Author Archives: Stephen Percoco
2016 Mass Investor Conference (Part 3): the MWRA
The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) was created by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Act, Chapter 372 of the Acts of 1984 of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its operating territory covers 61 communities (i.e. cities, towns and special purpose entities) … Continue reading
2016 Mass Investor Conference (Part 2): the MBTA
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA or the Authority) is a body politic and corporate and a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is also a component of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Created in 1964, it is … Continue reading
Notes and Analysis from the 2016 Mass. Investor Conference – Part 1
The Conference was held on December 7, 2016.
Update on Consolidated Water (CWCO)
Shares of Consolidated Water (CWCO) have struggled over the past several months, extending a period of underperformance vs. peers that stretches back for more than a year. Year-to-date (through 12/9), CWCO has posted a loss (including dividends) of 6.4%. That … Continue reading
Arch Coal Post-Bankruptcy
On October 5, Arch Coal officially exited the bankruptcy process. The exit came just short of nine months after it had filed for bankruptcy on January 11, 2016. This was a remarkable achievement, given the company’s size, the large and … Continue reading
Thoughts and Analysis from Tenaris’s Investor Day
Tenaris S.A. (TS) is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of seamless and welded steel casing and tubing, otherwise known as “oil country tubular goods.” Its products are used mostly in oil & gas drilling operations.
Arch Coal Puts Its Bankruptcy Plan to a Vote
On July 6, the bankruptcy court approved Arch Coal’s Third Amended Bankruptcy Plan and Disclosure Statement. That set in motion the voting process which is scheduled to end on August 31. If there are no hitches and creditors vote in … Continue reading
Coal Sector Update
The Dow Jones U.S. Coal Mining Sector Index has more than doubled so far this year, up 117.6% through July 15, obviously much better than the broader DJ US Total Market Index’s gain of 5.7%. Much of coal’s gains reflect “dead … Continue reading
PayPal’s Business is On Target, But Its Stock is Ahead of Plan.
PayPal’s stock has underperformed the broader market since reaching a new high of $41.75 on March 22. The stock bottomed at $34.00 on June 27 and has since bounced back to close at $38.15 today. Year-to-date, the stock is up … Continue reading
The Coal Industry Goes Bust
Very few industries have suffered a decline as steep as coal’s. In just five years, the coal industry has gone from relatively healthy to almost entirely bankrupt. Major coal producers – including Peabody Energy, Arch Coal, and Alpha Natural Resources … Continue reading
Arch Coal Goes Bust
Arch Coal, the second largest U.S. coal producer, is another casualty of the sharp decline in coal consumption. After a steady slide in its business that began in 2011 and accelerated when oil and natural gas prices plunged in 2014, … Continue reading
An Update on Merck (MRK)
Product Pipeline Successes. Merck has enjoyed a couple of notable successes in its product pipeline over the past year. The first and most important is Keytruda (pembrolizumab), the company’s anti-PD-1 (programmed death receptor-1) immunotherapy treatment for cancer. Keytruda has already … Continue reading
Notes and Analysis from AXP’s Analyst Day
Shareholders of the American Express Company have had a pretty rough ride over the past few years. Since 2013, when AXP’s stock earned nearly twice the S&P 500, the stock has underperformed the broader market significantly
Greece Meets EU Ministers. Changes to GREK.
Greece’s quest to pass the next milestone on it bailout plan will get a hearing on Monday in Brussels at a meeting of EU finance ministers. Press reports suggest that the EU and IMF are still looking for about €9 billion … Continue reading
Notes from General Electric’s Annual Outlook Meeting
This has been an eventful year for General Electric (GE), one that brought about the most significant changes that the company has seen in its 127 year history. The company has repositioned its business mix, drastically reducing its profile in … Continue reading
American Water Works (AWK) Update
2015 has been another strong year for the stock of American Water Works (AWK). Year-to-date (through Dec. 18), it is up 11.7% on price and has delivered a 14.5% total return. By comparison, the S&P 500 is down 2.6% on … Continue reading
Investing in Greece: Notes from the 2015 Capital Link Conference
Although the recovery in the Eurozone is underway, Greece has so far been left behind. Europe is growing now at an overall rate of 2% per year. Even the other peripheral countries that had been experiencing difficulties– Ireland, Italy, Portugal … Continue reading
Notes from the 2015 Massachusetts Investor Conference
Author’s Note: Municipal bonds have been on my radar for some time, even though my focus has been on stocks and corporate bonds. I have attended the Massachusetts Investor Conference for the past four years, as a way to learn about … Continue reading
Campbell Fiscal 2016 First Quarter Update
Campbell Soup (CPB) reported fiscal 2016 first quarter GAAP earnings of $0.62 per diluted share, compared with $0.78 in the comparable prior year period. Excluding special items, the company’s non-GAAP earnings were $0.95, compared with $0.78 last year.
Consolidated Water (CWCO) 2015 Third Quarter Update
Consolidated Water (CWCO) reported 2015 third quarter earnings of $0.12 per share, compared with $0.13 per share in the prior year comparable quarter. Revenues of $14.6 million, were down 14% from $17.0 million last year. Both earnings and revenues fell … Continue reading
Brightcove 2015 Third Quarter Update
The company reported a third quarter GAAP loss of $0.04 per share, much better than last year’s $0.12 loss. Adjusted (non-GAAP) EPS, which excludes (non-cash) stock-based compensation and merger-related costs was positive at $0.03, a reversal of last year’s $0.03 … Continue reading
Consolidated Water (CWCO) Update
Consolidated Water reported net income attributable to stockholders of $2.23 million or 15 cents per share for the 2015 second quarter ended June 30. This was below last year’s $2.76 million or $0.19 per share and also a penny short … Continue reading