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Wall Street Has (Again) Set The Bar Low For Earnings Season

January 17, 5:00 pm EST

Stocks continue to recover from the wreckage of December. From December 3rd to December 26th, the S&P 500 collapsed 16%. That was over just 15 trading days.

We’ve since had a 12% bounce over 15 days. But we need another 7% to recoup the losses from December 3.The good news: The catalysts for a big recovery are in place — not only to recover the December 3rd levels, but to print new all time highs in the stock market.

Remember, major turning points in markets are often driven by some form of intervention. In this case, we’ve had it. We had intervention from the U.S. Treasury on December 23/24, 1) calling out to the six largest U.S. banks, and then 2) calling a meeting with the President’s Working Group (which includes the Fed).

Just days later, the Fed sent a clear message to markets that they were there to promote market stability (that means higher stock prices).

Add to this, we’ve entered Q4 earnings season, and we’re getting plenty of positive surprises already, on expectations that were already dialed down substantially in the wake of the stock market decline of the fourth quarter. As of last Friday, 90% of the companies that had reported beat Wall Street’s expectations.

So, where can stocks go from here?

Even with the sharp recovery over the past several weeks, the P/E on this year’s earnings estimate is just 15. That’s cheap relative to history. It’s very cheap relative to historical low interest rate environments.

If we apply Wall Street’s estimate on earnings for the S&P 500 (which is $172), to a P/E of 18 we get 3,096 on the S&P by the end of the year. If we apply a 20 P/E, we get 3,440. That’s argues for anywhere from 18% to 31% higher for 2019.

Keep in mind, that’s if Wall Street hasn’t undershot on its estimate. But they tend to undershoot often (to the tune of about 70% of the time).

Join me here to get my curated portfolio of 20 stocks that I think can do multiples of what broader stocks do, coming out of this market correction environment.

JP Morgan Does Record Business in 2018

January 15, 5:00 pm EST

We now have Q4 earnings in from three of the country’s four largest banks. Yesterday it was Citi. Better earnings were driven by cost cuts not growth. Still, the stock is up 8% in two days.

Today it was Wells Fargo and JP Morgan. Wells, too, had soft revenues but beat on earnings driven by cost cuts. JP Morgan missed on earnings and revenues.

Now, Jamie Dimon runs JP Morgan — the largest U.S. based global money center bank. And he has been publicly positive on the economy and the market outlook, in the face of a lot of broad negativity and fear late last year.

Let’s take a look at what he had to say about JP Morgan’s earnings and the operating environment…

JP Morgan generated record earnings and record revenues for full year 2018. And Dimon says they would have done it even without the tax cuts. He says his business shows the U.S. consumer to be healthy and engaged. Consumers are spending, saving and investing. And Dimon said they opened Chase branches in new states for the first time in nearly a decade.

This all in a year where the chatter about an impending recession grew by the month, for no other reason than the economic expansion has been running long.

According to the biggest bank in the country, things sound pretty good.

Importantly, last year, the blowout earnings were often met with selling in the broad stock market. It’s looking like that dynamic is changing. Stocks are rising, even on less than impressive numbers (thus far). That a good sign for the sustainability of the rebound.

Join me here to get my curated portfolio of 20 stocks that I think can do multiples of what broader stocks do, coming out of this market correction environment.

Best Time To Buy Bank Stocks Than Any Other Time In Our Lifetimes?

January 14, 5:00 pm EST

Meaningful fourth quarter earnings kick off this week with the big banks.

We heard from Citigroup this morning. They beat on earnings but on lower than expected revenues. The stock finished UP over 4%.

We get JPMorgan and Wells Fargo Q4 earnings tomorrow before the open. Bank of America and Goldman Sachs will report on Wednesday.

Remember, the turning point for stocks in December started with a call-out to the major banks by the U.S. Treasury Secretary. Not surprisingly, the turn in stocks was led by the banks.

You can see the big reversal in this chart of the KBW bank index. The index is now up 16% since December 26th.

With the above in mind, one of the best value investors of the past twenty years, Jeffrey Ubben, has thought the timing is finally right for major banks. He has said the U.S. banking system has the lowest risk profile “than any time in our investing lifetime.” In our Billionaire’s Portfolio, we followed him into Citigroup, the highest conviction position in his $16 billion portfolio. It’s the cheapest of the four biggest U.S.-based global money center banks.

As for earnings, overall: Remember, we’re coming off of three consecutive quarters of corporate earnings that blew away very lofty Wall Street estimates — 20%+ yoy earnings growth for the first three quarters of 2018. But sliding stocks in the fourth quarter eroded sentiment, and down came earnings estimates for Q4. The market is looking for just 10% earnings growth for the fourth quarter. For 2019, they’re looking for just 7%. This all sets up for positive surprises. Positive surprises are fuel for stocks.

Join me here to get my curated portfolio of 20 stocks that I think can do multiples of what broader stocks do, coming out of this market correction environment.

The Yuan Is Giving Signals On China Concessions

January 11, 5:00 pm EST

Trade talks with China came and went again this week without any notable progress, at least in the respective statements from both parties.

But the behavior of the Chinese currency tells a different story.

Remember, China controls the value of its currency. They “fix” it every day. And they’ve been walking it higher. That’s a big signal.

Here’s a look at the chart …

This chart shows the dollar/yuan exchange rate. When the orange line is rising the dollar is strengthening, the yuan is weakening – and vice-versa.

You can see in 2015 and through 2016 (Line 1) the Chinese devalued the yuan by about 16% to respond to weak exports and sluggish growth. When Trump was elected, he made it clear he would be coming after China for their cheap currency policies (i.e. manipulating the yuan to retain dominance in global exports). With that, the Chinese strengthened the yuan in effort to stave off a trade war. It didn’t work. And you can see in the most recent run up (Line 3) how they’ve responded. They’ve gone back to weakening the currency.

Now, as we’ve discussed, the lower stock market has put pressure on the Trump agenda, which makes it more likely that some ground will be given on the demands that the U.S. has made on China. So, with this backdrop in mind, how can Trump get to a deal on trade that gives him a win — and gives China an out, for the moment? The Chinese currency could be a tool to get to an agreement – maybe China taking it back to 6 yuan per dollar in the near term.

You can see in the shorter-term chart above, since Trump and Xi agreed to a 90-day period to get a deal done, the Chinese have been walking the yuan higher (which is shown in the falling line in the chart).

Join me here to get my curated portfolio of 20 stocks that I think can do multiples of what broader stocks do, coming out of this market correction environment.

Fed Continues To Dial Down Expectations

January 10, 5:00 pm EST

The coordinated response to market turmoil continues to reverse the tide of what was becoming an increasingly ugly global financial market meltdown.

Remember, we had a response from the U.S. Treasury Secretary on the days leading up to Christmas, which included call outs to the major banks and a meeting of the “President’s Working Group” on financial markets. Coincidentally, by the next Wednesday, a new item hit the agenda for the American Economic Association Annual Meeting. It was the January 4 live interview with the three most powerful central bankers in the world over the past ten years: Bernanke, Yellen and Powell. These three sat on stage together and massaged market sentiment on the path of interest rates, fortifying the market recovery that was started by the efforts of the Treasury.

Just in case we didn’t get the message, we’ve since had six Fed officials publicly dialing down expectations on the rate outlook, in response to financial markets. And we’ve had minutes from the Fed’s last meeting that clearly gave the message that the Fed could pause, sit and watch. And then today Powell was on stage again for another public interview, reiterating the Fed’s new position: on hold.

Join me here to get all of my in-depth analysis on the big picture, and to get access to my carefully curated list of “stocks to buy” now.

Key Charts

January 9, 5:00 pm EST

We discussed yesterday how markets might look by the end of the year, if the pontifications about a global slowdown and impending crisis are dead wrong.

The reality: That is the low probability outcome. The higher probability outcome is another 3%+ year growth in the U.S. in 2019, a resolution on the Chinese trade dispute, and a rebound in emerging market growth.

With the “high probability scenario” in mind, let’s take a look at some key charts that look very vulnerable to a sharp squeeze.

Remember, oil and stocks have been in a synchronized decline since October 3.

On Friday we looked at this chart on oil, and the break of the big downtrend that accompanied some rate-hike relief jawboning from the Fed.

Today the chart looks like this …up almost 9% from Friday.

Here’s the chart on stocks we looked at on Friday …

We broke a big level on Friday at 2,520. We’re up another 2.3% since.

What about yields? The fear in the interest rate market hasn’t been/wasn’t that the economy can’t withstand a 3% ten-year yield. The fear has been the speed at which the interest rate market was moving, and the methodical tightening process of the Fed. Would 3% quickly become 4%?

The Fed has now backed off. That quells the fears of a “too far, too fast” adjustment in rates. But the interest rate market had already been pricing in the worst case scenario (another recession and crisis, in part thanks to the Fed policy). If that was an over-reaction, I suspect we’ll see a move back toward 3%-3.25% in the 10s in the coming months. As you can see in the chart, this big line is being tested today. And as long as the Fed stays data dependent, not telegraphing another series of hikes, the market should accept a 3% ten year yield just fine.

To sum up: Markets tend to be caught wrong-footed at the extremes — leaning too hard in one direction, with sentiment too depressed or too exuberant. And I suspect we’ve seen that extreme in Q4. Sentiment was deeply shaken by the sharp decline in stocks, and that spilled over into the outlook for global economic stability.

But as we discussed yesterday, we have a Q4 earnings season upon us that is set up for positive surprises (given the sharp downward adjustment in expectations). And if Trump gives some ground to get a deal done with China, these key markets are set up for big and sharp recoveries.

Join me here to get my curated portfolio of 20 stocks that I think can do multiples of what broader stocks do, coming out of this market correction environment.

Maybe The Real Economic Expansion Is Just Beginning

January 8, 5:00 pm EST

The expectations have been dialed down dramatically over the past few months for markets and the economy.

If indeed it’s all detached from reality, as the fundamentals would suggest, how might markets look if we have another 3%+ year growth in the U.S. in 2019, and if the weight of the China trade dispute lifts, and emerging market growth rebounds?

My guess: stocks and commodities will be much, much higher by year end.

For stocks, Q4 earnings season kicks off next week with the banks. Given the deterioration in sentiment last quarter, the estimates on earnings have been dialed down. We’ve gone from a full year of earnings growth north of 20% (in 2018) to earnings growth expectations in 2019 at just 7%. That sets up for positive earnings surprises this year. And at 14 times next year’s earnings, the market is already dirt cheap — better earnings would make stocks even cheaper.

As for commodities, the economic expansion has been called “late cycle” by many, but commodities haven’t participated, as you can see in the chart below.

What if this chart tells us that the decade that followed the financial crisis was indeed a depression, and central banks were only able to manufacture enough economic economic activity to buffer the pain (not a real economic expansion)? And now, instead of at the tail end of one of the longest economic expansions on record, we’re in the early stages of a real expansion, driven by fiscal policies and structural reform that has started in the U.S. and will be implemented abroad (Europe, Japan, China).

Join me here to get my curated portfolio of 20 stocks that I think can do multiples of what broader stocks do, coming out of this market correction environment.

U.S. Steelmakers That Should Win From ‘The Wall’

January 7, 5:00 pm EST

The Fed sent a message to markets on Friday that they will pause on rates hikes, if not stand ready to act (i.e. cut rates or stop shrinking the balance sheet), unless market conditions improve.

With that support, stocks continue to rebound. But as the market focus is on stocks, the quiet big mover in the coming months might be commodities.

Over the weekend, the President confirmed that the $5 billion+ border wall would be made of steel — produced by U.S. steel companies. Add to that, it’s fair to expect that the next item on the Trumponomics agenda, will be a big trillion-dollar infrastructure spend (an initiative believed to be supported by both parties in Congress).

Trump has also threatened to move forward with the wall under an executive order, citing national security. With that, the execution on the wall, regardless of the state of negotiations on Capitol Hill should be coming sooner rather than later.

Let’s take a look today at a few domestic steel companies that should benefit.

Nucor Corp (NUE)

Nucor corp is the largest steel producer in the United States.

U.S. Steel (X)U.S. Steel is the second largest domestic steel producer.

Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF)Cliffs is the largest supplier of iron units to North American steel mills.

As you can see, these stocks all benefited early on (post election) on the prospects of Trump’s America First economic plan. But, like the broader market, these stocks are all well off of the 2018 highs now — driven by the intensified trade dispute with China over the past year, the uptick in global economic risks, and the concern over Trumponomics policy execution with a split Congress. They look very, very cheap considering the outlook for domestic steel demand.

Disclosure: We are long Cliffs (CLF) in our Billionaire’s Portfolio.

Join me here to get my curated portfolio of 20 stocks that I think can do multiples of what broader stocks do, coming out of this market correction environment.

The Fed Has Just Reinstated The Put For Stocks

January 4, 5:00 pm EST

Stocks had a huge bounce today.

And it was driven by: 1) the central bank in China stepping in with an injection of over $100 billion in liquidity into the economy through a cut to the bank reserve requirement ration, and 2) the three most powerful central bankers in the world (over the past 10 years) sitting on stage together and massaging market sentiment on the path of interest rates.

We entered the year with the idea that the Fed would need to walk back on its rate hiking path this year (possibly even cutting, if the stock market environment persisted). And today, just days into the new year, we get the Fed Chair Powell, former Fed Chairs Yellen and Bernanke telling us that the Fed is essentially done of the year, unless things improve.

Remember, last year was the first since 1994 that cash was the best producing major asset class (among stocks, real estate, bonds, gold). The culprit for such an anomaly: An overly aggressive Fed tightening cycle in a low inflation recovering economy. The Fed ended up cutting rates in 1995 and spurring a huge run up in stocks (up 36%). Now, we’re getting the Fed standing down, and committing to “responsiveness to the data and markets.”

Yellen voluntarily drew the comparison to today to early 2016 – where the Fed had to respond to sour markets that were beginning to feed into the economy.

In 2016, the oil price crash prompted a coordinated response by global central banks to avert another financial crisis. For the Fed’s part, they took two of the four projected rate hikes they had guided for 2016 off of the table (effectively easing). This coordinated easing from global policymakers put a bottom in stocks and oil in early 2016. Oil doubled by the end of the year. Stocks finished 2016 up 25% from the oil-price crash induced lows.

Here’s a look at the chart on oil today…

You can see this big trendline that represents the plunge from $76 has broken today.

And here’s a look at stocks …

We broke a big level today on the way up in the S&P 500 (2520) and it looks like a V-shaped recovery is underway, to take us back to where stocks broke down on December 3rd. That would be 12% from current levels.

Join me here to get my curated portfolio of 20 stocks that I think can do multiples of what broader stocks do, coming out of this market correction environment.

Newsflash: Apple Is Dirt Cheap

January 3, 5:00 pm EST

As we’ve discussed, the dysfunctional stock market has put pressure on Trump to stand down and make a deal with China.

And Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, turned up that pressure yesterday. In a letter to investors, he warned that Apple, the biggest and most powerful company in the world, would have lower revenue in the quarter that just ended. The blame was placed on economic deceleration in China —due to the trade dispute.

Now, it’s clear that Cook wanted to draw attention to the impact of the trade dispute. And the media was happy to run with that story today.

But the slowdown at Apple last quarter also had a lot to do with “fewer iPhone upgrades than anticipated.” This was tossed into the context of slower economic activity in China, which makes it look like a macro issue. But Apple also has a micro issue. They seem to have exhausted the compelling innovation that has historically gotten iPhone users excited about buying the latest and greatest phone. The older models are still pretty great. No reason to upgrade.

So, Apple has used a violent market and slowdown in China, perhaps, in an attempt to divert attention away from the slowing device business.

The good news: Even if they don’t develop the next world-changing device, they have a services business (Apple pay, Apple Music, iCloud Drive, AppleCare and the iTunes App store) that is producing almost as much revenue as Facebook.

And the stock is incredibly cheap. On trailing twelve months, the stock trades at 12 times earnings. But if we back out the nearly $240 billion of cash Apple is sitting on, the business at Apple is being valued at $437 billion. That’s about 7 times trailing twelve month earnings.

Join me here to get my curated portfolio of 20 stocks that I think can do multiples of what broader stocks do, coming out of this market correction environment.