6 Guru Stocks With Negative Performances

Although gurus hold positions in the following companies, their share prices and returns have suffered declines recently. These are the worst-performing stocks over the past six months that have a long-term presence in multiple gurus' portfolios.

International Flavors & Fragrances

Shares of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (NYSE:IFF) declined 9.19% over the past six months through Jan. 16. The stock is held by five gurus.

The company's largest guru shareholder is Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) with 1.32% of outstanding shares, followed by Mario Gabelli (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.50% and Tom Gayner (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.80%.

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• IFF 30-Year Financial Data
• The intrinsic value of IFF
• Peter Lynch Chart of IFF

The company, which manufactures flavors and fragrances for food, beverage, household goods and personal care products, has a market cap of $13.60 billion. The stock was trading with a price-earnings ratio of 37.68. As of Jan.16, the share price of $130 was 17.23% below the 52-week high and 20.73% above the 52-week low.

Over the past decade, share prices have risen 203%. The return on equity of 6.8% and return on assets of 3.12% are underperforming 57% of companies in the chemicals industry.

Plains All American Pipeline

Shares of Plains All American Pipeline LP (NYSE:PAA) declined 20.96% over the past six months. Three gurus hold the stock.

With 0.06% of outstanding shares, Michael Price (Trades, Portfolio) is the largest guru shareholder of the company, followed by T Boone Pickens (Trades, Portfolio)' BP Capital with 0.04% and Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio)’ Renaissance Technologies with 0.03%.

The company has a market cap of $13.53 billion. The stock was trading with a price-earnings ratio of 5.06 as of Jan. 16, and the share price of $19 was 25.27% below the 52-week high and 16.77% above the 52-week low.

The return on equity of 27.4% and return on assets of 11.05% are outperforming 91% of companies in the oil and gas industry. Over the past decade, shares have declined 32.27%.

Icahn Enterprises

Icahn Enterprises LP (NASDAQ:IEP) declined 8.40% over the past six months. The stock is held by three gurus, of which Carl Icahn (Trades, Portfolio) is the largest with 94.97% of outstanding shares.

The company has a market cap of $13.27 billion. The stock was trading with a price-book ratio of 2.39; as of Jan. 16, the share price of $64.61 was 18.42% below the 52-week high and 8.99% above the 52-week low.

Over the past decade, the stock has climbed 47%. While the return on equity of 10.24% is outperforming the sector, the return on assets of 0.06% is underperforming 65% of companies in the conglomerates industry.

Exact Sciences

Shares of Exact Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ:EXAS) declined 22.81% over the past six months. Eight gurus hold the stock.

With 1.48% of outstanding shares, Andreas Halvorsen (Trades, Portfolio) is the largest guru shareholder of the company, followed by Spiros Segalas (Trades, Portfolio) with 1.03%, PRIMECAP Management (Trades, Portfolio) with 1.02% and Simons' firm with 0.35%.

The molecular diagnostics company has a $13.27 billion market cap. The stock was trading with a price-book ratio of 15.64. As of Jan. 16, the share price of $89.69 was 26.57% below the 52-week high and 23.66% above the 52-week low.

Over the past decade, the stock has climbed 2,120%. The return on equity of -29.27% and return on assets of -12.94% are underperforming 67% of companies in the medical diagnostics and research industry.

CenterPoint Energy

Shares of CenterPoint Energy Inc. (NYSE:CNP) declined 6.20% over the past six months through Jan. 16. The stock is held by five gurus.

The company's largest guru shareholder is Simons' firm with 0.99% of outstanding shares, followed by NWQ Managers (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.35%, Pioneer Investments with 0.16% and Ray Dalio (Trades, Portfolio)’s Bridgewater Associates with 0.04%.

The company has a market cap of $13.54 billion. The stock was trading with a price-earnings ratio of 21.39. As of Jan.16, the share price of $27 was 15.04% below the 52-week high and 10.08% above the 52-week low.

Over the past decade, shares have risen 82%. The return on equity of 8.28% and return on assets of 2.48% are underperforming 59% of companies in the utilities – regulated industry.

Slack Technologies

Shares of Slack Technologies Inc. (NYSE:WORK) declined 35.74% over the past six months. Seven gurus hold the stock.

With 0.22% of outstanding shares, Chase Coleman (Trades, Portfolio) is the largest guru shareholder of the company, followed by Frank Sands (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.07%, Paul Tudor Jones (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.05% and Wilbur Ross (Trades, Portfolio)'s Invesco with 0.01%.

The software company, which operates a real-time communication platform, has a $12.77 billion market cap. The stock was trading with a price-book ratio of 17.25. As of Jan. 16, the share price of $22.33 was 10.65% below the three-month high and 14.29% above the three-month low.

Over the past decade, the stock has declined 42.19%. The return on equity of -83.4% and return on assets of -54.83% are underperforming 89% of companies in the software industry.

Disclosure: I do not own any stocks mentioned.

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