Spring 2018

Issue 33 · analyzed

21 ideas

pitch short inconclusive
+44.8%
SRCL Stericycle, Inc.
11th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

The pitch argues that Stericycle is facing significant headwinds due to regulatory challenges and declining demand for its services, which will negatively impact its financial performance.

pitch short worked
-87.3%
CACC Credit Acceptance Corporation
11th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

The team believes that Credit Acceptance Corporation's business model is unsustainable due to increasing regulatory scrutiny and potential defaults in the auto loan market, leading to a decline in its stock price.

pitch short worked
-234.1%
SPOT Spotify Technology, Inc.
11th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

The pitch highlights concerns over Spotify's profitability and competitive position in the streaming market, suggesting that its current valuation is not justified given its financial metrics.

pitch short worked
-57.3%
CHRW C.H. Robinson Worldwide
11th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

The team argues that C.H. Robinson is overvalued due to its reliance on a cyclical industry and potential disruptions from technological advancements in logistics.

pitch short worked
-54.1%
HVN Harvey Norman Holdings, Ltd.
11th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

The pitch suggests that Harvey Norman is facing challenges from changing consumer preferences and increased competition, which will adversely affect its sales and profitability.

pitch short inconclusive
null Digicel’s 2020 bonds
null

The team believes that Digicel's bonds are at risk due to the company's high debt levels and challenging market conditions, making them a poor investment.

position long inconclusive
DE Deere & Co.
null

Mark Cooper discusses his positive outlook on Deere & Co. due to its strong market position and potential for growth in agricultural technology.

pitch short failed
-1361.8%
SRCL Stericycle, Inc.
2018 Pershing Square Challenge

Stericycle is overvalued due to declining EBITDA, margin erosion from shrinking end markets, and value-destructive acquisitions that have strained its balance sheet. The company faces significant risks including potentia…

pitch short worked
-88.7%
CACC Credit Acceptance Corporation

Credit Acceptance Corporation is recommended as a short due to projected EPS decline driven by flat growth in new loan originations, a declining yield, and increased provisions for credit losses. With a target price of $…

pitch short worked
-88.7%
CACC Credit Acceptance Corporation
2018 Pershing Square Challenge

Credit Acceptance is facing declining loan-level returns and increasing provisions for credit losses, which will negatively impact its earnings. The company is under-provisioned compared to peers, and its current valuati…

pitch short worked
-211.1%
SPOT Spotify Technology S.A.

Spotify is a good product but a bad business due to its high payout to record labels and increasing competition from major tech players. The company pays out 52% of its revenue to the Big Three record labels, which contr…

pitch short worked
-223.6%
SPOT Spotify Technology S.A.
2018 Pershing Square Challenge

Spotify's business model has negative economics due to high variable costs associated with paying record labels for each new user. The company is expected to fail to meet market expectations following unfavorable royalty…

pitch short worked
-57.3%
CHRW C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.
2018 Pershing Square Challenge

C.H. Robinson is facing significant challenges from online travel platforms that are reducing demand for its services. The company's valuation is expected to compress as it misses consensus estimates, with projected EPS …

pitch short worked
-54.1%
HVN Harvey Norman Holdings Limited
2018 Pershing Square Challenge

Harvey Norman is a fragile business at the peak of an economic cycle, facing structural challenges from competition and a lack of transparency from management. The sustainability of franchisee revenue is questionable, wi…

pitch short worked
-47.0%
HVN Harvey Norman Holdings Limited
2018 Pershing Square Challenge

The thesis is based on the belief that Harvey Norman is overstating earnings and accumulating bad debt, particularly as franchise revenues and cash receipts have diverged significantly. The upcoming Australian Parliament…

position long inconclusive
null Digicel Group

The DLLTD 8.25% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2020 are recommended for their attractive total return opportunity, driven by growth in wireless data and business solutions, improvements in cost base and free cash flow genera…

position long inconclusive
DE Deere & Company

Deere is undergoing significant internal changes that the market has not fully appreciated, including a modernization of its manufacturing process and a shift in sales compensation to focus on profitability rather than j…

pitch short failed
-1364.2%
SRCL Stericycle, Inc.
null

We recommend a short on Stericycle (SRCL) with a price target of $38, presenting nearly 40% downside from today’s price of $61. We believe that unprecedented competition, a high fixed-cost structure, and a stretched bala…

pitch short inconclusive
CACC Credit Acceptance Corporation
null

Non-bank lenders, including Credit Acceptance, are facing significant challenges as delinquencies approach 2009 highs despite low unemployment. The decline in used car prices and the erosion of competitive advantages, su…

pitch long
DLLTD Digicel Group Limited
2018 UCLA Credit Pitch Competition

Digicel is poised for significant growth following a heavy investment cycle that has expanded its product offerings into cable and business services, alongside improvements in wireless services. With the completion of th…

pitch short worked
-65.2%
CHRW C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.
2018 Stock Pitch Challenge

Brad Headley, Ryan Darrohn, and John White are shorting C.H. Robinson due to concerns about its business model and market position, which they believe may not sustain its current valuation.