Spring 2016

Issue 27 · analyzed

35 ideas

pitch long worked
+102.5%
ATD.B Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
9th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

Alimentation Couche-Tard is positioned to outperform estimates due to recent acquisitions and favorable market conditions, including the need for over-levered US MLPs to sell assets and low oil prices prompting European …

position long inconclusive
SCHW Charles Schwab Corporation

Charles Schwab is a strong investment due to its robust business model and market position.

pitch long worked
+285.9%
SCHW Charles Schwab Corporation
9th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

Schwab is a high-quality business with a wide moat, capable of growing client assets by at least 7% annually and earnings by over 10% with a 100 basis point increase in the Fed Funds rate. The stock trades at a discount …

position long inconclusive
AAP Advance Auto Parts, Inc.

Advance Auto Parts is mentioned as a long position, indicating a positive outlook on the company's performance and potential for growth.

pitch long failed
-63.0%
AAP Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
9th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

We recommend a long on Advance Auto Parts with a price target of $280, offering 75%+ upside from today’s price of $161. We believe EPS can double to ~$16 over the next four to five years via multiple operational improvem…

pitch long failed
+52.3%
AA Alcoa Corporation

We recommend a long position on Alcoa with a 2018 price target of $16, representing 60% of upside to current valuation and a 19% IRR. The market may misunderstand the quality of Alcoa’s core businesses, and the current v…

pitch long worked
+376.4%
AA Alcoa Inc.
9th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

Alcoa's core franchises are quality businesses generating returns in the low to mid teens, despite the overall company being misjudged due to the poor performance of its aluminum segment. The alumina business is particul…

pitch long inconclusive
ADS Alliance Data Systems
9th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

Alliance Data is positioned to benefit from a sustainable competitive advantage through its integrated platform that combines private label credit card services, marketing, and loyalty solutions. The company has demonstr…

pitch long inconclusive
ADS Alliance Data Systems Corporation
9th Annual Pershing Square Challenge

Alliance Data Systems is well-positioned for growth due to its diversified business model, strong management, and strategic capital allocation. The company is targeting 8-10% organic growth and has a fortress balance she…

position long
BIT:FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

Adam Wyden mentions Fiat as part of his current investment theses, indicating a positive outlook on its business prospects.

position long inconclusive
COLA Columbia Distributing

Columbia Distributing is the fourth largest beer distributor in the US and has a wide-moat business model, distributing about 60% of the beer in Oregon and Washington. The firm believes that buying private companies like…

position long inconclusive
TDG TransDigm Group Incorporated

TransDigm has significant pricing power due to regulatory barriers in the aerospace parts industry, allowing it to generate predictable revenue streams despite the erratic nature of individual parts. The company's abilit…

position long inconclusive
MCO Moody's Corporation

Moody's is trading at a reasonable valuation with a strong pricing power, expecting to raise prices by 3%-4% annually. With modest leverage and high operating margins, the company is positioned for steady revenue growth,…

position long inconclusive
IDT IDT Corporation

Adam Wyden believes IDT is undervalued, trading below its cash value with significant assets including $200 million in cash and NOLs. He sees potential for the stock to increase further due to the value of its shale asse…

position long
STRP Straight Path Communications

The stock was around $10, but there was potentially $50 per share in value due to a Video on Demand asset and a profitable core business. The executive Howard Jonas is seen as capable of monetizing assets effectively, wh…

position long inconclusive
IDWM IDW Media Holdings

The company has managed to grow both lines of its business organically and through acquisition, creating significant value in profits and valuation. The investor is excited about its long-term prospects, believing the be…

position long
IRG.TO Imvescor Restaurant Group

The investor was intrigued by the business and its low valuation, believing that with the right management changes, it could improve dramatically and create value. The company has since seen a new CEO and a better board,…

position long inconclusive
FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

The investor believes that incremental gross margins could be as high as 75% to 90% due to leveraging fixed costs when increasing production. Insights from knowledgeable former executives suggest that margins on cars are…

position long inconclusive
RACE Ferrari N.V.

Wyden owns options in Ferrari and anticipates that EBIT margins could rise from the high teens to around 40% due to high incremental gross margins. He believes that Ferrari can significantly improve its gross margins, wh…

position long
FCAU Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

Fiat has a strong parts business and solid brands like Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Jeep, and Ram. The company is experiencing EBITDA growth and has cash building up as a result of the end of an investment cycle, presenting an …

position long inconclusive
STZ Constellation Brands, Inc.

Marc Cohodes mentioned Canandaigua Wine, which is now part of Constellation Brands, indicating a positive view on the company based on past investment success.

position short
OUTR Outerwall Inc.

Marc Cohodes believes that any company whose management is overly focused on short sellers is likely to be a poor investment. He highlights Outerwall's management's behavior as a red flag, indicating that they are not co…

position short inconclusive
WAC World Acceptance Corporation

Cohodes describes World Acceptance as an awful business that exploits financially unsophisticated individuals. He expresses strong disapproval of its management and business practices, indicating it is a company he would…

position short inconclusive
NUS Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.

Nu Skin operates in a multi-level marketing structure that is inherently dangerous, especially when the business model relies on recruiting rather than product sales. The management is viewed as incompetent, and the comp…

pitch short
HCG Home Capital Group Inc.

Home Capital Group is an incredible short opportunity due to its admission of $2 billion in mortgage fraud and lack of proper controls and reserves. The company's financials are misrepresented, and it is expected to face…

pitch short inconclusive
SIG Signet Jewelers Limited

Signet Jewelers is a poor investment due to its reliance on subprime lending and extended warranties, which are unnecessary for jewelry. The company is compared to failed retail roll-ups and is seen as a hedge fund hotel…

position short
HCG Home Capital Group Inc.

Home Capital Group is heavily exposed to subprime lending in Canada, particularly with a significant amount of fraudulently underwritten mortgages. The Canadian consumer is highly leveraged, and any downturn in housing p…

position short inconclusive
VRX Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals is viewed as a potential zero by some investors due to its aggressive financial engineering and reliance on acquisitions. The company has a high likelihood of facing bankruptcy, similar to past ex…

position short
CXR Concordia Healthcare Corp.

Concordia Healthcare is overleveraged and has been mismanaged by executives with a questionable track record. The company has overpaid for acquisitions and is struggling to meet financial expectations, making it a risky …

pitch long inconclusive
ATD Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Alimentation Couche-Tard is a high-quality business that is misunderstood by the market, particularly its convenience store segment which generates stable and high free cash flow. The company is well-positioned to consol…

position short inconclusive
TPX Tempur Sealy International, Inc.

Marc Cohodes believes that Tempur Sealy is a poor investment due to its sales-driven model, which has recently missed revenue targets. The company is highly leveraged and has been involved in buybacks that he views as de…

position short inconclusive
IT Intertain Group Limited

Marc Cohodes identifies Intertain as a short opportunity due to its over-leveraged position and management issues, including the CEO being on leave for an insider trading investigation. He believes the company's attempts…

position short inconclusive
AYA Amaya Inc.

Amaya is another short candidate for Marc Cohodes, who points out its high leverage and questionable management practices. He suggests that the company's capital structure is problematic and that it is likely to face sig…

position long inconclusive
ATD.B Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

The c-store consolidation story resembles that of drugstores in the 90s, where chains began to dominate over smaller stores. Alimentation Couche-Tard currently has a market share similar to CVS in 1995, and given CVS's g…

pitch long worked
+110.0%
AA Alcoa Inc.
null

Alcoa is set to spin off its value-added business, Arconic, which has significant margin expansion potential. The Engineered Products & Solutions division within Arconic is currently operating at EBITDA margins that are …