Category: Stock & ETF Research

This week I reviewed Watsco, Inc.’s stock, whose ticker is $WSO, which closed for trading on 7/24 at $227.32 per share.

Watsco, Inc. WSO Stock’s Appealing Fundamentals & Dividend

WSO stock has a P/E (ttm) of 37, with a P/B of 6.07. Their Dividend Yield is 3.12%, offering solid interest on your investment should you hold it for the long term.

While WSO’s Payout Ratio (ttm) is high at 86%, their Debt/Equity (ttm) is 24.8, which looks quite appealing in market conditions with the high levels of uncertainty that we have now.

With a Market Cap of $8.7B & $79.6M in Total Cash, paired with a Beta of 0.68, it is no wonder that Watsco, Inc. has a 93.9% % Institutional Investors.

Watsco, Inc. WSO Stock Technicals Show Strength

Watsco, Inc.’s current price of $227.32 is well above its 10-Day Moving Average of 199.88, which is also stronger than its 50-Day Moving Average of 179.9 & its 200-Day Moving Average of 172.23.

While its current RSI of 87 is showing signs of being overbought, this is being impacted by a recent large gap-up day, when the stock opened far above where it closed on the previous day.

The RSI should decrease over time to a more normal level as time passes, and WSO’s technical levels are much higher than their Industry & Sector peers.

Our Technical Strength formula rates WSO’s stock at 167.7, much higher than its Industrials Sector peers at 7.17 & far superior to its Trading Companies & Distributors Industry peers average score of 0.53.

Watsco, Inc. WSO Stock’s Fundamentals Performance Compared To The Industrials Sector

WSO’s P/E (ttm) is 7% less than that of its Industrials Sector peers, and its Dividend Yield is 27% higher than average. Watsco, Inc.’s Market Cap is 55% higher than their sector average.

Their Debt/Equity (ttm) is 76% better than average & their Beta is almost 50% lower than average, which contributes to their 57% higher than average % Institutional Ownership.

While their P/B is much higher than average (+55.6%) & their Total Cash (mrq) is lower than average, they still offer many interesting advantages to their sector peers.

Watsco, Inc. WSO’s Fundamentals Vs. The Trading Companies & Distributors Industry Averages

Watsco’s Market Cap is 200% larger than the average Trading Companies & Distributors Industry Average, and they offer a 70% lower Debt/Equity (ttm) level, with a 47% stronger % Institutional Investors & a 60% lower than average Beta.

These strengths combined with their stronger than average technicals enable us to look past their higher than average P/E (ttm) (+21%), P/B (+154%) and 9% lower than average Dividend Yield.

Watsco, Inc. WSO Has Dramatically Outperformed The S&P 500 & NASDAQ Since IPO

Since their IPO on 6/7/1984, Watsco, Inc.’s stock has grown by 10,640.9%, for a total adjusted gain of 13,357.4% when their consistent Dividend Yield is factored into the calculation .

The S&P 500 has only grown 1,975.7% excluding dividends in that same time period.

WSO Stock has also dramatically outperformed the NASDAQ in that time, which has only grown by 4,220% in that same time span, excluding dividends.

Tying It All Together

Watsco, Inc. WSO’s Stock is worth taking a closer look at from an investment & trading perspective. Their strong fundamentals & technicals, combined with their lifetime growth performance show that they have many advantages over other stocks.

Being able to grow at the rates that they have since 1984, drastically outperforming the market, while also having responsible & manageable levels of debt gives them big leg up the the modern day’s competition, particularly in market environments like we are in now.

I’ll be looking at the charts to see if there is a good entry point coming up, as after their recent gap up on the 23rd there is no established clear support level within a reasonable range to work with.

For Full PDF Report:

*** I DO NOT CURRENTLY OWN SHARES IN WSO ***

This weekend I had a look at PetMed Express Inc. stock, which trades under the ticker $PETS. PETS closed at $37.99/share on Friday 7/10, with the P/E (ttm) of 29.4 and a P/B of 6.01. They offer an attractive Dividend Yield of 4.47%.

PETS is a small cap stock, with a Market Cap of $785M, with $103.7M in Total Cash, and a low Debt/Equity (ttm) of 0.08. These fundamentals & their growth have led them to an 85.2% % Institutional Ownership, despite their small cap size.

PetMed Express Inc. PETS Stock Technical Analysis

PetMed Express Inc. Stock has a 10-Day Moving Average of 36.58, with a 50-Day MA of 36.02 & a 200-Day MA of 27.89.

This signals technical strength, and their RSI of 56 shows that they are not overbought yet, and implies future growth.

PetMed Express Inc. PETS Stock Vs. The S&P 500 & NASDAQ Indexes

Since their IPO on 4/26/1999, PetMed Express Inc. PETS Stock has grown by 346.9%, and when we combine their historic dividend yield they have grown by 461% since their IPO.

The S&P 500 has only grown 138.55% & the NASDAQ Index has grown by 317.54% in that same time, excluding their dividends.

This shows that their growth outpaces the indexes, despite their small cap status.

PetMed Express Inc. PETS Stock Fundamentals Vs. The Consumer Discretionary Sector

PetMed Express Inc. PETS is a member of the Consumer Discretionary Sector. Their shareprice is 29% lower than the average Consumer Discretionary stock share price, and their P/E (ttm) is 50% less than average, with a 20% less than average Price/Book, signaling fundamental strength.

PETS Stock offers a 60% higher Dividend Yield than the average Consumer Discretionary stock, despite being 93% smaller than their average peer within this sector.

Much of this is attributed to their 99.97% lower than average Debt/Equity (ttm), which helps attract their 43% higher than average % Institutional Ownership.

While their Payout Ratio is 77% and is 51% higher than average, they still offer many strengths compared to their Consumer Discretionary Sector peers.

PetMed Express Inc. PETS Stock Fundamentals Vs. The Internet & Direct Marketing Industry

PETS Stock costs 66% less per share than the average Internet & Direct Marketing Industry average, with a 42% lower P/E (ttm) & a 33% lower P/B. When compared with their 39% above average Dividend Yield, their fundamentals look very attractive compared to their peers.

Their Payout Ratio is only 4% higher than their industry peers, despite being 98% smaller than average by Market Cap.

Despite this, their Debt/Equity (ttm) is 99.9% less than average & as a result of this and their strong fundamentals & growth performance PETS has a 68% higher than average % Institutional Investors than their average Internet & Direct Marketing Industry peer.

Tying It All Together

PETS stock has many attractive fundamental & technical advantages to other stocks, including their Sector & Industry peers. Despite their higher than preferred Pay Out Ratio, they offer a healthy Dividend Yield, and due to their very low Debt/Equity (ttm) this does not look to be threatened.

Their technical strength of their charts also has me interested in looking for an entry point somewhere in the coming days-to-weeks, especially in the current market conditions where stocks with good cash:debt ratings & NASDAQ stocks tend to be performing best.

*** I do not own any shares of PETS ***

For Full PDF Report:

On Monday I purchased some shares of TFI International stock, which trades under the ticker of TFII. After the close on 7/2, TFII stock traded for $36.44/share.

TFII’s P/E (ttm) is 9.2, and their P/B is 2.41, both attractive looking numbers when paired with their 2.09% Dividend Yield.

TFII’s Market Cap is $3.17B, with $92.49M in Total Cash & A Debt/Equity (ttm) of 137.8.

TFI International’s % Institutional Ownership is 35.2%, and it is a member of the Industrials Sector.

TFI International Inc. TFII’s Stock Technical Overview

TFI International trades at $36.44, with a 10-Day Moving Average of 34.2, a 50-Day Moving Average of 30.37 & a 200-Day Moving Average of 29.71, showing signs of strength.

TFII’s RSI on the one year chart was 76 at the time of this being written.

TFI International Inc. TFII Stock Fundamentals Compared To The Industrial Sector Averages

TFII’s P/E (ttm) is 74.6% less than the Industrials Sector average, and their P/B is almost 37% lower than average.

Their Market Cap is 41% less than the sector average, which is reflected in their 42% lower than average % Institutional Ownership. Their Dividend Yield is 17% less than average for the sector, but their Payout Ratio is only 4.5% lower than average. Given the size & age of the company vs. its peers, it is understandable that it has less cash and a higher Debt/Equity Ratio than average.

Despite the lagging areas, their current technicals make them interesting when combined with their fundamentals.

TFI International Inc. TFII Stock Vs. The Road & Rail Industry Average Fundamentals

TFII has a 53% better P/E (ttm) & a 34% better P/B than the Road & Rail Industry averages. Their Dividend Yield is almost 14% better than average, with a 13% better Payout Ratio (ttm).

TFII has a 47% lower Debt/Equity (ttm) than the average for Road & Rail stocks, which is important when making the comparison to their peers, given that they’re 76% smaller by Market Cap.

TFI International Inc. TFII Stock Vs. The S&P 500 & NASDAQ Indexes

TFII’s stock has grown by 127.47% since it IPO’d in 2005, and overall has grown +174.22% including all dividends they have offered over the year (per their investor relations site).

The S&P 500 has increased by 154.7% & the NASDAQ has increased by 366.8% over the same time period since the day of TFII’s IPO.

Tying It All Together

Overall, I purchased these shares because I liked the blend of TFII’s fundamentals & their current technicals. While they may not have as many green comparison percentages as other stocks I post, their size & age vs. the rest of their sector puts them in a unique position.

I certainly think that they’re worth taking a look into for further review.

Full PDF Report Here:

*** I own shares of TFII, as stated in the article’s intro ***

This weekend I took a look at Cummins Inc.’s stock, which trades under the ticker $CMI. Cummins Inc. closed for trading on 6/12 at $167.08/share.

They offer an attractive 12.3 P/E (ttm), with a 3.49 P/B.

Cummins Inc. has a 3.14% Dividend Yield, with a low 38.2% Payout Ratio. Their Market Cap is $26.65B, with $2.03B Total Cash (mrq) & $3.84B Total Debt (mrq), for a Debt/Equity (ttm) of 40.73.

CMI has a 80.58% Institutional Ownership percentage, which is one of their many advantages over their Industrial Sector Peers

Cummins Inc. $CMI Stock Fundamentals Vs. The Industrials Sector

CMI’s P/E (ttm) is 64% less than the average Industrials Sector stock, and their P/B is only 3.6% higher than average.

With their 21.7% higher than average Dividend Yield, they look very attractive from an investment standpoint.

CMI’s Market Cap is 367% higher than the Industrials Sector average, with 270% more Total Cash & a 52% better Debt/Equity (ttm) ratio.

They also have 38% more Institutional Investors than average.

Cummins Inc. $CMI Stock Fundamentals Vs. The Machinery Industry

Cummins Inc.’s stock also has many clear advantages over their peers in the Machinery Industry. CMI’s P/E (ttm) is 77% better than average, and 3.6% better than the average Machinery Industry stock.

CMI’s Dividend Yield is ~36% better than average, with a safe Payout Ratio, which is essential for collecting interest.

CMI is 438% larger than average based on their Market Cap, with 365% more Total Cash & 51% better Debt/Equity, which is especially important in this investing & trading environment.

CMI also has 18% higher Institutional Investment.

Cummins Inc. CMI’s Stock Technicals

CMI is trading at $167.08, with a 174.64 10 Day Moving-Average.

Their 50 Day M/A is 157.68 & their 200 Day M/A is 162.98, showing strength vs. other stocks in turbulent times.

Cummins Inc. $CMI Vs. The S&P 500 & NASDAQ Indexes Since IPO

Cummins Inc. has grown by 3,078.41% since it IPO’d on 2/21/73. It has grown 4,225.06% since then with consideration to historic dividends.

In that time, the S&P 500 Index has only grown by 2,551.77%, excluding dividends.

The NASDAQ Index has grown by 7,558.52% over the same time period, excluding dividends.

Cummins Inc. $CMI Has A Great Debt Rating

Moody’s rates CMI’s debt A2. which is Upper-Medium Investment Grade debt. As more & more companies begin to get into trouble, having access to credit will become a luxury, and these guys are in good standing.

Tying It All Together

Cummins Inc.’s stock shows many advantages both from a long-term investment & short term trade perspective. They are in solid business shape, offer a strong yield & can weather the current market storms.

I am beginning to look for entries, although I am debating between whether I buy puts & the buy long when I cash in, or by buying longer-term calls in the meantime.

That will be dictate by external market factors that I see this week, but overall it offers many advantages for both long & short term performance.

*** I do not own any shares of CMI stock when this was written ***

For Full PDF Report:

This weekend I reviewed an old favorite stock, Magna International, which trades under the ticker MGA. As of the 6/12 close, MGA traded at $44.16 per share. From an investor’s standpoint, their 14.9 P/E (ttm) & 1.28 P/B look appealing, especially when combined with their 3.62% Dividend Yield.

MGA Stock Fundamentals Show Great Value

In addition to these great numbers, Magna International has a healthy Payout Ratio of 46.4%, with a Market Cap of $13.18B & $1.26B in Total Cash (mrq). MGA has $4.92B in Total Debt (mrq), with a Debt/Equity ratio of 47.15, and a 56.66% Institutional Ownership.

When compared to its peers in the Consumer Discretionary sector, MGA’s appeal becomes even more apparent.

Magna International $MGA Stock Fundamentals Vs. The Consumer Discretionary Sector

Magna International’s P/E(ttm) is 72% lower than their sector peer, and their P/B is 79.55% lower than average.

While their Beta is 14% higher than average, the rest of their fundamentals look fantastic. They have a 31.6% advantage over their average peer’s dividend, and have a safe Payout Ratio at 46.4%, which is 1.76% better than average.

MGA’s Market Cap is 38.6% larger than their average Consumer Discretionary peer’s stock, with 10.56% more Total Cash (mrq) & 86% better Debt/Equity (ttm).

They have 5% less Institutional Ownership than the average peer.

Magna International Also Outperforms The Auto Components Industry Averages

MGA’s P/E (ttm) is 29% lower than the Auto Components Industry Average, with a 45% better P/B than their average peer. Their 58.8% better yield makes them a more attractive buy, which looks to be safe based on their Payout Ratio.

MGA’s Market Cap is 521% larger than their average peer in their industry, with 192% more Total Cash.

Magna International $MGA’s Stock Technicals Overview

MGA has a current price of $44.16, with a 10 Day Moving Average of 45.48. MGA’s 50 Day M/A is 39.63, and their 200 Day M/A is 47.47.

With an RSI of 56, they look prime to perform well, especially during these turbulent times in the market.

Magna International $MGA Stock Vs. The S&P 500 & NASDAQ Indexes

Since they began being traded on 10/4/1984, MGA stock has increased by 1,208.44%.

When you factor in their historic dividend yields, that figure comes out closer to 2,050.5% in gains.

During that same time period, the S&P 500 has only posted 1,769.5% gains, excluding dividends.

The NASDAQ in that time has grown by 3,767.32%, excluding dividends.

Magna International $MGA Has A Solid Debt Rating

MGA is rated A3 at Moody’s which is Upper-Medium Grade Investment Level Debt. This is becoming more and more important, as many businesses are under increasing distress due to 2020’s market turbulence.

Tying It All Together

I have owned Magna previously, and loved it for its fundamentals. I am beginning to revisit them due to their strength of business, safe dividend yield, and growth potential.

I plan to begin rebuilding a long position in MGA over the coming weeks, but my entry point will be dependent upon external market conditions as the week progresses.

For Full Report:

*** I do not currently own MGA, although I am beginning to look at their stock for an eventual entry ***

This week I bought some options, mostly targeting Inverse S&P 500 & Inverse NASDAQ Index ETNs. This enables me to have a pessimistic view of markets in the near-to-mid term, without taking the risk of playing the Volatility ETN game with long positions.

$9 & $10 SPXS Call Options With A 10/16/2020 Expiration

I purchased some $9 & $10 call options that expire by the 16th of October this year. This enables me to sell SPXS for $9 & $10 based on each contract before that date, regardless of the price.

The best profits will be if it climbs above those levels, as the options are then “in-the-money”, and can be exercised at a discount to the current share price.

Given it’s recent performance & the current state of markets, I can see both price points going into the money within that time period. If they do, selling the options then will be great.

If not, I can sell them prior to that date, still profiting, while giving the rest of the risk from the current price to the $9 & $10 Strike Prices until the expiration date.

$10 SQQQ Call Options With a 6/5/2020 Expiration

Looking to add a little more short term risk, I also bought some $10 SQQQ call options that expire on 6/5/2020. The NASDAQ will likely lose steam the fastest of the indexes, given that it has benefitted the most from speculative long-positions since March.

Given the recent global situations between COVID-19 & civil unrest/uprisings, there should be enough issues plaguing the markets to put these options in the money, and at the bare minimum making them able to be flipped for a profit before the expiration at the end of the week.

Based on the existing plays I had going for SQQQ longs, this complements it well, and risks much less money with more to gain.

Seagate Technologies PLC trades under the ticker STX & is a Technology stock that closed for trading on 5/8/2020 at $51.06/share.

Seagate Technologies PLC. STX Stock Fundamentals Broken Down

STX’s P/E (ttm) is 7.6, with a P/B of 7.33. They offer an attractive Dividend Yield of 5.09% annually, with a supportive Payout Ratio of 53.13%.

They sport a $13.14B Market Cap, with $1.614B in Total Cash (mrq), $4.17B in Total Debt (mrq), & a Total Debt/Equity (ttm) of 222.95.

Their 1.22 Beta & 89.17% Institutional Ownership also make them worth taking an additional look for an investor or trader’s portfolio.

Seagate Technologies PLC STX Stock Fundamentals Vs. The Information Technology Sector

Despite a 28% higher price per share than the average information technology sector stock, STX offers many attractive fundamentals that investors & traders should explore.

STX’s P/E(ttm) is almost 90% less than the average IT stock, despite having a 7.8% higher P/B.

STX’s Dividend Yield is 105% more than the average Information Technology Stock, and while their Payout Ratio is higher than average, it is still at a safe enough level for sustainability.

STX has 43% more Total Cash (mrq) than the average Information Technology Stock, although their Debt/Equity (ttm) is very high at 575% more than the average.

Despite this, they offer a 52% higher level of Institutional Ownership than average.

Seagate Technologies PLC STX Stock Fundamentals Vs. Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry Averages

Seagate Stock continues to offer great fundamentals when compared with the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry averages.

STX’s P/E (ttm) is ~77% less than average compared with the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry, and their Dividend Yield is 10% higher than average.

While they are much smaller in Market Cap than average, they still have a 67% higher % Institutional Ownership, showing that major investors find more strength among them than their peers.

Seagate Technologies PLC STX Stock Technicals

STX’s 10-Day Moving Average is 48.72, and their 50-Day Moving Average is 47.97, adding support to their $51.06 share price.

However, their 200-Day Moving Average is 53.26, providing some future downwards pressure on the stock’s price.

Their RSI is 56 when looking at a one year chart.

STX Has Outperformed The S&P 500 Since It Began Trading

STX has gained 326.62%, in addition to it’s Dividend Yield which over time brings the total gains for one share of STX from when it first began trading to ~406%.

In that same time, the S&P 500 has only grown 229.38%, excluding dividends.

Seagate Technologies STX Stock Has However Trailed The NASDAQ Index

STX’s 406% All-Time Gains are less than the 569%+ returns of the NASDAQ index (excluding dividends), but when looking at both charts it still looks like a strong portfolio candidate.

Seagate Technologies PLC STX Stock Offers An Investment Grade Debt Rating

Moody’s rates STX a Baa3, viewing their debt as investment grade. With the impending troublesome times, this combined with their attractive dividend yield & low P/E will attract more & more investors’ attention as they flee to safety.

Tying It All Together

STX stock offers a lot of strong fundamentals that are attractive to investors & traders alike. Overall, they offer a unique place for your money, as they are a tech company that has decent fundamentals & yield, more like a value play.

I don’t currently hold any, although I may begin to consider buying some if it were to return to the $47-range, pending a further technical review at that point.

As I contend that there will be another NASDAQ correction coming up, buying shares at around $47 would offer a ~8% discount from the current price, with a 5% cushion for future fall via their dividend yield.

For longer-term focused investors this may not matter as much, but when I consider their Beta & then discount a market drop, this seems like a good buy-in level.

Regardless, it is certainly worth consideration for investors & traders alike upon further research!

*** I do not own shares of Seagate Technologies Plc, STX Stock***

View The Full PDF Report:

This week I had a look at Weis Markets, Inc., which trades under the ticker $WMK.

Weis Markets, Inc WMK Stock Fundamentals

At the close of trading on 5/1/2020 it traded for $50.39/share, with a P/E (ttm) of 19.9 & a P/B of 1.28

WMK offers a 2.46% Dividend Yield for it’s investors, with a 44% Payout Ratio, making it able to continue to be competitive with other players who also raise their yields annually, and they provide some defense during market downturns & times of uncertainty.

Their -0.15 Beta means they don’t tend to move with the market, making them especially appealing in troubled times like we are entering.

With an Estimated Market Cap of $1.36B, WMK currently recently reported having Total Cash (mrq) of $149.344M, with Total Debt (mrq) of $218.77M, & a Debt/Equity (ttm) of 19.71.

Their % Institutional Ownership is 38.8%.

Weis Markets, Inc. WMK’s Stock Fundamentals Vs. The Consumer Staples Sector

WMK costs 16% more than the average consumer staples stock, however they do offer attractive value metrics compared to the sector averages.

WMK’s P/E (ttm) is 30.6% less than the sector average, and their P/B is 98% lower.

Their Dividend Yield is 34% less than the sector average, with an equal Payout Ratio. The Average Market Cap of the Consumer Staples sector is 91% larger than WMK, at $15.45B, leading to WMK having 80% less on hand than the average stock in the sector.

WMK’s Total Debt/Equity (ttm) is 57% better than the sector average, which when combined with their favorable value metrics & their ability to accumulate Total Cash better than competitors gives them an edge in a turbulent market.

WMK Stock Vs The Food & Staples Retailing Industry Averages

WMK also has similar advantages over the other stocks in it’s industry. It is a smaller player with a 93% smaller market cap than average, that has a more faily valued shareprice, and responsible debt compared to its peers.

WMK’s P/E (ttm) is almost 42% better than the Food & Staples Retailing Industry Average, and their P/B is 50% better.

Pair that with their 120% cooler Beta, and their 84.7% lower Total Debt/Equity (ttm) than average, and you’ll notice that this small company offers a lot of standout strengths vs. it’s peers.

Breaking Down Weis Markets, Inc.’s Technicals

Over the last year, WMK has traded relatively flat, until the COVID-19 virus impact stunned markets. This strength should continue while we remain in these uncertain times.

WMK’s current price of $50.39 is above its 10-Day M/A: 48.75, it’s 50-Day M/A: 41.44 & its 200-Day M/A: 39.31, with an RSI of 71.

This strength should continue to climb as investors seek yield from companies with lower levels of debt.

Weis Markets, Inc WMK’s Stock Growth Story

Weis Markets, Inc was under $5 when it first began trading in the 1980’s, and is now 10x that amount. They have also offered a stable dividend that has increased just about annually since 1985.

While the broader indexes are filled with faster growing names, this is still nothing to be ignored. Buying one share of their stock when it opened at ~$4.80 would’ve resulted in over $36 in dividend yield collection alone 35 years later.

It is difficult to compare WMK against the S&P 500 or the NASDAQ given the nature of their negative Beta, but one thing is for certain, consistent income via the dividend & growth.

Tying It All Together

All-in-all, WMK is worth further investigation. As a means of collecting yield from a safer stock, as well as having a negative Beta, it makes it more advantageous in a time where markets are in turmoil. There is always a need for groceries & food, and those businesses continue to operate throughout this pandemic.

Factor in the fact that it is a much smaller player than most of it’s competitors, and it appears even more defensive for times like these.

Right now the price is a little high as it just hit a new high last week, but if it looks to continue climbing it may be more appealing if it re-checks out the ~$48 range depending on how the charts look at that point.

As always, please do your own research & due diligence before making any decisions.

*** I Do Not Own Any Shares Of Weis Markets, Inc, WMK***

For the full PDF:

This week I took a look at United Guardian Inc., a micro-cap stock whose ticker is $UG. UG closed for trading on 4/24/20 at $14.70/share, with a Price/Earnings (ttm) of 14.1.

United Guardian Inc. UG’s Stock Fundamentals

UG’s P/B (ttm) is 6.35, and they offer an attractive 7.48% Dividend Yield. Their Beta is low, at 0.09, which is to be expected as their Market Cap is ~$67.53M, so they most likely move on their own news, with some sector momentum included.

An interesting observation I made here is that they have little-to-no debt, and while they only have $7.92M Total Cash (mrq), their higher-than-average Dividend Payout Ratio of 106% may have more options than other companies who face similarly high Payout Ratios.

They have 26.47% Institutional Ownership, which also makes sense given their small size does not enable larger investors to make as large of a profit based on their limited lot size.

Comparing United Guardian Inc. UG’s Stock With The Consumer Staples Sector

United Guardian Inc.’s Stock Fundamentals are very attractive when compared to the Consumer Staples Sector averages.

UG’s Price/Share is 66% less than the sector average, with a 49.8% lower P/E (ttm) & 92.6% lower P/B than the average for the sector.

Their Dividend Yield is 99.5% higher than the sector average, and although their Payout Ratio is 573% above average, it’s limited debt offer more flexibility in how they can approach fixing this should the problem persist long-term.

As a very small micro-cap stock, their Estimated Market Cap is 99.6% lower than average, and their Total Cash (mrq) is 98.9% lower than the averages.

As a result, UG’s stock % Institutional Ownership is 42% lower than the Consumer Staples Sector average, and their Beta is 87.5% lower than average.

United Guardian Inc. UG’s Stock Fundamentals Compared To The Personal Products Industry

United Guardian Inc. offers many advantageous fundamentals when compared to the Personal Products Industry averages.

Their Price/Share is 15.8% lower than average, with a 20.2% lower P/E (ttm) & 59.2% P/B.

An interesting stat I came across while looking at these numbers was that UG’s EPS Growth for last quarter is +138.46% Y-o-Y, while the rest of the sector declined 26.2%.

UG’s Dividend Yield is 7.94% higher than the Industry average, with their % Institutional Ownership 24.6% lower.

Much like when compared to their sector averages, UG’s Dividend Payout Ratio is 920% higher than the Personal Products Industry average, and their Market Cap is 99% less than average, with a 98% less than average Total Cash amount.

United Guardian Inc. UG’s Technicals & Chart

UG’s stock 10-Day Moving Average is 13.99, with their 50-Day MA at 14.70 & their 200-Day MA at 17.96.

While I’m not involved in the stock, it may become interesting once it gets between $12-12.50/share.

United Guardian Inc.’s Stock Growth Story

Since they became publicly traded on 3/17/1980, UG has grown by 163.77% including dividends collected, but not including the value of their three historic stock splits.

They do not explicitly outperform the S&P 500 or NASDAQ Indexes as they are a much smaller company than most, however, they do offer positive growth & a good return for a small sized position.

They also continue to return value to their shareholders by paying out their dividend twice per year.

Tying It All Together

UG’s stock offers a lot of interesting fundamental growth opportunities. When compared to their sector & industry they are below almost all of the averages that we examined.

Another excellent point that is becoming even more important in economic times like these is their low-level/lack of debt.

This is increasingly rare, and if they’re able to provide a 7%+ cushion via yield, they are strategically ready to weather more storms than most other companies.

As mentioned before, I am not in this name, but would consider building a position once they re-enter the $12-12.50/share range.

United Guardian Inc. Stock may be worth looking at pending additional research.

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*** I Do not own any shares of UG Stock ***

This week I had a look into Advanced Emissions Solutions Stock, which trades under the ticker $ADES. ADES is a micro-cap stock that offers strong fundamentals & an excellent, safe dividend yield. I conducted my research over the weekend on 4/20/20, when the price was at $6.66, and all numbers in this article are reflective of that date.

ADES Stock Offers Strong Fundamentals

ADES trades at a P/E (ttm) of 3.5 & a P/B of 1.13, with a Beta of 0.9. These are very attractive levels, especially when compared to the averages of their Sector, Industry & Sub-Industry (below).

Their lower than average Beta ensure less volatility, with steady growth coming mostly from company performance, given that it is a Micro-Cap with an Estimated Market Cap of $122.3M.

Given the market fallout from COVID-19, there has been a noticeable shift into stocks that have great fundamentals, good, sustainable dividends & low-levels of debt in comparisson to their cash levels.

ADES’s Total Cash (mrq) is $12.08M, with a Total Debt (mrq) of $49.56M & a Debt/Equity (ttm) of 45.76.

Despite their small size limiting the potential for larger investors, ADES still has a 68.82% Institutional Ownership.

Examining ADES’s Stock Dividend

One of their most appealing fundamentals is their generous 15.01% Dividend Yield, which is paid out quarterly. What is especially appealing about it is that their Payout Rate is 49.99%, showing that they should be able to maintain that high level of interest payments to holders of their stock. In turbulent times this is especially helpful, as it provides a performance cushion if you intend to hold it for the entire year.

How ADES Stock Compared To Other Materials Sector Stocks

ADES stock costs 51% less than the average Materials Sector stock, trading at an 85% lower Price-To-Earnings Ratio (ttm), and 56% less than their Price To Book Value.

Their Dividend Yield is 230%+ better than the average Materials Sector stock, with a 4.15% better Debt/Equity (ttm) Ratio & a 57% higher than average % Institutional Ownership, all very strong metrics.

Their Payout Ratio is higher than the average, but still is maintable, which shouldn’t worry investors, and as mentioned earlier, as they are a Micro-Cap stock their Market Cap is 96% less than average, as is their Total Cash.

How Advanced Emissions Solution Stock Compares To Other Chemical Industry Stocks

When compared to the Chemical Industry average metrics, ADES has a 80% lower price/share, with an 81% lower P/E (ttm), a 48% lower P/B, and a fantastic 193% higher Dividend Yield, paying out 37% higher than average.

Their Beta is 28% less than average, partially because they are 97% smaller by Market Cap than the average Chemical Industry stock.

Despite this, as their Debt/Equity is 37% partnered with the above advantages, they have 21% more Institutional Ownership than the average Chemicals industry stock.

ADES Stock Vs. Specialty Chemicals Sub-Industry Stock Fundamentals

ADES is also a much stronger player than the average Specialty Chemicals Sub-Industry stock. Price/Share is 86% less, with an 83% less P/E(ttm) & a 59% less P/B.

Their Dividend is 362% higher than the average Specialty Chemicals stock, with 14% higher Institutional Ownership & 59% better Debt/Equity (ttm).

Their 31% lower Beta makes these numbers especially appealing in these tough times for the market.

ADES Stock’s Historic Performance Vs. The S&P 500 & NASDAQ

ADES Stock has grown 56.41% since it first started trading on 1/23/04, and for 3 years (12 quarterly payouts) it has yielded a dividend of ~15%, totaling 101.5% in growth.

The S&P 500 has grown 150% over that same period, however when you compare the charts and consider the fundamentals & company type, there is a lot of opportunity to outperform.

The NASDAQ has grown 307% in that time.

Examining ADES Stock’s Technical Metrics & Chart

ADES’s 10-Day Moving Average is $6.42, with its 50-day Moving Average at $8.21 & it’s 200-Day Moving Average of $11.24.

This is weaker than the average across its Sector & Industries, which is why it is a good time to begin looking at an entry-point while it establishes it’s bottom in weakness.

Overall Assessment Of ADES

I like the fundamentals of ADES, especially when compared to it’s peers. While it’s technicals aren’t looking too great, neither are the rest of the markets’, and it appears that this is an opportunity to buy a fundamentally strong company at a great discount.

After finishing my research I placed a Buy order to fill at $6/share, which filled yesterday morning around 11:30 AM.

I plan to hold onto this for a while, as it’s 15%+ dividend yield is a great safety cushion given these volatile times if I hold onto it for the year.

Plus, a micro-cap name like this just needs a couple of big headlines to takeoff running, as typically these companies are lesser known to most traders/investors, which provides extra strength once they make the news for good reason and everyone comes piling in.

*** Please note that as mentioned above I have a long position in this stock, and always conduct your own due-diligence before marking investments & trades ***

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