The Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has detailed a technology advance in Sodium Ion battery technology that, if replicated, could overcome one of the major hurdles limiting mass adoption of electric vehicles, the slow charge rates for…

Contained within UnitedHealth Group (UNH-NYSE, $504.68), The Cigna Group (CI-NYSE, $352.38) and CVS Health Corporation (CVS-NYSE, $69.65) are three separate divisions poorly understood by retail, and to some extent, glossed over by institutional investors in terms of business upside. These…

What would the investment world do with their modeling, were the current interest rate environment be designated, not as a “peak”, but rather, a “floor”? For the second time this week, both a present Federal reserve governor and a former…

For Q1, 2024 the 3 US representative indexes posted the following returns. DJIA: 5.6%. S&P 500: 10.2% NASDAQ Composite: 9.1% For Q1, 2024, the Gnostic Global Portfolio started the year off with a valuation of $845.43 per share and closed…

In a smallish western film titled Appaloosa, a US Marshall and his deputy are tasked with arresting and/or killing several criminals trying to facilitate a prison break. Preceding the battle is a typical build-up of tension, with the heroes and…

Oprahmercial: an infomercial designed specifically for the financial betterment of Oprah Winfrey. Monday’s one hour prime time special on GLP-1 weight loss drugs was a not-so-subtle attempt to put the thumb on the scale of the weight loss duopoly in…

Oprah Winfrey’s public statements, and decision to step away from the Weight Watcher’s brand, is as clear an indication of the shift away from lifestyle choices towards weight management, in favor of pharmaceutical options, as can be intimated. There really…

The Grupo Chedraui Q4 conference call offered insights that suggest a Chedraui has designs upon mimicking the highly successful ALDI format, in Mexico. The Supercito banner in Mexico operated by Grupo Chedraui represents a relatively novel venture. Small footprint local…

Investment modeling attempts to take into account as many variables as possible, but almost never starts with a clean slate. There is always a posit at the outset, and modeling either refutes it, supports it or straddles the fence. Modeling…

Cigna announced the sale of their Medicare Advantage business, with a planned close in 2025. The planned sale represents the complete exit by Cigna from government payor retiree healthcare programs. At a potential all-in price of $3.7 billion, the profit…

TSM, the world’s largest contract chip manufacturer, surpassed analyst expectations for the final quarter of 2023. Revenue was $19.62 billion US, down 4.6% from the prior year. Earnings, at $1.44 per share, were down 23% from the $1.87 US reported…

Grupo Chedraui, the fast growing Mexican and US grocer, provided their modeling template on US and Mexican expansion. A total of 16 larger grocery stores (grocers and supercenters) as well as 100 of the smaller format (supercito) mini-grocers, for a…

The entirety of the lithium-ion battery industry, as well as the major players in the EV automotive industry, fail to acknowledge the potentially fatal flaw in the marketing of their wares to consumers and governments; a basic accounting term known…

The fiscal 4th quarter of 2023 produced a broadly based rally among all classes of equity index in North America. The DJIA increased by 12.5% in Q4. The S&P 500 advanced 11.2% and the NASDAQ Composite Index continued its turnaround…

ASUR, the operator of Mexican airports primarily known as the manager of the Cancun International Airport, received a Mexican rate determination that should be less punitive on the bottom line than was anticipated back in August. The outgoing president of…

Solvay SA, the world’s largest producer of soda ash, has successfully separated their value added materials business, which trades under the name of Syensqo. Solvay shareholders, at the time of demerger, will receive shares in Syensqo pro rata to their…

In a happy turn of events, Cigna management decided to end all negotiations with Humana Inc. on a combination. I have argued, backed by volumes of capital markets texts, that one of the most destructive capital markets transactions is a…

Cigna Group and Humana Inc. shares both fell sharply today on a leaked rumor of a potential combination. Shareholders of Cigna and Humana were both flummoxed by the simultaneous decline; typically a takeover candidate rises in price on merger news,…

Cigna reported a strong earnings result for Q3. The commercially focused health insurer and second largest PBM (pharmacy benefit manager) in the United States produced a Q3 fiscal result ahead of Wall Street expectations. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-cigna-group-reports-strong-third-quarter-2023-results-raises-2023-adjusted-eps-revenue-and-cash-flow-outlook-301975561.html Cigna’s newest PBM contract win…

No plan survives contact with the enemy (Field Marshall Helmut von Moltke) Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth (Mike Tyson) The Mexican government announced a unilateral reduction in airport tariff fees for the publicly operated…

Reports that Waffle House employees demand a starting wage of $25 per hour bodes ill for the US economic fight against inflation. Waffle House staff, negotiating under the Union of Southern Service Workers, have gone on strike, demanding a $25…

The fiscal quarter was all red ink for the major indices. The S&P 500 declined by 3.6%, the DJIA fell by 2.6% and the NASDAQ Composite Index declined by 4.1% for the third quarter of 2023. The Gnostic Portfolio was…

The 100 + acre Southern Pines retail development is preparing to add BJs Wholesale Club to the list of prospective tenants. https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2023/09/13/bjs-wholesale-starbucks-morganton-park-south.html When completed, BJ’s Wholesale will report more locations in North Carolina than does Costco. Of perhaps greater competitive…

Mexico maintains position as largest trade partner of the US https://www.dallasfed.org/research/economics/2023/0711 https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2023-mexico-china-us-trade-opportunity/

“Two Heads are better than one.” “It Takes a village to raise a child.” “It takes 2 flints to make a fire.” “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together“. These quotes…