Flying Under the Radar: Strategies for Creating a Private Equity Portfolio with Publicly Traded Stocks
Private Equity Myths: The allure of private equity is often overstated; successful investments rely on buying small, undervalued companies with debt, not on any magical strategy.
Key Traits for Success: High-performing companies in private equity share traits such as paying down debt, improving asset turnover, and strong profitability, which align with deep value investing principles.
Public Market Opportunities: Individual investors can replicate private equity strategies in public markets by targeting smaller companies with improving fundamentals and favorable valuations, without the associated fees and restrictions.
Candidate Companies: Five companies—Sun Country Airlines, Heritage Insurance, Malibu Boats, Core Molding Technologies, and John Wiley & Sons—exemplify the characteristics of private equity replication candidates, offering potential for significant returns through operational improvements and financial leverage.
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- Earnings Performance: Sun Country Airlines reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.17, beating expectations by $0.04, indicating improvements in cost control and operational efficiency, which bolsters investor confidence.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The company achieved Q4 revenue of $281 million, a 7.9% year-over-year increase, surpassing analyst expectations by $7.73 million, demonstrating strong performance amid market demand recovery and solidifying its market position.
- Acquisition Dynamics: Allegiant's acquisition of Sun Country may signal the start of a new era of airline consolidation, a strategic move that not only enhances Allegiant's market share but could also reshape the competitive landscape and influence future M&A activities.
- Positive Market Reaction: Sun Country's stock was among the biggest movers on Monday, reflecting investor optimism regarding the company's growth potential and the broader implications of its recent performance.
- SkyWater Transaction Investigation: Halper Sadeh LLC is investigating SkyWater Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYT) for its sale to IonQ at $15.00 in cash and $20.00 in IonQ common stock, potentially violating federal securities laws and fiduciary duties to shareholders.
- Nathan's Famous Sale Review: The firm is also scrutinizing Nathan’s Famous, Inc. (NASDAQ: NATH) for its sale to Smithfield Foods, Inc. at $102.00 per share in cash, which may impact shareholder rights.
- Sun Country Airlines Deal Issues: The sale of Sun Country Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNCY) to Allegiant Travel Company for 0.1557 shares of Allegiant common stock and $4.10 in cash per share is under investigation, with the firm potentially seeking increased compensation for shareholders.
- Lisata Therapeutics Transaction Focus: Lisata Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: LSTA) is being reviewed for its sale to Kuva Labs, Inc. at $4.00 per share in cash plus two non-tradeable contingent value rights, with the law firm offering legal support to shareholders.
- SkyWater Acquisition Investigation: SkyWater Technology is set to be acquired by IonQ for $35 per share, totaling approximately $1.8 billion; however, this price is below the company's 52-week high of $36.27, raising concerns about shareholder value.
- Nathan's Famous Deal Scrutiny: Nathan's Famous will be acquired by Smithfield Foods for $102 per share, representing an enterprise value of about $450 million, yet this price is below its 52-week high of $118.50, prompting questions about the board's fiduciary duties.
- Lisata Therapeutics Merger Issues: Lisata Therapeutics will be acquired by Kuva Labs for $4 per share, plus two non-tradeable rights, with investigations focusing on whether the board failed to conduct a fair process, potentially harming shareholder interests.
- Sun Country Airlines Acquisition Review: Sun Country Airlines will be acquired for 0.1557 shares of Allegiant stock and $4.10 in cash per share, implying a value of $18.89 per share, with investigations into whether the board breached its fiduciary duties to shareholders.

- Merger Investigation: Halper Sadeh LLC is investigating Allegiant Travel Company's merger with Sun Country Airlines, where Allegiant shareholders are expected to own approximately 67% of the combined entity post-transaction, potentially impacting shareholder rights.
- Cash and Stock Deal: Sun Country Airlines is being sold to Allegiant for 0.1557 shares of Allegiant common stock and $4.10 in cash per share, raising concerns among shareholders regarding the fairness of the transaction structure.
- Calavo and Mission Merger: Calavo Growers, Inc. is being sold to Mission Produce, Inc. for $14.85 in cash and 0.9790 shares of Mission stock, with Mission shareholders expected to own about 80.3% of the combined company post-transaction, which may affect shareholder decision-making.
- Legal Rights Protection: Halper Sadeh LLC offers legal services on a contingency fee basis, encouraging shareholders to reach out to discuss their legal rights and options, demonstrating a commitment to protecting shareholder interests.
- Legal Investigation Launched: Halper Sadeh LLC is investigating Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: VTYX) regarding its sale to Eli Lilly at $14.00 per share, which may involve potential violations of federal securities laws affecting shareholder rights.
- Shareholder Rights Protection: The firm is also examining the transaction between Sun Country Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNCY) and Allegiant Travel Company, which involves 0.1557 shares of Allegiant common stock and $4.10 in cash per Sun Country share, aiming to ensure fair compensation for shareholders.
- Legal Fee Arrangement: Halper Sadeh LLC will handle the case on a contingency fee basis, meaning shareholders will not incur out-of-pocket legal fees, thereby reducing financial burdens and encouraging more affected individuals to seek legal assistance.
- Global Investor Support: The firm is dedicated to providing legal support to investors worldwide, having successfully implemented corporate reforms and recovered millions for defrauded investors, showcasing its expertise in securities fraud and corporate misconduct.
- Market Reaction: Trump's threat of new tariffs on European nations opposing U.S. ownership of Greenland led to the worst performance of the three major U.S. indexes since October, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite now in negative territory for the year, indicating strong market reactions to policy uncertainties.
- Investor Risk Aversion: Amid the stock market decline, tech stocks led the drop, and Wall Street's 'fear gauge' hit its highest level in nearly two months, reflecting increasing investor concerns about future market conditions, while the U.S. dollar also fell, indicating pessimism about the U.S. economic outlook.
- Signs of Capital Outflow: Danish pension operator AkademikerPension announced it would exit a $100 million position in U.S. Treasuries due to concerns over America's budget deficit, suggesting a weakening confidence among international investors in U.S. assets, which could lead to further capital outflows.
- Trump's Stance: Trump stated,










