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Balance sheet, debt leverage and risks

The balance sheet forms the third pillar for figure-based assessment of the company, with the other two being the income statement and the cash flow statement.

2023-03-27 by Erkki Vesola
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Interest rate peak at hand

In this post, we briefly discuss yesterday's Fed rate decision and the inflation picture. Then let's see how Europe seems to be dodging the energy crisis. No wonder that in our part of the world equities have been overperforming.

2023-03-23 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Should you buy the dip?

In this post, we talk about how the banking drama has continued with the collapse of Credit Suisse and increased intervention in the faltering sector and how all this affects the economy. Finally, a little reflection on whether to buy shares in the current dip.

2023-03-21 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Green transition, part 2: emissions trading reform still veiled in mystery

The European Union's emissions trading system (EU ETS) is being renewed. The Council of Europe and the European Parliament reached a preliminary political consensus on the reforms at the end of last year. Here is why investors are likely to be interested in how the proposed reforms affect companies.

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Strategy and how to evaluate it

From an investor's perspective, the strategy provides an opportunity to examine the credibility of the plan to increase shareholder value.

2023-03-20 by Pauli Lohi
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Amazon and Costco in Sweden: A looming threat that Nordic retailers ignore at their peril

Changes that are small and happen gradually are the most difficult to respond to. The indirect threat is hard to measure. Thus responding is ignored as the threat of loss of business is barely noticeable in the business case excels.

2023-03-17 by Arhi Kivilahti
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Emergency Edition: Market in turmoil

In this second Emergency Edition of the week, I'll share a few graphs about the market turmoil, including the meltdown of Credit Suisse. Then we look at the latest inflation data, followed by a reflection on the current state of the market in the shadow of the banking crisis.

2023-03-16 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Data sources and background work

Initiating analysis of a new company starts with understanding the business model. This is absolutely crucial, as it will help understand how changes in the operating environment affect the company and its figures later on.

2023-03-15 by Olli Vilppo
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A major bank collapses in the US

Stock markets have seen little wobble after the second-largest bank failure in history in the United States fell into the hands of the authorities. This event practically dominated the news over the weekend and that's why I decided to publish this post quickly on Monday as an exception. There's also a bit of talk in this post about share buybacks and China's economic ambitions.

2023-03-13 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Fed keeps on running to and fro after data

Stock markets have been showing red colors as the Fed continues to tighten monetary policy more than expected. Stocks cannot escape an overly hot economy, while banks are taking huge hit from the inverted yield curve. In this post, let's talk about Fed's Powell's recent rant about the future direction of monetary policy. Before that, a quick look at how public savings covertly support economy the US, which will further complicate the Fed's tightening efforts.

2023-03-10 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Special Edition: Long-term equity returns

In this Special Edition of What’s Up with Stonks, we will talk about long-term equity returns. This time the review also includes raw materials, which have often provided a good hedge against inflation.

2023-03-07 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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What does negative working capital mean and why is it a good thing?

Depending on the nature of the business, and hence the business model, working capital efficiency may be a very relevant component when examining the return on invested capital generated by the business, which ultimately determines whether the company creates value through its business.

2023-03-07 by Eemeli Oikarainen
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Forecasting

Forecasts have a legitimate place in a comprehensive company analysis and in determining the true value of a business.

2023-03-06 by Joonas Korkiakoski
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Words of wisdom from Warren Buffett

In this post, we’ll briefly discuss China's economic recovery and then take a look at the latest inflation data for Europe. Finally, I’ll share a few words of wisdom from Buffett's recent investor letter.

2023-03-02 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Inflation is not abating

In this post, we discuss how liquidity is improving globally. However, I’m bringing a new perspective to this familiar topic. Then we will look at the latest inflation data, which throws more ice on the disinflation camp. Finally, we will take a look at the valuation of the S&P 500, and how it’s hard to get a flattering picture of the index.

2023-02-28 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Research process

The recommendation and target price are only the cherry on top in research and thorough company research requires a huge amount of background work.

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Pivot hopes dashed

In this post, we talk about how recent data shows that economic growth in the eurozone is accelerating. At the same time, interest rate expectations are ballooning, which is not pleasant for equities. This is followed by a brief reflection on how interest rate hikes will perhaps have to go further than expected, as their impact seems to be limited so far.

2023-02-23 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Greed has returned to the market

In this post, let's talk about what rising stock prices tell us about future economic developments. Investors are no longer waiting for a recession. Then let's take a look at how the surge in share prices has brought greed back to investors. Before these topics, I'll go through a few fun graphs from the market, as per usual.

2023-02-21 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Why have stocks gone up?

In this short edition of What’s Up with Stonks, let's about the recent inflation data, which is uncomfortably persistent. Then we will look at the reason behind the stock market rally of recent months, namely liquidity developments. Central banks are not quite as tight on monetary policy as they appear to be.

2023-02-16 by Verneri Pulkkinen
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Economic growth accelerates against expectations

In this post, we will talk about how economic growth seems to be picking up again, which could re-accelerate inflation. Sure, there are also signs of a slowdown here and there, but nothing dramatic. Then we look at the earnings season in the US, which is practically a done deal. What is most interesting is how the forecasts for the future have evolved.

2023-02-14 by Verneri Pulkkinen