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Global stocks Shares

CNH’s Second-Quarter Results Show Sales Growth Across All Segments; with Agriculture Continuing to Lead Profit Growth.

Looking across CNH’s end markets, we think agriculture demand will continue to be a major driver in the back half of the year. In our view, demand will be supported by strong crop exports to China. This dynamic has been a key reason why crop prices have been relatively high over the past year. Rising crop prices have propelled farmer incomes higher, allowing them to refresh their aging agriculture equipment–a benefit to CNH.

Overall, manufacturing sales reached $8.5 billion in the quarter, up 65% year on year. The strength in the company’s top line was attributable to increased volumes and favorable product mix. In agriculture, tractor sales worldwide were up 28%, compared with the prior-year period. Of that, high horsepower tractors (above 140 horsepower) saw strong volume growth in North America, surging 49% year on year. Combines also contributed to volume growth in the quarter, up 14% worldwide, with extraordinary growth in South America (up 38% year on year). CNH’s gross margins were also strong in the quarter, coming in at 19.3% as higher pricing more than offset cost inflation (due to supply chain constraints).

Company’s Future Outlook

Management reaffirmed its commitment to spinning off the on-highway business (commercial vehicles and power train businesses). Following the spin-off, CNH’s end market exposure will largely be focused on agriculture markets, with the balance in construction markets. We believe this is a good move for the company as the agriculture business has been fairly profitable for CNH. On average, its EBIT margins have been nearly twice the consolidated business’ EBIT margins. We estimate over 80% of EBIT will be coming from agriculture after the spin-off is completed, putting CNH on much better footing from a profitability standpoint.

Company Profile

CNH Industrial is a global manufacturer of heavy machinery, with a range of products including agricultural and construction equipment, commercial vehicles, and power train components. One of its most recognizable brands, Case IH, has served farmers for generations. Its products are available through a robust dealer network, which includes over 3,600 dealer and distribution locations globally. CNH Industrial’s finance arm provides retail financing for equipment and vehicles to its customers, in addition to wholesale financing for dealers; which increases the likelihood of product sales.

 (Source: Morningstar)

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Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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IPO Watch

CarTrade Tech IPO price band fixed at Rs. 1,585 – 1,618to raise Rs. 2,999 crore

On August 6, a day before issue opening, the corporation will open its anchor book, if any, for a day.

The public offering of 1,85,32,216 equity shares is a full offer for current selling shareholders to sell their shares. The total value of the offer is Rs 2,998.51 crore.

Highdell Investment 84,09,364 equity shares, MacRitchie Investments Pte Ltd 50,76,761 equity shares, and Springfield Venture International 17,65,309 equity shares will be sold through the IPO by CMDB II.

Bina Vinod Sanghi (jointly held with Vinay Vinod Sanghi) will sell 1,83,333 equity shares, Daniel Edward Neary will sell 70,000 equity shares, Shree Krishna Trust will sell 2,62,519 equity shares, Victor Anthony Perry III will sell 50,546 equity shares, and Vinay Vinod Sanghi (jointly held with Seena Vinod Sanghi) will sell 4,50,050 equity shares.

Investors can bid for as few as 9 equity shares and as many as 9 equity shares after that.

The company has set aside 50% of the overall offering for eligible institutional purchasers, 35% for retail investors, and the remaining 15% for non-institutional buyers.

With 34.44 percent of the company, Mauritius-based Highdell Investment is the largest shareholder, followed by MacRitchie Investments with 26.48 percent, CMDB II with 11.93 percent, Springfield Venture International with 7.09 percent, and Vinay Vinod Sanghi with 3.56 percent.

CarTrade is a multi-channel auto platform that covers a wide range of vehicle types and add-on services. CarWale, CarTrade, Shriram Automall, BikeWale, CarTrade Exchange, Adroit Auto, and AutoBiz are some of the company’s brands.

The company uses these platforms to make it simple and efficient for new and used car buyers, dealerships, OEMs, and other businesses to buy and sell their automobiles.

(Source: Fact Set)

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Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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IPO Watch

Sweetman Renewables Plans for Its ASX Debut with a Pre-IPO Raise

Sweetman Renewables is aiming for the biomass and green hydrogen industries with a $4 million pre-IPO capital raise ahead of its ASX launch later this year. The listing date is later this week.

With the addition of three divisions covering hydrogen production, biomass supply, and the sale of high-quality timber products, the company hopes to more than tenfold its revenue base.

This potential has already been recognised, with the company recently negotiating a 20-year biomass supply contract with a Japanese conglomerate worth US$90 million.

It is also in advanced talks with Verdant Earth Technologies about becoming the primary supplier of Verdant’s $550 million biomass power project in the Hunter Valley.

Sweetman Renewables intends to raise only $4 million in the pre-IPO round. As a result, Sweetman is trying to leverage its sustainable biomass to manufacture green hydrogen, which Goldman Sachs predicts will be a US$10 trillion market by 2050.

Company Profile

Sweetman Renewables is developing a hydrogen production plan to become one of the largest true green hydrogen producers, leveraging its sawmill operation to offer biomass and green hydrogen for sustainable energy. Using sawmill operations to supply biomass and green hydrogen for long-term energy.

(Source: Morningstar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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LICs LICs

Geoff Wilson claims first victory in his new LIC WAR

Wilson was in the United States on business when he began seeing Templeton reported as suggesting that now was the moment to invest 10% of your income in stocks, rather than avoiding them.

The chairman of the Wilson Asset Management listed investment company (LIC) empire says he’s a little sad to see the Templeton brand fade away from the ASX boards, 34 years after it first appeared in the 1987 upheaval.

But it’s not all bad: he’s basically buying out the Templeton Global Growth Fund, which will merge with Wilson’s WAM Global LIC.

Wilson has been following TGG since 2015, when WAM first purchased shares in the LIC, and has slowly raised its holdings to 14.6 percent.

The investment was transferred to the new WAM Strategic Value LIC, which debuted on 26 July and trades under the symbol WAR. The new LIC aspires to boost returns by assisting under-appreciated LICs in closing the gap between their net tangible asset values and share prices.

Wilson claims that WAM has been working with the TGG board for some time on strategies to close the gap between its stock price and NTA’s, including appointing an independent person to the board. TGG launched a strategic assessment of its structure late last year, and while Wilson claims WAM was startled by the board’s decision, WAM hasn’t been sitting on its hands.

For the first time in seven years, TGG investors will be able to withdraw money from NTA. However, if TGG investors chose WAM Global stock, Wilson’s LIC’s assets will increase by around $300 million, putting it among the largest LICs focusing on overseas shares on the ASX and putting it on the radar of additional investors and financial advisors.

Wilson’s WAM Global, which went public in 2018, was a work in progress. While it still trades at a 6.4 percent discount to NTA – one of the few WAM LICs to do so – the spread has decreased in the last two years, and Wilson is hoping that increased scale will help WAM Global break through.

(Source: Fact Set)

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Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Funds Funds

Quant Small Cap Fund Direct Plan-Growth Updates

Investing goal and benchmark

The fund’s primary goal is to “create capital growth through investments with a very well mix of small cap companies.” The NIFTY Small cap 250 Total Return Index is used as a benchmark.

Portfolio Structure & Asset Allocate

The fund’s asset allocation is roughly 95.85% in equities, 0.0 percent in bonds, and 4.15 percent in cash and cash equivalents. The top 10 equity holdings account for 43.41 percent of total assets, while the top three sectors account for 44.15 percent. The fund invests in a variety of market capitalisations, with roughly 1.41 percent in gigantic and big cap companies, 19.83 percent in mid-cap companies, and 78.76 percent in small cap companies.

Implications for Taxation

1. If units are surrendered within one year of purchase, gains are taxed at a rate of 15% (Short-term Capital Gains Tax – STCG).

2. Gains of up to Rs. 1 lakh accruing from units redeemed after one year of investment are free from tax in a financial year.

3. Profits of at most Rs. 1 lakh would be subject to a 10% tax rate (Long-term Capital Gain Tax – LTCG).

4. Dividend income from this fund will be assigned to an investor’s income and taxed as per to his or her tax slabs for Dividend Distribution Tax.

5. In addition, for dividend income in excess of Rs 5,000 in a financial year, the fund house is required to deduct a TDS of 10%.

Source: Economic times

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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ETFs ETFs

Kotak PSU Bank Exchange Traded Fund updates

Investment goal and benchmark

The fund’s investment objective is “The scheme’s objective is to offer total returns that correspond to the total returns of the Nifty PSU Bank Index.”The NIFTY PSU Bank Total Return Index is used as a benchmark.

Portfolio Structure & Asset Allocate

The fund’s asset allocation is roughly 99.98 percent equities, 0.0 percent loans, and 0.02 percent cash and cash equivalents.The top 10 equity holdings account for roughly 96.27 percent of assets, while the top three sectors account for around 99.98 percent.The fund invests mostly in companies with a substantial market capitalisation, with 64.86 percent in giant and large cap companies, 33.04 percent in mid cap, and 2.1 percent in small cap companies.

Implications for Taxation

1. If units are surrendered within one year of purchase, gains are taxed at a rate of 15% (Short-term Capital Gains Tax – STCG).

2. Gains of up to Rs. 1 lakh accruing from units redeemed after one year of investment are free from tax in a financial year.

3. Gains of more than Rs. 1 lakh would be subject to a 10% tax rate (Long-term Capital Gain Tax – LTCG).

4. Dividend income from this fund will be added to an investor’s income and taxed according to his or her tax slabs for Dividend Distribution Tax.

5. In addition, for dividend income in excess of Rs 5,000 in a financial year, the fund house is required to withhold a TDS of 10%.

Source: Economic india

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Fixed Income Fixed Income

Principal Core Fixed Income A (CMPIX)

The team still intends to balance a higher-yielding corporate-bond stake with securitized fare and U.S. Treasuries, yet the strategy’s high-yield sleeve is now capped at 5% of assets (compared with a previous sleeve of 10% to 20% of assets). Corporate credit still typically accounts for 60% to 65% of assets and drives returns, while high quality securitized fare (20% to 25%), U.S. Treasuries (10% to 15%), and cash are intended to provide stability. This stake stood at 35% of assets as of March 31, 2021, which was 17% larger than the typical intermediate core bond peer. This translates to more credit risk relative to peers.

  • A new shift to higher quality is untested.

The managers employ a consistent, conventional investment process overseen by an adequately sized team. The strategy earns an Average Process Pillar rating. The team emphasizes corporate credit relative to Treasuries and securitized assets, with bottom-up analysis driving credit selection. Manager John Friedl and his team search for credits they believe will provide the best opportunities over a full market cycle; they have a stated preference for smaller offerings in energy, healthcare, utilities, and REITs buoyed by larger names in the financial sector. Prior to 2020, the team invested heavily in high-yield debt (usually 10% to 20% of assets). Now, the team is limited to a 5% sleeve in high yield after a mandate change in January 2020. The team does not make interest-rate calls and historically has kept the strategy’s duration within 15% of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index.

  • Still a barbell construct with heavy credit exposure.

The strategy’s barbell structure is composed of income-generating corporate bonds on one end and high-quality securitized fare and Treasuries for ballast on the other. As of March 2021, the strategy’s corporate credit allocation sat at 57% of assets, including a BBB rated stake (35%) and BB and below (4%) that was about 17 and 3 percentage points higher, respectively, than its typical intermediate core bond category peer. The team has historically focused on oilfield services and pipelines in its energy stake (about 4%), given their resilience in the face of commodity price drops. Financials have made up a consistent overweighting relative to the benchmark (11% versus 6%), with the team focusing on the debt of large banks with strong balance sheets. The ballast end of the barbell, composed of agency mortgage-backed security pass through (20%), U.S. Treasuries (15%), and asset backed securities (3%), has not seen major sector shifts since 2013.

 (Source: Morningstar)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Global stocks Shares

Driver Shortage a Utilization Headwind but Demand & Pricing are Surging for Knight- Swift

Knights long-standing laser focus on network efficiency has served it well given the asset-intensive nature of trucking. Its legacy operating ratio (expenses/revenue, excluding fuel surcharges) averaged in the mid-80% range before the merger, versus an industry average that traditionally exceeds 90%. Within its legacy dry van truckload unit, Knight has long emphasized short- to medium-haul shipments (length of haul near 500 miles) and high-density lanes near its existing service centers. Regional freight is an attractive niche because shipments face less competition from intermodal and are seeing growth as shippers locate distribution centers closer to end customers.

In 2017, Knight Transportation and Swift Transportation merged. Following the transaction, Knight-Swift became the largest asset-based full-truckload carrier in the industry. Overall, we believe the merger structure was positive for previous shareholders because of meaningful cost and revenue synergy opportunities, which have proved to be within reach over the past few years.

Knight’s management has executed well in terms of applying its best-in-class operating acumen to Swift’s network. In fact, Swift’s adjusted truckload OR was roughly at parity with the Knight trucking division’s OR in first-quarter 2021. Pandemic lockdowns weighed on freight demand in early 2020, but retail shipments turned robust in the second half on strong inventory restocking, and industrial end markets are recovering off pandemic lows. Furthermore, truckload-market capacity has tightened materially and double-digit contract rate gains are likely this year.

Financial Strength

At the end of 2020, Knight-Swift held roughly $700 million of total debt on the balance sheet (including capital lease obligations, an accounts receivable securitization program, and a term loan), some of which stems from the former Swift operations. Recall truckload-industry giants Knight Transportation and Swift Transportation merged in September 2017. The firm held $157 million in cash on the balance sheet at year-end 2020, similar to 2019, with total available liquidity near $740 million. Management expects net capital expenditures of $450 million to $500 million in 2021, which we estimate will be around 10.4% of total revenue, compared with 9% in 2019.

Bull Says

  • The 2017 Knight-Swift merger created meaningful opportunities for cost and revenue synergies that have thus far proved value accretive. The firm is also enjoying a demand surge from heavy retailer restocking that should last into the first half of 2021.
  • The legacy Knight operations rank among the most efficient and profitable carriers in trucking, with an average operating ratio in the mid-80s prior to the merger.
  • Knight has expanded its asset-light truck brokerage division at a healthy clip over the years, and these operations add incremental opportunities for long term growth.

Company Profile

Knight-Swift Transportation is by far the largest asset-based full-truckload carrier in the United States. About 80% of revenue derives from asset-based truckload shipping operations (including for-hire dry van, refrigerated, and dedicated contract). The remainder stems from truck brokerage and other asset-light logistics services (8%), as well as intermodal (8%), which uses the Class-I railroads for the underlying movement of the firm’s shipping containers and also offer drayage services.

 (Source: Morningstar)

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Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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Global stocks Shares

Facebook Posted Impressive Q2 results; 2H2021 Represents Tougher Comps; Increasing FVE to $407

We are pleased with Facebook’s continuing enhancement of its platforms as it improves e-commerce functionality, increases video content, and introduces more audio content, which support the firm’s network effect moat source on the user and advertiser sides, increasing overall ad inventory. Facebook is also investing in innovation for the long-run, including Metaverse, which we view as the next stage of growth and development in virtual reality. While Metaverse is likely to require more interoperability between many platforms and may slowly erode Facebook’s walled garden, the firm’s current network effect moat source should maintain more users on the Facebook side of the Metaverse.

Management guided for significant deceleration in revenue growth during the second half of this year, which we had already modeled in. Total revenue of $29.1 billion was up 55.6% year over year due to higher ad prices and an increase in users. Facebook benefited from ongoing strong demand for direct response and the resurgence of brand advertising. Monthly active users increased 7% and 2% year over year and from last quarter, respectively, to nearly 2.9 billion. Engagement remained at around 66% as daily active users increased to 1.9 billion (also up 7% from last year and 2% sequentially).

Strong Revenue Growth

Strong revenue growth during the quarter created operating leverage for Facebook resulting in 42.5% operating margin, compared with 31.9% last year. Management expects yearover- year revenue growth during the second half to “decelerate significantly.” The firm provided a bit more color by stating that the slowdown will be modest when comparing the second quarter 2021 with the same period in 2019 (revenue up 72.2%). The firm still expects full-year operating expense between $70 billion and $73 billion and capital expenditures of $19 billion-$21 billion.

Metaverse to take hold and attract billions of users, the virtual world needs to be more interoperable, like the physical world where users can easily experience many different environments and interact with different individuals and groups. Allowing interoperability may represent a risk to the network effect of platforms like Facebook. However, in our view, given Facebook’s 2.9 billion users and strong network effect moat source, the firm’s Horizon will be a step ahead of competitors in attracting users and quickly building the virtual environments, which should attract more users, content creators, businesses, and advertisers.

Company Profile

Facebook is the world’s largest online social network, with 2.5 billion monthly active users. Users engage with each other in different ways, exchanging messages and sharing news events, photos, and videos. On the video side, the firm is in the process of building a library of premium content and monetizing it via ads or subscription revenue. Facebook refers to this as Facebook Watch. The firm’s ecosystem consists mainly of the Facebook app, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and many features surrounding these products. Users can access Facebook on mobile devices and desktops. Advertising revenue represents more than 90% of the firm’s total revenue, with 50% coming from the U.S. and Canada and 25% from Europe. With gross margins above 80%, Facebook operates at a 30%-plus margin.

(Source: Morningstar)

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Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.

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IPO Watch

Nuix share price rises on Macquarie’s IPO review verdict

While Macquarie claims to have found no evidence of misconduct, Nuix’s IPO is still under investigation by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Some of the market’s concerns appear to have subsided. Today’s closing price for Nuix was $2.53, up 1.2 percent.

According to the Australian Financial Review, Macquarie’s chairman, Peter Warne, talked to the media today ahead of the company’s annual general meeting. He reportedly stated that Macquarie’s IPO team studied Nuix’s prospectus and float and found nothing suspicious.

Nuix had Macquarie as a supporter when it went public on the ASX. Macquarie was also Nuix’s largest shareholder, owning over 70% of the IT firm prior to its IPO. Macquarie currently owns about 30% of Nuix’s stock.

ASIC suspects Doyle may have informed his brother about Nuix’s February downgrading, according to court documents. Doyle’s brother is then accused of selling 1.8 million Nuix shares to avoid a $5.7 million loss.

Despite today’s advances, Nuix’s stock remains in negative territory. Its stock is currently trading for 68 percent less than it was when Nuix went public in December. With around 317 million shares outstanding, the company has a market capitalization of around $793 million.

Company Profile

Nuix specializes in transforming massive amounts of messy data – from emails, social media, communications and other human-generated content – into actionable intelligence. With Nuix’s investigative analytics and intelligence software, you can understand the context and connections across billions of items in your data – search it, filter it, visualize it, analyze it and find the truth it holds.

(Source: FactSet)

General Advice Warning

Any advice/ information provided is general in nature only and does not take into account the personal financial situation, objectives or needs of any particular person.