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

Sprouts Farmers Market / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Sprouts Farmers Market's 4th Quarter 2023 Earnings demonstrated a decent performance.</li><li>Positives include a 7% sales growth for the year while maintaining a stable margin, as well as a 19% increase in their adjusted diluted earnings per share.</li><li>The company's focus on specialty positioning in order to provide quality, differentiated, and healthy food products appears to be paying off, as indicated in the results.</li></ul>

Sprouts Farmers Market's 4th Quarter 2023 Earnings demonstrated a decent performance.Positives include a 7% sales growth for the year while maintaining a stable margin, as well as a 19% increase in their adjusted diluted earnings per share.The company's focus on specialty positioning in order to provide quality, differentiated, and healthy food products appears to be paying off, as indicated in the results.

Sprouts Farmers Market Inc.: Initiation Of Coverage - Effective Private Brand Expansion & 3 Critical Growth Drivers In 2024 & Beyond! - Financial Forecasts

Fundamental Short Selling Research

Eric Fernandez, CFA

TwoRiversAnalytics

<ul>
<li>Sales declines, margin compression, cuts in SG&amp;A and cuts in guidance and estimates feature in our Declining Businesses model. </li>
<li>Declining business shorts tend to be lower beta, have longer time horizons, and tend to produce steadier (although slower) short returns. </li>
<li>Today we are flagging Weight Watchers, Triumph Grp, Sprouts, Ormat Tech .</li>
</ul>


Sales declines, margin compression, cuts in SG&amp;A and cuts in guidance and estimates feature in our Declining Businesses model. 
Declining business shorts tend to be lower beta, have longer time horizons, and tend to produce steadier (although slower) short returns. 
Today we are flagging Weight Watchers, Triumph Grp, Sprouts, Ormat Tech .


Declining Business Short Candidates: Weight Watchers, Triumph Grp, Sprouts, Ormat Tech

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/costa-group-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22632:1" rel="noopener">Costa Group Holdings (CGC AU)</a> IE considers Paine Schwartz Partners’ A$3.20 offer fair and reasonable as it is towards the upper end of its A$2.62-3.28 valuation range. </li>
<li>The scheme requires China SAMR and European Commission approvals. SAMR approval poses a timing risk but the scheduling of the scheme meeting reflects PSP's confidence in securing the approvals.</li>
<li>While not a knockout bid, the profit warning should help sway the retail vote in favour of the scheme. At the last close, the gross spread was 8.1%.</li>
</ul>


The Costa Group Holdings (CGC AU) IE considers Paine Schwartz Partners’ A$3.20 offer fair and reasonable as it is towards the upper end of its A$2.62-3.28 valuation range. 
The scheme requires China SAMR and European Commission approvals. SAMR approval poses a timing risk but the scheduling of the scheme meeting reflects PSP's confidence in securing the approvals.
While not a knockout bid, the profit warning should help sway the retail vote in favour of the scheme. At the last close, the gross spread was 8.1%.


Costa Group (CGC AU): Wide Spread Ahead of the 30 January Vote

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/costa-group-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22632:1" rel="noopener">Costa Group Holdings (CGC AU)</a> has entered a scheme implementation deed with Paine Schwartz Partners (PSP) led consortium at A$3.20 per share. </li>
<li>The key conditions are regulatory and shareholder approval. China SAMR regulatory approval poses a risk, primarily related to timing. Costa anticipates completion in 1Q24.</li>
<li>The headcount test related to the retail vote remains a risk. The risk/reward is unfavourable as the deal break downside (10%+) outweighs the offer’s upside (3.6% at last close).  </li>
</ul>



Costa Group Holdings (CGC AU) has entered a scheme implementation deed with Paine Schwartz Partners (PSP) led consortium at A$3.20 per share. 
The key conditions are regulatory and shareholder approval. China SAMR regulatory approval poses a risk, primarily related to timing. Costa anticipates completion in 1Q24.
The headcount test related to the retail vote remains a risk. The risk/reward is unfavourable as the deal break downside (10%+) outweighs the offer’s upside (3.6% at last close).  


Costa Group (CGC AU): Binding Proposal Comes with Risks

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/costa-group-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22632:1" rel="noopener">Costa Group Holdings (CGC AU)</a>  has disclosed a revised non-binding indicative proposal from Paine Schwartz Partners at A$3.20 per share, 9.6% lower than the previous offer on a like-for-like basis. </li>
<li>The weak CY23 outlook impacted the debt that could be taken on to meet the IRR hurdles of the previous offer. The revised offer is the best and final offer.</li>
<li>The Board faces a dilemma as the offer is light, but some shareholders will want the Board to accept as trading volatility making Costa more suited to the private market.</li>
</ul>



Costa Group Holdings (CGC AU)  has disclosed a revised non-binding indicative proposal from Paine Schwartz Partners at A$3.20 per share, 9.6% lower than the previous offer on a like-for-like basis. 
The weak CY23 outlook impacted the debt that could be taken on to meet the IRR hurdles of the previous offer. The revised offer is the best and final offer.
The Board faces a dilemma as the offer is light, but some shareholders will want the Board to accept as trading volatility making Costa more suited to the private market.


Costa Group (CGC AU): Paine Schwartz’s Final Proposal Poses a Dilemma

United States

Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. operates a chain of retail grocery stores. The Company offers meats, cheese, dairy products, bakery, beer and wine, bulk foods, vitamins, and supplements. Sprouts Farmers Market serves customers throughout the United States.

Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM US)

Sprouts Farmers Market Inc.: Initiation Of Coverage - Effective Private Brand Expansion & 3 Critical Growth Drivers In 2024 & Beyond! - Financial Forecasts

Sprouts Farmers Market's 4th Quarter 2023 Earnings demonstrated a decent performance. Positives include a 7% sales growth for the year while...

Baptista Research

Declining Business Short Candidates: Weight Watchers, Triumph Grp, Sprouts, Ormat Tech

Declining business shorts pursue profit riding negative business momentum. Today we are flagging Weight Watchers, Triumph Grp, Sprouts, Ormat Tech.

Eric Fernandez, CFA

Costa Group (CGC AU): Wide Spread Ahead of the 30 January Vote

While China SAMR approval is an overhang, the scheduling of the vote reflects PSP's confidence in securing the approval. The profit warning should...

Arun George

Costa Group (CGC AU): Binding Proposal Comes with Risks

The timing of China SAMR approval and the headcount test are risks. The risk/reward is unfavourable as the deal break downside (10%+) outweighs the...

Arun George

Costa Group (CGC AU): Paine Schwartz’s Final Proposal Poses a Dilemma

Shares closed down 3.4% as progress to a binding proposal remains uncertain. The Board faces a dilemma as the offer is light, but some shareholders...

Arun George