The Siren Song of Growth Investing

Beguiled by Mephistopheles’ Smile: the Crux of It All
The Myth of Low PEG
SAGE Prunes the Left Tail
Macro Considerations & the Value of Playing Defense
SAGE Stock Characteristics: Some of the Secret Sauce
SAGE: March Buy List for Model Portfolio
Sample SAGE Model Portfolio

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Introduction:

Our Core Small & Mid-Cap (Core SMID) model has continued to put up solid results over the last 12 months despite significant name concentration and low turnover in an environment characterized by high levels of market volatility and correlation. While the model has a number of mechanisms that help to systematically exploit large spreads between “growth” and “value” stocks, we admit this has been a year of living cheaply. The Core SMID model’s predilection for value shares at the expense of more traditional growth names has not been lost on a subset of our customers, and there has been some consternation at our relatively defensive posture.

In discussions with investors we struggled to pin down precisely what constitutes a growth company. The striking range of answers has been enlightening if only to reveal the intellectual diversity that can inhabit the predefined style boxes created by consultants. While the more esoteric descriptions often engender entertaining discussion, we have found that they typically prove to be unreliable constructs for those seeking to build and test the efficacy of an investment process. After examining a range of concepts, we settled on the use of long-term expected earnings growth as a defining proxy for a growth stock. Skeptics should note that in all four major methodologies tested by us (Price-to-Book, Price-to-Sales, Two-Year EPS Growth, Five-Year EPS Growth), the variations in outcome were minimal (+/-3%). Note: for investors who want reasonably priced profits, please see our later research explaining the folly of fast growth stocks and our work on GARP stocks.

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SERVICES

As a reminder for our Financial Advisors: our models are available on a continuous basis, and most have been in production for over a decade. If you are looking for simple, concentrated, low turnover, and tax efficient model portfolios we would like to talk with you. KCR also offers a wide range of easy-to-use but sophisticated tools. Our toolkits can help identify mispriced stocks with the best and worst risk/reward characteristics, estimate a stock’s duration and warn you when a company is engaging in low-quality accounting. Over the last 12 years, KCR has built and offers time-tested and class-leading products built by experienced and proven money managers for fixed to low prices.
Kailash Capital Research, LLC ’s sister company, L2 Asset Management, runs market neutral, long/short, large-cap, and mid-cap long-only portfolios with a value and quality bias. L2 employs a highly disciplined investment process characterized by moderate concentration, low turnover, high tax efficiency, and low fees. While nobody can predict the future, we believe the recent resurgence in risk-adjusted returns seen across all products is the beginning of what may be a long period where speculation is punished, and prudence and patience rewarded.

ADDITIONAL READING

The topics discussed in this article are aimed at seasoned professionals, as such, we have included some extra for anyone seeking out more information related to the topics above.

Disclaimer

The information, data, analyses, and opinions presented herein (a) do not constitute investment advice, (b) are provided solely for informational purposes and therefore are not, individually or collectively, an offer to buy or sell a security, (c) are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate, and (d) are subject to change without notice. Kailash Capital Research, LLC and its affiliates (collectively, “Kailash Capital Research, LLC ”) shall not be responsible for any trading decisions, damages or other losses resulting from, or related to, the information, data, analyses or opinions or their use. The information herein may not be reproduced or retransmitted in any manner without the prior written consent of Kailash Capital Research, LLC . In preparing the information, data, analyses, and opinions presented herein, Kailash Capital Research, LLC has obtained data, statistics, and information from sources it believes to be reliable. Kailash Capital Research, LLC , however, does not perform an audit or seeks independent verification of any of the data, statistics, and information it receives. Kailash Capital Research, LLC and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your tax, legal, and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. © 2021 Kailash Capital Research, LLC – All rights reserved.

Nothing herein shall limit or restrict the right of affiliates of Kailash Capital Research, LLC to perform investment management or advisory services for any other persons or entities. Furthermore, nothing herein shall limit or restrict affiliates of Kailash Capital Research, LLC from buying, selling or trading securities or other investments for their own accounts or for the accounts of their clients. Affiliates of Kailash Capital Research, LLC may at any time have, acquire, increase, decrease or dispose of the securities or other investments referenced in this publication. Kailash Capital Research, LLC shall have no obligation to recommend securities or investments in this publication as result of its affiliates’ investment activities for their own accounts or for the accounts of their clients.