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Lifestyle,  Outfit Ideas,  Stock Pick vs. Discretionary

Shop Holiday Gift Set Off My “It List” Versus Stock

Shop holiday gift set with my “It List”!  Today, I’m pulling together a list of my favorite gift ideas for her.  Either give a single item off this list as a stand-alone gift or purchase a combination of items off this list for an awesome gift set idea!

I’ll also be analyzing 1 mystery company to be revealed later on in this article for an alternative gifting idea.  Currently, 1 share of this mystery company’s stock sells for the same price as everything combined on my holiday gift set list.  And if you read my earlier post from a couple weeks ago, you already know why stock can make a great holiday gift!  

Shop Holiday Gifts Via My Holiday "It" List

Let’s first reveal my highly-coveted gift guide for her!

As a small thank you for visiting my blog and supporting my small business, please enjoy 20% off everything on this list at checkout using code: December20

Please note that the coupon code does not apply to items already discounted.  Also, note the prices provided reflect the price at the time this article was published and are subject to change.

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links and at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission. Know that I only recommend products from brands that I personally stand behind. When you use one of my affiliate links, it helps me run this blog and keep all of this content free of charge for readers (like you). Please review my disclaimer policy for further information.

1. Beanie Hat

Price: $24.00
Your price using code December20: $19.20
Image Source: Pink Lily

I received a beanie hat with a pom pom one year from my fiancé (then boyfriend) and as silly as this might sound, it was one of my favorite gifts.  A beanie hat such as this one will surely delight any woman in your life!  Plus, she can never have too many hats – especially if she’s like me and misplaces them every year.

2. Pearl Ring

Price: $20.00
Your price using code December20: $16.00
Image Source: Pink Lily

Ever since getting engaged, I’ve been a little obsessed with rings.  I absolutely LOVE this dainty little pearl ring!  The best part?  It’s adjustable!  So if you’re buying this ring for a holiday gift, there’s no need to worry about those pesky sizing issues.

3. Fuzzy Blanket

Price: $26.00
Image Source: Pink Lily

Give her the gift of comfort this season with a fuzzy blanket!  My cousin recently bought me one as a housewarming gift and now both me and my dog fight over it whenever we’re curled up on the couch.  Such a quintessential comfort item!

4. Fuzzy Slippers

Price: $48.00
Your price using code December20: $38.40
Image Source: Pink Lily

What goes with a fuzzy blanket better than a pair of fuzzy slippers?  Not only are these slippers stylish, they’re also fleece lined.  Surely, the perfect shoe for making it through chilly winters.

5. Quilted Purse

Price: $22.00
Image Source: Pink Lily

After purchasing that fuzzy blanket and fuzzy slippers, she’s got to get up and moving!  Why not help incentivize her by purchasing a quilted purse.  After all, anyone who owns this stylish accessory has got to get out of the house to show it off.  Plus, quilted bags are all the rage right now! 

6. Gold Watch

Price: $26.00
Image Source: Pink Lily

Effortlessly elegant, this gold watch looks 10x (if not 100x) more expensive than it actually is.  Hands down the perfect stylish accessory for any girl on the go!  

7. Matching Lounge Set

Price: $58.00
Your Price: $46.40
Image Source: Pink Lily

Who doesn’t love a good matching lounge set?  Although, this is one of the pricier gifts on the list, it is a full outfit in one.  I recommend this lounge set for any homebody who wants to look cute, while feeling cozy.

8. Self Tanner

Price: $28.00
Your price using code December20: $22.40
Image Source: Pink Lily

Full confession: I haven’t tried this luxury tan body lotion, but I’m dying to!  With my wedding coming up, I’ve thought about trying a spray tan, but this seems like an even better option!  Plus, it’s formulated with nourishing ingredients and washes away easily after use. 

9. Holiday Sweater

Price: $44.00
Your price using code December20: $35.20
Image Source: Pink Lily

I love getting new sweaters as presents!  This year I’m crushing on this champagne silver tinsel striped sweater, but there are countless more sweater options to choose from, and all of them cuter than the next!

10. Black Sweater Dress

Price: $54.00
Your price using code December20: $43.20
Image Source: Pink Lily

This sweater dress is so chic!  And you can wear it in the dead of winter and not freeze!  Any girl is sure to love rocking this style.  Makes a perfect gift for that stylish girl in your life!

Suggested Gift Set Pairing Ideas:

If you were to purchase every gift on this list, as they’re currently priced and without using my 20% coupon code, you’d spend $350!  But with my 20% coupon code, the total cost for all these items would be $294.80.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan to spend that much on any 1 person this year!  Even just one item on this list makes a great gift, but here’s a few different gift set pairing suggestions, starting at around $50:

Pairing #1: fuzzy blanket and self tanner

Cost = $48.40

Pairing #2: beanie hat and holiday sweater

Pairing #3: pearl ring and matching lounge set

Pairing #4: fuzzy blanket and fuzzy slippers

Pairing #5: pearl ring, gold watch, and holiday sweater

Pairing #6: quilted purse, gold watch, and black sweater dress

Still not sure if any of these gifts will be just right?  Check out my list of products I’ve featured on this blog throughout the year for alternative gift ideas.

Still unsure?  Would you consider gifting stock?  As a bonus, I’ve included a financial statement analysis for a company with stock trading around the full value of all 10 gifts on my “It List” – approximately $295.  Without any further ado, let’s reveal my mystery stock!

And my mystery stock is…..

Carlisle Companies Inc (CSL)

Carlisle Companies Incorporated is trading at a price of $295.10 at the time this article was published.

Company Profile

Carlisle Companies Inc was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.  The company is a leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative building products and solutions that enable greater energy efficiency in buildings, according to the company’s 10K report

As of December 10, 2023, the date this article was written, the company has a total market capitalization of $14.37 billion.  Approximately 48.7 million shares are outstanding and 88.87% of those shares are owned by institutions. 

As for CSL’s key ratios, the company has a trailing 12 months P/E ratio of 21.40, a P/B ratio of 4.91, a profit margin of 17.22%, and a total debt to capital ratio of 43.87%.  The company also pays a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share, or $3.40 per share on an annualized basis.

And now, we’ll go through a high-level financial statement analysis on CSL by turning to the company’s most recent set of financial statements: the 3rd quarter 10Q report, dated September 30, 2023.

Income Statement Analysis

Please note that CSL has discontinued operations.  Although revenues and losses from discontinued operations factor into the calculation of comprehensive income, we will not delve into this topic any further for the sake of our analysis.  We instead will be focused on the company’s future prospects, determined by it’s continuing operations.  

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, total net income was approximately $561.9 million.  Compare this to the nine months ended September 30, 2022, when total net income was approximately $749.8 million, and this represents a year-over-year decrease of 25.1% in total net income. 

At the surface level, it appears the decrease in net income is primarily due to lower net sales ($3,459.4 million in 2023 vs. $4,299.5 million in 2022) and higher research and development costs ($20.7 million in 2023 vs. $14.2 million in 2022).  According to the MD&A section of the 10Q, the decrease in revenues reflects lower sales in non-residential construction and residential construction end markets as project delays and interest rate uncertainty has led to broad market underperformance and inventory adjustments.

Balance Sheet Analysis

One swing that immediately jumps out when looking at Carlisle’s balance sheet, is the movement from long-term assets held to sale to current assets held to sale between December 2022 and September 2023.  This means company management is now projecting it’ll take less than a year to dispose of those assets. 

Additionally, cash decreased during that same period from $364.8 million to $108.0 million.  However, looking at the company’s current debt, you’ll see it decreased from $301.7 as of December 31, 2022 to $2.3 million as of September 30, 2023.  Accordingly, it’s quite plausible that the decrease in cash was attributed to a debt payment.  We’ll be able to verify that by turning to the company’s statements of cash flows.

Statements of Cash Flows Analysis

Net cash provided by operating activities increased from $588.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 to $812.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.  The increase in cash provided by operating activities was largely driven by an increased cash provided by inventories (meaning less cash is being used to purchase inventory).  This is consistent with the lower amount of inventory we’re seeing on the company’s balance sheet ($394.8 million as of September 30, 2023 vs. $518.0 million as of December 31, 2022).

In contrast, Carlisle used a greater amount of cash for investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 than for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 ($86.7 million vs. $10.7 million).  This is primarily because in 2022, the organization recognized proceeds of $132 million from the sale of its discontinued operation.

Lastly, we turn to Carlisle’s financing activities.  As I suspected based on my balance sheet analysis, the company used $300 million in cash to repay a note.  Another notable line item is the repurchase of common stock.  $580 million was spent to repurchase common stock for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 vs. only $201.1 million.  This is a substantial difference!  Although common stock repurchases may indicate management’s belief that the stock may be undervalued, it also serves to inflate a company’s stock price.

Concluding Remarks on CSL

All in all, based on my financial statement analysis, CSL appears to be an incredibly complex organization.  I think the company is in a period where they’re hurting a little and trying to figure out which direction will provide future growth opportunities.  There’s a few reasons why I say that: 1) net income is significantly down, 2) they’re investing heavily in R&D, and 3) they’re disposing of existing assets.  However, they haven’t made any acquisitions this year and their investment in fixed assets and inventory has decreased in comparison to the 9 months ended September 30, 2023. 

As an investor, I would’ve at least liked to see comparable acquisition activity and increased capital expenditures to feel comfortable resting on the assumption that the company is investing heavily for the future.

Furthermore, I think Carlisle’s valuation is artificially high, being propped up by share repurchases.  Not great!  As an investor who looks for value stocks, I would personally steer clear of Carlisle.  In my opinion, CSL represents a risky investment and one with little upside.

Would You Rather Shop Holiday Gifts on My "It List" or Buy Carlisle Companies Inc (CSL) to Gift?

Ok, so admittedly maybe I was a little harsh on Carlisle Corporations Inc, but maybe you disagree with my assessment?  Is CSL worth gifting to a loved one this holiday season or adding to your own stock portfolio?  Or would you rather purchase the gifts included on my “IT List”? 

shop holiday gift set

As a reminder, if you want to purchase items on my “IT List”, all 10 items plus many more great finds can be purchased via the Pink Lily Boutique.  Don’t forget to use my coupon code: December20.

* Ratios and financial metrics provided by Fidelity as of 12/10/2023, the date this article was written.

* Please review our Investment Disclaimer Policy. The Chic Capitalist is committed to providing independent equity research. At the time of publication, The Chic Capitalist and its affiliates do not own a direct financial interest in the aforementioned stock.

Hi! I'm Mikaela, a blogger, CPA, soon-to-be bride, dog-mom, and self-proclaimed finance enthusiast. Join me on my journey to uncover some of the best financial practices and investment opportunities.

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