IVA Funds Comments on Emerson

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Sep 27, 2016

Question: You hold Emerson Electric. It's always acquired a lot of companies over the years. Do you think it could be anything like a Valeant, who acquired a lot of companies over the years, or have some characteristics like that?

Chuck de Lardemelle: No, not at all. Emerson (NYSE:EMR) has a very strong track record of making smart acquisitions, spending some Research and Development. Now, over the last few years, they've diversified into a business that they are now trying to spin off and making a number of acquisitions in uninterruptible power supplies/electronics. That vertical, if you will, has not worked out at all for Emerson, and they are going back to basics and spinning off or selling that division. The balance sheet is extremely strong, which is absolutely not the case of a Valeant.

Emerson is in no position to hike prices and gouge clients. It's a very strong industrial company that is extremely well managed from an operational point of view, that has a strong balance sheet, and has not been able to hike prices substantially. However, again, over the last few years, they've gathered a collection of companies in one segment and those acquisitions turned out to be a mistake. And that's what provided us with an opportunity to get into Emerson. And they recognized their mistake and are now trying to correct it. So, in no way, shape, or form is it similar to a Valeant, in our opinion.

From Charles de Vaulx (Trades, Portfolio)'s semi-annual 2016 IVA Funds call.