Uncle Sam as tenant? Two stocks with government exposure – Part II

While it is not directly investing in the government per se as you won’t have any direct ownership in it (luckily), I’ve found two stocks that are operating in the name of it. I am not talking about defense companies where governments are the sole customers (individuals don’t buy tanks). There are two high-yielding REITs with several government agencies as their tenants. Are they worth a look? Part two.

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BlackRock: ESG harmful for business – hated stocks poised to come back?

One of the big investment topics of this decade could be the return of those neglected and hated sectors that did not fit into boldly advertised ESG policies. Dirty, careless, only return focussed, etc. Yet, that’s not the same as not needed or replaceable, not to mention affordability. On the other hand, you have greenwashing, higher costs of living and ousting of non-liberal, more conservative customers with silly messages and acts. BlackRock is writing it and the market is speaking. Listen.

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Why I don’t like diversification

Buying either parts of or even entire other companies is a common way for businesses to grow. This inorganic route though is often used for empire building (higher salaries and bonuses), sometimes even to hide own problems inside the core business (presenting an external growth story) and more often than not destroying shareholder value by overpaying for the targets. Today, I’m discussing a company that is losing through diversification.

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My outlook for 2024 – risks and opportunities

The old year closed with a look back (and an interview), the new year starts with an outlook. While it is not my job to try to predict the future per se, I have to make some thoughts and position myself accordingly, which influences my stock ideas – new ones, but also how to handle the published and active ones. This is what I want to discuss – risks, but of course also chances for stock pickers!

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“Fallen Angels” – why you should be cautious + new research report

No matter whether experienced or not, almost every investor is on the hunt for undervalued stocks to make money. What could be less welcome than a stock which has fallen in price and become cheaper? The problem is, “cheap” is not automatically “cheap”. In fact, buying cheap can become a costly mistake. I see a strict urgency to clean up with this dangerous myth that a stock only has to fall enough to become attractive.

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From hype to bust – the story of 22nd Century Group

Likely, everyone will know a story that kicked a stock into hyposphere, only to fall into dust later. The respective companies either did not recover anymore or went entirely bust. They all share one commonality: a nice story that catches the interest of especially retail investors. But where there is excessive greed without the support of fundamentals, the fall from grace is just around the corner. Here’s an example that was set to disrupt an undisruptable industry: tobacco.

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Invest in businesses with net cash or net debt?

During the last one and a half decades, it nearly didn’t matter to look at a company’s balance sheet. The reason was quasi non-existent interest rates – a historically unprecedented scenario, not only for the younger generation. Hence, it is no wonder that those who held too much cash in their books even got punished by not receiving any income on their deposits. On the other hand, debt-hungry entities got subsidized. However, the winds have changed. Interest rates are up dramatically. What are the consequences?

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Why you should prefer low-cost commodity producers + new research report

While my statement from the headline might sound as obvious as brushing teeth each day, there are indeed also proponents of buying shares of companies that have among the worst economics – not the best. This is then justified by a higher operating leverage, should commodity prices rise, due to then disproportionately higher improvements in the financial statements. Here’s what you should know.

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Turnaround-bet: Is Vodafone’s 10% dividend yield a no-brainer?

The British red telecom giant announced not only a CEO-change, but also a strategic shift (both often come as one). Meanwhile, the share price is advancing its year-long decline, reaching even a fresh quarter-century low (!), as investors seem totally unimpressed. In the past, Vodafone has been a reliable dividend payer, although the payout was cut in 2019 and not raised again since then. The 10.7% yield seems tempting. Can it get worse or is it worth a shot?

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Earnings quality the worst in three decades – look at free cash flow!

Operating or net income, adjusted operating or net income, earnings per share (EPS), adjusted EPS and the price to earnings (PE) ratio are commonly used to assess a company’s business results and to value it. They are also often used as headline numbers and proof of performance by the companies themselves. However, there is a rising trend of decreasing “earnings quality” – an indicator that neither the economy is doing pretty well, nor many companies.

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