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Can Frontline Maintain This Momentum?

Key Points Q1 2023 hedge fund letters, conferences and more Find A Qualified Financial Advisor Finding a qualified financial advisor … Read more

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Key Points

  • Oil markets have seen wide trading ranges between 2020-2022, these ranges are the lifeblood for the oil tanker industry. As higher and lower oil prices directly affect the demand for trade and shipment of the commodity, average daily rates for VLCCs are directly affected.
  • Noticing a negative correlation between daily rates and oil prices, a view of a coming global recession may stimulate these rates as oil prices retreat. If this thesis proves correct, Frontline’s management can benefit from implying higher free cash flow generation via 7% dividend yields currently. 
  • NAV per share coincides with a strong support level for the stock, which can act as an initial range for investors to take another look at the sustained growth potential of the company amid lower oil prices and higher daily VLCC rates.
  • 5 stocks we like better than Frontline

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The shipping world can be much like the real estate industry, where agents and brokers come and go as the cycle of "hot" markets inevitably comes and goes. By the same token, this cycle births the demand for their services.

Just as properties are traded more often and more aggressively depending on the outlook of construction, migration, and overall interest rates that affect the valuation of the underlying asset class, the global list of basic materials experiences the same dynamic.

As the global economy ground to a halt in 2020 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global demand for basic materials cooled down, just as it did for real estate and other industries. The main difference in this comparison is the middle agent of these interchanges. Basic materials that trade and ship globally also have agents and brokers, though the exchange is not through a mortgage for a property, but rather through a vessel bound for a destination.

As the supply of these products dries up and markets realize that trading and transporting these products becomes of utmost importance, everyone turns to vessel and tanker providers to fill this ensuing demand and supply imbalance.

One of the main commodities that is traded and shipped globally is the liquid gold of our century: oil. While many other commodities may give way to the ins and outs of the underlying supply and demand environment, oil always leads the way. Without a need for it, there is no consumer activity, nor is there travel or construction, etc.

Awaken The Sleeping Giant

As Warren Buffett likes to say, "The stock market is a voting machine in the short term, and a weighing machine in the long term." Investors can turn to the crude futures market to gauge the popularity of the commodity in the open market, which serves as a proxy for its perceived demand across the global economy.

A bizarre event occurred in 2020 as oil prices went negative, reflecting the lack of future demand that would come from a long list of major cities closing down businesses, travel and construction until further notice. The voting machine took a poll, and it came back, well, negative.

What is interesting is the fact that the average weighted daily earnings for all tanker operators increased from $15,000 per day in 2019 to a high of $48,000 during the pandemic, this reflects the contrarian profiteering view of countries and industries that are heavily dependent on oil. 

While the oil "outlook" taken by markets was extremely bearish, cheap oil meant increased trade in order to stock up before the eventual reopening of economies and resumed demand across the board. The daily rate for VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) increased by 220% due to the extreme need to trade and ship oil compared to the outstanding number of operational vessels in the market. This trend could soon repeat itself, though on a smaller scale.

Frontline is in... The Front Line

Frontline PLC (NYSE: FRO) closed the year 2022 by representing a total 3% of the global VLCC fleet, according to earnings presentations and claims by Clarksons Research. This proxy for market share will be a very important metric for investors when breaking down the future tailwinds incoming for the business.

Frontline

The same metric that broke out during the oil price collapse of 2020, weighted average daily vessel rates, is on the rise once again.

Rates have gone from roughly $12,000 per day in 2021 and the first half of 2022 (a time when oil prices rose above $80 per barrel), translating into compressed demand for shipping the commodity, to current levels as of the fourth quarter of 2022 of $48,500 per day, just as oil prices retract to ranges below $80 and are expected to decline further as the global economy enters a potential recession. This can further push these rates and profitability for companies like Frontline.

A global recession has its caveats; however, countries like China and Brazil seem to be well-positioned to welcome a new bull cycle for their respective economies. As is often the case, Chinese imports of oil have increased to levels near their 2020 highs (when, again, oil prices were at their lowest). In fact, one of the largest contributors to Frontline's 90.9% revenue growth in 2022 was China's reopening and resumption of oil imports and subsequent demand.

Sustainable?

While commodity cycles can be unpredictable, they always involve risk. Frontline's operating margins jumped from 1.6% in 2021 (when rates reached almost $10,000 per day) to 31% in 2022 when rates nearly reached $50,000 per day.

This allowed management to pay out a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share, or an annualized yield of 7%. However, this dividend payout, based on past measures, may not be sustainable as it represents 62% of the company's highest free cash flow level in 2020, when shipping volumes and rates were at their all-time highs.

A contrarian, risk-hungry view would see this payout as a vote of confidence by management, expecting similar cash flows to the times when rates and volumes were high enough to sustain such dividends. Further economic stimulus in China may provide just the push these rates need for Frontline to ride major tailwinds into profitable operations.

With China and Brazil being a major transatlantic route served by Frontline, and recent economic ties between the two nations pointing to further beneficial oil exchanges, the firm is well positioned for exposure in China's VLCC import market.

Safety Margin

Frontline has relatively low debt, as it only composes 51.1% of the company's total capital, and investors seem to be comfortable with an industry average of 65% plus.

This flexibility, coupled with $255 million USD in cash as of 2022, allows the company to pivot during these volatile commodity cycles, showcasing a total return on invested capital of 10.8% in 2020 and 10.2% in 2022, providing a benchmark for management and investors going forward in an elevated daily VLCC rate environment.

A Net Asset Value (NAV) computed as total assets minus total debt would suggest, Frontline has a bottom value of $11.22 per share which also represents a very strong support level on the stock's chart. Using this value as a pullback target and as a sensible entry point, investors looking to ride the oil tanker tailwind can enjoy an even larger upside than the current analyst consensus.

Should you invest $1,000 in Frontline right now?

Before you consider Frontline, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Frontline wasn't on the list.

While Frontline currently has a "Hold" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

Article by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli, MarketBeat

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International

United Airlines adds new flights to faraway destinations

The airline said that it has been working hard to "find hidden gem destinations."

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Since countries started opening up after the pandemic in 2021 and 2022, airlines have been seeing demand soar not just for major global cities and popular routes but also for farther-away destinations.

Numerous reports, including a recent TripAdvisor survey of trending destinations, showed that there has been a rise in U.S. traveler interest in Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Vietnam as well as growing tourism traction in off-the-beaten-path European countries such as Slovenia, Estonia and Montenegro.

Related: 'No more flying for you': Travel agency sounds alarm over risk of 'carbon passports'

As a result, airlines have been looking at their networks to include more faraway destinations as well as smaller cities that are growing increasingly popular with tourists and may not be served by their competitors.

The Philippines has been popular among tourists in recent years.

Shutterstock

United brings back more routes, says it is committed to 'finding hidden gems'

This week, United Airlines  (UAL)  announced that it will be launching a new route from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Morocco's Marrakesh. While it is only the country's fourth-largest city, Marrakesh is a particularly popular place for tourists to seek out the sights and experiences that many associate with the country — colorful souks, gardens with ornate architecture and mosques from the Moorish period.

More Travel:

"We have consistently been ahead of the curve in finding hidden gem destinations for our customers to explore and remain committed to providing the most unique slate of travel options for their adventures abroad," United's SVP of Global Network Planning Patrick Quayle, said in a press statement.

The new route will launch on Oct. 24 and take place three times a week on a Boeing 767-300ER  (BA)  plane that is equipped with 46 Polaris business class and 22 Premium Plus seats. The plane choice was a way to reach a luxury customer customer looking to start their holiday in Marrakesh in the plane.

Along with the new Morocco route, United is also launching a flight between Houston (IAH) and Colombia's Medellín on Oct. 27 as well as a route between Tokyo and Cebu in the Philippines on July 31 — the latter is known as a "fifth freedom" flight in which the airline flies to the larger hub from the mainland U.S. and then goes on to smaller Asian city popular with tourists after some travelers get off (and others get on) in Tokyo.

United's network expansion includes new 'fifth freedom' flight

In the fall of 2023, United became the first U.S. airline to fly to the Philippines with a new Manila-San Francisco flight. It has expanded its service to Asia from different U.S. cities earlier last year. Cebu has been on its radar amid growing tourist interest in the region known for marine parks, rainforests and Spanish-style architecture.

With the summer coming up, United also announced that it plans to run its current flights to Hong Kong, Seoul, and Portugal's Porto more frequently at different points of the week and reach four weekly flights between Los Angeles and Shanghai by August 29.

"This is your normal, exciting network planning team back in action," Quayle told travel website The Points Guy of the airline's plans for the new routes.

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International

Walmart launches clever answer to Target’s new membership program

The retail superstore is adding a new feature to its Walmart+ plan — and customers will be happy.

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It's just been a few days since Target  (TGT)  launched its new Target Circle 360 paid membership plan. 

The plan offers free and fast shipping on many products to customers, initially for $49 a year and then $99 after the initial promotional signup period. It promises to be a success, since many Target customers are loyal to the brand and will go out of their way to shop at one instead of at its two larger peers, Walmart and Amazon.

Related: Walmart makes a major price cut that will delight customers

And stop us if this sounds familiar: Target will rely on its more than 2,000 stores to act as fulfillment hubs. 

This model is a proven winner; Walmart also uses its more than 4,600 stores as fulfillment and shipping locations to get orders to customers as soon as possible.

Sometimes, this means shipping goods from the nearest warehouse. But if a desired product is in-store and closer to a customer, it reduces miles on the road and delivery time. It's a kind of logistical magic that makes any efficiency lover's (or retail nerd's) heart go pitter patter. 

Walmart rolls out answer to Target's new membership tier

Walmart has certainly had more time than Target to develop and work out the kinks in Walmart+. It first launched the paid membership in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, when many shoppers sheltered at home but still required many staples they might ordinarily pick up at a Walmart, like cleaning supplies, personal-care products, pantry goods and, of course, toilet paper. 

It also undercut Amazon  (AMZN)  Prime, which costs customers $139 a year for free and fast shipping (plus several other benefits including access to its streaming service, Amazon Prime Video). 

Walmart+ costs $98 a year, which also gets you free and speedy delivery, plus access to a Paramount+ streaming subscription, fuel savings, and more. 

An employee at a Merida, Mexico, Walmart. (Photo by Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images

If that's not enough to tempt you, however, Walmart+ just added a new benefit to its membership program, ostensibly to compete directly with something Target now has: ultrafast delivery. 

Target Circle 360 particularly attracts customers with free same-day delivery for select orders over $35 and as little as one-hour delivery on select items. Target executes this through its Shipt subsidiary.

We've seen this lightning-fast delivery speed only in snippets from Amazon, the king of delivery efficiency. Who better to take on Target, though, than Walmart, which is using a similar store-as-fulfillment-center model? 

"Walmart is stepping up to save our customers even more time with our latest delivery offering: Express On-Demand Early Morning Delivery," Walmart said in a statement, just a day after Target Circle 360 launched. "Starting at 6 a.m., earlier than ever before, customers can enjoy the convenience of On-Demand delivery."

Walmart  (WMT)  clearly sees consumers' desire for near-instant delivery, which obviously saves time and trips to the store. Rather than waiting a day for your order to show up, it might be on your doorstep when you wake up. 

Consumers also tend to spend more money when they shop online, and they remain stickier as paying annual members. So, to a growing number of retail giants, almost instant gratification like this seems like something worth striving for.

Related: Veteran fund manager picks favorite stocks for 2024

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Government

President Biden Delivers The “Darkest, Most Un-American Speech Given By A President”

President Biden Delivers The "Darkest, Most Un-American Speech Given By A President"

Having successfully raged, ranted, lied, and yelled through…

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President Biden Delivers The "Darkest, Most Un-American Speech Given By A President"

Having successfully raged, ranted, lied, and yelled through the State of The Union, President Biden can go back to his crypt now.

Whatever 'they' gave Biden, every American man, woman, and the other should be allowed to take it - though it seems the cocktail brings out 'dark Brandon'?

Tl;dw: Biden's Speech tonight ...

  • Fund Ukraine.

  • Trump is threat to democracy and America itself.

  • Abortion is good.

  • American Economy is stronger than ever.

  • Inflation wasn't Biden's fault.

  • Illegals are Americans too.

  • Republicans are responsible for the border crisis.

  • Trump is bad.

  • Biden stands with trans-children.

  • J6 was the worst insurrection since the Civil War.

(h/t @TCDMS99)

Tucker Carlson's response sums it all up perfectly:

"that was possibly the darkest, most un-American speech given by an American president. It wasn't a speech, it was a rant..."

Carlson continued: "The true measure of a nation's greatness lies within its capacity to control borders, yet Bid refuses to do it."

"In a fair election, Joe Biden cannot win"

And concluded:

“There was not a meaningful word for the entire duration about the things that actually matter to people who live here.”

Victor Davis Hanson added some excellent color, but this was probably the best line on Biden:

"he doesn't care... he lives in an alternative reality."

*  *  *

Watch SOTU Live here...

*   *   *

Mises' Connor O'Keeffe, warns: "Be on the Lookout for These Lies in Biden's State of the Union Address." 

On Thursday evening, President Joe Biden is set to give his third State of the Union address. The political press has been buzzing with speculation over what the president will say. That speculation, however, is focused more on how Biden will perform, and which issues he will prioritize. Much of the speech is expected to be familiar.

The story Biden will tell about what he has done as president and where the country finds itself as a result will be the same dishonest story he's been telling since at least the summer.

He'll cite government statistics to say the economy is growing, unemployment is low, and inflation is down.

Something that has been frustrating Biden, his team, and his allies in the media is that the American people do not feel as economically well off as the official data says they are. Despite what the White House and establishment-friendly journalists say, the problem lies with the data, not the American people's ability to perceive their own well-being.

As I wrote back in January, the reason for the discrepancy is the lack of distinction made between private economic activity and government spending in the most frequently cited economic indicators. There is an important difference between the two:

  • Government, unlike any other entity in the economy, can simply take money and resources from others to spend on things and hire people. Whether or not the spending brings people value is irrelevant

  • It's the private sector that's responsible for producing goods and services that actually meet people's needs and wants. So, the private components of the economy have the most significant effect on people's economic well-being.

Recently, government spending and hiring has accounted for a larger than normal share of both economic activity and employment. This means the government is propping up these traditional measures, making the economy appear better than it actually is. Also, many of the jobs Biden and his allies take credit for creating will quickly go away once it becomes clear that consumers don't actually want whatever the government encouraged these companies to produce.

On top of all that, the administration is dealing with the consequences of their chosen inflation rhetoric.

Since its peak in the summer of 2022, the president's team has talked about inflation "coming back down," which can easily give the impression that it's prices that will eventually come back down.

But that's not what that phrase means. It would be more honest to say that price increases are slowing down.

Americans are finally waking up to the fact that the cost of living will not return to prepandemic levels, and they're not happy about it.

The president has made some clumsy attempts at damage control, such as a Super Bowl Sunday video attacking food companies for "shrinkflation"—selling smaller portions at the same price instead of simply raising prices.

In his speech Thursday, Biden is expected to play up his desire to crack down on the "corporate greed" he's blaming for high prices.

In the name of "bringing down costs for Americans," the administration wants to implement targeted price ceilings - something anyone who has taken even a single economics class could tell you does more harm than good. Biden would never place the blame for the dramatic price increases we've experienced during his term where it actually belongs—on all the government spending that he and President Donald Trump oversaw during the pandemic, funded by the creation of $6 trillion out of thin air - because that kind of spending is precisely what he hopes to kick back up in a second term.

If reelected, the president wants to "revive" parts of his so-called Build Back Better agenda, which he tried and failed to pass in his first year. That would bring a significant expansion of domestic spending. And Biden remains committed to the idea that Americans must be forced to continue funding the war in Ukraine. That's another topic Biden is expected to highlight in the State of the Union, likely accompanied by the lie that Ukraine spending is good for the American economy. It isn't.

It's not possible to predict all the ways President Biden will exaggerate, mislead, and outright lie in his speech on Thursday. But we can be sure of two things. The "state of the Union" is not as strong as Biden will say it is. And his policy ambitions risk making it much worse.

*  *  *

The American people will be tuning in on their smartphones, laptops, and televisions on Thursday evening to see if 'sloppy joe' 81-year-old President Joe Biden can coherently put together more than two sentences (even with a teleprompter) as he gives his third State of the Union in front of a divided Congress. 

President Biden will speak on various topics to convince voters why he shouldn't be sent to a retirement home.

According to CNN sources, here are some of the topics Biden will discuss tonight:

  • Economic issues: Biden and his team have been drafting a speech heavy on economic populism, aides said, with calls for higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy – an attempt to draw a sharp contrast with Republicans and their likely presidential nominee, Donald Trump.

  • Health care expenses: Biden will also push for lowering health care costs and discuss his efforts to go after drug manufacturers to lower the cost of prescription medications — all issues his advisers believe can help buoy what have been sagging economic approval ratings.

  • Israel's war with Hamas: Also looming large over Biden's primetime address is the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which has consumed much of the president's time and attention over the past few months. The president's top national security advisers have been working around the clock to try to finalize a ceasefire-hostages release deal by Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that begins next week.

  • An argument for reelection: Aides view Thursday's speech as a critical opportunity for the president to tout his accomplishments in office and lay out his plans for another four years in the nation's top job. Even though viewership has declined over the years, the yearly speech reliably draws tens of millions of households.

Sources provided more color on Biden's SOTU address: 

The speech is expected to be heavy on economic populism. The president will talk about raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy. He'll highlight efforts to cut costs for the American people, including pushing Congress to help make prescription drugs more affordable.

Biden will talk about the need to preserve democracy and freedom, a cornerstone of his re-election bid. That includes protecting and bolstering reproductive rights, an issue Democrats believe will energize voters in November. Biden is also expected to promote his unity agenda, a key feature of each of his addresses to Congress while in office.

Biden is also expected to give remarks on border security while the invasion of illegals has become one of the most heated topics among American voters. A majority of voters are frustrated with radical progressives in the White House facilitating the illegal migrant invasion. 

It is probable that the president will attribute the failure of the Senate border bill to the Republicans, a claim many voters view as unfounded. This is because the White House has the option to issue an executive order to restore border security, yet opts not to do so

Maybe this is why? 

While Biden addresses the nation, the Biden administration will be armed with a social media team to pump propaganda to at least 100 million Americans. 

"The White House hosted about 70 creators, digital publishers, and influencers across three separate events" on Wednesday and Thursday, a White House official told CNN. 

Not a very capable social media team... 

The administration's move to ramp up social media operations comes as users on X are mostly free from government censorship with Elon Musk at the helm. This infuriates Democrats, who can no longer censor their political enemies on X. 

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers tell Axios that the president's SOTU performance will be critical as he tries to dispel voter concerns about his elderly age. The address reached as many as 27 million people in 2023. 

"We are all nervous," said one House Democrat, citing concerns about the president's "ability to speak without blowing things."

The SOTU address comes as Biden's polling data is in the dumps

BetOnline has created several money-making opportunities for gamblers tonight, such as betting on what word Biden mentions the most. 

As well as...

We will update you when Tucker Carlson's live feed of SOTU is published. 

Tyler Durden Fri, 03/08/2024 - 07:44

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