Every quarter, many money managers have to disclose what they’ve bought and sold, via “13F” filings. Their latest moves can shine a bright light on smart stock picks.
Today, let’s look at Atalanta Sosnoff, which was founded in 1981 and is based in New York City. Its investment style is oriented toward growth stocks, as its managers seek earnings growth and multiple expansion. The firm’s large-cap equity strategy has outperformed the S&P 500 handily since its inception, growing 10.2-fold, vs. 7.3-fold for the S&P 500. In 2010, U.S. investment bank Evercore Partners Inc. (NYSE:EVR) bought a 49% stake in Atalanta Sosnoff.
The company’s reportable stock portfolio totaled $4.1 billion in value as of June 30, 2013.
Interesting developments
So what does Atalanta Sosnoff’s latest quarterly 13F filing tell us? Here are a few interesting details:
Power management company Eaton Corporation, PLC Ordinary Shares (NYSE:ETN) has been shifting its focus from international projects to U.S.-based ones. Argus Research recently recommended the stock, but my colleague Rich Smith would steer clear, due to Eaton Corporation, PLC Ordinary Shares (NYSE:ETN)’s debt and valuation. The stock has surged more than 70% over the past year, and yields about 2.5%. Its acquisition of Cooper Industries has it competing with some formidable opponents in energy infrastructure, and also offers it some tax advantages, via Ireland. Risks that it faces include disruption by upstarts.
Among holdings in which Atalanta Sosnoff increased its stake were Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI) and Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS). Atalanta Sosnoff reduced its stake in lots of companies, including EMC Corporation (NYSE:EMC) and Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM). Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI) has been attracting income-seekers with a double-digit dividend yield, but it recently slashed that in half. Its remaining 5.3% yield is nothing to scoff at, but investors should assess the company’s business carefully. Its legendary postage-meter business has not been thriving amid proliferating digital communications. To its credit, Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI) has been developing other less-threatened (and higher-margin) businesses, such as providing geocoding software. Still, its revenue and earnings have been shrinking in recent years, and it does carry considerable debt. The stock is heavily shorted, too.
Finally, Atalanta Sosnoff’s biggest closed positions included Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) and BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK). Other closed positions of interest include Sirius XM Radio Inc (NASDAQ:SIRI) and Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE:FCX). Sirius XM Radio Inc (NASDAQ:SIRI) is up about 84% over the past year, and trading near a five-year high. The company boasts more than 25 million subscribers, and revenue and earnings have been growing at double-digit rates. Growing auto sales bode well for Sirius, as its radios are embedded in many vehicles. Meanwhile, Sirius faces competition from Pandora Media Inc (NYSE:P), but Pandora is dealing with its own problems, recently posting some shrinking numbers.
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE:FCX), meanwhile, has been whacked by falling copper and gold prices. The world’s largest publicly traded copper producer has also been affected by slowing growth in China, and labor strikes haven’t helped, either. One bright spot is that the company diversified its operations considerably when it bought a pair of oil and gas producers. How well it integrates all its businesses remains to be seen, though. Unloved by many right now, the stock seems rather undervalued to some. Patient investors can collect a 4.4% dividend yield.
The article Here’s What This $4 Billion Investment Firm Has Been Buying originally appeared on Fool.com.
Longtime Fool contributor Selena Maranjian, whom you can follow on Twitter, holds no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BlackRock, Pandora Media, and Unilever. The Motley Fool owns shares of EMC, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, and Philip Morris International.
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