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Con-way (Con-way) Predictability Rank


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What is Con-way Predictability Rank?

Not Rated

Warren Buffett said many times that the companies he likes are:

1. Simple businesses that he understands
2. that have predictable and proven earnings and
3. with economic moat
4. those can be bought at a reasonable price.

It is hard to quantify "simple businesses that he (Buffett) understands", so we will focus on the other three characteristics instead. In GuruFocus Research: What worked in the market from 1998-2008? Part I: Introduction of Predictability Rank, we will show that the businesses that have predictable and proven earnings are usually also simple businesses that an average person could understand.

GuruFocus conducted a back test study of Warren Buffett's strategy of "buying good companies at fair prices" for the years from 1998-2008.


Con-way Predictability Rank Calculation

In our database there are 2403 stocks that have been traded from Jan. 2, 1998 to Aug. 31, 2008. We have the complete 10-year financial data and trading prices of these companies for this period. We rank the predictability of these companies based on the consistency of their revenue per share and EBITDA (earning before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) per share over the past ten fiscal years, and study the correlation between the stock performances and the predictability of the business.

Our study may be subject to these biases and assumptions:

Dividend yields are not counted for investment returns
Effects of price changes due to spin-offs may not be fully adjusted
Study is subjected to survivorship bias due to de-listing, bankruptcy, LBO, M&A, etc.

The correlation between business predictability and investment returns of a company is showed below.

Correlation Between Business Predictability and Investment Returns

PredictablesNon-PredictableAll stocks
Total Number of stocks57018332403
Total Lost Money61830891
Total Lost More Than 50%18412430
Total Lost More Than 90%48690
Average Gain260.6%100.0%138.1%
Median Gain150.0%13.0%39.0%
Maximum Gain2852.0%11483.0%11483.0%
Maximum Loss-100.0%-100.0%-100.0%
Annualized Average Gain12.7%6.7%8.4%
Annualized Median Gain8.9%1.1%3.1%


















For the 570 predictable companies, we have seen strong correlation between the predictability of businesses and the stock performances over the past 10 years, regardless of the valuation of business at 1998. Accordingly, we have ranked the business predictability from 5-star to 1-star, as shown in this table.

Predictability Rank5-Star4.5-Star4-Star3.5-Star3-Star2.5-Star2-Star1-Star (non-predictable)Average among all
% Out of All 2403 Stocks 3.3% 2.9% 3.7% 3.3% 3.3% 3.7% 3.3% 76.3% 100%
% that are in Loss (10y) 3% 10% 8% 9% 11% 18% 16% 45% 37%
Average Gain (10y) 364.6% 330.9% 278.0% 235.1% 243.5% 227.8% 154.8% 100.0% 138.1%
Median Gain (10y) 238.5% 193.5% 171.0% 159.0% 132.5% 113.5% 87.0% 13.0% 39.0%
Maximum Gainer 2228.0% 2547.0% 2452.0% 2852.0% 2432.0% 1892.0% 1807.0% 11483.0% 11483.0%
Maximum Loser -82.0% -53.0% -67.0% -100.0% -83.0% -100.0% -78.0% -100.0% -100.0%
Annualized Average Gain 15.4% 14.6% 13.2% 12.0% 12.2% 11.7% 9.1% 6.7% 8.4%
Annualized Median Gain 12.1% 10.6% 9.8% 9.3% 8.2% 7.3% 6.0% 1.1% 3.1%
















For detailed information about each predictability rank, please go to GuruFocus Research: What worked in the market from 1998-2008? Part I: Introduction of Predictability Rank

Also read:

Part II: What worked in the market from 1998-2008? Part II: Role of Valuations
Part III: Intrinsic Value, Discounted Cash Flow and Margin of Safety

Con-way Predictability Rank Related Terms

Thank you for viewing the detailed overview of Con-way's Predictability Rank provided by GuruFocus.com. Please click on the following links to see related term pages.


Con-way (Con-way) Business Description

Traded in Other Exchanges
N/A
Address
Con-way Inc was incorporated in Delaware in 1958. The Company and its subsidiaries provide transportation, logistics and supply-chain management services to various manufacturing, industrial and retail customers. Its business units operate in regional, inter-regional and transcontinental less-than-truckload and full-truckload freight transportation, contract logistics and supply-chain management, multimodal freight brokerage, and trailer manufacturing. The Company operates under three reporting segments: Freight, Logistics and Truckload. The Freight segment consists of the operating results of the Con-way Freight business unit. Con-way Freight is a less-than-truckload motor carrier that utilizes a network of freight service centers to provide day-definite regional, inter-regional and transcontinental less-than-truckload freight services throughout North America. LTL carriers transport shipments from multiple shippers utilizing a network of freight service centers combined with a fleet of linehaul and pickup-and-delivery tractors and trailers. LTL shipments weigh between 100 and 15,000 pounds. In 2013, Con-way Freight's average weight per shipment was 1,334 pounds. The Logistics segment consists of the operating results of the Menlo Worldwide Logistics business unit. Menlo develops contract-logistics solutions, which include managing complex distribution networks, and providing supply-chain engineering and consulting, and multimodal freight brokerage services. Menlo's supply-chain management offerings are mainly related to transportation-management and contract-warehousing services. The Truckload segment consists of the operating results of the Con-way Truckload business unit. Con-way Truckload is a full-truckload motor carrier that utilizes a fleet of tractors and trailers to provide short- and long-haul, asset-based transportation services throughout North America. Con-way Truckload provides dry-van transportation services to manufacturing, industrial and retail customers while using single drivers as well as two-person driver teams over long-haul routes, with each trailer containing only one customer's goods. On average, Con-way Truckload transports shipments more than 800 miles from origin to destination. Under its regional service offering, Con-way Truckload transports truckload shipments between 100 and 600 miles, including local-area service for truckload shipments of less than 100 miles. It competes with regional and national LTL companies, some of which are subsidiaries of integrated transportation service providers, domestic and foreign logistics companies, truckload carriers, railroads and private fleets. The Company is subject to various federal, state and local, as well as foreign, laws and regulations that apply to its business activities.
Executives
John C Pope director 810 S. RIDGE RD, LAKE FOREST IL 60045
Gretchen W Mcclain director XYLEM INC., 1133 WESTCHESTER AVENUE, SUITE N200, WHITE PLAINS NY 10604
Phipps Paul Cody director 2211 OLD EARHART ROAD, SUITE 100, ANN ARBOR MI 48105
Stephen K Krull officer: EVP General Counsel&Secretary CON-WAY INC., 2211 OLD EARHART ROAD, SUITE 100, ANN ARBOR MI 48105
Wayne Shurts director SYSCO CORPORATION, 1390 ENCLAVE PARKWAY, HOUSTON TX 77077
Roy W Templin director ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC., 2500 COLUMBIA AVENUE, LANCASTER PA 17603
Michael Joseph Morris officer: SVP Finance & Treasurer 2211 OLD EARHART ROAD, SUITE 100, ANN ARBOR MI 19034
Matthew J Espe director
Stephen L Bruffett officer: EVP & CFO 3101 SOUTH PACKERLAND DRIVE, GREEN BAY WI 54313
Douglas Stotlar officer: President & CEO C/O RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO., 16100 N. 71ST STREET, SUITE 400, SCOTTSDALE AZ 85254
Herbert J Schmidt officer: Executive Vice President 1950 LAKE RIDGE DRIVE, THE VILLAGES FL 32162
William R Corbin director CON-WAY INC., 2211 OLD EARHART ROAD, ANN ARBOR MI 48105
Jennifer Pileggi officer: EVP, General Counsel & Sec CNF INC., 2855 CAMPUS DRIVE, SAN MATEO CA 94403
Robert Paul Wayman director C/O HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY, 3000 HANOVER STREET, PALO ALTO CA 94304
John H Williford officer: Senior VP STEUART TOWER, 1 MARKET PLAZA, SUITE 900, SAN FRANCISCO CA 94105