This past week one of the greatest investors of our time, and one of my first investment mentors, passed away. He will long be known for his terrific stockpicking and “10 Commandments” of thoughtful investing, but the most important lesson I learned from him involved a simple triangle pasted to his desk. The points were […]
When slow is fast. This week I was part of a panel at the CFA Institute’s annual summer symposium, held at the University of Chicago. It was an honor to be part of the program, of course, but as it landed in the middle of earnings season and a range of other commitments, I was […]
Purl two? Many of you have likely seen Purl, the new short film by Pixar about a ball of yarn who is the lone “other” working at BRO Capital. The story follows Purl as she adapts to fit in with her colleagues, doing everything she can to be less Purl and more Bro. Then one […]
Don’t just do something, stand there! Jack Bogle Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. Mary Oliver This was a tough week for loss – both the poet Mary Oliver and the investor Jack Bogle. At first glance these seem like people who had little in common: Oliver spent her days in the […]
“You do what you have to do to be faithful.” Earlier this week I had the joy of hearing Sister Pat Daly speak to a gathering of investors. In describing the motivation behind her decades of work as an engaged investor, she simply said, “you do what you have to do to be […]
“Whatever you want, we’ll make more.” I was at a technology investing conference this week, and a leading venture capitalist was describing how responsive that business can be. If people want apps for their phone, they’ll make more. If people want new e-commerce models, they’ll make more. When I’m tired or cranky or sad, I […]
9.7% Fewer than 10 percent of mutual funds and ETF’s in the US have a female fund manager, down from a measly 11.4% in 2008. And the US is not alone… only five countries worldwide are over 20% (Singapore is highest, at 30%). Are we under-counting? Probably not – this data is from Morningstar, which […]
89% of asset managers report that they are familiar with sustainable investing. 59% of those who don’t currently offer products in this area say that they will do so within a year. Of course, the levels of commitment vary, and the “how” of sustainable investing is increasingly more important than the “whether.” But hey, these […]
Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. – Warren Buffett Everyone thinks businesses (and investment portfolios) should be managed for the long term…. until there’s a bad quarter. The pressures of short termism have been widely noted, but now there is some empirical proof that […]
“Okay, maybe I’ll sell a little.” These innocuous words helped to make me a much better investor. When I was a Very Young Analyst at a Very Big Firm, a Brand New Fund Manager, Will Danoff, was one of the first people who listened to my ideas. He bought the very first stock I recommended, and […]