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F.A.S.T. Graphs™ is a powerful research tool providing “essential fundamentals at a glance” on over 17,000 symbols. F.A.S.T. Graphs™ empowers the user to research stocks deeper and faster by allowing them to exploit the undeniable relationship and functional correlation between long-term... More
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  • How To Use A Sample F.A.S.T. Graphs™  11 comments
    Aug 30, 2012 3:16 PM

    F.A.S.T. Graphs™ are designed to provide the user "essential fundamentals at a glance." They reveal the undeniable correlation and relationship between earnings and stock price on any publicly traded company. This "tool to think with" helps the user determine fair valuation; past, present and future, on any company being examined. Therefore, the user is empowered with the proper perspectives towards making sound buy, sell or hold investing decisions.

    The key to running the sample F.A.S.T. Graphs™ tool is the proper utilization of the light brown or tan vertical navigation bar to the left. This navigation bar is what drives the F.A.S.T. Graphs™. We suggest clicking the drop-down menu box titled "Select Yrs" and running multiple graphs starting with a 15-year default graph and then shortening the graphs to, for example, a 10-year graph, followed by a 5-year graph, followed by a 2-year graph, etc. Any combinations of years, from as short as the last 2 years all the way out to the last 20 years, can be run.

    When running multiple graphs you will notice that F.A.S.T. Graphs™ is a dynamic tool that automatically calculates and recalculates growth rates and valuations. The most obvious advantage to running dynamic graphs over multiple time periods is to determine whether or not growth rates are accelerating, decelerating or staying the same. Consequently, it might also make sense to focus more on the most recent time frames such as the last five years, two years, etc.

    The F.A.S.T. Graphs™ research tool is designed to help the user more efficiently conduct a comprehensive research effort. Just above the historical graph is a link to the company's website. This enables the researcher to access the company's financials, review any presentations they have provided, read news releases, etc.

    In addition to the link to the company's website, there are three additional links in the tan navigation bar to the left of the graphs. Two of the links, "Summary" and "Quote" will take the user to Google Finance and MSN Money respectively. These links provide additional research that the user can quickly and easily examine.

    The final link at the bottom of the navigation bar "To Find Other Estimates or Symbols" takes the user to the MSN Money page where Zacks' earnings estimates can be reviewed. This provides the user a cross-check of the earnings estimates that can be compared to the Standard & Poor's Corp. Capital IQ that F.A.S.T. Graphs™ default to.

    The following screenshots depict all of the historical and forecasting graphics available with F.A.S.T. Graphs™. Remember, the live fully functioning F.A.S.T. Graphs™ are dynamic tools that can be utilized instantly and easily provide a comprehensive perspective of a stock, how its business has performed and how the market has value that performance over time.

    Historical F.A.S.T. Graphs™

    (click to enlarge)

    Forecasting F.A.S.T. Graphs™

    (click to enlarge)

    Disclosure: I am long TEVA.

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  •  
    Is there any way to show the historical dividend growth rate (CAGR) over various time frames?
    31 Aug 2012, 12:20 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Yeah JD that would be useful. I go the dividend chart and hand calculate the average divi increases for the past 4 years, then click on the hot link to Google Finance to get the current dividend, which is usually different then the posted 2011 number, and average that in for a 5 year average that I use in my screen. I read a comment by Chuck recently that said they were working toward more frequent dividend updates; I assume quarterly or monthly.
    31 Aug 2012, 12:42 PM Reply Like
  •  
    jdh44 and Chumpmenudo,

    Thanks for the question and the opportunity to clarify things. F.A.S.T. Graphs™ generates performance reports for any time period measured. For example, if you run a ten-year graph you will get ten-year performance results, a five-year graph produces five-year performance results etc. Furthermore, after conducting a lot of trial and error research, we decided that the fairest and clearest way to report performance, was to report capital appreciation and dividend income separately.

    Therefore, to specifically answer jdh44’s, question, the simple answer is yes, but with a qualifier. If you run a four year graph you can look at the dividend cash flow table on the performance report and see the precise dividend growth rates from one year to the next up to but excluding the current year we are in. The same would apply to a ten-year graph, a 15 year graph etc. The reason that we did not include any dividends for the current year is because F.A.S.T. Graphs™ are based on annual calendar year calculations.

    Furthermore, we found that attempting to forecast the current year’s dividend created a lot of error. Therefore, to avoid the risk of misleading subscribers, we found it more prudent to simply not include dividends until all four quarters in any calendar year or fiscal year have been paid. However, you can still evaluate the company’s historical dividend record, and if you choose to extrapolate that into the future, or current year you can. Additionally, we have not averaged the year-to-year dividend growth rates because we are not reporting any for the current calendar fiscal year.

    Specifically regarding Chumpmenudo’s comment, it is correct that we are preparing a version of F.A.S.T. Graphs™ that will offer quarterly data. However, I would like to point out that more data has a downside. One of the really cool things about producing annual numbers is that it tends to smooth out the lines thereby providing a clearer trend line. When you start adding quarterly or even monthly data, the lines become very jagged, and for example, the earnings and price relationships much more confusing and even less meaningful. Consequently, we intend to offer the quarterly version as an adjunct or additional option. In other words, we plan on continuing to utilize the annual version as our primary and default version of F.A.S.T. Graphs™.

    I hope that clarifies things and perhaps answer your questions but if not please elaborate and we’ll do our best to get it right,

    Chuck
    31 Aug 2012, 01:46 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Chuck,

    Thanks for the answer. I didn't think I was overlooking anything but wanted to be sure. This link does provide 5, 10, and 25 year dividend growth rates: http://longrundata.com, and the CCC list provides 1, 3, 5, and 10 year dividend growth rates, but I was hoping that I could find the same on FAST Graphs. Maybe someday?
    31 Aug 2012, 02:15 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Thanks for the comment Chuck. And what I didn't mention is that I use your EYE ratio extensively, which does a nice job of forecasting likely dividend growth based on past increases (or not), plus forecasts earnings and share price growth. Great snapshot of the total upside vs. risk picture.

    thanks.

    P.S., Teva looks pretty attractive in your analysis above. I guess the threat of nuclear devastation is keeping their share price depressed ;-)
    31 Aug 2012, 03:51 PM Reply Like
  •  
    jdh, it might not be exactly what you are looking for, but check out my dividend web site:

    http://bit.ly/u9sdB8

    It is free. I welcome your feedback.

    Robert
    1 Sep 2012, 02:56 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Thanks Robert. I tend to forget all the information sources, there are so many. Now if only you had the data on every company in the FAST Graphs database! Ha ha just kidding ;-).
    1 Sep 2012, 03:04 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I bet I have data on almost all of the *dividend-paying* companies in the FAST Graphs database. :-)
    2 Sep 2012, 12:42 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Chumpmenudo ,

    No problem. I agree on TEVA being cheap. I think the worry over their lead drug Capaxone is the issue here.
    31 Aug 2012, 04:02 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Is there anything else other then fast graphs that does this?
    9 Feb, 09:18 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Connermalorse,

    Not to my knowledge. But I wouldn't tell you if there was :)

    Chuck Carnevale

    Co-Founder FAST Graphs
    10 Feb, 08:01 AM Reply Like
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