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 Capital Markets

<ul><li>Ross Stores reported another strong quarterly performance, with sales increasing by 14%.</li><li>Its children's and men's were the best performing businesses at Ross Stores in the third quarter, while the Midwest and Southeast were the best performing regions.</li><li>In Q3 itself, Ross Stores completed its 2021 expansion program by adding 18 new Ross and 10 dd's DISCOUNTS.</li></ul>

Ross Stores reported another strong quarterly performance, with sales increasing by 14%.Its children's and men's were the best performing businesses at Ross Stores in the third quarter, while the Midwest and Southeast were the best performing regions.In Q3 itself, Ross Stores completed its 2021 expansion program by adding 18 new Ross and 10 dd's DISCOUNTS.

<ul><li>Ross Stores delivered another solid quarterly result with excellent recovery in revenues driven by the robust customer demand, accelerated vaccination rates, government stimulus payments and easing of COVID-19 restrictions.</li><li>The company intends to add 45 Ross Dress for Less and 20 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores while shutting down or relocating 10 underperforming outlets.</li><li>With possible inflationary pressure building on the company’s margins, we maintain a ‘Hold’ rating with a revised target price.</li></ul>

Ross Stores delivered another solid quarterly result with excellent recovery in revenues driven by the robust customer demand, accelerated vaccination rates, government stimulus payments and easing of COVID-19 restrictions.The company intends to add 45 Ross Dress for Less and 20 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores while shutting down or relocating 10 underperforming outlets.With possible inflationary pressure building on the company’s margins, we maintain a ‘Hold’ rating with a revised target price.

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Equity Bottom-Up

Pan Pacific International Holdings / Equity Bottom-Up

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pan-pacific-international-holdings-corporation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pan Pacific International Holdings (7532 JP)</a>, (PPI) (formerly Don Quijote) has been the best-performing general retailer in Japan over the last six months, rising by 21%. Only drugstore and grocery store chains have performed better in the Retail Sector which fell by 3.1%, while the TOPIX index declined by 8.4%. In the DETAIL section below, we explain why we believe PPI has further upside.</p>

Pan Pacific International Holdings (7532 JP), (PPI) (formerly Don Quijote) has been the best-performing general retailer in Japan over the last six months, rising by 21%. Only drugstore and grocery store chains have performed better in the Retail Sector which fell by 3.1%, while the TOPIX index declined by 8.4%. In the DETAIL section below, we explain why we believe PPI has further upside.

Pan Pacific (Donki): Gross Margin Improvement Suggests Further Upside

TMT & Consumer Independent Equity Research Analyst, Obex Capital Research

Aaron Gabin

TMT & Consumer Independent Equity Research Analyst

TMT & Consumer Independent Equity Research

Obex Capital Research

“Obex” is Latin for Barriers to Entry. Obex Capital Management’s investment philosophy is driven by an intense focus on which business model’s Barriers to Entry are able to withstand the ever increasing competitive disruption in the TMT and Consumer Sectors.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<div><p>Some datapoints that caught our eye last week in TMT.</p></div><div><div><div class="content-highlight"><p>Obex’s fundamental research process is focused on secular change in the TMT and Consumer sectors. We seek to differentiate between fundamental business analysis and security analysis. Before deciding if a security’s pricing and positioning merit a long or short position, we analyze the four pillars of business fundamentals (Secular Factors, TAM, Competitive Advantage, Business Model) in order to determine if this is a “good” or “not so good” opportunity.</p></div></div></div>

Some datapoints that caught our eye last week in TMT.Obex’s fundamental research process is focused on secular change in the TMT and Consumer sectors. We seek to differentiate between fundamental business analysis and security analysis. Before deciding if a security’s pricing and positioning merit a long or short position, we analyze the four pillars of business fundamentals (Secular Factors, TAM, Competitive Advantage, Business Model) in order to determine if this is a “good” or “not so good” opportunity.

Beyond the Virus: 3 Things from TMT Land that Stood Out Week of 3/​27/​2020

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Cross Asset Strategy

<div class="content-highlight"><p><strong><em>“Any public company that receives a bailout or significant funding should not be allowed, by law, to do stock buybacks EVER AGAIN as part of their agreement.”</em> (Source: <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2020/03/18/american-airlines-spent-12-billion-on-stock-buybacks-during-flush-times-now-it-says-it-needs-a-bailout/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Cuban</a>, 18 March 2020)</strong></p></div><p>Why are so many major U.S. companies suspending their share buyback programs right now when many of these stocks appear to be trading at bargain sales prices? This is certainly one of the major differences between the current environment versus back in 2008/2009 when numerous major U.S. companies used the emergency government proceeds to buy back their shares.</p><p>In this analysis, we discuss the significant implication of this CHANGE in SENTIMENT among major U.S. companies to suspend their share buyback programs in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. We have provided a list of 25 major companies in the U.S. that have announced share buyback program cancellations in the past week (15 to 21 March). Of these 25 companies, 17 of them are in the <strong>financial sector.</strong></p>

“Any public company that receives a bailout or significant funding should not be allowed, by law, to do stock buybacks EVER AGAIN as part of their agreement.” (Source: Mark Cuban, 18 March 2020)Why are so many major U.S. companies suspending their share buyback programs right now when many of these stocks appear to be trading at bargain sales prices? This is certainly one of the major differences between the current environment versus back in 2008/2009 when numerous major U.S. companies used the emergency government proceeds to buy back their shares.In this analysis, we discuss the significant implication of this CHANGE in SENTIMENT among major U.S. companies to suspend their share buyback programs in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. We have provided a list of 25 major companies in the U.S. that have announced share buyback program cancellations in the past week (15 to 21 March). Of these 25 companies, 17 of them are in the financial sector.

Why Are Major U.S. Companies Suspending Their Share Buyback Programs?

United States

Ross Stores, Inc. operates two brands of off-price retail apparel and home accessories stores. Ross Stores offers name brand and designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions at discount prices.

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Ross Stores Inc (ROST US)

Ross Stores Inc. - Investment Thesis

Ross Stores reported another strong quarterly performance, with sales increasing by 14%. Its children's and men's were the best performing...

Baptista Research

Ross Stores Inc. - Investment Thesis

Ross Stores delivered another solid quarterly result with excellent recovery in revenues driven by the robust customer demand, accelerated...

Baptista Research

Pan Pacific (Donki): Gross Margin Improvement Suggests Further Upside

Pan Pacific International Holdings (7532 JP), (PPI) (formerly Don Quijote) has been the best-performing general retailer in Japan over the last six...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Beyond the Virus: 3 Things from TMT Land that Stood Out Week of 3/27/2020

Some datapoints that caught our eye last week in TMT.Obex’s fundamental research process is focused on secular change in the TMT and Consumer...

Aaron Gabin

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

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Dividend (Yield)

Ross Stores Inc. - Investment Thesis

Ross Stores reported another strong quarterly performance, with sales increasing by 14%. Its children's and men's were the best performing...

Baptista Research

Ross Stores Inc. - Investment Thesis

Ross Stores delivered another solid quarterly result with excellent recovery in revenues driven by the robust customer demand, accelerated...

Baptista Research

Pan Pacific (Donki): Gross Margin Improvement Suggests Further Upside

Pan Pacific International Holdings (7532 JP), (PPI) (formerly Don Quijote) has been the best-performing general retailer in Japan over the last six...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Beyond the Virus: 3 Things from TMT Land that Stood Out Week of 3/​27/​2020

Some datapoints that caught our eye last week in TMT.Obex’s fundamental research process is focused on secular change in the TMT and Consumer...

Aaron Gabin

Why Are Major U.S. Companies Suspending Their Share Buyback Programs?

“Any public company that receives a bailout or significant funding should not be allowed, by law, to do stock buybacks EVER AGAIN as part of their...

Douglas Kim

Beyond the Virus: 3 Things from TMT Land that Stood Out Week of 3/27/2020