market folly

At the Delivering Alpha conference, hedge fund founder Leon Cooperman of $6 billion Omega Advisors sat down with Maria Bartiromo to talk about the markets and what stocks he likes.

While Cooperman feels the market will be higher by the end of the year, he said that on a short-term tactical approach, he's found that hedge funds have low exposure. We've highlighted this as Dan Loeb's Third Point had reduced exposure for four consecutive months.

Cooperman thinks the fact that investors are underinvested could be a catalyst as money flows back into stocks and his focus is on a nine to twelve month timeframe. As to where the hedge fund manager is seeing value, he points to:

- Apple (AAPL): He says you can buy it at 10x next year's earnings.

- Boston Scientific (BSX): It generates over $1 per share in free cashflow annually (a 15% free cashflow yield) as the company looks to use that cash to buyback 10% of the company.

- KKR Financial (KFN): The stock yields over 9%, sells at a discount to book value, and the dividend is covered twice by earnings. He expects the yield to even go higher.

- Sallie Mae (SLM): Cooperman says that the $13 stock will earn $1.90 next year and he says the assets are worth $19-20.


In order to be bullish on equities (which he is), Cooperman says you have to invest under four assumptions:

1. The US is not like Japan and we will have a growing economy

2. The ECB will step up for European financial institutions

3. The President softens his anti-wealth, anti-business stance

4. Stability in the Middle East


Embedded below is the video of Leon Cooperman's interview from the Delivering Alpha conference:



We also detailed Leon Cooperman's appearance on the hedge fund best ideas panel at the conference as well. He will also be presenting his latest investment ideas at the Value Investing Congress.