Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Nvidia Shines in Second Quarter of Fiscal 2026
Image Source: Nvidia. Looking to the third quarter of fiscal 2026, Nvidia expects revenue to be $54.0 billion, plus or minus 2%, an outlook that does not assume any H20 shipments to China. Consensus was at $52.76 billion. In the fiscal third quarter, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins are expected to be 73.3% and 73.5%, respectively, plus or minus 50 basis points. The firm expects to end the year with non-GAAP gross margins in the mid-70% range. Nvidia continues to power the market higher, and while results weren’t as bullish as some were expecting, they were strong, nonetheless.

Nvidia Reports Better Than Expected First Quarter Results
Image: Nvidia’s shares are flirting with all-time highs. Nvidia ended the quarter with $53.7 billion in cash and marketable securities versus long-term debt of $8.5 billion. Net cash provided by operating activities was $27.4 billion in the first quarter, up from $15.3 billion in the year-ago period. Free cash flow was $26.2 billion in the quarter, up from $15 billion in the year-ago period. Nvidia is a net cash rich, free cash flow generating, secular growth powerhouse, and we continue to like shares in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. Our fair value estimate stands at $163 per share.

Taiwan Semiconductor Impresses in Second Quarter, Gives Strong Outlook
Image: Taiwan Semiconductor reported better-than-expected second quarter results. Though Taiwan Semiconductor is exposed to geopolitical uncertainty, perhaps exacerbated by former President Donald Trump’s latest comments about how Taiwan should pay the U.S. for national defense, the company’s outlook remains robust, in our view. Taiwan Semiconductor remains one of our favorite ideas in the ESG Newsletter portfolio.

Update: Frequently Asked Questions About Valuentum Securities, Inc.
Valuentum (val∙u∙n∙tum) [val-yoo-en-tuh-m] Securities Inc. is an independent investment research publisher, offering premium equity reports and dividend reports, as well as commentary across all sectors/companies, a Best Ideas Newsletter (spanning market caps, asset classes), a Dividend Growth Newsletter, modeling tools/products, and more. Independence and integrity remain our core, and we strive to be a champion of the investor. Valuentum is based in the Chicagoland area. Valuentum is not a money manager, broker, or financial advisor. Valuentum is a publisher of financial information. We address a number of questions from both subscribers and visitors to our site.

Micron Issues Strong Outlook, Points to Multi-Year Opportunity in AI
Image Source: Micron. Micron operates in the ultra-cyclical semiconductor industry, and while the next few quarters may be robust, we’re cautious on the sustainability of the momentum and pricing health beyond the next few quarters, despite management’s optimism in fiscal 2025. Free cash flow has also been negative during the first six months of its fiscal year, and its net debt position precludes it from being a net-cash-rich, free-cash-flow generating powerhouse like so many other companies in the technology space. All things considered, we liked Micron’s quarterly report and outlook, but it’s not enough for us to pull the trigger on the idea for the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio.

Merger Mania
Image Source: Glenn Beltz. Mergers and acquisition [M&A] activity continues as the market sets new highs. Elevated borrowing costs as a result of the Fed’s aggressive rate hiking cycle in 2022 are pushing many entities to pursue all-stock transactions.

Earnings Roundup: PEP, DIS, ARM, PM
Image Source: Arm Holdings. Pepsi issued an outlook for 2024 that came in lower than what the Street was expecting, but we like the diversification of having a strong brand entity such as Pepsi in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. Disney is working hard to get back on track, and cost-cutting efforts have significantly helped its free cash flow generation. The firm is buying back stock, too, and recently upped its semi-annual dividend payout by 50%. Arm Holdings plc surprised the market in a big way, sending shares almost 50% higher following the report. The company's lucrative royalty business model and attractive exposure to artificial intelligence has investors extremely excited. Philip Morris is targeting strong organic revenue growth in 2024 thanks in part to Zyn growth, and we like the strong foundation that its free cash flow provides in supporting its dividend.

Palantir’s Fourth-Quarter Results Showcase Strong Trends in Artificial Intelligence
Image: Palantir’s revenue continues to march higher, and the company’s performance continues to showcase the growing strength in artificial intelligence. Source: Palantir. We liked Palantir’s quarterly results, but we wanted to bring to members’ attention the commentary surrounding artificial intelligence [AI]: "Our results reflect both the strength of our software and the surging demand that we are seeing across industries and sectors for artificial intelligence platforms, including large language models, that are capable of integrating with the tangle of existing technical infrastructure that organizations have been constructing for years...The demand for large language models from commercial institutions in the United States continues to be unrelenting. Every part of our organization is focused on the rollout of our Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), which has gone from a prototype to a product in months. And our momentum with AIP is now significantly contributing to new revenue and new customers."

Earnings Roundup: V, INTC, HUM, PYPL
Image: Visa’s operating margins are phenomenal. Image Source: Visa. Visa's first-quarter fiscal 2024 results were solid, and the firm noted that consumer spending remains resilient, paving the way for what we think will be a strong year. Intel's outlook for 2024 left a lot to be desired, and its balance sheet coupled with free cash flow burn should give more conservative investors pause. Humana's earnings outlook for 2024 spoke of considerable cost pressures, and we think this is yet another data point that the near term will be difficult for many health insurers as pent-up demand for procedures delayed during the pandemic begin to materialize. PayPal's stock remains in the dog house, and while its recently-announced innovations are great, consumer sentiment remains poor on the name.

Staying Far Away from Intel; McDonald’s a Better Play
Image: Intel’s cash flow from operations is under pressure, as it continues to shell out capital expenditures, resulting in materially negative free cash flow generation. Intel's cash-based sources of intrinsic value are in a world of hurt, meaning that we won't be adding the company to any newsletter portfolio anytime soon. Instead, we prefer McDonald's, which is well-positioned for inflationary pressures as it continues to raise its payout.