I am usually not much fun at parties or other social situations.
I’m not dour or unfriendly by any means, but most consider my interests and passions uninteresting at best and mind-numbingly boring at worst. Rather than keeping up with the Kardashians or Kanye West, I prefer to read magazines like The Economist, Forbes and Institutional Investor. I also attend investing seminars, conferences and other business-oriented events instead of college football games. I generally try to avoid situations and events that don’t strike my fancy.
The environmentalists were discussing how computers have actually increased the global use of paper. Back in the 1980s, computers were lauded for their potential to create a paperless office. But the truth is, global paper consumption has increased by 50% since the ’80s. Each year, the average American uses the equivalent of nearly six 40-foot trees in paper form, according to The Economist.
My environmentalist friends were upset about these facts as the hope of a paperless society continues to fade. This led me to think about the increasing demand and steadily escalating pressure on the supply, which makes the paper business sounds like a lucrative investing opportunity.
As soon as I returned home, I ran technical scans on publicly traded paper companies. One company’s stock performance and fundamental picture was absolutely stunning. So with a nod to the environmentalists who inadvertently inspired this capitalist, here’s a close look at this nearly perfect company.
The company I’m talking about is Neenah Paper, Inc. (NYSE:NP).
This paper company has been tearing higher this month. Take a look at the chart below.
The powerful technical picture is what first sparked my interest in the company. The stock has surged from the $31 range to nearly $39 in just the month of July. That’s a stunning uptrend in anyone’s book. However, as of July 26, the price has fallen back from the high. This potentially sets up a solid buying opportunity.
The company, which has a market cap of more than $500 million, is broken into two segments, fine paper and technical products. Its products are sold globally in more than 70 nations with its revenue split close to even between the two operating segments. The technical segment makes goods such as oil and air filters, specialty tape, medical packaging, wallpaper and other similar paper products. The fine paper division makes premium writing paper, invitations, bright paper and other types of commercial-printing paper.
Fueling the advance, Neenah Paper, Inc. (NYSE:NP) recently purchased premium business paper brands from Southworth. Sold in major business supply stores, these brands provide Neenah another established avenue for distribution. In addition, the company just signed a strategic partnership with Gruppo Cordenons, an Italian maker of fine paper. This deal will allow Neenah to market and distribute Cordenons’ products in the United States and Canada. It’s a win-win situation for both firms as Neenah will profit from another successful product line and Cordenons will gain additional exposure for its high-end paper.
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| Neenah Paper is broken into two segments: fine paper and technical products. |
In its most recent quarter, Neenah Paper, Inc. (NYSE:NP)’s revenue increased 8% from the same period last year, to $213 million. Growth in the fine paper segment and increased sales volume from the newly acquired brands is credited with the improved results.
