I correlated every Dividend Aristocrat's True FCF against NGDP. AXP came out #1. Buffett's second largest position. Here's the full data.
u/JoeInOR ·
Reddit — r/ValueInvesting
· May 08, 2026 at 15:51
· ⬆ 16 pts
· 💬 2 comments
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Summary
Post uses 15 years of SEC data to correlate True FCF (OCF minus CapEx minus SBC) with nominal GDP (NGDP) for every Dividend Aristocrat, finding AXP has the highest positive correlation (83%) and a 7% FCF yield, while CB offers countercyclical exposure with a 10.2% yield.
Author argues AXP is a top pick (Buffett’s second largest holding) and CB is a defensive hedge; KO, despite strong revenue/NGDP correlation, shows weak FCF conversion and is not attractive at current valuation.
Quality assessment: Well-researched DD with quantitative screen and explicit data; high credibility due to clear methodology and reasoning.
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I got tired of P/E ratios so I built my own thing. 15 years of SEC XBRL data, True FCF (OCF minus CapEx minus SBC) for every Dividend Aristocrat, correlated against NGDP.
The finding that bothered me: 59% of Dividend Aristocrats have *negative* FCF/NGDP correlation. Their dividends aren't economic — they're structural. Clorox, Lowe's, JnJ — cash flows move independently of whether the economy grows or shrinks. That's either a moat or a warning depending on what you think comes next.
The three names that stood out:
AXP — 83% FCF/NGDP, 7% True FCF yield. Every Amex transaction is a clip on nominal GDP. Buffett's been sitting on this for decades. The screen explains why quantitatively.
CB — 10.2% True FCF yield, negative NGDP correlation. Countercyclical by design. Insurance underwriting profits when everyone else is bleeding.
KO — 78% revenue/NGDP, 18% FCF/NGDP. Revenue surfs the economy. Cash doesn't follow cleanly. Buffett bought it in 1988 when the True FCF yield was extraordinary. At 1.5% today the screen wouldn't touch it fresh. Neither would he.
Also ran 125 years of stocks vs gold vs the economy indexed to 100. The order surprised people in the comments last time I posted similar work — gold loses to NGDP badly. Stocks win on dividends alone.
Checked the math. Happy to share the truncated .csv. Link way down here: [https://cavemanscreener.substack.com/p/surfin-ngdp-owning-the-necessaries](https://cavemanscreener.substack.com/p/surfin-ngdp-owning-the-necessaries)
AXP has 83% correlation of True FCF to NGDP and a 7% True FCF yield, the highest among Dividend Aristocrats; Buffett holds it as his second-largest position. This correlation means AXP’s cash flows reliably grow with nominal GDP, making it a compounding machine in an expanding economy. Long AXP as a high‑quality growth‑at‑reasonable‑price play with proven economic sensitivity and strong free cash flow generation. Recession could temporarily lower transaction volumes; regulatory changes in credit card fees; inflation moderating below NGDP expectations.
CB has a 10.2% True FCF yield and negative correlation to NGDP, indicating countercyclical underwriting profits. As a hedge against economic downturns, CB’s cash flows rise when others fall, offering portfolio diversification and a high yield. Long CB as a defensive value play with strong free cash flow and natural hedges against macro risk. Large catastrophe losses could impair underwriting; competitive pricing pressure; low correlation means growth may lag in booms.
KO’s revenue is 78% correlated to NGDP, but its True FCF correlation is only 18%; current 1.5% True FCF yield is too low. Despite strong top‑line sensitivity, weak FCF conversion and rich valuation (unlike in 1988) make it unattractive under this screen. Avoid KO at current levels; the dividend is not well‑backed by economic‑sensitive free cash flow, and Buffett’s original entry conditions no longer apply. Currency headwinds; changing consumer preferences; potential re‑rating if FCF improves; screen may miss intangible brand value.
This Reddit post, published May 08, 2026,
features u/JoeInOR
discussing AXP, CB, KO.
3 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.