Knowledge Leaders

Spotlight Akamai: Applying Mathematics to Internet Performance Since 1999 December 16, 2022

Posted by Knowledge Leaders Team in Knowledge Leaders

Akamai Technologies has deployed the most pervasive, highly distributed content delivery network in the world. With about 345,000 servers in about 135 countries, the Akamai Edge platform delivers and protects content for the majority of the major media, software and cloud computing companies operating today….

Spotlight Bandai Namco: Where Video Game Characters are IP November 16, 2022

Posted by Knowledge Leaders Team in Knowledge Leaders

Bandai Namco is a video game entertainment company that aims to make “play” a natural part of life. As of this year, it is the world’s third largest video game company after Sony Interactive and Nintendo. The company’s history goes back to 1950 in Tokyo,…

Mid-Quarter Update: Spheres of Innovation November 14, 2022

Posted by Steven Vannelli, CFA in Knowledge Leaders, Portfolio Management

We believe highly innovative companies, when accounted for properly, are cheaper than their non-innovative peers in all regions of the world. Below in our Mid-Quarter Update, we map the spheres of innovation in the developed world. Prefer to download this presentation in PDF? Please click…

International Innovation November 02, 2022

Posted by Steven Vannelli, CFA in Knowledge Leaders, Markets, Portfolio Management

Investors in innovation tend to focus on the US exclusively, and some of that is for good reason as the US spends more than any other country on research and development. But there are many innovative companies outside the US that spend substantial sums on…

Spotlight LHC Group: Innovating Home Health Care October 26, 2022

Posted by Knowledge Leaders Team in Knowledge Leaders

LHC Group provides home health care services to patients in the United States, including post-acute, therapy, and hospice care. The firm also runs 124 residential facilities serving patients who have transitioned out of a hospital but whose conditions remain too severe to go home. Based…

Knowledge Leaders US Mid-Large Innovation Analysis October 25, 2022

Posted by Steven Vannelli, CFA in Knowledge Leaders, Markets

In recent reports, we’ve been highlighting that innovation—as a factor represented by R&D as % of sales—has stopped underperforming and it is selling for an attractive valuation. We used the S&P 500, Russell 2000 and other off-the-shelf indexes. Today we will highlight one of our…

Spotlight Jack Henry: Empowering Financial Freedom October 19, 2022

Posted by Knowledge Leaders Team in Knowledge Leaders

Headquartered in Monett, Missouri, Jack Henry makes an extensive array of financial technologies and services that connect banks to the people and businesses they serve. With a mission to help empower financial freedom, Jack Henry serves the two-thirds of the American population that is not…

S&P 500 Innovation Leaders vs. Followers October 18, 2022

Posted by Steven Vannelli, CFA in Knowledge Leaders, Markets

While many perceive the S&P 500 Index to be a broad innovation-heavy index, in a way it is and in a way it isn’t. It is an innovation-heavy index in so far as aggregate R&D investments total $478.8 billion, but it isn’t so innovation-heavy in…

Has Innovation Bottomed, Part 2: S&P 500 R&D/Sales 1st Quintile Analysis October 11, 2022

Posted by Steven Vannelli, CFA in Knowledge Leaders, Markets

A couple weeks ago, in our quarterly strategy report (see: QSR-Has Innovation Bottomed?), I argued that it appeared that innovation had bottomed. I showed the following chart, which is maintaining its September 21, 2022 low, highlighting the quintile spread of the S&P 500 on the…

Spotlight Masimo: Sensing Better Health Outcomes October 07, 2022

Posted by Knowledge Leaders Team in Knowledge Leaders

Irvine, California-based Masimo makes non-invasive patient monitoring, measuring and sensing technologies that improve patient care in the hospital, the home, and on the go. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Masimo found itself in a unique position to support the urgent needs of both clinicians and…

Quarterly Strategy Report: Has Innovation Bottomed? September 28, 2022

Posted by Steven Vannelli, CFA in Knowledge Leaders, Markets, Portfolio Management

It appears to us that global innovation has bottomed and offers attractive value. An extended analysis follows in our Quarterly Strategy Report: Has Innovation Bottomed? Prefer to download this presentation in PDF? Please click here. 1. Summary -Innovation as a factor appears have bottomed earlier in…

Spotlight Yakult Honsha: Pursuing Excellence in Life, Science and Microorganisms September 23, 2022

Posted by Knowledge Leaders Team in Knowledge Leaders

Maker of the probiotic “Yakult” drink, the company Yakult Honsha’s mission is to contribute to health, happiness, and the pursuit of excellence in life, science and microorganisms. Its flagship refrigerated milk drink is enjoyed daily by more than 40 million people in 40 countries. This…

Has Innovation Bottomed? Is It Cheap Yet? September 20, 2022

Posted by Steven Vannelli, CFA in Knowledge Leaders, Markets

Innovation was the market darling thematic for many years leading up to COVID. The pandemic turbo-charged returns for innovation as the stay-at-home beneficiaries did phenomenally well. However, since the first quarter of 2021 innovation has struggled as a thematic strategy. It appears to us that…

Spotlight FactSet: Moving Financial Data From the Bike Messenger to the Cloud September 15, 2022

Posted by Knowledge Leaders Team in Knowledge Leaders

Headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, FactSet is a global financial data analytics company. Using a cloud-based subscription model, the firm delivers intelligence to inform investment decisions to more than 160,000 asset managers, bankers, wealth managers, and corporations. Its financial tools connect and contextualize data from 800+…

Spotlight Shopify: Funding a New Generation of Merchants September 09, 2022

Posted by Knowledge Leaders Team in Knowledge Leaders

Shopify is a leader in commerce solutions that allow merchants to set up online stores and sell their products. The firm’s tools power millions of entrepreneurs in more than 175 countries including brands as large as Netflix, Allbirds, and Tupperware. The firm was founded in…

Disclosures

The information presented here is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, securities. Some investments are not suitable for all investors, and there can be no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful. Hyperlinks may be included in this message that provide direct access to other internet resources, including web sites. While we believe these links are to reliable sources, Knowledge Leaders Capital (“KLC”) has no control over the accuracy or content of information contained on these sites. Although we make every effort to ensure such links are accurate, up to date and relevant, we have no control over pages maintained by external providers. The views expressed by these external providers on their own web pages or on external sites they link to are not necessarily those of Knowledge Leaders Capital.

The information provided on this blog is for illustrative or example purposes only and should not be construed as KLC’s opinion or investment outlook. As of the most recent quarter end, the named companies may have been held by KLC. For full information including additional policies and full disclosures, please visit our website: KnowledgeLeadersCapital.com.

Any reference to Index performance does not represent the performance of any investment product offered by Knowledge Leaders Capital, LLC. An investor cannot invest directly in an index. The performance of client account may vary from the Index performance. Index returns shown are not reflective of actual investor performance nor do they reflect fees and expenses applicable to investing.

Companies are selected for “Spotlights” based on high levels of innovation activities in their respective industries and illustrate innovation being employed across all sectors and geographies. Spotlight selection is separate from stock selection by the investment team. Spotlights are not necessarily representative of investment opportunities and can be selected regardless of investment performance or inclusion as a KLC holding.