Report
Valens Research

UVV - Embedded Expectations Analysis - 2018 04 13

Universal Corporation (UVV:USA) currently trades near historical lows relative to UAFRS-based (Uniform) Assets, with a 0.8x Uniform P/B, implying bearish expectations for the firm. Moreover, management has concerns about crop volumes, income, and market share

Specifically, management is confident that their earnings from operations in 2018 have been impacted by lower burley crop volumes in Africa. Additionally, they may have concerns about declining net income and segment operating income year-over-year, and may also be concerned about declines in revenue as a result of lower sales volumes and lower other revenues. Finally, they may be exaggerating their continued market share improvements in certain places, and may lack confidence in the sustainability of further SG&A improvement going forward
Underlying
Universal Corp

Universal is a holding company. Through its subsidiary, the company is engaged in supplying leaf tobacco. The company has the following segments: North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, which are involved in flue-cured and burley leaf tobacco operations for supply to cigarette manufacturers; Dark Air-Cured, which supplies dark air-cured tobacco to manufacturers of cigars, pipe tobacco, and smokeless tobacco products; Oriental, which supplies oriental tobacco to cigarette manufacturers; and Special Services, which provides laboratory services, including physical and chemical product testing, electronic nicotine delivery system and e-liquid testing, and smoke testing for customers.

Provider
Valens Research
Valens Research

In 2009, just as the dust was settling from the last major equity and credit market crises, we launched a boutique research firm with the intention of breaking Wall Street’s biases and broken incentives:

  • GAAP and IFRS have failed to provide rules for reliable financial statement reporting
  • Stock analyst recommendations are not grounded in disciplined financial analysis
  • Credit agencies have been set up to grossly fail in their responsibilities to investors and the public markets
  • Utter lack of willingness of major research firms to employ the the most advanced forensic analysis available

We sought to provide investors and company analysts with a source of information that changed all that.
Many years later, our business model remains because little has changed on Wall Street.

  • Corporate credit ratings remain years behind the fundamental underpinnings of company performance
  • Stock analysts continue to make recommendations with deeply inherent biases
  • Research firms have failed to break down the walls between credit, equity, and macroeconomic research
  • The governing accounting bodies have created more leeway for mis-estimates and mis-classifications as financials have become unwieldy and overwhelming

The integrity of Valens Research is founded in our disciplined processes and analytics. No “star” analysts. No corporate advisory relationships. No-nonsense opinions and recommendations.

Analysts
Valens Research

Other Reports on these Companies
Other Reports from Valens Research

ResearchPool Subscriptions

Get the most out of your insights

Get in touch