Report
Dave Nicoski ...
  • Ross LaDuke
EUR 233.53 For Business Accounts Only

Vermilion Compass: Weekly Equity Strategy

Bullish Outlook Intact

Amid rising Middle East tensions, investors have moved to safe-havens including Treasuries and gold, all while having a muted effect on the US equity market. At this point in time, the rising tensions have done virtually no damage to the bullish trends and indicators that continue to dominate the market. We remain bullish.

• 10-Year Treasury. The 10-year yield has fallen to logical support at the uptrend or 1.75%, a level we expect to hold. A breakdown would raise concerns of a deeper pullback for US equities... see chart below.

• Gold Testing Key Resistance. Gold prices have shot higher, hitting levels not seen since 2013. We remain bullish long-term on gold, however the $1,560 zone is a key short-term resistance level to watch (equivalent to $148.50 on the GLD)... see chart below. Additionally, gold miners have been unable to break above key resistance levels, including $31 on the GDX and $43 on the GDXJ.

• Energy/Crude Oil. Cap- and equal-weighted Energy Sectors have continued to improve in terms of our Relative Strength Rankings (RSR)... see page 2. WTI and Brent crude oil prices continue to build a bullish base, however both are now testing logical resistance at the highs made in September 2019 amid the attack on Saudi oil facilities. Levels to watch include $63.40 for WTI and $69.65 for Brent... see page 3.

• Small-Caps. The Russell 2000 and S&P 600 indexes remain on bullish trajectories and we expect to see support at current levels which coincide with the 20-dma. Small vs. large-cap ratios are also testing logical support... see page 4.

• Growth, FAANG. Despite strength in Energy, growth vs. value ratios indicate that growth is leading. That includes FAANG, as price and RS trends are bullish for all members. We also highlight actionable growth stocks within Services (SV-06) and Health Care (biotech). Stocks highlighted: FB, AMZN, AAPL, NFLX, GOOGL, FCN, CSGP, TRU, FICO, AGIO, BMRN, IMMU, and FLXN... see pages 5-9.

In today's report we highlight attractive Groups and stocks within Manufacturing, Services, Technology, and Transportation: MF-03 Aero Defense, Large-Cap, SV-07 HR & Employment Svcs, Large-Cap, TE-21 Optical Equipment, and TR-09 Shipping, Energy... see pages 17-30.
Underlyings
Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Agios Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on areas of hematologic malignancies, solid tumors and rare genetic diseases. The company's product, TIBSOVO? (ivosidenib) is for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML) with a susceptible isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 mutation. The company's other product is IDHIFA? (enasidenib) for patients with R/R AML and an IDH2 mutation. The company's pre-commercial clinical cancer product candidates include: vorasidenib, a brain-penetrant pan-IDH mutant inhibitor; and AG-270, an orally available selective inhibitor of methionine adenosyltransferase 2a.

Alphabet Inc. Class A

Alphabet is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the company is engaged in a collection of businesses, which its primary business is Google. The company reports all non-Google businesses collectively as Other Bets. Google's main products and platforms are Android, Chrome, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. The company also provides advertisers with tools that help them attribute and measure their advertising campaigns. In addition, Other Bets includes Access, Calico, CapitalG, GV, Verily, Waymo, and X, among others. Other Bets primarily engages in the sales of internet and TV services through Access as well as licensing and research and development services through Verily.

Amazon.com Inc.

Amazon.com serves consumers through its online and physical stores. The company also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablet, Fire TV, Echo, and Ring, and the company develops and produces media content. The company operates customer service centers and provides programs that enable sellers to grow their businesses, sell their products in its stores, and fulfill orders through the company The company serves developers and enterprises of various sizes, including start-ups, government agencies, and academic institutions, through its Amazon Web Services segment, which provides a set of global compute, storage, database, and other service offerings. The company also provides services, such as advertising.

Apple Inc.

Apple designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related services. The company's products include: iPhone; Mac; iPad; and wearables, home and accessories, which includes AirPods?, Apple TV?, Apple Watch?, Beats? products, HomePod?, iPod touch? and other Apple-branded and third-party accessories. The company's services include: digital content stores and streaming services; AppleCare, which includes AppleCare + (AC+) and the AppleCare Protection Plan; iCloud, which is the company's cloud service; licensing; and other services, which include Apple Arcade?, Apple Card?, Apple News+, and Apple Pay, a cashless payment service.

Applied Optoelectronics Inc.

Applied Optoelectronics provides fiber-optic networking products, for four networking end-markets: internet data center, cable television, telecommunications, and fiber-to-the-home. The company designs and manufactures a range of optical communications products at varying levels of integration, from components, subassemblies and modules to complete turn-key equipment. The company's components often incorporate one or more of its optical laser chips inside a precision housing that provides mechanical protection as well as standardized electrical contacts. Other optical components may also include optical filters or other optical elements by which optical signals are routed internally within the component.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical is a biotechnology company that develops and commercializes therapies for people with serious and life-threatening rare diseases and medical conditions. The company's commercial products are Aldurazyme (laronidase) for Mucopolysaccharidosis I; Brineura (cerliponase alfa) for the treatment of late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2; Kuvan (sapropterin dihydrochloride) for the treatment of phenylketonuria; Naglazyme (galsulfase) the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis VI ; Palynziq (pegvaliase-pqpz) for adult patients with phenylketonuria; and Vimizim (elosulfase alpha) for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis IV Type A.

Capital Product Partners L.P.

Capital Product Partners is an international owner of tanker, container and drybulk vessels. As of Dec 31 2017, Co.'s fleet of 36 modern high specification vessels (2.6 million dwt), consists of four Suezmax crude oil tankers, twenty-one MR tankers, all of which are classed as IMO II/III vessels, ten neo-panamax container carrier vessels and one Capesize bulk carrier. Co.'s vessels are capable of carrying a range of cargoes, including crude oil, refined oil products such as gasoline, diesel, fuel oil and jet fuel, edible oils and certain chemicals, such as ethanol, as well as dry cargo and containerized goods.

Ceridian HCM Holding Inc.

Ceridian HCM Holding is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the company is a human capital management (HCM) software company. Dayforce, the company's cloud HCM platform, provides human resources (HR), payroll, benefits, workforce management, and talent management functionality. In addition to Dayforce, the company sells Powerpay, a cloud HR and payroll solution for the Canadian small business market, through both direct sales and established partner channels. The company also continues to support customers using its Bureau solutions, which it generally stopped selling to new customers. The company invests in maintenance and necessary updates to support its Bureau customers and continues to migrate them to Dayforce.

Ciena Corporation

Ciena is a networking systems, services and software company, providing solutions that enable a range of network operators to deploy and manage networks that deliver services to businesses and consumers. The company provides hardware, software and services that support the transport, switching, aggregation, service delivery and management of video, data and voice traffic on communications networks. The company's solutions are used by communications service providers, cable and multiservice operators, Web-scale providers, submarine network operators, governments, enterprises, research and education institutions and other network operators.

COSTAR GROUP INC

CoStar Group provides information, analytics and online marketplace services to the commercial real estate and related business community through its database of commercial real estate information covering the U.S., the U.K., and parts of Canada, Spain, Germany and France. The company provides online marketplaces for commercial real estate, apartment rentals, lands for sale and businesses for sale. The company operates within two operating segments, North America and International, and its services are distributed to its clients under subscription-based license agreements that renew automatically, a majority of which have a term of one year.

DHT Holdings Inc.

Dorian LPG

Euronav NV

Euronav is a provider of maritime shipping and offshore services engaged primarily in the transportation and storage of crude oil. As of Apr. 4, 2017, Co. owned and operated a modern fleet of 55 vessels (including four chartered-in vessels) with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 13.7 million deadweight tons, or dwt, consisting of 31 very large crude carriers, one ultra large crude carrier, 21 Suezmax vessels, and two floating, storage and offloading vessels. Co. has two operating segments: the operation of crude oil tankers on the international markets (tankers) and the floating production, storage and offloading operations.

Facebook Inc. Class A

Facebook is building and engaging products that enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality headsets, and in-home devices. The company's products include: Facebook, which enables people to connect, share, discover, and communicate with each other on mobile devices and personal computers; Instagram, which is a place where people can express themselves through photos, videos, and private messaging, and explore their interests in businesses, creators and communities; Messenger and WhatsApp, which are messaging applications; and Oculus, which connects people through its Oculus virtual reality products.

FAIR ISAAC CORP

Fair Isaac is a provider of analytic, software and data management products and services. The company's segments are: Applications, which includes pre-configured decision management applications designed for business problem or process, such as marketing, account origination, customer management, fraud, collections and insurance claims management; Scores, which includes its business-to-business scoring solutions and services, its business-to-consumer scoring solutions and services including myFICO? solutions for consumers, and associated services; and Decision Management Software, which is composed of analytic and decision management software tools and the company's FICO? Decision Management Suite.

Flexion Therapeutics Inc.

Flexion Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of local therapies for the treatment of patients with musculoskeletal conditions, beginning with osteoarthritis (OA), a type of degenerative arthritis. The company has an approved product, ZILRETTA?, the extended-release, intra-articular (meaning in the joint), injection indicated for the management of OA knee pain. The company's pipeline program, FX201, is a gene therapy product candidate designed to stimulate the production of an anti-inflammatory protein, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, providing at least one year of pain relief from OA of the knee.

Frontline Ltd.

FTI Consulting Inc.

FTI Consulting is a business advisory firm. The company's business segments are: Corporate Finance and Restructuring, providing interim management services; Forensic and Litigation Consulting, which provides business intelligence and risk mitigation services; Economic Consulting, providing law firms, companies, government entities and other parties with analysis of economic issues for use in legal, regulatory and international arbitration proceedings, strategic decision making and public policy debates; Technology, providing information governance, and e-discovery and data analytics software; and Strategic Communications, which designs and executes communications strategies for management teams.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is a military shipbuilding company and a provider of services to partners in government and industry. The company's segments include: Ingalls Shipbuilding, which designs and constructs non-nuclear ships for the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard, including amphibious assault ships, expeditionary warfare ships, surface combatants, and national security cutters; Newport News Shipbuilding, which is designing and constructing nuclear-powered ships, such as aircraft carriers and submarines, and the refueling and overhaul and the inactivation of such ships; and Technical Solutions, which includes businesses that are focused on life-cycle sustainment services.

Immunomedics Inc.

Immunomedics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing monoclonal antibody-based products for the targeted treatment of cancer. The company's product candidate is sacituzumab govitecan (IMMU-132), an antibody-drug conjugate for the treatment of patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who previously received at least two prior therapies for metastatic disease. The company also has other product candidates, which target solid tumors and hematologic malignancies in various stages of clinical and preclinical development, such as labetuzumab govitecan that binds the CEACAM5 antigen expressed on CRC and other solid cancers, and IMMU-140 for the treatment of hematologic malignancies.

Infinera Corporation

Infinera is a supplier of networking solutions comprised of networking equipment, software and services. The company's portfolio of solutions includes optical transport platforms, converged packet-optical transport platforms, optical line systems and disaggregated router platforms. Also, the company's product portfolio includes the Infinera DTN-X Family, the Infinera hiT 7300 platform, the Infinera mTera Series, the Infinera 7100 Series, the Infinera 7090 Series, and the Infinera XTM Series, among other. Software products include the Infinera Transcend Software Suite, which includes software-defined networking and network management software, and the company's converged network operating system routing software.

International Seaways Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lockheed Martin is a security and aerospace company. The company has four segments: Aeronautics, which is engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, sustainment, support and upgrade of military aircraft; Missiles and Fire Control, which provides air and missile defense systems, logistics, fire control systems, and mission operations support; Rotary and Mission Systems, which provides design, manufacture, service and support for military and commercial helicopters, radar systems, and simulation and training services; Space, which researches, designs, develops, engineers and produces satellites, space transportation systems, and strategic, strike, and defensive systems.

Lumentum Holdings Inc.

Lumentum Holdings is a provider of optical and photonic products addressing a range of end-market applications including Optical Communications (OpComms) and Commercial Lasers (Lasers) for manufacturing, inspection and life-science applications. The company's segments are: OpComms, which include a range of components, modules and subsystems to support customers including carrier networks of access, metro, long-haul and submarine applications; and Lasers, which provides lasers for the industrial and scientific markets used in a range of original equipment manufacturer applications including diode-pumped solid-state, fiber, diode, direct-diode and gas lasers such as argon-ion and helium-neon lasers.

MANPOWERGROUP

ManpowerGroup provides a range of workforce solutions and services, which include recruitment and assessment, training and development, career management, outsourcing, and workforce consulting. The company's family of brands and offerings includes Manpower, Experis, Right Management, and ManpowerGroup Solutions. The company's portfolio of recruitment services includes permanent, temporary and contract recruitment of professionals, as well as administrative and industrial positions. All of these services are provided under its Manpower and Experis brands. The company provides services under its Experis brand, particularly in the areas of Information Technology, Engineering, and Finance.

Navigator Holdings

Neophotonics

NeoPhotonics develops, manufactures and sells optoelectronic products that transmit, receive and switch high-speed digital optical signals for Cloud and data center internet content provider and telecom networks. The company focuses on products that operate at speed over distance, for 100 Gigabits per Second (G), 200G, and 400G and above data rates, such as at 600G and 800G. The company produces transmitter and receiver components and modules, as well as switching products, for 100G and beyond transmission over distances of two to 2,000 kilometers. The company integrates transmitter and receiver components into next generation pluggable transceiver modules.

Netflix Inc.

Netflix is engaged in subscription streaming entertainment service including TV series, documentaries and feature films across a variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, without commercials. Additionally, several members in the United States subscribe to the company's DVD-by-mail service. The company improves its streaming content with a focus on a programming mix of content. The company's members can download a selection of titles for offline viewing. The company operates its business as a global operating segment.

Nordic American Tankers Limited

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Northrop Grumman is a security company. The company's segments include: Aerospace Systems, which is engaged in the design, development, integration and production of manned aircraft, autonomous systems, spacecraft, high-energy laser systems, microelectronics and other systems and subsystems; Innovation Systems, which is engaged in the design, development, integration and production of flight, armament and space systems; Mission Systems, which is engaged in end-to-end mission solutions and multifunction systems; and Technology Services, which is engaged in delivering solutions and services in support of mission-critical networks and systems.

Raytheon Company

Raytheon, together with its subsidiaries, is a technology company, focused on defense and other government markets. The company has five segments: Integrated Defense Systems, which is engaged in integrated air and missile defense; large land- and sea-based radar solutions; command, control, communications, computers, cyber and intelligence solutions; Intelligence, Information and Services, which provides technical services to intelligence, defense, federal and commercial customers; Missile Systems, which produces missile and combat systems; Space and Airborne Systems, which develops integrated sensor and communication systems for missions; and Forcepoint, which develops cybersecurity products.

Robert Half International Inc.

Robert Half International provides staffing and risk consulting services. The company, through its Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, and Robert Half Management Resources divisions, is a provider of temporary, full-time, and project personnel in accounting and finance fields. The company's OfficeTeam division places office and administrative personnel, ranging from executive and administrative assistants to receptionists and customer service representatives. The Robert Half Technology division provides information technology contract consultants, places employees, and provides managed services in areas ranging from multiple platform systems integration to end-user technical and desktop support.

Scorpio Tankers Inc.

Teekay Tankers

TransUnion

TransUnion is an information and insights company. The company provides consumer reports, actionable insights and analytics such as credit and other scores, and decisioning capabilities to businesses. The company has the following reportable segments: United States Markets, which provides consumer reports, actionable insights and analytics such as credit and other scores, and decisioning capabilities to businesses; International, which provides services similar to its United States Markets segment to businesses in select regions outside the United States; and Consumer Interactive, which provides solutions that help consumers manage their personal finances and take precautions against identity theft.

Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd.

Provider
Vermilion Research
Vermilion Research

Vermilion Research delivers timely, actionable, and unique research inputs to professional investors. Our research strategists highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various proprietary technical indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. We believe our research methodology, which is not limited by industry sector or market capitalization, enables us to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing all actively traded stocks into coherent sectors, then into logical industry groups. We then apply our proprietary relative strength tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sectors or groups, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. Vermilion offers U.S. and global equity market research products. Vermilion’s research team, which has received numerous awards and accolades, has a combined 70 year of experience in the analysis of investment securities.

Analysts
Dave Nicoski

Ross LaDuke

Other Reports on these Companies
Other Reports from Vermilion Research

ResearchPool Subscriptions

Get the most out of your insights

Get in touch