During the third quarter, gurus invested in several well-known global companies such as Samsung Electronics (XKRX:005930, Financial), Toyota (TSE:7203, Financial) and GlaxoSmithKline (LSE:GSK, Financial). But results from the All-In-One Screener show there were three other international stocks with lesser-known names that were popular among the gurus.
GuruFocus’ All-In-One Screener offers 150 different filters to sort stocks and find appropriate investments. To find international investment ideas, click the checkmark box for the desired regions at the top of the screener and de-select the box for USA. Then adjust the parameters in the Guru tab of the screener. For the results below, we searched for recent gurus buying and selling of “3+ Gurus” over the past three months.
Benefit One Inc. (TSE:2412, Financial)
Benefit One is a Japanese company that provides outsourced employee benefits plans and programs such as child care, education and meal services for employees. During the third quarter, the T. Rowe Price Japan Fund (Trades, Portfolio) and the Wasatch International Growth (Trades, Portfolio) Fund initiated new positions in the company, with more than 150,000 shares each. Matthews Japan Fund (Trades, Portfolio) also upped its stake for the second quarter in a row, adding 8%.
The Japanese stock is performing well, more than doubling year-to-date and now trading at ÂĄ2730, although this is a steep valuation as indicated by the PE of 60.
Benefit One has grown its EPS steadily since 2008. In the second quarter ended Sept. 30, the company earned ÂĄ13.02 per share, which is up from ÂĄ9.68 the year before.
The stock’s dividend yield is near the five-year low at 0.88% while the payout ratio is 45%.
HSBC Holdings (LSE:HSBA, Financial)
Four gurus added to their holdings in HSBC during the third quarter: IVA International Fund (Trades, Portfolio), Charles de Vaulx (Trades, Portfolio), Causeway International Value (Trades, Portfolio) and Tweedy Browne (Trades, Portfolio) Global Value. HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organizations with headquarters in London.
HSBC is down 16% for the year and currently trades at ÂŁ5.12, or 10x earnings. During the third quarter, the company earned 16 pence per share, slightly up from 10 pence in the prior year period.
In 2014, HSBC’s free cash flow was more than $15 billion in the red, the second year cash flow has been negative since 2000.
The dividend yield is close to the three-year high at 6.43%, while the payout ratio is 66%.
Jardine Strategic Holdings (SGX:J37)
Jardine is a diversified business group that operates mainly in Asia; its companies operate in various industries such as engineering and construction, motor vehicles and property development. Steven Romick (Trades, Portfolio) of the FPA Crescent Fund, Charles de Vaulx (Trades, Portfolio) and IVA International Fund (Trades, Portfolio) each bought the Singapore listing of the company in the third quarter.
Jardine is down 20% so far this year and is currently priced at $27.20. In the first half of this year, the group earned $1.24 per share, compared to $1.44 in the year-ago period.
Though the operating margin was in the 20% range from 2009 to 2011, it has dropped to near 10% in the years since.
At 1.01%, the dividend yield is close to the five-year high, and has a 10% payout ratio.
Use the All-In-One Screener to sort stocks with more than 150 filters. Sign up for GuruFocus’ Global Membership for access to international stock details.
