Smartkarma Daily Briefs

• Usually, February is typically the month with the fewest working days of the year, and therefore, revenue is likely to be at its lowest as well.
• We consider that the Taiwanese government may desire TSMC to build fabs in countries aligned with those who signed the “Wassenaar Arrangement.” 
• The price hike of NVIDIA Corp (NVDA US) by US$785.38 on February 22 in the US market could signal an important development in the AI sector.

• Alteogen Inc (196170 KS) has modified the existing license agreement with Merck. Revised terms of the agreement grant Merck exclusive global right to ALT-B4 for a specific product group, pembrolizumab.
• Under the terms of the revised agreement, Alteogen will receive an upfront payment of $20M from Merck. Alteogen will also receive additional milestone payment of up to $432M.
• Approval of Alteogen’s first proprietary product, Tergase (expected in early 2024) will be the next major catalyst for the company.  

• Cisco Systems Inc.’s fiscal second-quarter results demonstrated a mix of positives and negatives, balanced by the company’s flexible strategic route and shifting market conditions.
• Revenue for the quarter edged at the high end of the company’s guidance range, owing to robust operating leverage across business segments that surpassed margin expectations and facilitated better-than-expected earnings per share.
• A total of $2.8 billion value was returned to investors through dividends and share buybacks, evidencing Cisco’s ongoing commitment to its shareholders.

Key points

• Oslo-listed company focused on residual value of a 7th generation UDW drillship acquired at low cost before offshore market downturn
• Market cap of USD 187 million with potential for dividends and special payouts
• Secured charter contract with Saipem, poised to generate significant revenue and deliver solid returns for investors

This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only. This article was originally published 3 months ago on Value Investors Club.

• INOX India Limited (INOX IN) ( or IWL) and Inox Wind Energy (IWEL IN) (or IWEL) have announced a merger, where IWEL will be amalgamated with IWL
• The share swap ratio in the scheme of amalgamation gives a very evident arbitrage opportunity. 
• The arbitrage opportunity has become bigger than when announced in June 2023. While the strategy is still possible, we try to justify the market behaviour.

• LATAM Group surprised the market with strong guidance for 2024 earnings growth following upgrades through 2023. We raise our 2024 EBITDAR 14% to $2.8bn.
• A successful restructuring under Chapter 11, and market leadership in key regions, is paying off for LATAM as demand remains robust.
• Such a strong recovery positions it to make further strategic gains, particularly with the risk that competitor GOL must shrink its fleet through its own CH11 processs.

• Based on the Q3 consolidated financial results announcement for Sony Group Corporation for FY 2023, the company showed considerable resilience against some difficult market conditions.
• One critical highlight was the significant increase of 22% in consolidated sales for the quarter compared to the same quarter the previous fiscal year, reaching a record high of JPY 3,747.5 billion.
• Notably, the operating income and net income also increased substantially year-on-year and reached the second-highest level on a quarterly basis.

• Lyft’s positive financial performance and future expectations make it an attractive investment opportunity.
• Lyft’s 2023 performance was marked by significant growth in the company’s rideshare service, with gross bookings reaching an all-time high, ride growth accelerating each quarter and ending the year up 26% in Q4.
• This growth demonstrates the strong demand for Lyft’s service, which bodes well for its future performance.

• DaVita, a healthcare company specializing in kidney care and dialysis services, highlights its successful performance for the financial year of 2023 due to strengthening investment on the company’s platform.
• Notably, despite external challenges, the company experienced significant growth with a 20% year-over-year rise in adjusted operating income, a 28% increase in adjusted EPS, and a return of the leverage ratio back to the target range.
• The company outperformed its annual profitability targets for integrated kidney care and anticipates reaching break-even or better performance by 2026.

• Occidental Petroleum’s Q4 2023 has displayed a robust performance in recent quarters, achieving a strong free cash flow of $5.5 billion.
• Significantly, this has facilitated the company in paying dividends, repurchasing common shares, and investing back into the business.
• The primary driver of this achievement is accredited to technical expertise, leading-edge technologies, and innovation, showcasing the company’s operational strength.