Report
Dave Nicoski ...
  • John Betz
EUR 217.56 For Business Accounts Only

Vermilion Int'l Compass: Global Equity Strategy

Big-picture technicals offer a compelling outlook for equities -- in the long-run. Despite arguably stretched trends, especially in the U.S. and EM, one indicator in particular keeps us optimistic: monthly charts.

What is likely the least-used timeframe, monthly charts (> 20 years) offer the most clarity. And what's clear right now is: (1) Europe is on the doorstep of breaking above secular resistance; (2) Japan is breaking out above secular resistance; (3) and EM already has. Speaking of EM, we view this as the place to be, or overweight, in 2018. The EM/EAFE's 20-year chart (below) reveals an in-progress trend reversal (which developed at a secular trendline) in favor of EM.

In today's report we review every global sector, highlighting actionable stocks for each.


• Consumer Discretionary. Overweight (upgrade). The sector's relative strength trend depicts a bullish reversal, as autos, casinos, and retailers improve... see page 4

• Consumer Staples. Underweight. Great price action, poor relative strength... see page 5

• Energy. Overweight. Global energy stock's continue to respond to crude's rally topside a 3-year base pattern, helped by a deteriorating dollar... see page 6

• Financials. Overweight. Timely from a relative strength perspective. EM banks exhibit swift improvements. International exchange stocks are bullishly inflecting... see page 7

• Health Care. Underweight. Lagging from a sector-level perspective (blame Europe), but contains plenty of attractive bottom-up ideas. Upgrade candidate... see page 8

• Industrials. Market Weight (downgrade). We remain overweight U.S. industrials, but strengthening foreign currencies are beginning to have an adverse effect on foreign industrials, at least from a relative strength perspective... see page 9

• Materials. Overweight. Plenty of tailwinds support a bullish outlook, including the weakening dollar & strengthening commodities. Gold looks set to break out... see page 10

• Technology. Overweight. Tech's long-term leadership status remains intact, but finding stocks trading close to well-defined support levels is challenging... see page 11

• Utilities. Underweight. Relative strength is declining to decade lows... see page 12
Underlyings
Adidas AG

ACM Managed Dollar Income Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. This closed-end investment fund is designed for investors who seek high current income and capital appreciation. In order to achieve this objective, Co. invests primarily in high-yielding, U.S. and non-U.S. fixed income securities, denominated in U.S. dollars, that it expects to benefit from improving economic and credit fundamentals. Co. may utilize leverage through the investment techniques of reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls. As of Sept 30 2007, Co. had total assets of $192,614,325 and investment portfolio totalled $178,906,534.

Affiliated Managers Group Inc.

Affiliated Managers Group is a global asset management company with equity investments in boutique investment management firms (Affiliates). The company provides centralized capabilities to its Affiliates, including strategy, marketing and distribution, and product development. Through its Affiliates, the company provides strategies designed to assist institutional, retail and clients worldwide in achieving their investment objectives. The company provides boutique investment management services to retail investors through advisory and sub-advisory services to return-oriented mutual funds, Undertakings for the Collective Investment of Transferable Securities, collective investment trusts and other retail products.

AGRICULTURAL CREDIT SA

Credit Agricole is active in the market of retail banking and related businesses. Co. provides day-to-day banking, savings products, mortgage and consumer loans, insurance, private banking, asset management, lease finance and factoring, corporate and investment banking. Its activities can be divided into six business lines: French Retail Banking - Regional Banks; French Retail Banking - LCL; International Retail Banking; Specialized Financial Services; Savings Management and Insurance; and Corporate and Investment Banking. Co.'s customers are personal customers, farmers, small businesses, companies and local authorities. As of Dec 31 2013 Co.'s total assets amounted to Euro1,536,873,000,000.

Align Technology Inc.

Align Technology is a medical device company engaged in the design, manufacture and marketing of Invisalign? clear aligners and iTero? intraoral scanners and services for orthodontics, restorative and aesthetic dentistry. The company's segments are: Clear Aligner, which includes the Invisalign System, a method for treating malocclusion based on a proprietary computer-simulated virtual treatment plan and a series of doctor-prescribed, custom manufactured, clear plastic, removable aligners; and Scanners and Services, which includes Intraoral scanning that enables the dental practitioner to create a 3D image of the patient's teeth (digital scan) using a handheld intraoral scanner.

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Class B

Alimentation-Couche Tard is engaged in the sale of goods for immediate consumption, road transportation fuel and other products in the U.S., Europe and Canada. Co. operates its convenience store and road transportation fuel retailing chain under several banners, including Circle K, CoucheTard, Mac's, Kangaroo Express, Statoil, Ingo, Topaz and Re.Store. As of Feb. 4, 2018, Co.'s network is comprised of 10,020 convenience stores throughout North America, including 8,698 stores with road transportation fuel dispensing. Co. also operates a network across Scandinavia, Ireland, Poland, the Baltics and Russia through ten business units. As of Feb. 4, 2018, this network is comprised of 2,730 stores.

Allianz SE

Allianz is engaged in the provision of a range of insurance and asset management products and services. Co. has three business segments: Property-Casualty, which provides insurance products to both private and corporate customers, including motor liability and own damage, accident, general liability, fire and property, legal expense, credit and travel insurance; Life/Health, which provides life and health insurance products including annuities, endowment and term insurance, unit-linked and investment-oriented products and private health and supplemental health and long-term care insurance; and Asset Management, which provides institutional and retail asset management products and services.

BANCO DE SABADELL SA

Banco Santander S.A.

Banco Santander is a holding company, providing a range of financial products. Co.'s products and services include: retail banking business that covers all customer banking businesses; wholesale banking business; as well as asset management and insurance business. Co.'s principal operations are in Spain, the U.K., Portugal, Germany, Italy and Latin America. As of Dec 31 2014, Co.'s total assets amounted to Euro1,266,296,000,000 and total customer deposits amounted to Euro647,627,000,000.

Barclays PLC

Barclays is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Co. is a financial services provider engaged in retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services. Co.'s business segments are: Barclays U.K, which provides everyday products and services to retail customers and small to medium sized enterprises; Barclays International, which delivers products and services designed for Co.'s corporate, wholesale and international banking clients; and Head Office, which comprises head office and central support functions (including treasury) and businesses in transition.

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG

Bayerische Motoren Werke is a holding company, engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of cars and motorcycles. Co. owns three brands: BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. Co.'s BMW automobile range encompasses the 1 Series, including coupe and convertible models; the 3 Series, including sedan, touring, coupe and convertible models; the 5 Series, including sedan and touring models; the 6 Series, including coupe or convertible; the 7 Series large sedan; the Z4 roadster and coupe; the sports utility vehicles, X3, X5 and X6 and M models. Co. also provides cars under the MINI brand and motorcycles under the BMW brand. The Rolls-Royce brand provides three cars, Phantom, Coupe and Ghost.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

Bristol-Myers Squibb is engaged in the discovery, development, licensing, manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sale of biopharmaceutical products. The company's products are sold worldwide, primarily to wholesalers, specialty distributors, retail pharmacies, hospitals, government entities and the medical profession. The company manufactures products in the United States and Puerto Rico and has manufacturing operations in two foreign countries. The company has products in the following therapeutic classes: hematology, oncology, cardiovascular and immunology. The company's pharmaceutical products include chemically-synthesized or small molecule drugs and products produced from biological processes, called biologics.

Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation

Cabot Oil & Gas is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the development, exploitation, exploration and production of oil and gas properties. The company operates in one segment, natural gas and oil development, exploitation, exploration and production, in the continental United States. The company's operations are primarily concentrated in one unconventional play—the Marcellus Shale in northeast Pennsylvania.

Canadian Mining Corp

Carnival Corporation

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Chesapeake Energy is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the company is an independent exploration and production company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of properties to produce oil, natural gas and natural gas liquid from underground reservoirs. The company owns a portfolio of onshore U.S. liquids and natural gas assets. The company has positions in the resource plays of the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas, the stacked pay in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and the Anadarko Basin in northwestern Oklahoma. The company's natural gas resource plays are the Marcellus Shale in the northern Appalachian Basin in Pennsylvania and the Haynesville/Bossier Shales in northwestern Louisiana.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation Class H

Citigroup Inc.

Citigroup is a financial services holding company whose businesses provide consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, trade and securities services and wealth management. The company operates via two primary business segments: Global Consumer Banking, which provides banking services to retail customers through retail banking, Citi-branded cards and Citi retail services; and Institutional Clients Group, which includes banking and markets and securities services.

CNOOC Limited

Cnooc is an investment holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Co. is principally engaged in the exploration, development, production and sale of crude oil, natural gas and other petroleum products in offsore of the People's Republic of China. Co.'s core operation areas are Bohai, Western South China Sea, Eastern South China Sea and East China Sea in offshore China. Co. has oil and gas assets in Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Oceania and Europe. As of Dec 31 2016, net proved reserves for oil, gas, and synthetic oil were 2,015.4 million barrels, 7,486.1 billion cubic feet, and 7,486.1 million barrels, respectively.

Cochlear Limited

Cochlear is a for-profit entity and operates in the implantable hearing device industry. Co.'s implant systems comprise an implant which is inserted during surgery and an external sound processor. As of June 30 2016, Co. sold in over 100 countries and had a direct presence in approximately 20 countries and used distributors and agents in other areas. Manufacturing for the cochlear implant product range is based in Australia. The bone conduction implant product range is manufactured in Sweden. Co.'s supply chain operates with product being distributed from its manufacturing sites in Australia and Sweden to its regional distribution centres in the U.S., the U.K. and Panama.

CONTINENTAL AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Continental is an automotive industry supplier. Co.'s automotive divisions comprised of: Chassis & Safety, which develops and produces systems that provide safety and enhanced vehicle dynamics; Powertrain, which develops solutions for gasoline and diesel engines, as well as hybrid and electrical drive systems; and Interior, which provides solutions for information management within vehicles and networking between vehicles. Co.'s rubber divisions comprised of: Tires, which provides tires for passenger cars through trucks, buses and construction site vehicles to special vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles; and ContiTech, which develops products made from rubber and plastic.

Costco Wholesale Corporation

Costco Wholesale and its subsidiaries are principally engaged in the operation of membership warehouses based on the concept of providing its members low prices on a selection of nationally branded and private-label products. The company's merchandise are: food and sundries, which include dry foods, packaged foods, and groceries, snack foods, candy, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and cleaning supplies; hardlines, which include appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, and garden and patio; fresh food, which include meat, produce, deli, and bakery; softlines, which include apparel and small appliances; and ancillary, which include gas stations and pharmacy businesses.

CSL Limited

CSL is engaged in the research, development, manufacture, marketing and distribution of biopharmaceutical and allied products. Co.'s operations are divided into three segments: CSL Behring, Seqirus, and CSL Intellectual Property. CSL Behring is engaged in manufacturing, marketing and developing plasma therapies (plasma products and recombinants). Seqirus is engaged in manufacturing and distributing non-plasma biotherapeutic products. CSL Intellectual Property is engaged in the licensing of intellectual property of Co. to unrelated third parties. Co. operates primarily in five specific geographic areas, namely Australia, the U.S., Germany, Switzerland, and the U.K.

CVS Health Corporation

CVS Health is a health company. The company's segments are: Pharmacy Services, which provides a range of pharmacy benefit management solutions, including plan design offerings and administration, formulary management, and retail pharmacy network management services; Retail/Long-Term Care (LTC), which sells prescription drugs and general merchandise, including over-the-counter drugs, provides health care services through its MinuteClinic? walk-in medical clinics and conducts LTC pharmacy operations; and Health Care Benefits, which provides a range of voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans.

Daimler AG

Daimler provides a range of transportation products, including passenger cars and commercial vehicles, and also financial services. Co. operates in five segments. Mercedes-Benz Cars sells passenger cars and off-road vehicles under the Mercedes-Benz brand and small cars under the smart brand. The Daimler Trucks distributes its trucks (Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, FUSO, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses and BharatBenz). The vans of the Mercedes-Benz Vans segment are sold under the brand name Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner. Daimler Buses sells completely built-up buses (Mercedes-Benz and Setra). The Daimler Financial Services division supports sales of Co.'s automotive brands.

Daiwa Securities Group Inc.

EOG Resources Inc.

EOG Resources, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas primarily in main producing basins in the United States, The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, The People's Republic of China, Canada and, from time to time, select other international areas.

Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.

Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited

Galaxy Entertainment is an investment holding company, engaged in operation in casino games of chance or games of other forms, as well as the provision of hospitality and related services in Macau. In addition, Co. manufactures, sells and distributes construction materials through its Construction Materials Division across Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. Co.'s segments include gaming and entertainment, and construction materials.

GALP Energia SGPS SA Class B

Galp Energia is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Co. operates in the following segments: exploration and production, with activities relating to exploration, development and production of hydrocarbons, particularly in Angola, Brazil and Mozambique; refining and marketing, which owns refineries in Portugal and also includes activities relating to the retail and wholesale commercialization of oil products; and gas and power, which covers the purchasing, commercialization, distribution and storage of natural gas and electric and thermal power production. As of Dec 31 2014, Co. had proved and probable reserves of 638.0 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Gap Inc.

The Gap is an apparel retail company. The company provides apparel, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and children under the Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta, Intermix, and Hill City brands. The company has stores in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Ireland, Japan, Italy, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mexico, and has franchise agreements with unaffiliated franchisees to operate Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic stores throughout Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. Under these agreements, third parties operate stores that sell apparel and related products under the company's brand names.

General Motors Company

General Motors designs, builds and sells trucks, crossovers, cars and automobile parts. The company also provides automotive financing services through its subsidiary, General Motors Financial Company, Inc. (GM Financial). GM Financial provides retail loan and lease lending across the credit spectrum. GM Financial provides commercial lending products to dealers including new and used vehicle inventory floorplan financing and dealer loans, which are loans to finance improvements to dealership facilities, to provide working capital, and to purchase and/or finance dealership real estate. Other commercial lending products include financing for parts and accessories, dealer fleets and storage centers.

Genuine Parts Company

Genuine Parts is engaged in the distribution of automotive replacement parts, industrial parts, and business products. The company's reportable business segments are: Automotive, which distributes automotive parts and accessory items and provides inventory, cataloging, marketing, training and other programs to the automotive aftermarket; Industrial, which distributes industrial replacement parts and related supplies such as bearings, mechanical and electrical power transmission products, industrial automation, and hose, among others; and Business Products, which is engaged in the wholesale distribution of a line of office and other business-related products through a customer base of resellers.

Gildan Activewear Inc.

Gildan Activewear is engaged in the manufacturing and selling of activewear, socks and underwear. Co. sells activewear products to screenprint markets in North America, Europe and other international markets. Co. is the supplier of activewear for the screenprint channel in the United States, Canada, Europe and Mexico. Co. sells socks and underwear, in addition to its activewear products, to mass market and regional retailers in North America.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Goldman Sachs Group is a bank holding company and financial holding company. The company is a global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a range of financial services to corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. The company operates in four business segments: Investment Banking, which serves public and private sector clients and provides financial advisory services; Global Markets, which serves its clients who come to the company to buy and sell financial products, raise funding and manage risk; Asset Management, which provides investment services; and Consumer & Wealth Management, which provides a range of wealth advisory and banking services.

Grifols S.A. Class A

Grifols is engaged in developing, manufacturing and distributing a range of plasma derivative products. Plasma derivatives are proteins found in human plasma, which once isolated and purified, have therapeutic value. These protein-based therapies extend the lives of individuals who suffer from chronic and acute conditions. Co. also specializes in providing infusion solutions, nutrition products, medical devices, diagnostic instrumentation and reagents for use in hospitals and clinics. Co.'s products and services are used by healthcare providers in approximately 100 countries. Co.'s business is organized into three divisions: Bioscience, Diagnostic, Hospital and Raw Materials.

Honda Motor ADS

Hormel Foods Corporation

Hormel Foods is primarily engaged in the production of meat and food products and the marketing of those products throughout the United States and internationally. The company's segments are: Grocery Products, which consists of the processing, marketing, and sale of shelf-stable food products; Refrigerated Foods, which consists of the processing, marketing, and sale of branded and unbranded pork, beef, chicken, and turkey products; Jennie-O Turkey Store, which consists of the processing, marketing, and sale of branded and unbranded turkey products; and International and Other, which includes Hormel Foods International Corporation that manufactures, markets, and sells the company's products internationally.

Humana Inc.

Humana is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the company is a health and well-being company. The company manages its business with three segments: Retail, which consists of products sold on a retail basis to individuals including medical and supplemental benefit plans, such as Medicare and state-based Medicaid Contracts; Group and Specialty, which consists of employer group commercial fully-insured medical and specialty health insurance benefits, including dental, vision and life insurance benefits, as well as administrative services only; and Healthcare Services, which includes pharmacy solutions, provider services, clinical care services, and predictive modeling and informatics services

Husky Energy Inc.

Husky Energy is engaged in the exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas. Co.'s operations are located in Canada and United States. As of Dec. 31, 2011, Co. had total proved oil and natural gas reserves of 1,172.4 million barrels of oil equivalent (Mmboe) gross (1,010.7 Mmboe net).

IDEXX Laboratories Inc.

IDEXX Laboratories develops, manufactures, and distributes products and provides services primarily for the companion animal veterinary, livestock and poultry, dairy and water testing markets. The company operates primarily through three business segments: Companion Animal Group, which provides diagnostic and information management-based products and services for the veterinary market; Water Quality Products, which designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes products used in the detection of various microbiological parameters in water; and Livestock, Poultry and Dairy, which provides diagnostic products and services for livestock and poultry health.

Illumina Inc.

Illumina is engaged in sequencing- and array-based solutions for genetic and genomic analysis. The company provides whole-genome sequencing, genotyping, noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), and product support services. Using the company's services, customers can perform whole-genome sequencing projects and microarray projects (including large-scale genotyping studies and whole-genome association studies). The company provides NIPT services through its partner laboratories that direct samples to the company on a test send-out basis in its Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments-certified, College of Pathologists-accredited laboratory. The company also provides support services to customers who have purchased its products.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited Class H

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton is a manufacturer and retailer of luxury goods. Co. offers champagne and wines, cognac and spirits, fashion and leather goods, perfumes and cosmetics, watches and jewelery; and is engaged in selective retailing. Its operations are organized along five business segments: Wine and Spirits, Fashion and Leather Goods, Perfumes and Cosmetics, Watches and Jewelery, and Selective Retailing. Co. is also engaged in other activities (Media with Les Echos group, La Samaritaine and Luxury yacht with Royal Van Lent). Some of Co.'s brands are Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Donna Karan, Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain, Parfums Givenchy, and TAG Heuer.

Magna International Inc.

Magna is a global automotive supplier whose product capabilities include producing body, chassis, exterior, seating, powertrain, electronic, vision, closure and roof systems and modules, as well as vehicle engineering and contract manufacturing. Co.'s operations are segmented on a geographic basis. Co.'s segments consist of North America, Europe, Asia and Rest of World.

McKesson Corporation

McKesson provides pharmaceuticals and medical supplies and services to its customers. The company's segments include: U.S. Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions, which provides distribution and logistics services for branded, generic, specialty, biosimilar and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs and other healthcare-related products to customers; European Pharmaceutical Solutions, which provides distribution and services to wholesale, institutional and retail customers in European countries where it owns, partners or franchises with retail pharmacies; and Medical-Surgical Solutions, which delivers medical-supply distribution, logistics, biomedical and other services to healthcare providers.

Mettler-Toledo International Inc.

Mettler-Toledo International is a supplier of precision instruments and services. The company manufactures weighing instruments for use in laboratory, industrial, packaging, logistics, and food retailing applications. The company also manufactures several related analytical instruments and provides automated chemistry solutions used in drug and chemical compound discovery and development. In addition, the company manufactures metal detection and other end-of-line inspection systems used in production and packaging and provides solutions for use in certain process analytics applications. The company has five segments: United States Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations, and Other.

Nike, Inc.

Nikon Corp.

Nikon and its affiliates are mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of precision and imaging products. Co.'s principal products include IC steppers, LCD steppers, digital SLR cameras, compact digital cameras, interchangeable camera lenses, microscopes, measuring instruments and inspection equipment, as well as retinal imaging products. Co. is also engaged in development of observation devices, including an IR1 infrared camera and an ultraviolet imager; the manufacture of solid-state lasers that emit a deep ultraviolet laser light with a 193-nanometer wavelength; the development and production of optical glass materials and ophthalmic lenses.

Nomura Holdings, Inc.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

ONEOK Inc.

Oneok is a midstream service provider. The company's segments include: Natural Gas Gathering and Processing, which provides midstream services to producers in North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma; natural gas liquids (NGLs), which owns and operates facilities that gather, fractionate, treat and distribute NGLs and store NGL products, primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico and the Rocky Mountain region; and Natural Gas Pipelines, which provides transportation and storage services to end users through its wholly owned assets and its ownership interests in Northern Border Pipeline Company and Roadrunner Gas Transmission, LLC.

Origin Energy Limited

Origin Energy is engaged in the operation of energy businesses including: exploration and production of oil and gas, electricity generation, wholesale and retail sale of electricity and gas, and sale of liquefied natural gas. Co. supplies energy to wholesale and retail energy markets in Australia and to the Asia Pacific region. Co. also has exploration and production operations in Australia and New Zealand, with exploration and production interests in the Otway, Bass and Cooper Basins in Australia, the Browse and Perth basins in Australia, the Bonaparte basin in north-western Australia, the Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory and the Taranaki and Canterbury Basins in New Zealand.

ORIX Corp.

Ovintiv Inc

Encana is in the business of the exploration for, the development of, and the production and marketing of natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids (NGLs). All of Co.'s reserves and production are located in North America. As at Dec. 31, 2016, total proved developed and undeveloped reserves for natural gas, oil, and NGLs were 2.90 billion cubic ft., 155.6 million barrels (MMbbls), and 150.4 MMbbls, respectively. Co.'s operating and reportable segments are: Canadian Operations, USA Operations, and Market Optimization.

Panasonic Corporation

Panasonic offers a range of products, systems and components for consumer, business and industrial use based on electronics and precision technology, expanding to building materials and equipment, and housing business. Co. divides its businesses into five segments: Appliances, Eco Solutions, Connected Solutions, Automotive & Industrial Systems and Other. Co.'s principal products include home appliances such as refrigerators, room air conditioners, washing machines and vacuum cleaners; lighting fixtures and electric lamps, video and audio equipment, electrical components, batteries, semiconductors and optical devices.

Perrigo Co. Plc

Petroleo Brasileiro S/A ADS

Swedish Match AB

Swedish Match develops, manufactures, markets, and sells snus and snuff, other tobacco products (cigars and chewing tobacco), and lights (matches and lighters). Snus and snuff are smokeless tobacco products that are produced and sold primarily in Sweden, Norway and the U.S. Other tobacco products represent cigars and chewing tobacco manufactured and sold on the U.S. market. Lights include manufacturing and distribution of matches and lighters. Other operations are primarily the distribution of tobacco products on the Swedish market. Primary brands include General snus, Longhorn moist snuff, White Owl cigars, Red Man chewing tobacco, Fiat Lux matches, and Cricket lighters.

Sysmex Corporation

Sysmex and its affiliates are mainly engaged in the healthcare business. Co. is involved in the development, manufacture, and sale of clinical laboratory testing equipment and reagents. Co. provides instruments, in vitro diagnostic reagents, and software for testing of blood and urine samples in the field of hematology, urinalysis, immuno-chemistry, clinical chemistry, and hemostasis. Co.'s principal products include hematology (XN-L and XN series, pocH™-80i, XP-300™), hemostasis (CS-5100™), immunochemistry (HISCL™-5000), and urinalysis (UD-10™, UF-5000™, UC-3500™). Co. operates its operations in Japan, the Americas, EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), China and Asia Pacific regions.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

Takeda Pharmaceutical is a public company incorporated in Japan. Co. and its subsidiaries is a global pharmaceutical group and is engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products, over-the-counter (“OTC”) medicines and quasi-drug consumer products, and other healthcare products. Co.'s principal pharmaceutical products include medicines in the following therapeutic areas: gastroenterology, oncology and neuroscience.

Tesco PLC

Tesco is a retailer. Co. and its subsidiaries are engaged in retailing and associated activities in the U.K. and Republic of Ireland; and Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Co. provides retail banking and insurance services through Tesco Bank in the U.K. Co. sells and services of motor and home insurance policies underwritten by Tesco Underwriting Limited, or in a minority of cases by a third-party underwriter. As of Feb 25 2017, Co. had a total of 6,809 stores worldwide, including 256 franchised stores.

Tesla Inc

Tesla designs, develops, manufactures, sells and leases electric vehicles and energy generation and storage systems, and provides services related to its products. The company operates as two reportable segments: automotive, which includes the design, development, manufacturing, sales, and leasing of electric vehicles as well as sales of automotive regulatory credits; and energy generation and storage, which includes the design, manufacture, installation, sales, and leasing of solar energy generation and energy storage products, services related to such products, and sales of solar energy system incentives.

Toyota Motor ADS

Travelers Companies Inc.

Travelers Companies is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the company is engaged in providing commercial and personal property and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations and individuals. The company's segments include: Business Insurance, which provides property and casualty insurance and insurance-related services; Bond and Specialty Insurance, which provides surety, fidelity, management liability, professional liability, and other property and casualty coverages and related risk management services, and certain specialty insurance products; and Personal Insurance, which writes property and casualty insurance covering individuals' personal risks.

Tyson Foods Inc. Class A

Tyson Foods is a food company. The company's operations consist of breeding stock, contract farmers, feed production, processing, further-processing, marketing and transportation of chicken and related allied products, including animal and pet food ingredients. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Cobb-Vantress, Inc., the company is engaged as poultry breeding stock supplier. The company also processes live fed cattle and hogs and fabricates dressed beef and pork carcasses into primal and sub-primal meat cuts, case-ready beef and pork and fully-cooked meats. The company produces a range of fresh, frozen and refrigerated food products. The company operates in Beef, Pork, Chicken and Prepared Foods segments.

Ultrapar Participacoes S/A ADS

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Vertex Pharmaceuticals is focused on developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) and developing research and development programs in other indications. The company's marketed products are TRIKAFTA (elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor), SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI (tezacaftor in combination with ivacaftor), ORKAMBI (lumacaftor in combination with ivacaftor) and KALYDECO (ivacaftor), which are approved to treat patients with CF who have specific mutations in their cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene. The company is evaluating CTX001, a genetic therapy as a potential treatment for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia.

Williams Companies Inc.

Williams Companies is an energy infrastructure company focused on connecting North America's hydrocarbon resource plays to markets for natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs) through its gas pipeline and midstream business. The company's segments are: Transmission & Gulf of Mexico, which includes the company's subsidiary, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, an interstate natural gas pipeline that extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the eastern seaboard; Northeast G&P, which includes the company's natural gas gathering, compression, processing, and NGL fractionation businesses; and West, which includes the company's interstate natural gas pipeline.

Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd.

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Vermilion Research
Vermilion Research

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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

John Betz

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