Talk

Independent Research, US Dominant Players

Investment Talk is for readers who wish to learn about companies that are potentially outside of their own circle of research, as well as those who are longing to become part of a community of like-minded investors and learn more about investment research. I would describe myself as a long-term investor who typically takes a 3Y to 5Y outlook, before reassessing once that period matures. I follow the adage that one should research, reach a conclusion, and then verify and continue to hold so long as the thesis remains intact. My own investing style is one that seeks to find dominant players within their respective market who have shown signs of monopoly or oligopolistic behaviour, unlikely to be disrupted, in tandem with discovering market disruptors who have a high likelihood of disrupting their respective market. Equally (and weighted accordingly) I seek to discover more nuanced, misunderstood, situations with a shorter time frame.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>I was today-years-old when I learned that Europe has its own version of the Magnificent 7; the basket of giga-cap US tech companies comprised of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla.</li><li>The GRANOLAS Dubbed the “Granolas” by Goldman Sachs in 2020, this basket was chosen because it echoed themes present amongst the Mag 7 (back then it was just “FAAMG”) .</li><li><p>Namely, they were market leaders in the STOXX 600 Europe Index, they had grown to become an increasingly larger share of the market, and their earnings had far outpaced the broader index.</p><div></div></li></ul>

I was today-years-old when I learned that Europe has its own version of the Magnificent 7; the basket of giga-cap US tech companies comprised of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla.The GRANOLAS Dubbed the “Granolas” by Goldman Sachs in 2020, this basket was chosen because it echoed themes present amongst the Mag 7 (back then it was just “FAAMG”) .Namely, they were market leaders in the STOXX 600 Europe Index, they had grown to become an increasingly larger share of the market, and their earnings had far outpaced the broader index.

Articles from Caixin Global, Caixin Global

Caixin Global

Articles from Caixin Global

Caixin is a media group dedicated to providing financial and business news through periodicals, online content, mobile apps, conferences, books and TV/video programs. Caixin aims to blaze a trail that helps traditional media prosper in the new media age through integrated multimedia platforms.

News from Caixin

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul><li><p>China’s mutual funds produced a mixed bag of performance last year. Publicly offered equity funds endured a second straight year of losses, grappling with a prolonged stock market rout. Bond funds, on the other hand, had a comparatively stellar year.</p></li><li><p>The uptick in bond fund flows fueled a shift in China’s asset management landscape, with mutual funds emerging as the most preferred asset management avenue, outstripping banking wealth management for the first time.</p></li><li><p>This shift reflects investors’ concerted efforts to navigate prevailing financial market volatility and mitigate risk in the country’s stock market, which has seen a protracted rout continue into this year.</p></li></ul>

China’s mutual funds produced a mixed bag of performance last year. Publicly offered equity funds endured a second straight year of losses, grappling with a prolonged stock market rout. Bond funds, on the other hand, had a comparatively stellar year.The uptick in bond fund flows fueled a shift in China’s asset management landscape, with mutual funds emerging as the most preferred asset management avenue, outstripping banking wealth management for the first time.This shift reflects investors’ concerted efforts to navigate prevailing financial market volatility and mitigate risk in the country’s stock market, which has seen a protracted rout continue into this year.

China’s Bond Funds Outshine Equity Peers Amid Stocks Slump 

Mostly Borrowed Ideas Deep Dives, MBI Deep Dives

MBI Deep Dives

Mostly Borrowed Ideas Deep Dives

MBI is the abbreviation for “Mostly Borrowed Ideas”. Why “Mostly Borrowed Ideas?” As a generalist, I do not have a background in any particular sector. I enjoy navigating across industries, businesses, and countries to learn, understand, and connect the dots. In any case, most ideas and innovations are incremental in nature. Very few of us are smart enough to come up with truly original or groundbreaking ideas. I am Abdullah Al-Rezwan. I was born and brought up in Bangladesh. I went to University of Dhaka for my undergrad and majored in Finance. After working three and half years in Equity Research (Sell-side) covering Financial Sector in Bangladesh, I left Bangladesh to pursue my MBA in the US. I graduated within top 10% of the class from Cornell University's two-year MBA program and worked on the buy-side following my graduation. During my time at Cornell, I won two stock pitch competitions and also became finalists in four other competitions. I thoroughly enjoyed my stint as a generalist in the US large cap team at Madison Investments and covered a wide range of companies from UnitedHealth to Amazon and Boeing before US immigration reality paused my career in investment management. As my work authorization expired, I moved to Canada in January, 2021. Then in early 2022, I was able to return to the US.

Equity Bottom-Up

Meta Platforms (Facebook) / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>So I took this weekend to update my models on Meta and Amazon. I just wanted to leave some brisk thoughts on these updated models.</li><li>I will start with Meta today and will share my thoughts on Amazon tomorrow.</li><li>You can find the updated model on Meta here which I encourage you to download to play around with your own narrative as you see fit.</li></ul>

So I took this weekend to update my models on Meta and Amazon. I just wanted to leave some brisk thoughts on these updated models.I will start with Meta today and will share my thoughts on Amazon tomorrow.You can find the updated model on Meta here which I encourage you to download to play around with your own narrative as you see fit.

Next Generation Financial Data Tools, Calcbench

Calcbench

Next Generation Financial Data Tools

Founded in 2011, based in New York and Cambridge, MA, Calcbench is a financial data platform designed for detailed fundamental research. Created by former analysts and supported by a team of financial experts with serious credentials in Finance, Accounting, and Applied Mathematics, Calcbench helps analysts looking to go a level deeper become more productive and accurate in their financial analysis. With Calcbench, analysts can systematically access all the data (numbers and text) in financial statements, including the details hidden within the footnotes.

<ul>
<li>Quick Takes on Microsoft, Google Tech giants Microsoft ($MSFT) and Google ($GOOG) both filed their latest quarterly earnings releases on Tuesday — giving us an excellent opportunity to showcase how Calcbench can help you dive into the details of their operating segment performance.</li>
<li>Lots of charts and tables coming up! For example, we looked at the segment-level disclosures in Microsoft’s earnings release , which Calcbench lets you export into Excel.</li>
<li>With just a few keystrokes that led to Figure 1, below, which lets us see which of Microsoft’s many lines of business grew the most year over year.</li>
</ul>


Quick Takes on Microsoft, Google Tech giants Microsoft ($MSFT) and Google ($GOOG) both filed their latest quarterly earnings releases on Tuesday — giving us an excellent opportunity to showcase how Calcbench can help you dive into the details of their operating segment performance.
Lots of charts and tables coming up! For example, we looked at the segment-level disclosures in Microsoft’s earnings release , which Calcbench lets you export into Excel.
With just a few keystrokes that led to Figure 1, below, which lets us see which of Microsoft’s many lines of business grew the most year over year.


Research from Value Investing, Value Investing

Value Investing

Research from Value Investing

I am a value investor. "Value", as defined in Value Investing, is simply the act of buying something for less than its worth. I treat my equity investment as a loan to the business - where the priority is to get back my principal in full, rather than achieving maximum yield. I consider my equity investment as a slightly higher risk loan extended to the business with slightly more accommodative loan covenants - hence justifying a slightly higher yield. While I identify as a value investor and cover all stocks and macro topics indiscriminately, most of my research will have an ASEAN bent as that’s where I’m geographically located.

<ul><li>The red &amp; blue arrows highlight the apples-to-apples comparisons to be made between the respective bars (more details below)</li><li>Around this time last year , I did a portfolio performance review based on all the stocks I had written about in 2022.</li><li>This article is a repeat of that for all the stocks I had written about in 2023.</li></ul>

The red &amp; blue arrows highlight the apples-to-apples comparisons to be made between the respective bars (more details below)Around this time last year , I did a portfolio performance review based on all the stocks I had written about in 2022.This article is a repeat of that for all the stocks I had written about in 2023.

Value Investing Substack Portfolio Review | Annual Letter 2023

United States

VMware, Inc. provides virtualization solutions from the desktop to the data center. The Company's solution products addresses a range of IT problems, which includes cost and operational inefficiencies, business continuity, software lifecycle management and desktop management.

Oracle Corporation supplies software for enterprise information management. The Company offers databases and relational servers, application development and decision support tools, and enterprise business applications. Oracle's software runs on network computers, personal digital assistants, set-top devices, PCs, workstations, minicomputers, mainframes, and massively parallel computers.

Electronic Arts Inc. develops, publishes, and distributes branded interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game consoles, personal computers, handheld game players, and cellular handsets. The Company also provides online game-related services.

ServiceNow, Inc. provides enterprise information technology (IT) management software. The Company designs, develops, and produces prepackaged computer software, cloud services, and IT service management platform. ServiceNow serves customers throughout the United States.

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. develops, markets and supports a range of software and hardware products and services for information technology (IT) security and offers its customers a network and gateway security solutions, data and endpoint security solutions and management solutions.

Fair Isaac Corporation provides analytics, including predictive modeling, decision analysis, intelligence management, decision management systems, and consulting services.  The Company helps companies in countries around the world acquire customers more efficiently, increase customer value, reduce fraud, lower operating expenses, and enter new markets more profitably.

Synopsys, Inc. supplies electronic design automation solutions to the global electronics market.  The Company provides design technologies to creators of advanced integrated circuits, electronic systems, and systems on a chip. Synopsys also provides consulting services and support to its customers to streamline the overall design process and accelerate time to market.

Activision Blizzard, Inc. publishes, develops, and distributes interactive entertainment software and peripheral products. The Company's products cover diverse game categories, including action/adventure, action sports, racing, role playing, simulation, first-person action, music-based gaming and strategy.

Workday, Inc. provides enterprise cloud-based applications. The Company offers human capital, spend, and financial management, as well as payroll, initiatives and higher education solutions. Workday serves the finance, healthcare, manufacturing, education, and technology industries worldwide.

HubSpot, Inc. provides a cloud-based marketing and sales software platform. The Company offers integrated applications that helps in lead generation and social marketing.

Nintendo Co., Ltd. globally develops, manufactures and sells home-use video game hardware and software in home entertainment business.  The company also produces home-game products including cards.

Dassault Systemes operates as a software company. The develops and offers 3Dexperience platform to create innovative new products and services using virtual experiences. Dassault Systemes serves aerospace, construction, business services, consumer packaged goods, high-tech, life science, health care, marine, energy, and industrial equipment industries worldwide.

WiseTech Global Pty Ltd provides various technology and information technology management solutions. The Company offers cloud based various technology platforms, market specific software and logistics technology solutions, such as edienterprise, a platform supply chain logistics management system, software-as-a-service, and clinical management software. 

Constellation Software Inc is a software holding company.  The Company acquires mission-critical, vertical market software companies, and helps them to grow.

Spotify Technology S.A. provides music streaming services. The Company offers commercial free music and ad-supported services to subscribers. Spotify Technology serves clients worldwide.

Dassault Systemes is a technology company. The company provides software applications services designed to support client company's innovation processes. The company's line of business includes provision of 3D design software, 3D digital mock up and product lifecycle Management. Dassault Systemes also provides several software brands.

Xero Limited offers an online accounting system.  The software features bank transaction importing, a cashbook, a general ledger, invoicing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, financial reporting, and management of expense claims.

CAPCOM CO., LTD. develops consumer video game software.  The Company also develops, manufactures, markets, and leases arcade game machines.  Capcom also operates amusement facilities.

International Games System Co., Ltd. plans, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets software and hardware for arcade games, PC games, and Internet on-line games.

Oracle Financial Services Software Ltd. provides comprehensive information technology solutions to the financial services industry worldwide. The Company provides transaction processing and accounting software for banks, investment managers and mutual funds. Oracle Financial also provides internet delivery of financial services as well as business intelligence and analytical applications.

Microsoft Corporation operates as a software company. The Company offers applications, extra cloud storage, and advanced security solutions. Microsoft serves customers worldwide.

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Microsoft Corp (MSFT US)

Europe's Magnificent Eleven

The GRANOLAS Dubbed the “Granolas” by Goldman Sachs in 2020, this basket was chosen because it echoed themes present amongst the Mag 7 (back then...

Investment Talk

China’s Bond Funds Outshine Equity Peers Amid Stocks Slump

China’s mutual funds produced a mixed bag of performance last year. Publicly offered equity funds endured a second straight year of losses,...

Caixin Global

Meta Platforms: Model Update

So I took this weekend to update my models on Meta and Amazon. I just wanted to leave some brisk thoughts on these updated models.

MBI Deep Dives

Quick Takes on Microsoft, Google

Quick Takes on Microsoft, Google Tech giants Microsoft ($MSFT) and Google ($GOOG) both filed their latest quarterly earnings releases on Tuesday

Calcbench

Value Investing Substack Portfolio Review | Annual Letter 2023

Around this time last year , I did a portfolio performance review based on all the stocks I had written about in 2022. This article is a repeat of...

Value Investing

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