How Do NCAV Stocks Perform When Buffett's Favorite Valuation Indicator Is Expensive?

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How Do NCAV Stocks Perform When Buffett’s Favorite Valuation Indicator Is Expensive? via  Victor Wendl, author of  The Net Current Asset Value Approach to Stock Investing: A Guide to Purchasing Stocks Trading below Liquidation Value

Warren Buffett, a former student and employee of value-investing pioneer Benjamin Graham, commented recently on how expensive the overall stock market is currently. One of the metrics Buffett uses to describe the valuation of stocks is to compare the market value of stocks to the size of the U.S. economy. The metric used to measure the size of the economy is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  Sometimes Mr. Market bids up stock prices to lofty levels relative to GDP, and at other times stocks become depressed relative to the size of the overall economy. This valuation ratio is not a short-term market-timing tool, but it does provide guidance as to whether returns will be above or below the average over the longer term.

NCAV Stocks

The chart below illustrates the performance of the S&P 500 at different valuation levels. As the overall stock market becomes more expensive relative to the size of the U.S. economy (GDP), average annual returns over the next 5 years trend lower. The current reading on the stock-market-value-to-GDP ratio is currently more than 100%. Historically, this has not been the greatest entry point for someone putting new money to work in a broadly diversified stock fund, even one that charges low fees.

Unlike the S&P 500 Index, the disappointing stock performance at lofty valuation levels does not seem to be the case if one follows Benjamin Graham’s rule for enterprising investors by only purchasing stocks trading below net current asset value.

Net current asset value (NCAV) is a simple calculation used to describe the minimum liquidation value of a firm. The calculation is made by subtracting all liabilities—including preferred stock—from the most liquid assets on a company’s balance sheet and converting the figure to a per-share basis. If a company is found trading below net current asset value, the performance of these out-of-favor stocks is excellent. The chart below assumes an investor puts no more than 10% in any one stock trading below 75% of net current asset value and holds the stock for a 5-year period. Using Buffett’s favorite indicator for overall stock valuation, even when stocks are lofty in price relative to GDP, the performance of net current asset value stocks holds up.

NCAV Stocks

Why is it that stocks trading below net current asset value outperform even during time periods when the overall market is expensive? One reason is the superior selection criterion of investing in stocks trading below liquidation value. The other reason is having the discipline to let some funds sit idle during time periods when the stock market is expensive. There are fewer stocks trading below net current asset value when the market is at an extreme high relative to GDP. By restricting purchases to no more than 10% in any one stock, our net current asset value portfolio sat partially in Treasury Bills more than half the time when the stock-market-to-GDP ratio was more than 100%.

Many investors feel a psychological comfort in joining the collective conscious and purchasing stocks when everyone else seems to be buying. Those time periods seem to coincide with lofty stock valuations. During time periods when stocks are expensive, investors embracing a value investment philosophy are tempted to relax their buying criterion and load up on stocks. Having a portion of your funds sitting on the sidelines, waiting for more stocks to trade below liquidation value is hard to do when stocks continue to bubble higher. The illustration above shows that investors who can discipline themselves to remain partially in low-interest-bearing Treasury Bills when stocks are expensive can still do well over the long term in terms of portfolio performance.

Enterprising investors should avoid the temptation to purchase stocks trading at a higher valuation than net current asset value, regardless of where the overall market is trading relative to GDP. When stocks are expensive relative to GDP, spending time pursuing other activities might be more productive than abandoning the strict value-investing criterion and wandering into the area of pure stock speculation.

 

Important Disclosure:

Victor Wendl is the author of  The Net Current Asset Value Approach to Stock Investing. The book reviews the performance over a 60 year time period of purchasing stocks trading below net current asset value. The stock filtering criterion was popularized by Benjamin Graham, the father of value investing, and a mentor to Warren Buffett who considered his professor and former employer one of the most influential people in his life. The Net Current Asset Value Approach to Stock Investing is available for purchase on Amazon.com, as well as for Nook and Kindle reading devices.

Wendl Financial, Inc. is registered as an investment adviser with the state of Missouri and only conducts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. Registration as an investment adviser does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by securities regulators. The information in this article is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice.

 

You must be aware of the risks and be willing to accept them in order to invest in the stock market. Don’t trade with money you can’t afford to lose. This is neither a solicitation nor an offer to buy stocks. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those discussed on this Web site. The past performance of any trading system or methodology is not necessarily indicative of future results.  No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown.

 

Wendl Financial, Inc. is registered as an investment adviser with the state of Missouri and only conducts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. Registration as an investment adviser does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by securities regulators. The information in this article is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice.

Past performance results is not an indication of future performance. Wendl Financial shall have no liability of whatever nature in respect of any claims, damages, loss, or expense arising out of or in connection with the reliance by you on the contents of our website.

 

Copyright © 2014 Victor Wendl

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