The alpha Brief: Insights on Quant Investing and the alpha Brief Portfolio (aBP)

ExxonMobil achieved stronger core results in the first quarter of 2026, despite disruptions in the Middle East, demonstrating the business's resilience in challenging conditions. As reported in the 1Q 2026 Earnings Release, earnings were $4.2 Bn, or $8.8 Bn when excluding identified items and estimated timing effects.

I rate a Microchip Technology a Buy because it is a durable embedded semiconductor compounder with long product lifecycles and high switching costs that provide stability through cycles.

Despite recent successes, Chevron remains appealing compared to Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips when considering valuation alongside portfolio quality, dividend reliability, and disciplined cash returns.

Movado Group: A Cash‑Rich Brand Platform at a Discounted Valuation

Valuation is no longer distressed, but it still looks reasonable relative to peers when set against Aura's growth profile, cash generation, and unusually low FWD PEG

I am rating Astec Industies a BUY because the company has entered a structural margin‑expansion phase that is supported by backlog visibility, aftermarket mix shift, and operating leverage rather than cyclical recovery alone.

I rate PG&E Corporation(PCG) a Buy because the company is transitioning from a legacy restructuring story into a regulated utility with improving balance‑sheet strength, restored regulatory credibility and visible earnings growth.

I’m rating KARO a BUY because the company has entered a clear growth inflection, with four consecutive quarters of ARR acceleration and record subscriber additions.

GE Vernova started 2026 with a stronger backlog, improved backlog quality, and higher expectations for free cash flow.

Texas Instruments is entering a powerful multi year expansion phase, driven by its dominant analog franchise, internally owned 300mm manufacturing capacity and consistent FY2025 performance that delivered 13% revenue growth and 40%+ operating cash flow margins.

VICR is riding the AI power delivery bottleneck, supplying high density, high efficiency power architectures essential for next‑generation AI processors. This is an area where rack power, thermal constraints and board space are becoming critical limits.

January is when everyone promises they’ll go to the gym and stop checking their brokerage app before breakfast. I’m going to make a different promise. I’m putting ten stock picks on the table for 2026 and we’ll grade them in public after the year closes. Just like we did with the Top 10 stocks that Henriot Identified in 2025. No 'if you bought the dip' gymnastics, and no rewriting the thesis once the tape moves. The goal is to build a list that should beat the market because