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Commentary

Every few weeks, a note that steps back from the single companies and reads the whole list together. It looks at the themes that connect them, which discounts are likely to close and which probably will not, and the dates worth watching next. It is information, not advice (see the disclaimer).

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The list grew by 178 companies, and outlooks went up

From November 9 to November 11, 178 companies were added to the list. On November 11, the list had 513 active companies. In the reports from November 7 to November 11, 10 of 14 decided tests passed, and Petrobras, Honda and Infineon raised their outlooks. 36 picks report from November 12 to November 20, with 10 on November 19.

A bigger and more global list

Kevin's screen of November 9 added 178 companies. On November 11, the list had 513 active companies. The new names are larger and more international than the old list. Banks are the biggest group, with 15 of them, among them Toronto-Dominion, CIBC and the three big Japanese banks, Mitsubishi UFJ, Sumitomo Mitsui and Mizuho. Four railroads, four integrated oil companies and two memory chip makers also joined.

Most of the new discounts look like ones that can close on dated news: 114 of the 178 have a gap that a report, a deal or a ruling can test. Another 63 are slow gaps that need several years of results. The most common theme in the new group is legal or regulatory risk, in 68 companies, then interest rates in 56 and trade and tariffs in 49.

Companies: TD, CM, MUFG, SMFG, MFG

Most tests passed this week

From November 7 to November 11, 14 picks had a decided test, and 10 passed. November 9 had 6 passes and 2 failures, and November 10 had 4 passes and 2 failures. CGI also reported on November 11: its constant currency growth rose to 2.5% in the fourth quarter, and the book-to-bill ratio was 109.2%.

The four failures each had a clear cause. Ionis cut its 2026 TRYNGOLZA sales guidance to about $50 million, from $100 million to $110 million, after only $9 million of sales in the quarter. KKR raised $25 billion of new capital, down from $34 billion in the second quarter and $42.6 billion a year earlier, while its fee related earnings rose 27%. KT's wireless service revenue fell 3.9% after its customer appreciation program. TransDigm beat its own fiscal 2026 outlook, but it expects only high single-digit growth in commercial aftermarket sales in fiscal 2027.

Companies: GIB.A, IONS, KKR, KT, TDG

Petrobras, Honda and Infineon raised their outlooks

Three large reporters raised their numbers. Petrobras now expects 2026 production of 3.3 to 3.4 million barrels of oil equivalent a day, up from 3.1 million, and operating cash generation of $45 billion to $50 billion, up from $35 billion. It also raised capital spending to $24.0 billion to $25.5 billion, from $19.4 billion. Honda raised its full-year operating profit forecast to ¥780.0 billion, from ¥650.0 billion, after first-half operating profit rose 48.1%. Infineon expects revenue of about €20 billion in fiscal 2027, more than 20% growth.

RB Global and CNH also raised parts of their 2026 outlooks. CNH's quarter had help from $109 million of tariff refunds, so its next reports show how much of the margin stays without them.

Companies: PBR, HMC, IFNNY, RBA, CNH

Spin-offs, sales and a new CEO

Several picks moved to split or sell parts of the business. CNH agreed to sell 70% of its construction equipment business to Kobelco, at an enterprise value of $1 billion, and expects about $700 million in cash to cut debt. Barrick filed for the New York listing of American Barrick Gold, its North American gold business. The Hong Kong exchange cleared Alibaba to spin off and list T-Head, its data center chip maker.

Sirius XM named Anjali Sud, the head of Tubi, as CEO from January 1, 2027. Nvidia's board started an independent investigation after press reports about its CEO, Jensen Huang, and said that it still has confidence in him.

Companies: CNH, ABX, BABA, SIRI, NVDA

Companies borrowed and bought back stock

Many picks used the week to sell bonds. CRH sold $4.2 billion of notes, partly to buy back the notes of Arcosa, which it bought, and Equinix sold €2.5 billion of green notes. American Tower sold $1.5 billion of notes to repay its credit line, and NiSource, Ventas and AtkinsRéalis also sold debt. Humana offered to buy back up to $1.5 billion of its own notes.

Two companies started accelerated buybacks: EPAM for $500 million and Graco for $600 million. Both pay partly with borrowed money, so their debt rises while their share count falls.

Companies: CRH, EQIX, AMT, NI, VTR, ATRL, HUM, EPAM, GGG

36 picks report from November 12 to November 20

From November 12 to November 20, 36 picks report, and five of those dates are still estimates: Mizuho, Trip.com, PDD, Copart and Tokio Marine. November 12 has 7 reports, among them Brookfield, Applied Materials, Cisco, Nu and Siemens, and the three big Japanese banks report on November 13.

November 17 has 8 reports, with NVIDIA, Disney, Home Depot and JD.com. November 19 is the busiest day, with 10: Walmart, Intuit, Alibaba, NetEase, Ross Stores, Gap and Loblaw among them. Lowe's, TJX and PDD report on November 18, between them.

Companies: BN, AMAT, CSCO, NU, SIEGY, MUFG, SMFG, MFG, NVDA, DIS, HD, JD, WMT, INTU, BABA, NTES, ROST, GAP, L, LOW, TJX, PDD

Themes

Interest rates

205 companies

Earnings or valuation move with interest rates and the housing market.

CNH, FIS, DTEGY, INVH, NGG, O, POR, SCHW

Median category
Close to intrinsic value
Structural gap
2 of 205

High debt

179 companies

Carries a lot of debt, so cash flow goes to lenders first.

CPB, FIS, GIL, KHC, PCG, CLX, HONA, DTEGY

Median category
Close to intrinsic value
Structural gap
3 of 179

Weak consumer

167 companies

Sales depend on households that are spending less on big or optional purchases.

HSY, CPB, GIL, KHC, TME, CLX, YUMC, LULU

Median category
Close to intrinsic value
Structural gap
1 of 167

Tariffs and trade

154 companies

Tariffs or trade rules change its costs or its sales.

CPB, CNH, GIL, GNTX, LULU, TSM, PEP, SONY

Median category
Close to intrinsic value
Structural gap
2 of 154

Power and energy

107 companies

Earns from electricity, gas or oil demand, including power for data centers.

PCG, NGG, POR, SOLS, BKR, DTE, WLK, ATD

Median category
Close to intrinsic value
Structural gap
3 of 107

New management

100 companies

A new chief executive or a reset plan must prove itself.

HSY, CLX, OTIS, CMCSA, FLUT, LULU, SARO, CAG

Median category
Close to intrinsic value
Structural gap
0 of 100

AI supplier

96 companies

Sells the chips, networks or tools that AI data centers buy.

AVGO, MRVL, NVDA, TSM, CARR, SOLS, BKR, DTE

Median category
Close to intrinsic value
Structural gap
2 of 96

AI disruption risk

65 companies

AI tools could replace part of what customers pay this company for.

GOOGL, MBGL, ACM, SAP, SCHW, RELX, EXPGY, BR

Median category
Close to intrinsic value
Structural gap
1 of 65

China and geopolitics

63 companies

Exposed to China, Taiwan or export rules between governments.

GNTX, TME, BABA, YUMC, OTIS, NVDA, TSM, AS

Median category
Close to intrinsic value
Structural gap
5 of 63

Gap types

Not every discount can close. Tap a company to read why its gap is of its type.

Can close

451

70% of rated picks

A dated event that someone can check can close the gap within about two years.

  • FIS
    Why FIS: Deep below intrinsic value

    Quarterly growth and debt reduction, and the 2027 outlook in February 2027, show within about two years whether the TSYS deal works.

  • GIL
    Why GIL: Deep below intrinsic value

    The full-year 2026 report and the spring 2027 investor day show whether sales stop falling and whether leverage returns to the target.

  • IONS
    Why IONS: Deep below intrinsic value

    TRYNGOLZA sales each quarter after the guidance cut of November 2026, the launch of GSK's HIBSAGO and the path to breakeven in 2028 give dated checks.

  • GOOGL
    Why GOOGL: Far below intrinsic value

    The US ad tech ruling removed the US breakup risk, so quarterly Cloud and Search growth through early 2027 can close the gap.

  • AVGO
    Why AVGO: Far below intrinsic value

    Each quarterly report checks the FY2027 AI chip revenue target, starting with the December 2026 report.

  • MRVL
    Why MRVL: Far below intrinsic value

    The Q3 fiscal 2027 report on December 1, 2026 and the ramp of new custom chip programs over the next quarters test the targets Marvell raised at its October 6 Investor Day.

  • OTIS
    Why OTIS: Far below intrinsic value

    Service margins show in quarterly reports, and Judy Marks retires by July 31, 2027 at the latest, so a new CEO must start by then.

  • HONA
    Why HONA: Far below intrinsic value

    Quarterly reports show when the parts shortage eases and the aftermarket backlog turns into revenue.

Slow

182

28% of rated picks

The gap can close, but only over several years of execution.

  • HSY
    Why HSY: Deep below intrinsic value

    Management itself calls 2026 and 2027 years of profit repair, so volume and margins return to balance only from 2028.

  • CPB
    Why CPB: Deep below intrinsic value

    Management does not expect margins to recover before fiscal 2028, and legacy soup and snack demand may keep falling.

  • CNH
    Why CNH: Deep below intrinsic value

    The gap closes only as the farm cycle recovers, which depends on crop prices and farm incomes over 2027 and 2028.

  • GNTX
    Why GNTX: Deep below intrinsic value

    New products ramp with car model launches over several years, so revenue growth above vehicle production takes until about 2028 to prove.

  • KHC
    Why KHC: Deep below intrinsic value

    Brand volume can recover only over several years of higher spending, and the paused split removes a dated event that could close the gap sooner.

  • TME
    Why TME: Deep below intrinsic value

    Competition for light users and the China discount change slowly, so stable membership growth must show over several quarters.

  • CLX
    Why CLX: Far below intrinsic value

    Clorox needs a new CEO, an earnings recovery and debt repayment through the end of 2027, so the gap closes only step by step.

  • CMCSA
    Why CMCSA: Far below intrinsic value

    Broadband losses must shrink over several quarters, and the spin-off adds a second test in about mid-2027.

Will probably not close

11

2% of rated picks

A lasting reason holds the price below intrinsic value, so the discount overstates the opportunity.

  • PCG
    Why PCG: Far below intrinsic value

    California has no cap on wildfire liability, the 2026 reform bill failed, and one bad fire can erase years of profit.

  • BABA
    Why BABA: Far below intrinsic value

    The VIE structure, the US military-company listing and US-China tension keep a discount on Alibaba whatever its cloud business does.

  • YUMC
    Why YUMC: Far below intrinsic value

    US-China tension and a weak Chinese consumer keep a country discount on Yum China that its own results cannot remove.

  • TSM
    Why TSM: Well below intrinsic value

    Strong results can close the execution part, but the market will probably keep a discount for Taiwan-China risk that TSMC cannot control.

  • NTES
    Why NTES: Well below intrinsic value

    Most of the gap comes from Chinese game regulation and US-China tension, which NetEase cannot control and which have no end date.

  • BIDU
    Why BIDU: Below intrinsic value

    The weighted voting structure, the VIE structure and US-China tension keep a discount on Baidu whatever its AI cloud business does.

  • BTI
    Why BTI: Close to intrinsic value

    Many investors do not own tobacco, and regulators keep adding rules, so the market will probably always pay less for BAT's cash flow.

  • SUGR
    Why SUGR: Close to intrinsic value (AI estimate)

    The founder controls the company, the stock trades very little, and minority holders cannot block a bid, so the price will probably stay below reported value.

Earnings by week

The next 6 weeks of reports, with the themes of the companies that report.

  1. Week of Nov 16: 32 reports · Weak consumer ×16, Regulation and courts ×12, China and geopolitics ×10, Tariffs and trade ×10, AI disruption risk ×6, New management ×5, Interest rates ×4, High debt ×4, AI spender ×2, AI supplier ×2, Power and energy ×1

    7 of 32 dates are estimated (last report plus three months), not confirmed by the company.

  2. Week of Nov 23: 11 reports · AI disruption risk ×3, China and geopolitics ×3, High debt ×3, Regulation and courts ×3, Tariffs and trade ×3, AI supplier ×2, Weak consumer ×2, Interest rates ×1, New management ×1, Power and energy ×1

    3 of 11 dates are estimated (last report plus three months), not confirmed by the company.

  3. Week of Nov 30: 21 reports · Weak consumer ×11, New management ×8, Tariffs and trade ×7, AI disruption risk ×5, AI supplier ×4, Interest rates ×4, Regulation and courts ×3, High debt ×2, Weight-loss drugs ×1

    11 of 21 dates are estimated (last report plus three months), not confirmed by the company.

  4. Week of Dec 7: 10 reports · Tariffs and trade ×5, AI supplier ×4, High debt ×4, Weak consumer ×3, Interest rates ×2, AI disruption risk ×1, China and geopolitics ×1, New management ×1, Weight-loss drugs ×1

    6 of 10 dates are estimated (last report plus three months), not confirmed by the company.

  5. Week of Dec 14: 7 reports · Weak consumer ×5, Interest rates ×2, AI supplier ×1, AI disruption risk ×1, China and geopolitics ×1, Regulation and courts ×1, New management ×1, Tariffs and trade ×1

    • LEN Dec 16 (est.)
    • MU Dec 16 (est.)
    • ACN Dec 17 (est.)
    • CTAS Dec 17 (est.)
    • DRI Dec 17 (est.)
    • KMX Dec 17
    • NKE Dec 17 (est.)

    6 of 7 dates are estimated (last report plus three months), not confirmed by the company.

  6. Week of Dec 21: 1 report · Weak consumer ×1, New management ×1, Weight-loss drugs ×1

    • GIS Dec 23 (est.)

    1 of 1 date is estimated (last report plus three months), not confirmed by the company.

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