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Hodges Friday Fast Five

"In the investment business, you go to school every day, but never graduate." - Don Hodges

Friday Fast Five - 12/09/2022

by Hodges Investment Team, on Dec 9, 2022 7:00:00 AM

Five interesting things that Hodges Capital research analysts discovered this week...

#1 FOOD INFLATION: Since late 2021, food-at-home inflation has outpaced restaurant inflation by roughly 4%, according to an analysis by Stifel. As commodity prices come down, this trend could allow restaurants to maintain the price increases realized over the past year.

#2 GLOBAL POPULATION: Based on UN estimates, the world's population is now believed to have reached 8.0 billion. The global population has increased significantly over the past several decades and has almost tripled between 1950 and 2020.

#3 TANK BARGES: According to Current Data, LLC, the inland tank barge market has grown annually at 1.9% over the last twenty years and 1% over the previous five years. Our industry sources suggest that tank barge utilization is well north of 90%, and no material new barge construction has occurred in 2022 due to historically high prices for new barges. Such market conditions could be a positive for inland barge operators in the year ahead.

#4 HEALTHCARE LABOR HEADWINDS: The Wall Street Journal reported that since the start of the pandemic, hospitals have been facing unprecedented margin pressures as nearly 20% of their workforce quit. The massive exodus of healthcare workers drove up the salaries of those who stayed while limiting hospitals' capacity to provide services. The lower capacity and perhaps lingering concerns about Covid-19 among the elderly meant many patients postponed lucrative procedures such as hip replacements. That trend is now finally starting to reverse.

#5 DIGITAL TRUST: A recent study conducted by McKinsey found that as organizations collect and analyze more customer data, they are more likely to encounter more reputation risk and compliance issues. At the forefront are businesses in industries that handle highly sensitive data, such as information technology and electronics, financial services, healthcare, and aerospace and defense.

 

Hodges Private Client is a program offered through Hodges Capital Management, Inc. (“HCM”). HCM is an Investment Advisory Firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hodges Capital Holdings and serves as investment advisor to the Hodges Funds. HCM is affiliated with First Dallas Securities, Inc, a broker-dealer, and investment advisor registered with the SEC.

This discussion is not intended to be a forecast of future events and should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Investing in smaller companies involves additional risks such as limited liquidity and greater volatility. No current or prospective client should assume that information referenced in this communication is a recommendation to buy or sell any security or is a substitute for personalized investment advice from your individual advisor. HCM does not provide tax or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisor for any related questions.

All information referenced herein is from sources believed to be reliable and is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. This material was created for informational purposes only and the opinions expressed are solely those of HCM. HCM shall not in any way be liable for claims and makes no expressed or implied representations or warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of the data and other information. The data and information are provided as of the date referenced and are subject to change without notice.

Hodges Friday Fast Five

We aim to help investors separate the news from the noise by providing our perspective. Every Friday the Hodges Private Client research analysts list the five most interesting things they discovered that week. Subscribe to receive the Hodges Friday Fast Five in your inbox every Friday. 

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