WHAT CAN BE A PROBABLE BOTTOM OF INDIAN STOCK MARKET?

We have seen a sharp fall in the market these days. Now, everyone has a question that what can be a probable bottom? where we should start buying? Bottom of the market already made? Should we buy or will we have missed out this opportunity? Yes, Nifty has reached to the fair value zone but pendulum never stayed at the middle zone it will go extreme to both the direction. So, we have seen upside extreme and now have to see downside extreme move.

Before starting answering the above questions, here, I am requesting you to read my old article which I had posted on 4th August 2019. In that article, I mentioned regarding market fall. Please first go through that article because the current article is a continuation of that article.

THE INTELLIGENT INVESTOR – 3 – A CENTURY OF STOCK-MARKET HISTORY

Now, if we analyze current fall then we can say that Indian corporate and GDP has witnessed a limited growth in the past. Also, Covid-19 virus has disrupted the entire world economy. Majority of the economy has started giving a revival package but if we look at the speed of the spreading of Covid-19 and death of the people then it is very painful for us as well as the economy.

Our PM has announced with the 21 days lockdown to fight against the Covid-19. We have taken this step well in advance so that we can able to control the situation, because if the situation will go out of control then we do not have a proper infrastructure for citizens to cure.

I have taken a few data from HDFC Bank India growth outlook 2020, cost of lockdown.

Health exp

By looking at the above data and havoc of Covid-19 in the world, it is essential to go for the not only lockdown but to declare an emergency in India. Now, let’s go to the economic impact of this mayhem. People can oppose that government of the majority of the economy has started announcing a revival package. But We have to think that it’s not a financial crisis where you pump liquidity into the system and things will start recovering. It’s taking the lives of people so what will change after the liquidity get infused. People try to save life rather use those liquidities. So, disruption can take time to revive. If this problem can worsen it will be led to a financial crisis which is still pending to come. It’s just my thoughts, don’t know what can happen but this thing looking worse than any financial crisis.

If the normal situation has come where growth remains subdued then the market can remain in range but here this difficult situation can hamper the earning badly.  we have to understand that our states of India are equivalent of the many of the country where corona has done huge damage. Here, the world economy gets hamper, trade around the world hamper, supply chain get disturbs, corporates have to fund fixed cost, they only can manage variable cost through the lockdown.

Many of the articles and reports indicating towards global recession and as intense as the recession of 1929. I don’t know that will happen or not but I only can pray that such will not happen because it will take many further issues with many of the lives. Let’s not getting into the debate and do some number crunching which is always my favourite.

Current, Nifty EPS is ~Rs.444 so proceed with the calculation based on that. I am assuming current EPS will remain same for FY20 and all degrowth will account in FY21 and FY22 (if the situation will not come to the control then FY22 will also go for a toss).

I have taken the bank rate as an SBI FD rate after the rate cut.

EYield by Bond rate01

Now, if we look at the earnings yield to bond yield ratio then it has reached at the 1.03x in the current period. If we take same EPS and take that ratio to the worst happen during the 2008 – financial crisis then it was 1.11x so nifty level come to the 8000 but Covid-19 will going to hamper earning growth and might be a new level of earning yield to bond yield ratio can come, which I have taken a range of 1.25 to 1.50 with a different scenario.

If things will be in control in coming few days then might be 5% degrowth can be possible and then market also maybe get stable at the old worst level of earning yield to bond yield ratio – 1.11x to 1.25x. But if things will get more worst then now and continue with coming 1-2 months then 10% degrowth in earning can be expected. I have made a study in S&P500 of USA and in that market earning yield to bond yield ratio has reached around 3x in worst level which I am not considering as of now. If we see that then past falls in the market have accounted for ~50% fall from the top so that that will also come to ~6215 level.

Now, another point is that earnings growth always essential for generating returns in the market. So that market can be remaining in the range till no sign comes for earning growth revival because, on the hope of earnings growth, the market has already run a lot.

I have posted an article on WHAT CAN BE A PROBABLE RETURN FROM SENSEX IN COMING 10 YEARS? a way back and where I have taken SENSEX level after 10 years on worst earning growth of 3.50% came at 43547 on P/E and 57678 on P/BV based. So, if earning growth cannot revive then the market can remain in range for a longer period. But from the current base, we can have a good chance of making a return in the range of 4-7% CAGR in the index overcoming 10 years. Tax cut reform will also aid in earning growth coming forward. We only have to pray that situation will not worsen from here and for that we have to stay at home, stay safe and fight against Corona.

#Stayhomestaysafe #Stayhomesavelives #Fightagainstcorona

Disclosure – Companies mentioned in the article are just for an example & educational purpose. It is not a buy/sell/ hold recommendation. 

05 – GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT WITH THE ECONOMIC CYCLE – Mastering The Market Cycle

Generally, the economy works as either a free economy or a communist economy. But the most accepted free economy also needs government interference sometimes. There are interventions made by controlling authorities for shaping the economy and help the economy to grow well.

Central Bank

Central Bank such as RBI concerns managing the economic cycle which is mainly through inflation and employment. Inflation has a two type –

  • Demand-pull where the demand for products increases more than of supply.
  • Cost-push where prices of labor and raw materials increases.

Central Bank involves in reducing money supply in the economy through increased interest rates, selling of securities which resulted in lower demand due to lower availability of money and inflation comes down.

Such an act also hampers the growth of an economy.

When it comes to generating more employment in the economy then the central bank increases the money supply to the economy through reducing interest rates, purchases of securities (quantitative easing), etc.

Central Bank has to maintain a balance between employment generation and limiting inflation.

 INTEREST RATE CUTS: DOES IT PROVIDE LONG-TERM BENEFITS?

Government

The government has a wide area of responsibilities and the economy is one of those. The government has the main tool for managing the economic cycle is fiscal which includes taxing and spending. So, for stimulating the economy, government cuts tax, increases government spending, provides stimulus packages. Government reversely increase taxes, reduce spending and another stimulus when they feel that the economy is overheating.

Also, the government has to look after the deficit which results in the increases in debt levels.

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The above stimulus will invite higher taxes when either economy overheating or debt level of economy crossing limits.

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If higher taxes and lower spending by the government with the fiscal surplus resulted in the lower down of debt level and the fund goes out of the economy. Reversely, lower taxes and higher spending by the government bring more fiscal deficits and that will have resulted in the increasing borrowing levels.

Similarly, currently, Government has cut corporate tax rates in India and this will have resulted in the above process mentioned in rate cut but in a longer period, this lower tax can be increasing a debt level. India is a developing economy that requires higher government spending as well so that that will surely going to increases a deficit and will increase a debt level. But for stimulating growth in the economy it is a welcome step. Otherwise, the economy starts failing. The government has to take appropriate steps whenever requires.

Disclosure – Companies mentioned in the article are just for an example & educational purpose. It is not a buy/sell/ hold recommendation. 

Read for more detail: Mastering The Market Cycle: Getting the odds on your side by Mr.Howard Marks

Interest rate cuts: Does it provide long-term benefits?

When rate cuts happen, people think that the economy is weak so that it required a rate cut. The reduced rate provides stimulus to the economy which resulted in the stronger GDP, higher corporate profits and higher stock prices. This is the first-level thinking.

Rather second-level thinker thinks that –

  • Why do rate cuts happen?
  • The economy is weak or weakening?
  • What damage can occur if rate cuts not happen?
  • How much worse it is?
  • Does this rate cut help to revive things?
  • Shouldn’t we need to take rate cut as a worrisome scenario?

A very nice example quoted by Mr. Marks that when we visit a doctor for our weak health and then he works on healing us through higher treatment, should not this worrisome for us?

First level thinker takes it as this treatment heal us and we will get all right soon

Whereas second-level thinker take it as –

  • how much worse it is that such high treatment is required? Or the situation is worsening highly?
  • Does it resolve the issue?
  • Is this treatment sufficient?

We need to think that the doctor has to bring a higher treatment that means simple treatment does not go to work for healing us. This means either issue is big enough or it is on the way to becoming bigger. So that when we have a bypass that means chest pain is not because of a gas problem but actually, we have a heart attack.

What can lead to growth at a lower interest rate?

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  • Lower cost of borrowing – lower interest on EMI – more savings leads to more spending on the consumer front and that resulted in the GDP growth
  • Lower cost of borrowing – encourage businesses to make an investment – lower cost leads to more cash left with businesses to make further Capex – earning starts growing – more dividends or stock buyback enhance cash inflow to the investors – more spending – that increases GDP
  • Consumer spending increases – demand increases – encourage businesses to invest – more employment opportunities – more wages – increase consumers spending – GDP increases

The most important thing is that when interest rates go down then we reduce discount rates also. So that lower discount rates resulted in the higher assets prices. And lower rates encourage investors to take more risk to earn more return in the low return world.

Rate cuts provide hints for future rate cuts. And the above cycle keeps repeating.

There are many situations where lower rates are undesirable –

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Low rates increase the inflation (some inflation is required for the growth but excessive can kill) – too much inflation increases cost of living – it makes hard for people to spend more money – lower rates reduces the return on the cash, money market investments, high-grade bonds so that people make an investment into the risky products to earn more return – people take more leverage to make an investment – this creates an assets bubble & some point of time it will burst.

Due to the lower interest rates, we provide lower discount rates to the assets which have increased the price of the assets and when the bubble burst interest rate increases which creates huge damage to the prices of the assets.

This is like painkillers which cure pain for now but harmful to health over a longer period if we continue with taking painkillers frequently for immediate relief then it can destroy our health in the future. So, we need to be careful while taking a painkiller for curing pain at the time.

We need to focus that whether growth is natural or artificial stimulating growth. If growth is not natural then central bank and government have to take measures to boost growth. Such kind of growth does not survive for long without stimulation.

As current slowdown is not only cured through rate cuts but the government need to bring further measures which can provide long-term domestic growth without any temporary stimulation. Temporary stimulation brings future demand in the current period or till the stimulation remains in the force. After that demand starts getting dry up. Such a stimulus can be more harmful and lead to huge damage to the economy at whole.

Inspired from Howard Marks memo – “On the other hand”

 

What can be a probable return from SENSEX in coming 10 years?

I have written on this topic is due to current market fall and fear into the mind of an investor. We are seeing many uncertainties hindering the growth of the economy, rising crude oil prices, commodity prices, fiscal deficit, banks NPA, government expenditure, rising interest rate, the success of GST, structural changes into the economy. All such events will impact the growth of business positively or negatively. If we try to put all such events into different scenarios then we can come to know what can be a probable return from SENSEX in coming 10 years.

For the calculation of probable return, I have taken a formula which is given by John P. Hussman. John P. Hussman is the U.S.A stock market analyst and owner of the hedge fund.

Formula

Annualized Return (%) = (1+g)(future PE or P/BV / current PE or P/BV)^(1/T) – 1 + dividend yield (current PE or P/BV / future PE or P/BV + 1) / 2

G = Business earning growth,       P/E = Price to Earnings ratio,          P/BV = Price to Book Value ratio

Return of our investment is based on

Business Earning Growth – Our investment return will grow if particular business earning will grow. Investment return is directly related with the earning of a business. If business survives for the longer period of time with generating the higher return on invested capital with earnings growth then we will able to earn a decent return from particular business.

Dividends – Dividends comes from the earning of the company. If a company distributes dividends to shareholders with growing earnings, the dividend is an additional return for the shareholders with the appreciation of business value. As per Mr.Buffett, if the company does not have a reinvesting opportunity available or business does not able to generate a higher return than the cost of capital then management should distribute earnings in form of dividends.

Changes in the valuation – the Stock price of the particular business is also affected by the changes in the valuation such as changes into the P/E, P/BV, P/S (Price to Sales) or Market Cap to Sales, etc.

Assumptions

  • Dividend yield (%) is assumed to be 0.50% to 1.00%.
  • Business Earning Growth (%) is assumed 3.50% (a rate, which is half of the current GDP growth), 7% (current GDP growth rate) and 14% (twice of current GDP growth rate). Assuming average earnings growth of various businesses comprises SENSEX.
  • Future P/E taken as 19x (Historical average of last 20 years since the year 1998), 21x (10% premium on historical average P/E) and 23x (20% premium on historical average P/E).
  • Future P/BV taken as 3.29x (Historical average of last 20 years since the year 1998), 3.62x (10% premium on historical average P/BV) and 3.95x (20% premium on historical average P/BV).

SENSEX

We can use a similar kind of valuation matrix for the particular business itself. Here, I have also shown valuation calculation of an air cooler manufacturing company of India, I have calculated as I was at the year 2012 and what can be a probable return from particular business till the year 2022.

Stock 1

If we consider actual business performance then sales of the company have been grown by 17% CAGR since the year 2012 to the year 2018. But the stock price has been increased to Rs.2209 (high price and the current price is Rs.967) from Rs.130. This entire return is come to the stock only because of valuation multiple expansion such as P/E, P/BV, EV/EBITDA etc. Similar period has P/E increased to 85x (high P/E and current P/E is 46x) from 23.63x and P/BV increased to 33x (high P/BV and current P/BV is 11x) from 5.84x.

Disclosure – I am not using this valuation matrix in my investment journey till now. This is only one of the valuation matrix and we need to use a different appropriate valuation matrix for reaching to a value range.

Learn matrix from

http://hussmanfunds.com/wmc/wmc050222.htm

https://www.gurufocus.com/stock-market-valuations.php