Equity Long-Short Analyst

Pyari Menon

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>We again write about one stock each from the large, mid and small cap portfolios, briefly giving the reasons behind their inclusion.</li>
<li>The three companies we write about this week are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mastercard-inc-class-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15529:1" rel="noopener">Mastercard (MA US)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vertex-pharmaceuticals-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4864:1" rel="noopener">Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pearson-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:680:1" rel="noopener">Pearson Plc (PSON LN)</a> </li>
<li>For the four weeks ended 16 Dec the combined innovation portfolio was -1.1%, versus DJIA -2.4%, S&amp;P500 -2.8%, Nasdaq -4.0% &amp; MSCI-ACWI-ETF -2.3%, all in US$ terms.</li>
</ul>


We again write about one stock each from the large, mid and small cap portfolios, briefly giving the reasons behind their inclusion.
The three companies we write about this week are Mastercard (MA US) , Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX US) and Pearson Plc (PSON LN) 
For the four weeks ended 16 Dec the combined innovation portfolio was -1.1%, versus DJIA -2.4%, S&amp;P500 -2.8%, Nasdaq -4.0% &amp; MSCI-ACWI-ETF -2.3%, all in US$ terms.


<ul>
<li>We again write about one stock each from the large, mid and small cap portfolios, briefly giving the reasons behind their inclusion in the portfolio.</li>
<li>The three companies we write about this week are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/evonik-industries-ag" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21618:1" rel="noopener">Evonik Industries Ag (EVK GR)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/altria-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6572:1" rel="noopener">Altria Group (MO US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/procter-gamble-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:978:1" rel="noopener">Procter &amp; Gamble Co (PG US)</a> </li>
<li>For three weeks ended 9 Dec the combined innovation portfolio was +0.7%, versus DJIA -0.8%, S&amp;P500 -0.8%, Nasdaq -1.3% &amp; MSCI-ACWI-ETF +0.5%.</li>
</ul>


We again write about one stock each from the large, mid and small cap portfolios, briefly giving the reasons behind their inclusion in the portfolio.
The three companies we write about this week are Evonik Industries Ag (EVK GR)Altria Group (MO US) and Procter &amp; Gamble Co (PG US) 
For three weeks ended 9 Dec the combined innovation portfolio was +0.7%, versus DJIA -0.8%, S&amp;P500 -0.8%, Nasdaq -1.3% &amp; MSCI-ACWI-ETF +0.5%.


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

iShares Russell 2000 ETF / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Since early-October we have discussed our expectation for a bear rally, targeting the 200-day MAs on the $IWM and $SPX; targets were hit (within 0.5% of hitting on SPX).</li>
<li>We are now seeing short-term uptrend breaks on the IWM and the DJIA; this is a good time to get defensive and/or take profits, as the 1.5-month rally appears over.</li>
<li>We expect more weakness in the weeks ahead, and we cannot rule out another test of the 2022 lows.</li>
</ul>


Since early-October we have discussed our expectation for a bear rally, targeting the 200-day MAs on the $IWM and $SPX; targets were hit (within 0.5% of hitting on SPX).
We are now seeing short-term uptrend breaks on the IWM and the DJIA; this is a good time to get defensive and/or take profits, as the 1.5-month rally appears over.
We expect more weakness in the weeks ahead, and we cannot rule out another test of the 2022 lows.


Time to Get Defensive After 1.5-Month Uptrend Breaks; High Yield Spreads Widening Much Like Mid-Aug.

<ul>
<li>We write about one stock each from the large, mid and small cap portfolios, briefly giving the reasons behind their the innovation scores and inclusion in the portfolio.  </li>
<li>The three companies are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/johnson-johnson-831a1ab9-b291-4564-99b0-dc7f8d2b8175" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26818:1" rel="noopener">Johnson &amp; Johnson (JNJ UN)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mondelez-international-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8111:1" rel="noopener">Mondelez International (MDLZ US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/qorvo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11965:1" rel="noopener">Qorvo Inc (QRVO US), which have the highest weighting in each portfolio</a>
</li>
<li>For the week the large cap portfolio was up 1.2%, the midcap was up 1.4% and the small cap was up 0.9%, all in US$ terms.  </li>
</ul>


We write about one stock each from the large, mid and small cap portfolios, briefly giving the reasons behind their the innovation scores and inclusion in the portfolio.  
The three companies are Johnson &amp; Johnson (JNJ UN) , Mondelez International (MDLZ US) and Qorvo Inc (QRVO US), which have the highest weighting in each portfolio

For the week the large cap portfolio was up 1.2%, the midcap was up 1.4% and the small cap was up 0.9%, all in US$ terms.  


How the Portfolios Did for the First Week

Global Healthcare Analyst

Tina Banerjee

Equity Bottom-Up

Vertex Pharmaceuticals / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vertex-pharmaceuticals-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4864:1" rel="noopener">Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX US)</a> reported 18% y/y revenue growth to $2.3 billion, led by 46% growth outside the U.S. on continued strong uptake of Trikafta. U.S. revenue grew 5% y/y.</li>
<li>The company raised full-year 2022 product revenue guidance by 2% at the mid-point to $8.8–8.9 billion, representing 17% y/y growth at the mid-point.</li>
<li>The company will submit biologics licensing application (BLA) for exa-cel to the FDA, beginning in November 2022 and expects to complete the submission by the end of Q1 2023.</li>
</ul>



Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX US) reported 18% y/y revenue growth to $2.3 billion, led by 46% growth outside the U.S. on continued strong uptake of Trikafta. U.S. revenue grew 5% y/y.
The company raised full-year 2022 product revenue guidance by 2% at the mid-point to $8.8–8.9 billion, representing 17% y/y growth at the mid-point.
The company will submit biologics licensing application (BLA) for exa-cel to the FDA, beginning in November 2022 and expects to complete the submission by the end of Q1 2023.


Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX US): Better-Than-Expected Q3 Result; Guidance Raised 2nd Time This Year

United States

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated discovers, develops, and commercializes novel, small molecule pharmaceuticals for the treatment of diseases for which there are currently limited or no effective treatments.  The Company develops drugs for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, autoimmune diseases, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and neurological disorders.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX US)

The Innovations Portfolios - Week Four

For four weeks ended 16 Dec the combined innovation portfolio was -1.1%, versus DJIA -2.4%, S&P500 -2.8%, Nasdaq -4.0% & MSCI-ACWI-ETF -2.3%, all...

Pyari Menon

The Innovations Portfolios - Week Three

We assess how the three portfolios did for the first three weeks and discuss about one stock each from the large, mid and small cap portfolios

Pyari Menon

Time to Get Defensive After 1.5-Month Uptrend Breaks; High Yield Spreads Widening Much Like Mid-Aug.

Our targets for this bear rally have been hit, which were the 200-day MAs on $IWM and $SPX (within 0.5%). Now seeing short-term uptrend breaks on...

Vermilion Research

How the Portfolios Did for the First Week

We assess how the three portfolios did for the first week and discuss about one stock each from the large, mid and small cap portfolios, briefly...

Pyari Menon

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX US): Better-Than-Expected Q3 Result; Guidance Raised 2nd Time This Year

Vertex reported 18% and 14%, y/y, growth in revenue and adjusted EPS, respectively in Q3. Both were ahead of expectations. The company has raised...

Tina Banerjee

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)