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Thursday, August 28, 2008

Indian Equity Markets - Outlook and Stock Recommendation

Equity markets were unsettled during the second quarter as investors faced two challenges: a deflationary crisis in global credit markets and the inflationary thrust of soaring food and energy prices around the world. Neither challenge has been ‘resolved’ and the implications of each are likely to set the tone of financial markets during the second half of the year.

Mounting inflation threatens to complicate an already challenging situation by constraining consumers’ spending power, eroding corporate profit margins and encumbering the operations of the world’s central banks. Pricing pressures should abate as economies slow.

There is every prospect of a period of sluggish economic activity as the end of the ‘cheap money’ era coincides with an escalation in the global prices of energy and food. However, the long suffering investor should persevere. Threats are obvious but, as sentiment in markets deteriorates, changes in economic and financial landscapes are likely to present attractive opportunities for investment.

It is nearing a year we have been asking our investors to book money out from markets and sit on cash (Our Nov'07 article asking investors to book profit from the market: http://profitfromshortterm.blogspot.com/2007/11/what-to-do-this-diwali.html). We are one of the few market analyst who predicted the market fall at the beginning of the credit crisis. Our recommendation portfolio during this period has delivered a positive growth of 2% as compared to a negative 23% return by the sensex. Neyveli Lignite, Orchid Chemicals, Novartis India, Rallis India, TNPL, Chennai Petroleum have been the star portfolio performer beating the sensex return.

Is it a right time to re-enter stock markets?

Further credit market crisis cannot be ruled out and this converging into a full blown recession looks a high probability. Albeit to this with the recent correction seen in Indian markets quiet a good number of stocks looks undervalued. We are advising our investors to sit on partial cash and invest in frontline stocks with a long term outlook. We also have picked five stocks from the small and Mid cap space that has a potential to deliver extra ordinary returns over the course of next 3
years.

Large Cap Picks

1) Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd (CMP Rs. 572/-)
2) Jaiprakash Associates (CMP Rs. 156/-)
3) Indian Oil Corporation -IOC - (CMP Rs. 396/-)
4) Sterlite Industries (CMP Rs. 618/-)
5) HDFC Bank (CMP Rs. 1215/-)

Mid Cap Picks

1) Chennai Petroleum (CMP Rs. 254/-)
2) Ruchi Soya (CMP Rs. 78/-)
3) Shriram Transport (CMP Rs. 335/-)
4) Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd - GMDC - (CMP Rs. 247/-)
5) Hindustan Construction - HCC - (CMP Rs. 91/-)

Small Cap Picks

1) Abhishek Industries (CMP Rs. 14/-)
2) Tata Metalinks (CMP Rs. 138/-)
3) Novartis India (CMP Rs. 294/-)
4) Deepak Fertilizers (CMP Rs. 91/-)
5) Hitachi Home & Life Solutions (CMP Rs. 110/-)

Thursday, August 7, 2008

A Question of Answers - Mail replies

I am holding SAIL at Rs. 230/- and Gujarat Ambuja Cement at Rs. 118/-. Do you see any recovery in short term?

With cooling commodity prices, I would stay away from metal stocks in the current market. Cement inspite of predicted decrease in Infrastructure growth looks positive.
Investors can take fresh long position in sugar stocks with surging sugar prices. Stocks like Sakthi Sugars and Triveni Engineering looks good.
With falling prices of zinc and lead one can look for fresh investments in battery manufactures like Eveready and Amara Raja.

Are you taking any fresh look into your earlier recommended stocks?

Yes. We are positive on Tamil Nadu Newsprint Limited (TNPL), JK Lakshmi Cement, Rallis India and Orchid Chemicals from our earlier recommendation.

With Neyveli Lignite almost available in half the price from it's peak is it advisable to take a fresh position into this stock?

New power additions are not progressing satisfactorily. Also the current quarter results are way below expectation. Will wait and watch for couple of more quarters.

I have brought Alembic at Rs. 42/-. Is it a worth hold for long term?

Seems to me yes. Pharma sector looks to be a good bet in the current market. Alembic looks good with strong presence in domestic market. We are also positive on Orchid Chemicals and Novartis India.

I have huge position in textile stocks like Arvind mills and Alok Industries? Can I book losses or hold it?

I am not sure about Arvind mills. Alok seems to me a good bet from a longer term. I think government control on curbing cotton exports is set to benefit domestic textile firms.

Can I buy Teledata Informatics, Phoenix Mills at current level?

Sorry I am not tracking both of these companies.

Fundamental Analysis

Fundamental Analysis is the cornerstone of Investing. In fact, some would say that you aren't really investing if you aren't performing fundamental analysis.

During fundamental analysis we look at a stock from three aspects

Company

At the company level, fundamental analysis may involve examination of financial data, management, business concept and competition.

Industry

At the industry level, there might be an examination of supply and demand forces for the products offered.

Economy

Fundamental analysis might focus on economic data to assess the present and future growth of the economy.

To forecast future stock prices, fundamental analysis combines economic, industry, and company analysis to derive a stock's current fair value and forecast future value. If fair value is not equal to the current stock price, fundamental analysts believe that the stock is either over or under valued and the market price will ultimately gravitate towards fair value. Fundamentalists do not heed the advice of the random walkers and believe that markets are weak-form efficient.