Central Planners With Attitude

CENTRAL PLANNERS WITH ATTITUDE 

CLIENT TALKING POINTS

VISITING THE PAST

Sometimes when you begin to examine the market, you see a pattern or movements that remind you of years past. For instance, back in 2008 when the crisis was in full swing, a lot of people brought up dates like 1987 and 2001. Those were big events where the market took a turn for the worse and made a lot of people feel sick to their stomachs. To us, this market feels somewhat similar to the aforementioned years. It’s toppy. The S&P 500 can’t seem to keep it together above 1438 (we went short SPY at 1437). If you’re still playing the game of saying stocks are up year-to-date, it’s time to cut that out. Even after the crash of ’87 stocks were still up year-to-date despite a -23% down day.

CENTRAL PLANNERS WITH ATTITUDE

Central planners are popping caffeine pills and getting to work these days. There is no rest for the wicked. Bernanke is busy pushing 0% rates out until 2015 and will probably push them even further should he need to appease market participants even further. The argument is still the same: “Let me drop some QE into this market and you’ll have stocks and commodities rally!” The short-term stock gains don’t seem worth the pain at the pump and grocery store that the rest of America has to face. $150 oil just perpetuates slowing growth and that’s not something anyone wants, is it? 

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ASSET ALLOCATION

Cash:                UP

U.S. Equities:   Flat

Int'l Equities:   Flat   

Commodities: Flat

Fixed Income:  DOWN

Int'l Currencies: Flat

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TOP LONG IDEAS

NIKE (NKE)

Nike’s challenges are well-telegraphed. But the reality is that its top line is extremely strong, and the Olympics has just given Nike all the ammo it needs to marry product with marketing and grow in the 10% range for the next 2 years. With margin pressures easing, and Cole Haan and Umbro soon to be divested, the model is getting more focused and profitable.

• TRADE:  LONG
• TREND:  LONG
• TAIL:      LONG            

PACCAR (PCAR)

Emissions regulations in the US focusing on greenhouse gases should end the disruptive pre-buy cycle and allow PCAR to improve margins. Improved capacity utilization, truck fleet aging, and less volatile used truck prices all should support higher long-run profitability. In the near-term, Paccar may benefit from engine certification issues at Navistar, allowing it to gain market share. Longer-term, Paccar enjos a strong position in a structurally advantaged industry and an attractive valuation.

• TRADE:  LONG
• TREND:  LONG
• TAIL:      LONG

LAS VEGAS SANDS (LVS)

LVS finally reached and has maintained its 20% Macau gaming share, thanks to Sands Cotai Central (SCC). With SCC continuing to ramp up, we expect that level to hold and maybe, even improve. Macau sentiment has reached a yearly low but we see improvement ahead.

• TRADE:  LONG
• TREND:  NEUTRAL
• TAIL:      NEUTRAL

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THREE FOR THE ROAD

TWEET OF THE DAY

“Another nail to the heart of the#EfficientMarketHypothesisfxn.ws/QicZqh. Not that's it's needed.#EMH has been dead for a long time” -@JamesGRickards

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“A thought is often original, though you have uttered it a hundred times.” –Oliver Wendell Holmes

STAT OF THE DAY

$104 million. The payout for a former whistleblower at UBS who altered US authorities to the firm’s tax evasion practices.