
Market Overview - President Trump's announcement of reciprocal tariffs led to significant volatility in the U.S. stock market, with the S&P 500 dropping 9% in the first week of April, its worst week since 2020, followed by a rebound of 5.7% the next week, marking the best week since 2023 [1] - Exemptions from tariffs on items such as smartphones, semiconductors, and solar cells contributed to a strong tech rally, although the S&P 500 remained below its level from April 2 [2] - Ongoing uncertainty regarding a potential global trade war continues to concern investors and economists [2] Value Investing Strategy - Value investing focuses on purchasing stocks priced below their intrinsic value, capitalizing on market mispricing [4] - Earnings yield, calculated as (Annual Earnings per Share/Market Price) x 100, serves as a key metric for value investors, indicating potential undervaluation when high [5] - Earnings yield can be compared to bond returns, such as the 10-year Treasury yield, to assess the attractiveness of stocks relative to fixed-income securities [6] Stock Screening Criteria - A primary screening criterion is an Earnings Yield greater than 10%, supplemented by additional parameters such as estimated EPS growth for the next 12 months being greater than or equal to the S&P 500 [7] - Average Daily Volume (20 Day) should be greater than or equal to 100,000 to ensure adequate liquidity [8] - Current Price must be greater than or equal to $5, and stocks with a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) are expected to outperform peers [9] Selected Stocks - Alibaba Group (BABA): Dominates the e-commerce sector in China and is expanding internationally, with a Zacks Rank 1 and a Value Score of B. The consensus estimate for fiscal 2025 and 2026 earnings indicates year-over-year growth of 2.1% and 23% respectively [10][11] - Fresenius Medical Care AG (FMS): A leading provider of dialysis products and services, recently launched a new home dialysis machine. The consensus estimate for 2025 and 2026 earnings suggests growth of 27.1% and 9.1% respectively [12][13] - Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc. (HLX): Focuses on offshore energy services, with a consensus estimate for 2025 and 2026 earnings indicating growth of 42% and 28.2% respectively [14][15] - Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. (HRTG): Provides residential insurance products with a focus on selective underwriting. The consensus estimate for 2025 and 2026 earnings suggests growth of 21% and 28.6% respectively [16][17]