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Sunday, October 31, 2010

A random stock screening exercise shared!

Today I decided to do a random stock screening process to pick some strong fundamental medium to small cap stocks (market cap less than 5b) with relative low P/E ratio (<= 20) in order to test my stock picking methodology:

Here are my screening criteria via Yahoo finance stock screener:

(1) Market cap <= 5b  - to filter out large cap stocks
(2) Forward P/E <= 20 - to filter out high P/E ratio stocks
(3) Return on Equity >= 15% - to identify strong growth stock
(4) Earning growth past 5 years >= 10% - to identify strong growth stock
(5) Quick Ratio >= 1 - to find out financial sound companies
(6) Total Debt / Equity <= 0.5 - to find out financial sound companies

Below are the screening results total 12 stocks which can fulfil above criteria:

AAON , AAON, Inc. , 24.55
CGA , China Green Agric , 7.35  Stock price less than $10.00
CNU , Continucare Corp. , 4.5    Stock price less than $10.00
DORM , Dorman Products,  , 36.49
FSIN , Fushi Copperweld, , 9.32   Stock price less than $10.00
HANS , Hansen Natural Co , 51.21
IDCC , InterDigital, Inc , 33.57
KEI , Keithley Instrume , 21.58
LANC , Lancaster Colony  , 49.92
MMS , Maximus, Inc. Com , 60.63
OMPI , Obagi Medical Pro , 11.41
PTI , Patni Computer Sy , 20.9

Three of them current price less than $10.00 per share I will not take them into consideration, I prefer to trade stocks within $10.00 - $100.00 range.

I also filtered out another 5 stocks due to their inconsistent earnings or a relative low average ROE rate (<15%) for the past 5 years.

IDCC    KEI   OMPI - inconsistent EPSGR for the past 5 years
DORM  MMS - past 5 years average ROE less than 15%

Now only left AAON, HANS, LANC, and PTI; I will estimate their intrinsic value.
AAON



Sector
Industry
ROE (5 yrs) 
GM (5 yrs)
Industrial Materials
Building Materials 
24.67%
23.86%
EPS (2010)
EPSGR (5 yrs)
EPS (2015)
P/E (5 yrs)
$1.44
9.86%
$2.30
15.60
P(2015)
P(2010)
P(current)
P(52-Week )
$35.94
$17.87
$24.55
18.00-26.13
HANS



Sector
Industry
ROE (5 yrs) 
GM (5 yrs)
Consumer Goods 
Beverages - Soft Drinks
40.33%
52.56%
EPS (2010)
EPSGR (5 yrs)
EPS (2015)
P/E (5 yrs)
$2.21
17.40%
$4.93
15.50
P(2015)
P(2010)
P(current)
P(52-Week )
$76.42
$38.00
$51.21
24.01-52.84
LANC



Sector
Industry
ROE (5 yrs) 
GM (5 yrs)
Consumer Goods 
Packaged Foods 
18.86%
21.01%
EPS (2010)
EPSGR (5 yrs)
EPS (2015)
P/E (5 yrs)
$4.07
22.93%
$11.42
15.50
P(2015)
P(2010)
P(current)
P(52-Week )
$177.01
$88.02
$49.92
43.28-61.60
PTI



Sector
Industry
ROE (5 yrs) 
GM (5 yrs)
Software 
Software - Application 
17.14%
34.56%
EPS (2010)
EPSGR (5 yrs)
EPS (2015)
P/E (5 yrs)
$2.12
19.78%
$5.23
11.68
P(2015)
P(2010)
P(current)
P(52-Week )
$61.09
$30.38
$20.90
18.11-28.33

  Note:
  1. 5 years average data were calculated from 2006 - 2010.
  2. If 5 years average P/E higher than S&P 500 5 years average P/E, S&P 500 P/E ratio will be applied.
  3. P(2015): estimated stock price in 2015 - this if stock price Future Value (FV).
  4. P(2010): estimated stock price after applied annual discount rate of 15% in today's value - this is the intrinsic value or Present Value (PV) of the stock price.
  5. P(52-week): 52 weeks stock price movement range range.
You can see from above table currently AAON & HANS are over-valued, I will put it under my watch list and wait for the market correction in order to get the real bargain deal.

Now let's look at LANC & PTI in deeper details:

LANC - Lancaster Colony manufactures food products, automotive accessories, glass products, and candles. The company's largest division, which produces specialty foods, markets condiments, baked goods, and pasta under brand names such as Girard's, Pfeiffer, and Marzetti. Its automotive division produces floor mats, truck splash guards, and other parts, which it sells to auto manufacturers and retail stores.

Current stock price $49.92 was within lower band of 52-week price range and also about 44% discount to it's intrinsic value price $88.02.

The intrinsic value was calculated base on past 5 years (2006 - 2010) EPS data 1.45, 1.28, 3.18, 4.07, 4.07 to work out growth rate @ 22.93% per annum.

But if we look at the EPS data from 2000 - 2005 2.49, 3.11, 2.24, 2.67, 2.48 it seems that the EPS growth was inconsistent and also without any clear trends.

If we take more conservative estimation, let's say the growth rate for next 5 years will be 15% per annum (since 5 years average ROE was about 18.86%) which worked out the intrinsic value is about $63 per share. Current stock price is about 21% lower than intrinsic stock price and we should take this opportunity to buy this stock and wait for market to recognise it's true value.

PTI - Patni Computer Systems, an offshore-centric IT service provider from India, is known for its long history of managing large client relationships and its strong domain expertise in the select industries of insurance, manufacturing, financial services, and telecommunications. However, Patni does suffer from high client concentration and a limited global presence. In our opinion, Patni is a relatively weak player in a good industry.

Current stock price $20.90 was also close to the lower band of 52-week price range and it was about 31% discount to it's intrinsic value price $30.38.

But same findings can be derived from past 10 years EPS data.
2001 - 2005: 0.48, 0.64, 0.66, 0.92, 0.96 - growth rate @ 14.87%
2006 - 2010: 0.86, 1.64, 1.50, 1.84, 2.12 - growth rate @ 19.78%

We can find that past 5 years earning growth was much faster than previous 5 years period. Since the average ROE (for past 5 years) was about 17%, we can take a conservative estimation the next 5 years EPS will be increasing about 15% per annum which work out the new intrinsic value is $24.63.

Current price $20.90 was about 15% lower than the intrinsic value. To me 15% was not a clear margin of safety I will put it under my watch-list and wait for the stock price drop to below $19.70 (80% of the intrinsic value $24.63) then start to buy it.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Another value investing tool

The basic concept is to compare current year's financial performance signals against last year's signals. There are total 7 variable to measure these performance-related factors, each variable stand for one mark if a firm can score 7 marks it means the firm have a strong fundamentals:

(1) Profitability (3 variables)

ROA = net income before extraordinary items / beginning of the year total assets
If current year's ROA is better than prior year's score one mark, zero otherwise.

CFO - cash flow from operations
If current year's CFO less prior year's CFO is positive score one mark, zero otherwise.

Accrual = current year's CFO - net income before extraordinary items
Accrual > 0 score one mark, zero otherwise.

(2) Leverage & liquidity (2 variables)

Two of the seven financial signals are designed to measure changes in capital structure and the firm's ability to meet future debt service obligations. An increase in leverage or a deterioration of liquidity is a bad signal about financial risk.

Financial leverage = total long-term debt / beginning of the year total assets
An decrease in financial leverage as a positive sign and score one mark, zero otherwise.

Liquidity - measures the historical change in the firm's current ratio between the current and prior year, where an improvement in liquidity score one mark, zero otherwise.
(current ratio = current assets / current liability)

(3) Operating efficiency (2 variable)

The remaining two signals are designed to measure changes in the efficiency of the firm's operations.

Gross Margin - If the firm's current gross margin is better than last year score one mark, zero otherwise.

Turnover ratio = total sales / beginning of the year total asset
If current year turnover ration is better than last year score one mark, zero otherwise.
An improvement in asset turnover signifies greater productivity from the asset base.

Now I use Almost Family Inc. (AFAM) as a example to illustrate my concept:

                  2009        2010
ROA       14.27%    15.63%        --- 1 mark
CFO         27M        32M            ---  1 mark
Accrual = 32M - 29M = 3M > 0  --- 1 mark
            
                   2009         2010
Leverage     0.499       0.439           --- 1 mark      
Liquidity      2.57          3.18             --- 1mark
                              2009           2010
Gross Margin       53.48M      53.97M    --- 1 mark
Turnover ratio       1.73            1.75      --- 1 mark
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total score 7 marks

Sunday, October 17, 2010

My stock-picking methods shared

I would like to post my stock selecting processes here (a typical fundamental value investing approach), it will be served as my stock-picking method in both Singapore & US markets:

Step 1: Looks for stocks with strong fundamentals

     a. Profitability test:
         ROE > 15%
         Gross Profit Margin above industrial average

     b. Growth rate test:
         EPSGR > 10%

     c. Financial health test:
         Debit/Equity Ratio < 0.5
         Quick Ratio > 1
         (Quick Ratio = current asset - inventories / current liabilities)
         Long Term Debt < 3 times its annual net income

      d. Undervalue test:
          Current PE < Average PE
          Average PE = (historical highest PE + historical lowest PE) / 2
         
          Current PB ratio < industrial average

Step 2: To find a real bargain deal

      a. How to calculate Intrinsic Value - to determine P(a)

         a example to find P(a) Apple Inc.

         last 10 years EPSGR% = 23.61% (from 2000 to 2009)
         2009 EPS: $9.08
         2019 estimated EPS = $9.08 x (1.2361)^10 = $75.62

         last 10 years average PE ratio = 55.72 (from 2000 to 2009)
         S&P 500 average PE ratio = 18.39
         Since last 10 years PE ratio seems too high we will use S&P 500 PE ratio

         2019 estimated stock price = $75.62 x 18.39 = $1,390.65

         set IRR (internal rate of return) at 15%
         Intrinsic Value = $1,390.65 / (1.15) ^10 = $343.37
         P(a) = $343.37 x 75% = $257.53

     b. Calculate P(b)

         P(b) = P(52weeks low) + (P(52weeks high) - P(52weeks low)) / 3

         Use Apple Inc. as a example:
         P(b) = $185.55 + ($ 315 - $185.55)/3 = $228.70

     c. Identify the fair stock value P(fair):

         P(fair) = lower one of P(a) or P(b)
         So P(fair) for Apple Inc. = $228.70

     d. If P(current) < P(fair) is a indication to buy the undervalued stock

         Current price $315 are too high, we should not buy it at this moment.

Step 3: Always remember we are buying a Business, not a Stock - Economic Moat

      a. a strong management
      b. in a growing industry
      c. sustainable competitive advantage
          - A strong brand (eg. Coca-Cola, Exxon Mobil, McDonals's, Visa, Google)
          - Patents and trade secrets (eg. pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer)
          - Gigantic economies of scale (eg. GE, Wal-Mart, Amazon)
          - Market leadership that competitors very difficult to overtake (eg. GE, eBay)
          - High switching costs that lock in customers (eg. Adobe, Microsoft)
          - Monopoly status (eg. SPH, SGX, SMRT)