Investment Pitches

Pitch Summary:
PepsiCo is a leading snack and beverage company. We know the company well, having owned it several times, buying during pullbacks, and selling when we thought the stock was fully priced. The current opportunity to buy the shares for our LCV portfolio is the result of a deceleration in the company's top-line growth and concerns about the potential impact on demand for the company's core products because of the new weight loss drugs and the opposition to soda and processed foods by the new secretary of health and human services. This well-managed company, with a history of steady earnings and dividend growth, is a good investment in what we expect to be a volatile stock market. At its current price, the dividend yield is 3.6%.

BSD Analysis:
Matrix Asset Advisors re-initiated a position in PepsiCo, a company they know well from previous ownership cycles. The current entry opportunity stems from headwinds including decelerating top-line growth, concerns about GLP-1 weight loss drugs impacting demand, and regulatory pressure from health officials opposing processed foods and sodas. Despite these near-term challenges, Matrix views PepsiCo as a well-managed defensive play with a strong track record of earnings and dividend growth. The 3.6% dividend yield provides attractive income in a volatile market environment. The fund's familiarity with the company and history of successful trading around valuation cycles suggests confidence in their ability to time this entry appropriately. PepsiCo's diversified portfolio across snacks and beverages provides some resilience against single-category headwinds.

Pitch Summary:
Generac provides backup and prime power generation products for residential and commercial & industrial (C&I) applications. The company's corporate purpose is to lead the evolution to more resilient, efficient, and sustainable energy solutions around the world. Generac's business gets a lot of attention when there are power disruptions from weather-related events or other natural disasters, but we believe this is a long-term secular growth story as the demand for reliable power increases. We did the work on this company last year and have been waiting for the opportunity to purchase the shares on price weakness. Our initial purchase was made at $125 per share, down from a 52-week high share price of $195.

BSD Analysis:
Matrix Asset Advisors initiated a position in Generac at $125 per share, representing a 36% discount from its 52-week high of $195. The fund views Generac as a long-term secular growth story driven by increasing demand for reliable power solutions beyond just weather-related disruptions. The company operates in both residential and commercial/industrial backup power markets, positioning it to benefit from grid reliability concerns and the broader energy transition. Matrix had been researching the company for over a year and waited for an attractive entry point. The timing appears strategic given the current market volatility and the company's strong positioning in the resilient power infrastructure theme. The significant discount to recent highs provides an attractive risk-adjusted entry point for this secular growth opportunity.

Pitch Summary:
Rocket Companies, which was down 5.5% in 1H 2024, represents the newest large position in the SCC Composite Portfolio, having been purchased in December 2022. RKT represents a play on a future decline in mortgage rates if and when inflation becomes subdued again. RKT shareholders should take a measure of comfort in the fact that the company is ultimately helmed by founder Dan Gilbert, who owns 1.85 billion shares of stock (on an as-converted basis) through Rock Holdings Inc.

BSD Analysis:
Seven Corners Capital's investment in Rocket Companies represents a cyclical bet on the mortgage industry's recovery when interest rates eventually decline as inflation moderates. The position, initiated in December 2022, appears to be a contrarian play during a challenging period for mortgage originators when rising rates have significantly reduced refinancing and purchase activity. The investment thesis relies on the eventual normalization of the interest rate environment, which would drive increased mortgage origination volumes and improve RKT's profitability. A key comfort factor for the investment is founder Dan Gilbert's massive ownership stake of 1.85 billion shares through Rock Holdings, ensuring strong alignment between management and shareholders. This concentrated ownership structure provides confidence that strategic decisions will prioritize long-term value creation rather than short-term financial engineering. The timing of the investment during a mortgage market downturn suggests SCC is positioning for a cyclical recovery in housing finance.

Pitch Summary:
Sandridge is SCC's largest energy holding and was down 4.3% during 1H 2024. The long thesis here remains that the secular decline in O&G drilling, combined with the revival of inflation generally, will support carbon-based energy prices going forward (in other words, if you own O&G assets, then ESG is your friend). With legendary investor Carl Icahn as its largest shareholder (he owns 13%) and Icahn's former lieutenant Jonathan Frates as its board chairman, Sandridge did an admirable job steering the company away from the abyss of bankruptcy in April 2020 (when, recall, the price of oil dropped to NEGATIVE $40/bbl). The company has cut unnecessary expenses to the bone ("high-grading" SD's well inventory in fact, not just as a management talking point), thereby maximizing free cash flow conversion. SD has also done a great job recompleting and reactivating dormant wells. SD's annual PDP decline is expected (by the company) to remain in the single digits (%age annually) over the next 10 years. SD just announced that it is acquiring additional production and acreage in the Western Anadarko basin (in Oklahoma) for a cost of $144MM, which is equal to 70% of their cash balance as of the end of Q1 2024.

BSD Analysis:
Seven Corners Capital maintains a bullish outlook on SandRidge Energy based on a contrarian energy thesis that views ESG pressures as ultimately supportive of oil and gas prices through reduced drilling activity. The investment benefits from strong governance oversight with Carl Icahn as the largest shareholder (13%) and his former lieutenant Jonathan Frates as board chairman, providing credibility after the company's near-bankruptcy experience in 2020. Management has demonstrated disciplined capital allocation by cutting expenses aggressively and "high-grading" their well inventory to maximize free cash flow conversion rather than growth for growth's sake. The company's operational excellence is evident in successful well recompletion and reactivation programs, with projected single-digit annual PDP decline rates over the next decade. The recent $144 million acquisition in the Western Anadarko basin, representing 70% of Q1 cash balances, signals confidence in their asset base and operational capabilities. This appears to be a value-oriented energy play betting on supply constraints and operational efficiency.

Pitch Summary:
Turning Point Brands, up 23% in 1H 2024, is an old standby in the SCC portfolio, having originally been purchased back in Q3 of 2016 (via SCC's investment in Standard Diversified [SDI], which then owned a majority stake in TPB and subsequently merged into TPB in mid-2020). Thus, despite having beneficially owned a stake in TPB for 8 years now, SCC has not earned an acceptable return on its (substantial as a portion of the portfolio) investment. Nevertheless, the investment thesis remains that the company enjoys the benefit of a steady compounding business model via its Zig-Zag and Stoker's brands (the waters have recently been muddied by the struggles of its NewGen brands segment, which is now a de minimis portion of the overall pie at TPB). In light of TPB's poor recent performance (at least, in the stock), the company could become the target of one or more activist investors, with the thesis possibly involving (A) the separation of TPB's legacy cashflowing business (i.e., its Stoker's MST / chewing tobacco and Zig Zag rolling paper businesses) from its perpetually struggling "New Gen" vaping business and/or (B) a substantial increase in the dividend along with a consequent decrease in TPB's practice of taking equity stakes in other companies. Clearly the status quo of treading water is unacceptable for TPB shareholders.

BSD Analysis:
Seven Corners Capital expresses frustration with Turning Point Brands after eight years of ownership without acceptable returns, despite the company's 23% gain in the first half of 2024. The manager acknowledges the core investment thesis around TPB's steady compounding business model through its Zig-Zag and Stoker's brands remains intact, but performance has been hampered by the struggling NewGen vaping segment. The neutral stance reflects disappointment with management's capital allocation and strategic direction. SCC suggests the company could become an activist target, with potential catalysts including separation of the profitable legacy tobacco businesses from the underperforming vaping operations, or a significant dividend increase coupled with reduced equity investments in other companies. The manager's candid admission that "the status quo of treading water is unacceptable" signals potential for either activist intervention or portfolio exit. This appears to be a legacy position where patience is wearing thin despite underlying business quality.

Pitch Summary:
GNW declined 4.5% in 1H 2024, following a period of significant outperformance during the preceding 7 quarters vis-a-vis the S&P 500. GNW trades at a discount to its 81.6% ownership stake in Enact Holdings (ticker ACT), which at the end of Q1 was valued at $3.95 billion (or 20.9% greater than GNW's $3.3 billion aggregate enterprise value). The SCC long thesis on GNW involves the eventual separation of GNW's ACT stake from GNW's generally unprofitable long-term care & life and annuity operations. Longer term could see GNW's Life & Annuity business (L&A) value unlocked via a de-stacking transaction (currently L&A is trapped below the long-term care business in the org chart and the applicable insurance regulators must bless any de-stacking). The company has been actively repurchasing its stock in recent quarters.

BSD Analysis:
Seven Corners Capital's investment thesis on Genworth Financial centers on a classic sum-of-the-parts value unlock opportunity. The company trades at a significant discount to its 81.6% stake in Enact Holdings, with the ACT position valued at $3.95 billion compared to GNW's total enterprise value of only $3.3 billion, representing a 20.9% discount. This creates an immediate arbitrage opportunity where investors are essentially getting GNW's other operations for free or at a negative value. The long-term catalyst involves separating the valuable Enact stake from the struggling long-term care and life insurance operations. Additionally, there's potential for a de-stacking transaction to unlock value in the Life & Annuity business, though this requires regulatory approval. The company's active share repurchase program provides additional support for the investment case. This appears to be a patient value play betting on corporate restructuring and asset separation to realize fair value.

Pitch Summary:
PSHZF, led by billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, finished Q2 2024 up 15%, outpacing a 5.2% increase in its NAV (thus, PSH's discount to NAV decreased to 22.7%). The long thesis continues to be two-fold: (1) a bet that Bill Ackman will outperform the overall market with his stock picking and uncanny ability to make huge sums via hedging; and (2) more importantly over the near to intermediate term, the closing of the sizable NAV discount. Simply closing the current discount would result in a ~29% appreciation in the stock, assuming NAV were to remain constant. In PSH's annual report for 2023, Ackman described some changes to the overall Pershing Square structure, aimed at lessening (or hopefully eventually eliminating) the NAV discount, which included a future reduction in fees charged to PSH investors under the Investment Management Agreement (IMA) (emphases added): "On February 7th [2024], PSH announced certain amendments to the IMA that will have the effect of reducing PSH's 16% performance fee. The amendments to the IMA include: (i) An amendment to the Variable Performance Fee ("VPF") provision of the IMA which will now provide that the Additional Reduction will no longer exclude fees paid to the Investment Manager by Pershing Square funds that are publicly traded in the United States. (ii) An amendment to the VPF provision of the IMA which provides that the Additional Reduction will also include an amount equal to 20% of any management fees that the Investment Manager earns from non-PSH, Pershing Square funds that invest in public securities that do not have performance fees. (iii) The waiver by the Investment Manager of the right to receive the $36 million outstanding balance of unrecovered IPO costs before the Additional Reduction under the VPF provision takes effect. As a result of the above amendments, PSH's 16% annual performance fee will now also be reduced by 20% of any management fees earned from any non-PSH Pershing Square funds that invest in public securities and do not have performance fees. On February 7th, [PSH announced its] intention to launch a U.S. closed-end fund called Pershing Square USA, Ltd., a fund which will largely mirror PSH in its investment strategy and hedging and asymmetric investment approach. With the benefit of the newly modified VPF arrangement, the long-term goal is to reduce PSH's performance fees to zero with the launch of new funds and strong long-term performance. We are limited in what we can share about these plans due to regulatory reasons, but we will inform you as promptly as possible about these developments." PSH US (the US-closed end fund) is expected to launch imminently with an initial $2B in AUM.

BSD Analysis:
Seven Corners Capital maintains a bullish stance on Pershing Square Holdings, viewing it as a dual-play investment opportunity. The primary thesis centers on capturing value from the significant NAV discount, which currently stands at 22.7% and could deliver approximately 29% upside if it simply closes to fair value. The secondary thesis involves betting on Bill Ackman's proven track record of market outperformance through skilled stock selection and hedging strategies. Management has implemented structural changes to reduce the performance fee burden, including amendments to the Investment Management Agreement that will lower PSH's 16% performance fee through various mechanisms. The upcoming launch of Pershing Square USA with $2 billion in initial AUM represents a strategic catalyst that could help narrow the discount over time. The fund's Q2 2024 performance of 15% versus a 5.2% NAV increase demonstrates the discount compression potential. This appears to be a value-oriented play on both management skill and structural discount resolution.

Pitch Summary:
Miniso wasn't on anyone's "high-conviction" list. Which is precisely what made it interesting. Taurient flagged Miniso as a new idea in January 2025 from a South China Morning Post article. The article outlined the company's surprise move to issue US$550m in debt to fund its global expansion ambitions, with a stated goal of reaching 40,000 stores and to support share buybacks. For a business labelled a Chinese "dollar store," this was an unusually bold act of capital allocation. Most of the market overlooked it. Taurient didn't. Digging deeper, we found something more ambitious than we expected: a capital-light global retailer enacting a strategic pivot into IP-driven merchandising and collectibles with improving unit economics. The company is scaling efficiently via a high-return, capital-light partnership and distribution model. It has quietly accumulated over 7,700 stores in 110+ countries, while improving store-level productivity and profitability in international markets. Top-line growth was robust (2020-2024 revenue CAGR of 22%), but earnings were growing even faster with adjusted net profit CAGR of 70% over the same period. Management has guided to doubling the number of stores from 2023 to 2028, with new store breakevens typically in 12-18 months. Our variant thesis was that the market was too focused on Miniso's 'cheap and cheerful' past and not paying enough attention to its emerging 'compounder' profile: Mid-40s gross margins, high teens ROIC, +20% EPS growth and a structural mix shift to higher margin international stores. Miniso's strategy is no longer just about rolling out cheap gadgets and plushies. It's now grounded in three pillars: globalisation, IP-driven product innovation, and affordability. The company is targeting +20% revenue CAGR and expects more than half of its revenue to come from IP products by 2028. Miniso's internal mission is to become the #1 IP design retail group globally, supported by expanded brand partnerships (e.g. Disney's Stitch, Miffy, Hello Kitty), store clustering in key regions, and brand-localisation playbooks across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Execution has largely kept pace with ambition. The company grew revenue 18.9% yoy in 1Q25, gross margin hit a record-high of 44.2%, and international revenue rose 30% yoy. That said, not everything has gone smoothly. Management missed consensus EPS estimates in this same quarter and flagged pressure from rising operating costs, foreign exchange headwinds, and slower domestic same store sales growth. One of the clearest structural shifts underway is the transition of revenue away from China and into international markets. In 1Q22, 72% of revenue came from China. By 1Q25, that number had dropped to 56%, with overseas revenue climbing from 22% to 36% in just three years. The overseas business not only grows faster, but also carries higher gross margins and is less sensitive to domestic Chinese macro. By contrast, Miniso is trading at 14.5x 1 year fwd PE, with a PEG under 1.0, a 3% dividend yield, and strong free cash flow. It's not chasing growth at all costs. It appears to be scaling smartly, retaining pricing power, and returning capital – 58% of 2024 adjusted net profit was returned to shareholders via dividends and buybacks. Both businesses tap into the same global trend: impulse-driven, emotionally engaging consumerism. But we believe Miniso gives us that exposure with greater earnings durability, a broader SKU footprint (or less Labubu concentration risk), and less valuation risk. At present, we are only modestly up on this relatively new position, though we believe the story is still playing out. We think Miniso is continuing to evolve into a multi-category, cross-border, brand-led consumer ecosystem. And the best part is that it's still priced like a commodity retailer. We are keeping a close watch on it, particularly given the disappointment in the last quarter. But we're happy being long what we think is a solid mispricing story with asymmetric upside, a clear margin structure, and real cash returns along the way.

BSD Analysis:
Minotaur presents a compelling contrarian thesis on Miniso, viewing it as a misunderstood transformation story rather than a simple Chinese dollar store. The fund's variant perception centers on Miniso's evolution into an IP-driven global retailer with improving unit economics and a capital-light expansion model. Key fundamentals support this thesis: 22% revenue CAGR (2020-2024), 70% adjusted net profit CAGR, mid-40s gross margins, and high-teens ROIC. The international revenue mix shift from 22% to 36% over three years demonstrates successful geographic diversification with higher margins. Management's ambitious target of doubling stores by 2028 while maintaining 12-18 month payback periods suggests disciplined capital allocation. The valuation appears attractive at 14.5x forward P/E with a PEG under 1.0x and 3% dividend yield, especially compared to similar growth stories. However, recent execution challenges including missed EPS estimates and rising operating costs warrant monitoring.

BSD Analysis:
CrowdStrike delivered strong performance with a 25% gain, driven by sustained high demand for cybersecurity solutions in an active threat environment. The company's strategic expansion beyond endpoint security to comprehensive cloud workload protection demonstrates successful platform evolution and market expansion. Growing product suite additions in identity management and security information & event management (SIEM) create cross-selling opportunities and increase customer wallet share. The persistent cyberthreat landscape supports continued strong demand for CrowdStrike's platform-based approach to security. Cloud migration trends and remote work adoption expand the addressable market for endpoint and workload protection. The manager trimmed the position following the strong performance, indicating disciplined profit-taking while maintaining exposure to the cybersecurity growth theme. CrowdStrike's cloud-native architecture and AI-powered threat detection provide competitive advantages in the rapidly evolving security market.

BSD Analysis:
Despite a modest -1% quarterly decline, the manager added to their Verisk Analytics position, viewing the weakness as an attractive buying opportunity. The company delivered in-line revenues and earnings, though guidance was more conservative than expected. The manager's bullish stance is supported by strong pricing trends in auto insurance, which directly benefits Verisk's core property/casualty insurance analytics business. Rising auto insurance premiums drive increased demand for Verisk's risk assessment and pricing tools, creating a favorable operating environment. The company's data moat and analytical capabilities provide competitive advantages in insurance risk modeling and pricing optimization. Verisk's mission-critical role in insurance underwriting creates customer stickiness and pricing power. The manager's decision to add during temporary weakness demonstrates confidence in the underlying business fundamentals and growth prospects driven by insurance market dynamics.

BSD Analysis:
The manager exited their Synopsys position following the company's announced acquisition of ANSYS, despite the deal's long-term strategic benefits. The decision reflects concerns about near-term growth headwinds, increased balance sheet leverage, and potential share price volatility during integration. Prior to the acquisition announcement, the manager had been trimming the position as market capitalization grew and approached their price target, indicating strong prior performance. Synopsys operates in the critical EDA software market serving semiconductor design, benefiting from increasing chip complexity and design requirements. However, the ANSYS acquisition introduces execution risk and financial complexity that the manager prefers to avoid. The exit demonstrates disciplined portfolio management, prioritizing risk-adjusted returns over holding positions through major corporate transitions. The manager's willingness to realize gains and redeploy capital reflects active position management.

BSD Analysis:
The manager initiated a new position in Legend Biotech, a biotechnology developer specializing in cell therapies for blood cancers like multiple myeloma and leukemia. The investment thesis is anchored by regulatory approvals for Carvykti treatment, with both European Union and FDA approvals providing significant market access. While some investors expressed concerns about production ramp-up delays, the manager views this as a temporary issue creating an attractive entry point. Legend's long-standing partnership with Johnson & Johnson and new collaboration with Novartis provide validation and commercial support for its platform. The cell therapy market for blood cancers represents a high-growth, high-value opportunity with significant unmet medical need. Legend's CAR-T technology platform offers potential for multiple product development and expansion into additional indications. The manager sees a long runway of growth ahead despite near-term production scaling challenges.

BSD Analysis:
Veeva Systems generated a strong 20% return, supported by robust bookings and new deal momentum with significant business from Top 20 biopharma companies across its product suite. The company's thoughtful approach to building new products for customers reinforces confidence in long-term growth durability and customer stickiness. Material increases to margin targets demonstrate operational leverage and pricing power in the specialized life sciences software market. Veeva's comprehensive platform spanning R&D to commercialization creates switching costs and expansion opportunities within existing accounts. The life sciences industry's digital transformation and increasing regulatory complexity drive sustained demand for Veeva's solutions. Strong relationships with large biopharma companies provide predictable revenue streams and cross-selling opportunities. The combination of growth acceleration and margin expansion indicates a business model hitting its stride in a favorable market environment.

BSD Analysis:
Cencora delivered strong performance with a 19% gain, driven by better-than-expected revenues and earnings that led to raised fiscal year guidance. The company benefited significantly from revenue growth in the U.S. Health segment, excluding COVID therapies, indicating sustainable underlying demand. Notable contributions came from GLP-1 sales, positioning Cencora to benefit from the growing obesity treatment market. Increased sales volumes demonstrate the company's ability to capture market share in pharmaceutical distribution. The healthcare distribution industry benefits from an aging population, increased drug utilization, and growing specialty pharmaceutical markets. Cencora's scale and infrastructure provide competitive advantages in serving both healthcare providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The raised guidance suggests management confidence in continued momentum across key business segments.

BSD Analysis:
RenaissanceRe delivered exceptional performance with a 20% gain, driven by superior execution across multiple business metrics. The company demonstrated better underwriting rates, higher fee income, and increased investment income, all exceeding industry peer levels. This outperformance reflects RenRe's disciplined underwriting approach and strong market positioning in catastrophe reinsurance. The pricing environment appears robust with strength expected to continue through 2025, providing visibility for sustained profitability. Rising catastrophe losses globally and increased climate volatility support favorable pricing dynamics for specialized reinsurers like RenRe. The company's diversified revenue streams from underwriting, fee income, and investments provide multiple growth drivers. Management's ability to consistently outperform peers demonstrates competitive advantages in risk selection and capital allocation.

Pitch Summary:
The strategy's top detractor was the -5% retrenchment from Cheniere Energy, which operates liquid natural gas (LNG) liquefaction facilities for the global transportation of LNG. While revenues and earnings were as expected, management's initial guidance for the new fiscal year was lower than anticipated. Cheniere was conservative—appropriately so in our view—regarding plant volumes as election-year noise surrounding the regulatory environment could dampen LNG exploration and export activities.

BSD Analysis:
Despite being the strategy's top detractor with a -5% decline, the manager maintains confidence in Cheniere Energy's long-term prospects. The company delivered in-line revenues and earnings, indicating operational execution remains strong. Management's conservative guidance for plant volumes reflects prudent planning amid potential regulatory uncertainty during the election year. The manager views this conservatism as appropriate given the political sensitivity around LNG exports and environmental regulations. Cheniere operates critical LNG infrastructure that benefits from growing global demand for cleaner-burning natural gas, particularly in Asia and Europe. The temporary stock weakness appears driven by guidance concerns rather than fundamental deterioration. The manager's continued holding suggests they view current levels as attractive for a leading LNG export franchise.

Pitch Summary:
Contributing to performance was O'Reilly Automotive, a specialty retailer and supplier of auto parts, tools, supplies, and accessories. There were positive indications early in the quarter for sales growth within O'Reilly's professional segment (do-it-for-me or DIFM). Mid-quarter concerns that the DIFM business might be weaker than expected because of poor weather, later cleared. O'Reilly's shares gained 19% and made it the strategy's top contributor.

BSD Analysis:
The manager highlights O'Reilly Automotive as the strategy's top contributor with a 19% gain in Q1 2024. The investment thesis centers on strong growth in the professional segment (DIFM - do-it-for-me), which represents higher-margin business serving professional mechanics and service providers. Initial weather-related concerns about DIFM weakness were resolved during the quarter, validating the company's resilient business model. The automotive aftermarket benefits from an aging vehicle fleet and increased complexity of modern vehicles requiring professional service. O'Reilly's dual-market approach serving both DIY and professional customers provides diversification and market share expansion opportunities. The strong quarterly performance demonstrates the company's ability to execute on its growth strategy despite temporary headwinds.

Pitch Summary:
Trupanion is an example of a company that has approached a problem in an unconventional way and through persistent effort has built a solution that is extremely difficult to replicate. I have discussed Trupanion in past letters and the fundamental story since the Saga Portfolio first bought shares in 2018 has not changed as the company continues to scale. Historically, pet insurers in the U.S. pursued the easier route to shorter term profits as opposed to durable value creation. They tried to attract customers by selling policies with low monthly premiums. Lower price points meant offering limited coverage, making the claims process cumbersome, and dictating the treatments and prices veterinary hospitals charged. That strategy was an easy way to acquire unknowing new customers, but the low-value product created distrust amongst pet owners and veterinarians, giving pet insurance a bad reputation. Trupanion approached the problem in a completely different way. Its mission is to deliver the best possible value to their customers. It sought to simplify the product by offering comprehensive coverage and a seamless experience. What else is the purpose of insurance other than to pay the unexpected expenses of the insured? It targets a 71% payout ratio (the amount it pays in claims vs. premiums received) compared to other insurers that only payout ~50-60% of premiums. That does not mean Trupanion's product is necessarily the lowest monthly payment, just that it provides the best value proposition in the industry. It prices policies as a cost-plus model, letting veterinarians dictate the treatments and prices they charge. Such a high payout ratio is only possible by being the low-cost provider. Trupanion's cost to administer and to acquire new pets is by far the lowest in the industry. That is only possible through a relentless focus on controlling costs, vertical integration, and a unique distribution model that created an efficient avenue for generating customer leads. A culture of frugality and attacking costs is part of Trupanion's DNA. Management even goes as far as discussing the need to lower spend on snail mail postage as it has proven to be a low-value investment. Costs are lowered further by underwriting their own policies, which they can do because of having years of claims data to provide more accurate pricing, often down to the neighborhood level. Pricing is a vital part of an insurance underwriter and getting it wrong can lead to big losses and a damaged brand. This past June, the second largest U.S. pet insurer announced they are going to cancel ~100,000 policies due to underpricing, leaving many pets, many likely older and having preexisting conditions, without coverage. Trupanion's nationwide sales force of independent contractors called Territory Partners is by far the most cost-effective distribution in the industry. Trying to replicate it would be extremely difficult. It took considerable effort to develop, recruit, and then train Territory Partners before the strategy was more established and became successful. It can take years for a Territory Partner to develop a relationship with an animal hospital before they start actively recommending pets. Veterinarians will not recommend a bad insurance product to their client. Once they learn about Trupanion's value to both pet owners as well as to vets, they are by far the most effective channel to help pet owners understand the benefits of Trupanion's coverage and highest payouts in the industry. Further, when a hospital integrates Trupanion's automated claims processing software that pays hospitals directly, as opposed to the traditional reimbursement model, it strengthens Trupanion's relationship with hospitals and customers. It leads to more referrals, higher retention rates, increases the lifetime value of the pet, as well as providing a better experience for pet owners and veterinarians. Such a seamless product might look like it was the result of a master plan but was in fact the result of years (decades) of ongoing trial and error where one solution was built off another as the company continued to tackle problem after problem. For example, comprehensive coverage requires sophisticated data insights and pricing methods, which leads to vertical integration, which requires additional capital and regulatory requirements. One can see how solving one problem leads to new problems, which require further solutions that eventually lead to the integrated company we see today. These challenges might explain why others rarely try to copy the strategy. Businesses are complex entities and getting a clear picture of where a company is headed is hard. But there is a certain clarity in a company that continues to find ways to lower costs and share benefits of scale with its customers, which creates a virtuous cycle that is extremely difficult for competitors to match. With only ~3% of pets in the U.S. and Canada having pet medical insurance and a value proposition that is hard for any competitor to match, Trupanion has a long runway to reinvest in growing the number of covered pets. Its exact earning power and share price in the year 2034 may not be scientifically predictable, but there is a good explanation for why I expect both to be materially higher than recent levels. What the share price does tomorrow or even the next year or two is anyone's guess.

BSD Analysis:
The manager presents a compelling bull case for Trupanion based on its differentiated approach to pet insurance that prioritizes customer value over short-term profits. Unlike traditional pet insurers that offer limited coverage with low premiums, Trupanion targets a 71% payout ratio compared to competitors' 50-60%, enabled by its position as the industry's low-cost provider. The company has built multiple competitive advantages including vertical integration, proprietary underwriting capabilities using neighborhood-level pricing data, and a unique Territory Partners distribution network that has taken years to develop and would be extremely difficult to replicate. The manager emphasizes Trupanion's culture of cost control and its automated claims processing software that strengthens relationships with veterinary hospitals. With only 3% pet insurance penetration in North America and Trupanion's superior value proposition, the company has significant runway for growth. The manager acknowledges the business was built through decades of trial and error, creating an integrated solution that appears seamless but represents accumulated knowledge and capabilities that competitors cannot easily match.

Pitch Summary:
Rocket Companies, which was down fractionally in Q1 2024, represents the newest large position in the SCC Composite Portfolio, having been purchased in December 2022. RKT represents a play on a future decline in mortgage rates if and when inflation becomes subdued again. RKT shareholders should take a measure of comfort in the fact that the company is ultimately helmed by founder Dan Gilbert, who owns 1.85 billion shares of stock (on an as-converted basis) through Rock Holdings Inc.

BSD Analysis:
Seven Corners Capital's newest large position represents a cyclical bet on mortgage market recovery tied to eventual interest rate normalization. The investment thesis centers on RKT benefiting from increased mortgage origination volumes when rates decline as inflation moderates. Founder Dan Gilbert's massive 1.85 billion share ownership stake through Rock Holdings provides strong alignment with minority shareholders and suggests confidence in the long-term business model. The December 2022 purchase timing appears opportunistic, likely capturing the stock near cyclical lows during the mortgage market downturn. While the position was flat in Q1 2024, the manager maintains conviction that rate-sensitive mortgage lending will recover as monetary policy eventually eases. This represents a classic cyclical value play with strong insider ownership and exposure to housing market normalization.

Pitch Summary:
Sandridge is SCC's largest energy holding and was up 7% during Q1. The long thesis here remains that the secular decline in O&G drilling, combined with the revival of inflation generally, will support carbon-based energy prices going forward (in other words, if you own O&G assets, then ESG is your friend)). With legendary investor Carl Icahn as its largest shareholder (he owns 13%) and Icahn's former lieutenant Jonathan Frates as its board chairman, Sandridge did an admirable job steering the company away from the abyss of bankruptcy in April 2020 (when, recall, the price of oil dropped to NEGATIVE $40/bbl). The company has cut unnecessary expenses to the bone ("high-grading" SD's well inventory in fact, not just as a management talking point), thereby maximizing free cash flow conversion. SD has also done a great job recompleting and reactivating dormant wells. SD's annual PDP decline is expected (by the company) to remain in the single digits (%age annually) over the next 10 years.

BSD Analysis:
Seven Corners Capital's largest energy position reflects a contrarian bet on the long-term structural support for oil and gas prices driven by reduced drilling activity and inflationary pressures. The manager views ESG restrictions as paradoxically beneficial for existing O&G asset owners by constraining new supply. Carl Icahn's 13% ownership stake and Jonathan Frates' board leadership provide credible governance oversight and operational expertise, having successfully navigated the company through near-bankruptcy during the 2020 oil price collapse. Management's focus on cost discipline and "high-grading" the well inventory has optimized free cash flow generation while recompletion and reactivation of dormant wells extends asset life. The company's projected single-digit annual PDP decline rate over the next decade suggests sustainable production levels. This represents a classic value play on distressed energy assets with strong operational management and favorable supply-demand dynamics.