Independent research on the U.S. markets, Baptista Research

Baptista Research

Independent research on the U.S. markets

Baptista Research is an independent financial research house focused on the U.S. markets. We provide equity research as well as credit research reports on the top-listed U.S. companies with most of our focus on technology, consumer goods and services, automobiles, industrials, oil and gas, pharma, and healthcare. Our research has served more than 3000 institutional investors including mutual funds, hedge funds, banks, family offices, and various buy-side firms. We operate a research subscription service where institutions, as well as retail investors, can have priority access to all our research. We also have a wide distribution of our research reports across some of the top global financial platforms. Apart from equity research and credit research, we also provide advisory services with respect to mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity/ venture capital fundraising, valuation reports, and investment management services for corporates.
Baptista Research is owned and managed by Ishan Majumdar, an ex-Venture Capitalist/ Investment Banker, a Chartered Accountant, and a Masters’ degree holder in Management from HEC Paris. Ishan has nearly a decade of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs), Venture Capital Investing, Corporate Strategy, and Valuation in front-office roles at the likes of BNP Paribas CIB, Credit Agricole CIB, Groupe Danone, and TIW Private Equity. He has worked on and closed multiple acquisition deals, leveraged buyouts, and start-up investment transactions.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Conagra Brands, Inc. delivered a mixed result in the recent quarter, with revenues below market expectations, but it managed to surpass the analyst consensus in terms of earnings.</li><li>However, Conagra achieved impressive gains in adjusted gross margin and adjusted operating margin, resulting in a 16% increase in adjusted earnings per share.</li><li>The Frozen domain faced challenges in single-serve meals but maintained unit share in key categories, emphasizing the strength of Conagra's brands over the long term.</li></ul>

Conagra Brands, Inc. delivered a mixed result in the recent quarter, with revenues below market expectations, but it managed to surpass the analyst consensus in terms of earnings.However, Conagra achieved impressive gains in adjusted gross margin and adjusted operating margin, resulting in a 16% increase in adjusted earnings per share.The Frozen domain faced challenges in single-serve meals but maintained unit share in key categories, emphasizing the strength of Conagra's brands over the long term.

Conagra Brands Inc.: Can The Emphasis On Consumer Behavior Shift Catalyse Top-line Growth? - Major Drivers

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Health Care Select Sector SPDR / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>As the saying goes, "sector rotation is the lifeblood of a bull market." That appears to be exactly what is going on as we kick off 2024.</li>
<li>Leadership areas that have significantly outperformed since the October 2023 lows are starting to pull back rather hard -- and on above average volume (XLK, SMH, IGV, ARKK, IPO, BITQ)</li>
<li>Other Sectors are picking up the slack, namely Health Care (XLV), Staples (XLP), Utilities (XLU), Energy (XLE), Financials (XLF), and Real Estate (XLRE). Shift exposure toward value and defensives</li>
</ul>


As the saying goes, "sector rotation is the lifeblood of a bull market." That appears to be exactly what is going on as we kick off 2024.
Leadership areas that have significantly outperformed since the October 2023 lows are starting to pull back rather hard -- and on above average volume (XLK, SMH, IGV, ARKK, IPO, BITQ)
Other Sectors are picking up the slack, namely Health Care (XLV), Staples (XLP), Utilities (XLU), Energy (XLE), Financials (XLF), and Real Estate (XLRE). Shift exposure toward value and defensives


Upgrading Staples and Health Care to Market Weight; Shift to Value; Failed Breakouts for ARKK, IPO

<ul><li>Conagra Brands delivered a mixed set of results in its most recent quarter, with revenues falling short of Wall Street expectations.</li><li>As Conagra made significant headway on its cost-saving initiatives and consequently saw a significant rise in service standards, its supply chain kept becoming better.</li><li>Conagra Brands further expanded its product line by introducing more than 50 new items across its frozen, grocery, and snacking divisions.</li></ul>

Conagra Brands delivered a mixed set of results in its most recent quarter, with revenues falling short of Wall Street expectations.As Conagra made significant headway on its cost-saving initiatives and consequently saw a significant rise in service standards, its supply chain kept becoming better.Conagra Brands further expanded its product line by introducing more than 50 new items across its frozen, grocery, and snacking divisions.

Conagra Brands Inc.: Summer 2023 Product Launches & Other Drivers

<ul><li>Conagra delivered a quarter of strong gross margin recovery and managed an all-around beat.</li><li>Organic sales increased in the quarter due to continued muted elasticities and inflation-justified pricing.</li><li>The organic net sales, adjusted gross margin, and adjusted operating margin increased.</li></ul>

Conagra delivered a quarter of strong gross margin recovery and managed an all-around beat.Organic sales increased in the quarter due to continued muted elasticities and inflation-justified pricing.The organic net sales, adjusted gross margin, and adjusted operating margin increased.

Conagra Brands Inc.: Solid Pricing Strategy For Improved Staples Growth – Key Drivers

<ul>
<li>We previously discussed our belief that equities were in the midst of a rally/short squeeze, but that the rally is likely to fizzle in the 4100-4165 area on S&amp;P 500</li>
<li>And, as you will see below, countless other indexes and Sectors are testing important resistance levels. We continue to expect 4100-4165 on the S&amp;P 500 to cap upside</li>
<li>Buy ideas highlighted within defensives, including Consumer Staples, Health Care, and Communications: CMCSA, CHTR, UL, KHC, CAG, SJM, CPB, LLY, MRK, and NVO</li>
</ul>


We previously discussed our belief that equities were in the midst of a rally/short squeeze, but that the rally is likely to fizzle in the 4100-4165 area on S&amp;P 500
And, as you will see below, countless other indexes and Sectors are testing important resistance levels. We continue to expect 4100-4165 on the S&amp;P 500 to cap upside
Buy ideas highlighted within defensives, including Consumer Staples, Health Care, and Communications: CMCSA, CHTR, UL, KHC, CAG, SJM, CPB, LLY, MRK, and NVO


Many Indexes/Sectors Testing Resistance; Limited Upside From Here; Buys in Staples and Health Care

United States

ConAgra Foods, Inc. manufactures and markets packaged foods for retail consumers, restaurants and institutions. The Company offers a wide range of food products, including meals, entrees, condiments, sides, snacks, specialty potato products, milled grain ingredients, dehydrated vegetables and seasonings, and blends and flavors.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Conagra Foods (CAG US)

Conagra Brands Inc.: Can The Emphasis On Consumer Behavior Shift Catalyse Top-line Growth? - Major Drivers

Conagra Brands, Inc. delivered a mixed result in the recent quarter, with revenues below market expectations, but it managed to surpass the...

Baptista Research

Upgrading Staples and Health Care to Market Weight; Shift to Value; Failed Breakouts for ARKK, IPO

Shifting exposure toward value and defensives. Upgrading Consumer Staples $XLP and Health Care $XLV to market weight. $ARKK and $IPO with bearish...

Vermilion Research

Conagra Brands Inc.: Summer 2023 Product Launches & Other Drivers

Conagra Brands delivered a mixed set of results in its most recent quarter, with revenues falling short of Wall Street expectations. As Conagra...

Baptista Research

Conagra Brands Inc.: Solid Pricing Strategy For Improved Staples Growth – Key Drivers

Conagra delivered a quarter of strong gross margin recovery and managed an all-around beat. Organic sales increased in the quarter due to...

Baptista Research

Many Indexes/Sectors Testing Resistance; Limited Upside From Here; Buys in Staples and Health Care

We continue to expect 4100-4165 on the $SPX to cap upside. Many other indexes and Sectors are also testing important resistance levels dating back...

Vermilion Research

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)