Is Gamco Investors a Value Trap?

From most value investing metrics, the stock of Gamco Investors (NYSE:GBL) looks dirt cheap. Based on the trailing twelve-month earnings per share, GBL trades at a Price-to-Earnings ratio of about 5.3: 2Q20$0.421Q20$0.424Q19$0.913Q19$0.50EPS (TTM)$2.25Share Price12.11P/E Ratio5.38 If we use the 2019 Earnings per Share, the trailing P/E is about 4: 4Q190.913Q190.502Q190.881Q190.70EPS (TTM)2.99Share Price12.11P/E Ratio4.05 The operative … Continue reading Is Gamco Investors a Value Trap?

TCI and the Becoming of the Cable Cowboy

The story of Tele-Communications, Inc. (TCI) is one of the most fascinating tales of shareholder wealth creation that you'll hear. It is also the story of the rise of one of the most renowned owner-operators, John C. Malone. Books Featuring John Malone: Cable Cowboy: John Malone and the Rise of the Modern Cable BusinessThe Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs … Continue reading TCI and the Becoming of the Cable Cowboy

Origo and the value of Tempo Software

Origo is an Icelandic IT company listed on the Nasdaq OMX Iceland stock exchange. The company employs over 500 people, offering IT solutions ranging from hardware, software, consultancy and technical services. In addition to its Icelandic operations, Sweedish-based Applicon AB and Tempo Solutions operate as fully owned subsidiaries. Origo 2017 Financials In 2017, the company … Continue reading Origo and the value of Tempo Software

Oaktree Capital: Thoughts on Valuation

Oaktree is an asset management company that specializes in the high-yield bond market and distressed debt.  Oaktree is lead by Howard Marks, who is famous for the Memos he publishes periodically. Oaktree Presentation from the Bernstein Conference At the end of last May, Jay Wintrob, CEO of Oaktree Capital presented at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions … Continue reading Oaktree Capital: Thoughts on Valuation

Profile: Level 3 Communications

Level 3 Communications in one sentence: Level 3 Communications, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a facilities-based provider of a range of integrated communications services primarily in North America, Latin America, and Europe. The Internet Content Value Chain: On Durable Competitive Advantage Lower unit cost faster than you lower unit prices. That has been … Continue reading Profile: Level 3 Communications

First Marblehead Corporation

First Marblehead Corporation was a speciality finance company that specialized in providing private lending solutions to students in the United States. The company was founded and lead by Dan Meyers in 1991. After going private in August 2016, First Marblehead Corporation changed their name to Cognition Financial Corporation in May 2017. FMD writeup on SumZero A … Continue reading First Marblehead Corporation

Profile: Liberty Media Corp & Liberty Interactive

Wikipedia entry: Liberty Media began in 1991 as a spin-off of TCI, an American cable-television group. Peter Barton, hired by TCI's Malone, served as president until retiring in April 1997 to start an investment firm and spend time with his family. The company took over TCI assets considered to have little value, but Barton completed … Continue reading Profile: Liberty Media Corp & Liberty Interactive

Leucadia National Corporation

Leucadia was run by two high-quality capital allocators, known for their ability to find value-oriented investment opportunities in distressed companies. Ian Cumming and Joseph Steinberg were able to compound the equity of Leucadia during a period of over 20 years, at rate of around 20% per annum. Due to the nature of the corporate strategy, … Continue reading Leucadia National Corporation

Profile: Black Diamond Inc.

Black Diamond Inc (BDE) is a reverse merger stock as two operating companies, Black Diamond Equipment and Gregory Backpacks, were aquired by a registered shell company Clarus Corp, that had previously sold its software operations. In a letter to shareholders from May 2010, chairman Warren B. Kanders states: After a long and thorough process of … Continue reading Profile: Black Diamond Inc.