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Opprobrium~Harsh Censure~ Charlie Munger thrashes Valeant Pharma calling it a sewer

Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger

Came across the use of Opprobrium in context of the shaming the conduct of  Valeant Pharmaceuticals, once the darling of Wall Street

It stands for Harsh Criticism or Censure or public disgrace for shameful conduct…. Valeant has been accused of Price gouging, secret network of speciality pharmacies & fraud  

Always loved the Bluntness of Charlie Munger ,Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.He’s 92 now and his words carry huge weight

Yesterday at BH’s AGM in Omaha,both Warren Buffett & he took on pre-selected questions for several hours.This Q & A is one of the most awaited sessions at the AGM

A question was asked on Sequoia’s Investment in the embattled Valeant Pharmaceuticals.Warren likes Sequoia but their decision to invest in Valeant was unfortunate  & the manager who made that decision has been fired

Here’s what both Buffett & Munger said on Valeant yesterday

Charlie Munger ~ “Valeant of course was a Sewer and those who are directors deserve all the OPPROBRIUM they’re getting”  

Warren Buffett ~ In my view the Business Model of Valeant was enormously flawed…….one can see patterns of ‘Chain Letter’ Wall Street Schemes….If you’re looking for a manager you want someone who is intelligent, energetic, and moral.But if they don’t have the last one, you don’t want them to have the first two”

In 2015 William Ackman whose Pershing Square Fund has been much maligned for supporting Valeant and taking a huge equity position of @ 9% equity stake in it had sought Warren Buffett’s help in seeking an appointment with Charlie Munger with the then CEO of Valeant,Michael Pearson.Buffett directed Ackman to connect directly with Munger. Munger did not respond…..Pearson is just out and Valeant has a new CEO Joe Pappa

Valeant Pharma’s Share Price  is just under US $ 34 today with a fallen market cap of US $ 11.45 b.It’s crashed from a 52 Week High of US $ 263.81 ! but up from a 52 week low of @ US $ 25

Interestingly,Aswath Damodaran,the Valuation Guru has recently worked out a Value of US $ 43.66 for Valeant with Share Price level at US $ 32 and thinks it’s an emphatic buy ofcourse with caveat.He has taken a position

This has always been my pet theme of debate with many who grudgingly respect my principles but in the same breath think I’m foolish to let go a brilliant investment opportunity !

“Should you always shun a Company which has demonstrated serious lapses on Corporate Governance even if the Share Price & Objective Valuation beckon to buy?” read more

A Dose of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala on Future of Equity Market

Methinks every Indian Equity Investor needs a dose of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala (RJ) every few years! ~ any sooner it could be an Overdose !  😆 ~ just kidding !

I like the guy ! ~ right since I interacted with him when I invited him around 15 years ago at the turn of this century for interacting in an evening  Q & A session with my packed class of @ 90 participants in my Equity Portfolio Structuring and Stock Analysis Workshop at the BSE Training Institute as I thought he would add practical value & he did

“Boss ! I’m a Sadak Chaap ! ”  he had told us then as also how he had reconstructed his equity portfolio to concentrate only in a few stocks after the 2000 ICE debacle…so in a sense most of his Wealth has grown only in this Millennium in the past 15 years ~ and to his credit in Selections that were not really Blue Chip or Core

Yesterday had gone for an  IMC interactive meet in Mumbai to check out if RJ has sobered & matured in his ‘manner of speak’ over the years ~ I rarely watch Stock Channels ~ don’t even have a TV in office~  so was not really conversant with how & what he delivered in his appearances though knew of his initiating big stakes in companies

I am delighted to blog he has not changed ! ~ shot straight from the hip & mouth again as he always does ” I’m a satodia(translated to mean speculator)  & investor & not an economist” ~ his investment portfolio has spread into the Alternatives of  Bollywood Movie Production too with Kareena & Arjun starrer ‘Ki & Ka’ being his latest co production~ is into horse racing too and owns a few horses ~ passions perhaps where return on investments need not be measured in monies !?

Many perceive him as Dehati or Crude Dude for his rustic loud boorish way of speech~ but don’t let it fool you ! & he does not make any pretenses ~ he’s a CA by training & wears a fairly sharp mind

Money Talks & Crowd Laps it up all !~ many vigorously & ‘knowledgeably’ nodding in agreement

These RJ’s views & responses to questions posed should interest you :

On The Future of Equity Markets ~ Reiterates this is only the Trailer & we are going to witness a Mother of all Bull Runs.India is a thriving young Democracy with US $ 600 b in Savings every year.Equity Markets receive just US $ 50 b from this.This has to improve and it will ~ anyone ,any  doubt!?   

On Returns from Equity  ~ Ironically while his riches have been through multibagger 1000% + equity gains in concentrated high weightage stocks like Titan & Crisil he asserts that one should be happy with 18% CAGR gains and if it goes to 24% one should be really happy read more

Sensex disappoints in FY 16 as many of the 30 constituents lose big value

FY 16 has been a mixed year for Stocks with Markets on a downward drift  with  Sensex closing 9.4% lower  at 25341

Sensex disappoints in FY 16 as many of the 30 constituents lose big value 

Interesting & Heartening to it’s Shareholders ,Reliance has been the biggest constituent gainer at @ 27% while at the other end BHEL has lost half it’s value at 51% !  ~ another 11 companies have lost between @ 19% to 30 % values

Domestic Concerns revolved around  second consecutive failure of monsoon in 2015 &  slow pace of Reforms  & Corporate Earnings Lethargy with growth in single digits despite boasts of GDP Growth of over 7% and lower Inflation and Oil Price falling 40%

Global Concerns revolved around  China’s Growth slowing down considerably & It’s Stock Markets losing a lot of it’s froth in panic falls, continuing recession in Europe & expectations of the US Fed raising rate

Consequently FPI Inflows which were a record US $ 17 b in FY 2015, reversed to outflows of US 2.1 b in FY 16.These outflows would have been higher if last month March 2016  had not seen a reversal back to FPI Inflows of US $ 3.2 b 

In the first three months of this Calendar Year 2016 , January &  February 2016 witnessed significant outflows of US 1.67 b & US $0.8 b respectively that dropped Sensex to 23000 levels.On the back of many countries like Japan,Switzerland and Sweden embarking on Negative Interest Rate Policy,the  US Fed send out dovish signals and has delayed Rate hikes.This saw FPI Equity Inflows smartly cross US $ 3 b in  March 2016  getting them back into the Green in 2016 & revive the Sensex back up @ 10% to 25500 levels or else FY 16 would have seen a Sensex drop of nearly 5000 points & @ 18%,double than what it actually did in the end

Here are some FY 16 Trend observations :

  • Sensex closed down 9.4%.It was down @ 18 % just around a month ago but smartly pulled back on record US $ 3b FPI Inflows in March 2016
  • Of the 30 Sensex Constituents,amusingly after a seven year itch perhaps 🙂  Reliance is the biggest gainer  at 27% taking it’s Market Cap to US $ 49 b,next only to top TCS  which  despite a flat year retains Top Market Cap of US $ 73b !
  • Six Scrips,including all weather favourite TCS (Market Cap US $ 73b) have remained flat
  • Of the Four Banks,only HDFC Bank stays in the Green just about,the rest have lost lot of value from one third to one fifth
  • India Growth Proxy Larsen & Toubro has lost 26% Value
  • Four Pharma Majors have also dropped significantly from 13% to 28%
  •  Three IT Bellweathers saw Wipro down 10%,Infy up 10% and TCS  in between remaining flat
  • Of the Five Auto Majors,the two 2-wheelers are both in the green,two ,Maruti & M & M are flat while Tata Motors has lost 30% value
  •  Three eternal FMCG Favorites,ITC,Asian Paints & HUL have held up
  •    After a Steel Sector Battering past few years,Tata Steel is now catching it’s breath
  • All  Five  Non Bank PSUs continue to flounder ~ BHEL has lost half it’s Value follwed by ONGC down 30% ,Coal India down 19%,NTPC down 13% & Gail down 8%
  • Housing Finance Leader HDFC too has taken a beating of @ 16%
  • Controversial Adani Group’s Adani Ports is down 20%
  • Telecom Leader Bharti Airtel is down 11% despite getting a 4G breather as Reliance’s Jio ,expected to be a sector disruptive force,launch continues to be delayed but should be fully operative by FY 17 year end
  • read more

    Warning !!! ~ Caution on Sang Froid Labs at BSE Upper Circuit Rs 8.71 !

    Warning !!! ~ Caution on Sang Froid Labs at BSE Upper Circuit Rs 8.71 !

    How can BSE even have allowed Sang Froid to be directly listed from October 2015 ! ?

    Bulk Trades ~ Lakhs of  Shares Trading Volume ~ Buy Reco being circulated under Share Khan Premium Service  with website as sharkhan.in  which just flashes on your screen repeatedly!!!

    PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM SANG FROID LABS

    SEBI must investigate how BSE allowed this Listing & the trading patterns in it….Wonder if  the Broking Group Sharekhan  & Pharma Co Ajanta Pharma will ignore that their names have been misused liked this for recommending Sang Froid…..I don’t believe Sharekhan has recommended this….& I dont believe Ajanta Pharma is associated with this company in any way let alone it being recommended as a Venture with it !   

    Right Now  this the Trap being set on the BSE Counter for Retail Suckers to buy into  with the reco on mobile circulation stating to buy 10000/20000 shares for  immediate rise to Rs 12/15 in just two days  for this Ajanta Pharma Venture !…Oh ! Stoploss of Rs 7 recommended too ! 

    Market Depth (10 Mar 2016)
    Buy Sell Qty Price Price Qty 7,84,413 8.70 8.71 16,101 6,47,460 8.69 7,59,942 8.68 5,43,568 8.67 5,16,346 8.66

    This Company does nothing ! though it says on it’s website it wants to do this and that !…suppose to be in pharma….has no real business….At March 31,2014 it had no employees (Employee expenses  were only Rs 48000! & Revenue only Rs 1.75 lakhs).KMP were Ajay  & Vijay Kumar Sachdev & and Jitendra H Gohel.

    Equity Issued & Subscribed was Rs 5.1 crs but paid up was just Rs 2.80 crs which included forfeited shares.The Negative Reserves were Rs 2.88 crs giving a negative networth at March 31,2014.The auditor was a Delhi Proprietory Firm M Madan & Co who signed the FY 14 Accounts in New Delhi on August 30,2014.There are barely any other Assets & Liabilities

    FY 15  Statements show a different auditor,Ahmedabad based Proprietor S Kansal &  Associates who signed the FY 15 Statements in Ahmedabad on April 14,2015,within a fortnight of year closure 

    The Equity now shows Rs 5.1 crs & Negative Reserves are now lower at Rs 2.02  crs given a positive Networth of Rs 3.08 crs which has been applied to Short Term Advances of Rs 1.42 crs & Other Current Assets of Rs 1.7 crs ~ no info on how the Negative reserves dropped so much given that topline & bottomline figures are worse than Lemon Juice Collections by a Street Vendor !…how did subscribed equity of Rs 5.1 crs which was paid up just Rs 2.80 crs become paid up Rs 5.1 crs?    read more

    Wow! A Full House NSE Training Fundamental Workshop !

    Wow! A Full House NSE Training Fundamental Workshop yesterday !

    Seems to get bigger & better every time !

    Did the first one on August 8,2015 and had blogged on it  as linked below

    Interesting Interaction at the NSE Equity Fundamental Training Workshop

    Sunday, August 16th, 2015

    Did this one too on “Interpretation of Financial Statements for Stock Analysis” under NSE’s Rapid Series at their NSE BKC Complex

    @ 30 Participants,both genders aged 22 to 58 from leading Broking Firms,Corporates,Banks and even Individuals who had come on dot and stayed till 8 pm ! expecting to learn how to read financial statements and  market dynamics to assess risks and opportunities in Indian Equities

    Common Question right from Manish Shah,who introduced himself  to me in the lift going up to the Class ” How are the Markets Looking “? ~ “Where will the Sensex & Nifty head in the short term”?

    Had taken a Bull along ! really !…a smaller version of the Wall Street one….told the class I love four animals…Elephants (Lord Ganesha),Lions (My Zodiac Sign),Tortoise(Good Luck & of course Bulls (I’m always one!)….and you’ll always find them on my office desk !…in fact four bulls of various sizes !…and clients know my market view on simply seeing how the bulls are placed !…if facing them straight up  (↑)  as they sit across me,I’m very bullish…if slanted ( ⁄ )towards them,I’m bullish…slant inclination reveals how much !….if a horizontal view (↔ ) then indicates market will remain flat to rangebound and if the bulls face me vertically (↓ ) I’m bearish !….and slant facing me shows intensity of being bearish !

    That got a few knowing laughs from the participants and set off the mood for the Workshop with humour being interspersed right through

    Interacted on the Sensex Dynamics right from base year 1978 and in the last 20 years from November 1,1995 to October 30,2015 when despite nearly half of the @ 4850 trading days saw the Sensex close negatively the Sensex ran up over 650% !…but is that enough!…..the Opportunities & Threats that were clearly visible during the years right from 1991 when Modern Reforms set in to 2001 when Markets had bottomed  out on the ICE Age Melting to the Sharp drop in Interest rates from 14% to 7% in and around 2004 to post Lehman 2008 levels of 8000 in October 2008 and March 2009….showed them from current Sensex of 26657 how to assess fundamentally where we could be heading and the risks associated….discussed Passive Index Investing vs Active Investing and therefore the need for Fundamental Analysis and therefore the need to Interpret Financials & therefore the need to assess Value vs Price  & therefore this Workshop  ! read more

    Anuh Pharma XB Rs 340 ~700% Gains in 2014-15 ~ Now What?

    Anuh Pharma was Rs 280 yesterday morning and is up to Rs 340 this morning !….yet down from ex bonus High of Rs 414.75 on August 12,2015…It was a liberal 2:1 Bonus with xb date being August 5,2015.Cum Bonus the Share Price was at times over Rs 1000. 52 Week xb High of Rs 414.75 implies a cb Price of Rs 1244 while today’s xb price of Rs 340 implies a cb price of Rs 1020 .It was at just Rs 130 twenty months ago in January 2014.Gains are @ 700 % since then in 2014-15 till date

    The Face Value is Rs 5 and the Equity has jumped from Rs 4.18 crs to Rs 12.54 crs with the Bonus

    FY 15 PAT was @ Rs 22 crs with EPS over Rs 26.Reserves at March 31,2015 were Rs 96.7 crs giving a networth of  @ Rs 101 crs and a Book of @ Rs 121

    Post the Bonus the Book had moved to just over Rs 43 (Rs 40 at March 31,2015) after considering the Rs 8 crs profit in  Q 1 FY 16

    Assuming a FY PAT of Rs 25 crs and Rs 30 crs the FY 16 EPS would be @ Rs 10 and Rs 12 respectively

    Fy 15  the Dividend was a healthy Rs 7 or 140 % (Interim of Rs 2 ~40%  & Final of Rs 5 ~100%)…this was @ 26.5%  payout from FY 15 Profits.Assuming similar payout for this year the Dividend should be @ 50% to 55 % on enhanced capital and would entail  payout towards  @ Rs 7 crs

    Adjusted for  FY 16 Projected Dividend the Networth should be @ Rs 120 to Rs 125 crs giving a Book of @ Rs 48 to Rs 50 at March 31,2016

    Using FY 16 Projected EPS & Book at the current share price of  Rs 340 this would  give a PE  Range of 28 to  34 and a PBV of @ 7

    Even if Zero Debt such Valuations are High and need to be supported by high CAGR or non linear growth in the offing over the coming years or a Takeover Situation.Last 5 Years CAGR on Topline is 10% and on Bottomline  is 12%….. exciting to run up such Relative Valuations?.So if it’s not based on the Past is there any Game Changing or Life Changing Future or Takeover that’s exciting ?

    Though the Company has acquired 7800 sqm adjoining existing 3600 sqm Tarapur,Boisar Factory Land for expansion it also states that they have enough capacity to produce more on demand and increase market share without further capex spend…they have a rated capacity of 900 mtpa for macrolides etc though maximum achievable capacity is 1140 mtpa and 12 mtpa for Corticosteroids…they are currently operating at 65% of the achievable capacity …that should be @ 750mtpa

    FY 15 Annual Report does not show any significant addition to Fixed Assets on account of the 7800 sq m land purchased .This must reflect in FY 16 accounts read more

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