The 4 Most-Voted Stocks in the Considering Basket as of July

GuruFocus users are considering buying shares of Facebook despite antitrust hearings

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Jul 29, 2020
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According to the GuruFocus Baskets feature, major technology companies Facebook Inc. (FB, Financial) and Apple Inc. (AAPL, Financial) are among the most-voted stocks in the “Considering” Basket as of Wednesday despite their CEOs testifying in front of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on antitrust issues.

New feature recap

According to the feature announcement, GuruFocus users can assign a stock into one of four virtual “baskets” based on Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A, Financial)(BRK.B, Financial) co-managers Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) and Charlie Munger (Trades, Portfolio)’s theories of achieving higher returns by investing only within one’s “circle of competence.” Users can vote whether they are buying the stock, considering buying the stock, researching the stock or dismissing the stock as a potential investment.

As of Wednesday, Biogen Inc. (BIIB, Financial) had the highest number of users considering buying shares with nine votes, followed by Apple’s seven votes. Facebook and Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC, Financial) had six votes each.

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Facebook

Shares of Facebook closed at $233.29, up 1.38% from the previous close of $230.12.

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended the Menlo Park, California-based social media giant’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp in 2012 and in 2014. Through its technology, Facebook stabilized the photo-sharing platform’s infrastructure operations and developed the messaging app’s video and voice-calling features, synergies that Zuckerberg said would not have taken place without the two acquisitions.

GuruFocus ranks Facebook’s financial strength 8 out of 10 on the back of robust Altman Z-scores and interest coverage and debt-to-Ebitda ratios outperforming over 70% of global competitors.

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Facebook’s profitability ranks 9 out of 10, driven by expanding operating margins and returns that are outperforming over 84% of global competitors.

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Gurus with large holdings in Facebook include Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) and Chase Coleman (Trades, Portfolio)’s Tiger Global Management.

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Apple

Shares of Apple closed at $380.16, up 1.92% from the previous close of $373.01.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the smartphone market is “fiercely competitive,” with companies like Samsung Electronics Co. (XKRX:005935), Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL, Financial)(GOOG, Financial), Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and LG Electronics Inc. (XKRX:066575) also building strong smartphone businesses, Cook underscored that the Cupertino, California-based tech giant “does not have a dominant market share” in any market that Apple does business.

GuruFocus ranks Apple’s profitability 10 out of 10 on several positive investing signs, which include a 4.5-star business predictability rank, a high Piotroski F-score of 8 and profit margins and returns that are outperforming over 96% of global competitors.

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Eleven users placed Apple into the “Buying” basket, second only to Intel Corp.’s (INTC) 20 votes.

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Biogen

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Biogen produces treatments for a wide range of illnesses, including multiple sclerosis, hemophilia and other neurodegenerative diseases. GuruFocus ranks the company’s profitability 10 out of 10 on several positive investing signs, which include a five-star business predictability rank, a high Piotroski F-score of 7 and an operating margin that has increased approximately 2.10% per year on average over the past five years and is outperforming over 98% of global competitors.

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Eleven users have placed Biogen into the “Buying” basket.

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Omnicom

Omnicom provides a wide range of digital advertising and public relations services. GuruFocus ranks the New York-based company’s profitability 8 out of 10, driven bu expanding operating margins and a four-star predictability rank.

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Disclosure: Long Apple, Intel and Biogen.

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