Dimitry Nakhla | Babylon Capital®
On April 10 2024, I shared my analysis on $MSCI suggesting it was overvalued at $542💵 & a good consideration at $450💵

Since that post, $MSCI is down -13.0% & is currently trading for $473💵

As I stated in my analysis:

“As you can see, $MSCI appears to have attractive return potential if we assume >34x earnings, leaving us with no margin of safety

Given the multiple expansion over the last 10 years, deteriorating balance sheet, & a reduction in the growth rate, I’d demand greater value from $MSCI

I’d likely get more interested in $MSCI closer to $450💵 or at ~31x earnings (~16.5% below todays price)”

#stocks #investing
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𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄‼️: 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥® 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬.

𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐛𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲."

A sober valuation analysis on $MSCI 🧘🏽‍♂️

•NTM P/E Ratio: 37.26x
•10-Year Mean: 34.88x

•NTM FCF Yield: 2.94%
•10-Year Mean: 3.39%

As you can see, $MSCI appears to be trading above fair value

Going forward, investors can receive ~7% LESS in earnings per share & ~13% LESS in FCF per share 🧠***

Before we get into valuation, let’s take a look at why $MSCI is a good business

BALANCE SHEET🆗
•Cash & Short-Term Inv: $457.82M
•Long-Term Debt: $4.49B

$MSCI has an ok balance sheet, a BBB- S&P Credit Rating, & 6.62x FFO Interest Coverate

RETURN ON CAPITAL✅
•2019: 23.4%
•2020: 28.6%
•2021: 26.5%
•2022: 33.0%
•2023: 35.2%

RETURN ON EQUITY🆗
•2019: (463.5%)
•2020: (231.5%)
•2021: (239.3%)
•2022: (148.6%)
•2023: (131.4%)

*ROE negative due to heavy use of debt

$MSCI has strong return metrics, highlighting the financial efficiency of the business

REVENUES✅
•2013: $0.91B
•2023: $2.53B
•CAGR: 10.76%

FREE CASH FLOW✅
•2013: $280.93M
•2023: $1.21B
•CAGR: 15.75%

NORMALIZED EPS✅
•2013: $2.16
•2023: $13.52
•CAGR: 20.13%

SHARE BUYBACKS✅
•2013 Shares Outstanding: 121.07M
•LTM Shares Outstanding: 79.84M

By reducing its shares outstanding 34%, $MSCI increased its EPS by 51% (assuming 0 growth)

MARGINS✅
•LTM Gross Margins: 82.3%
•LTM Operating Margins: 54.8%
•LTM Net Income Margins: 45.4%

***NOW TO VALUATION 🧠

As stated above, investors can expect to receive ~7% LESS in EPS & ~13% LESS in FCF per share

Using Benjamin Graham’s 2G rule of thumb, $MSCI has to grow earnings at an 18.63% CAGR over the next several years to justify its valuation

Today, analysts anticipate 2024 - 2026 EPS growth over the next few years to be less than the (18.63%) required growth rate:

2024E: $14.89 (10.1% YoY) *FY Dec
2025E: $17.05 (14.5% YoY)
2026E: $19.45 (14.1% YoY)

$MSCI has a great track record of meeting analyst estimates ~2 years out, but let’s assume $MSCI ends 2026 with $19.45 in EPS & see its CAGR potential assuming different multiples

34x P/E: $661.30💵 … ~8.9% CAGR

32x P/E: $622.40💵 … ~6.5% CAGR

30x P/E: $583.50💵 … ~4.0% CAGR

28x P/E: $544.60💵 … ~1.5% CAGR

As you can see, $MSCI appears to have attractive return potential if we assume >34x earnings, leaving us with no margin of safety

Given the multiple expansion over the last 10 [...]

years, deteriorating balance sheet, & a reduction in the growth rate, I’d demand greater value from $MSCI

I’d likely get more interested in $MSCI closer to $450💵 or at ~31x earnings (~16.5% below todays price)

#stocks #investing
___

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄‼️: 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥® 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬.

𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐛𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲. "- Dimitry Nakhla | Babylon Capital®
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Antonio Linares
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2. Nature embedded within us a sense of morality.
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@alc2022 CONGRATS!!!!! - amit
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$AMD is poised to challenge $NVDA's stronghold in the AI sector for two key reasons:

1. Traditionally, $NVDA has maintained a competitive edge through CUDA, a platform that ensures smooth interactions between developers and $NVDA GPUs.

Yet, the dynamic has shifted with the rise of Pytorch as the leading framework for deep learning (AI), now seamlessly integrating with $AMD GPUs right out of the box.

$AMD has now recently opened up ROCm (its CUDA equivalent) to the open source community.

This integration marks the beginning of the erosion of $NVDA's software stronghold, leveling the competitive landscape.

2. In contrast to $NVDA’s uniform chip design, $AMD employs a chiplet-based architecture.

This progressive strategy has already overturned $INTC's market dominance by offering high-performance chips at reduced costs.

The chiplet design has a unique benefit: if one component fails, it doesn’t compromise the entire chip.

As a result, chiplet architectures typically achieve much higher yields than their monolithic counterparts.

However, adopting chiplet technology implies a shift toward thinner margins, which could negatively affect $NVDA's financial health.

This represents a classic instance of the Innovator’s Dilemma – the hesitance of entrenched firms to self-disrupt.

$NVDA has technically already pivoted to chiplets with the launch of the Blackwell architecture, but there are some important considerations.

A thorough analysis of Blackwell's architecture indicates that the chip fundamentally comprises two large chips that are interconnected.

Previously, $NVDA architectures followed a similar pattern.

However, Blackwell marks a new development where for the first time, its two chips function cohesively at both the software and network levels.

Essentially, Blackwell consists of two chiplets, signaling a cautious initial move towards a chiplet-based architecture.

Each of these chiplets, however, are already at the boundaries of the maximum reticle size.

As a result, $NVDA is nearing the physical limitations that make the production of monolithic chips increasingly difficult as we progress to smaller process nodes.

To increase computational capabilities, $NVDA now faces the challenge of either dramatically escalating the complexity within each of the two existing dies or adding more monolithic chips to the Blackwell architecture.

Should $NVDA not completely shift towards $AMD's strategy, there are two potential long-term outcomes:

1. $NVDA maintains its lead by essentially linking more monolithic chips, each at the reticle size limit, akin to a pseudo-chiplet strategy, with $AMD remaining a peripheral contender.

2. This approach may not prove scalable compared to $AMD’s dedicated chiplet architecture, potentially allowing $AMD to capture significant market share at the high end of the spectrum.

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Time will tell whether $AMD can prosper on the software side, which is essential for its hardware endeavors to bear fruit. But $AMD is taking the right steps to get there.
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