Klaus Stefan Müller uses the “Cash Flow Screening Model in a High Interest Rate Environment” to lock in stable cash flow targets such as Bayer and Merck

In April 2023, senior investment expert Klaus Stefan Müller launched the innovative “Cash Flow Screening Model in a High-Interest Rate Environment” in response to market challenges in the global high-interest rate environment. It effectively locked in high-quality German blue-chip stocks with stable cash flows, such as Bayer and Merck, and helped the investment portfolio maintain stable growth amid increased volatility.

 

Since 2023, global inflation has remained high, and major central banks have taken interest rate hikes to curb price increases, and the interest rate level in the eurozone has risen significantly. In a high-interest environment, capital costs have increased, corporate profit pressure has increased, and overall market volatility has increased significantly. Against this backdrop, investors’ attention to the quality of corporate cash flow has reached a new high, and stable cash flow has become a core indicator for measuring a company’s risk resistance and sustained returns.

 

In response to this market environment, Klaus Müller has designed a screening model based on cash flow performance. This model focuses on the stability and growth potential of a company’s free cash flow (FCF), while also combining financial leverage, capital expenditure efficiency and industry cycle characteristics for a comprehensive assessment. Its core advantages include:

Identify high-quality cash flow generating companies to ensure stable returns on investment portfolios;

Avoid risky targets with volatile cash flow or high capital expenditures;

Adapt to the dynamic changes in corporate capital structure adjustments under the background of high interest rates.

 

Using this model, Müller successfully identified Bayer and Merck, two German pharmaceutical and chemical giants, as key investment targets. Bayer has achieved steady free cash flow growth with its diversified product lines and continuous R&D investment; Merck has also achieved strong cash flow performance with its innovative drugs and high-tech materials business. Both companies not only have a high cash flow safety margin, but also show strong resilience in the face of macroeconomic fluctuations.

 

Since the implementation of the model in early 2023, the portfolio managed by Müller has achieved stable returns that are better than the market average while controlling volatility. This strategy effectively avoids risk exposure to highly indebted and cash flow-constrained companies and enhances the defensive capabilities of the portfolio. Müller pointed out: “Cash flow is the lifeline of a company, especially in a cycle of rising interest rates. Stable cash flow can bring long-term value protection to investors.”

 

In the face of the ever-changing macroeconomic environment, Müller plans to further optimize the cash flow screening model, incorporate more real-time financial data and industry forward-looking indicators, and improve the model’s sensitivity and forecasting accuracy. At the same time, he will also focus on areas related to green economic transformation and look for emerging targets with both stable cash flow and sustainable development potential.

 

Klaus Stefan Müller successfully coped with the complex market environment through the “cash flow screening model in a high interest rate environment”, achieved accurate layout of stable cash flow companies such as Bayer and Merck, and provided investors with a steady value growth path. This innovative strategy not only reflects his profound financial theory foundation, but also demonstrates his keen insight into market dynamics.