Author Archives: Rick Lesan, CFA
A few thoughts on Facebook’s impending IPO…
This Forbes article gets the discussion rolling on Facebook’s valuation and seems to be supportive of the notion that Facebook is breaking new ground, driving the evolution of the internet forward, and is worthy of its $80-100 billion valuation. I’d … Continue reading
Posted in Market Thoughts
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Dividend investing…consider all the angles.
It seems like everyone these days is advising folks to invest in stocks with high dividends. The advice for dividend investing rests on the idea that companies with good dividends tend to be larger, more stable, and better managed than … Continue reading
Posted in Investment Philosophy
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What passes for “advice” these days…
Yesterday I heard a financial advisor from Wells Fargo speak on what to expect from the markets in 2012 and what to do with one’s portfolio. I normally wouldn’t waste my time, but he is someone I know from a … Continue reading
Posted in Market Thoughts, The Business of Investing
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Judge Rakoff, I salute you!!
I haven’t seen a lot of commendable decision-making over the last few years, but a recent decision of U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff gives me hope that all is not lost. As reported in The Wall Street Journal yesterday (Nov. … Continue reading
Posted in Ethics in Investing
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DIY Investing
When faced with the choice between investing on your own or hiring someone else to call the shots with your hard-earned money, it is no surprise that many choose to go it alone. While investors’ memories are short, the asset … Continue reading
Posted in Investment Philosophy, The Business of Investing
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Measuring Performance
Unfortunately, a disturbingly large number of the individual investors I have worked with over the years put far too little thought and effort into measuring the performance of their portfolios, and therefore have little to no idea as to whether … Continue reading
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It’s my turn for year-end predictions (they’re not what you think)
As I watch all the economic and market predictions for 2011 roll in from every media pundit and Wall Street strategist around, I can’t help but feel compelled to offer my own two cents on the topic so here it … Continue reading
Posted in Investment Philosophy, Market Thoughts
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Caution: past performance IS a predictor of future results – poor results
I often refer people who continue to believe in active management to Standard and Poor’s semi-annual SPIVA studies that show very clearly how the vast majority of active managers consistently underperform their relevant benchmarks across asset classes and time periods. … Continue reading
Posted in Investment Philosophy, The Business of Investing
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The importance of perspective
(This commentary is a little longer than usual, but I consider it very important for those interested in how Frontier thinks about investing.) There is a tremendous amount being written on a number of what I consider to be short … Continue reading
Posted in Emerging Markets, Investment Philosophy, Market Thoughts, The Business of Investing
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Review: “Inside Job”
I recently saw Charles Ferguson’s documentary, “Inside Job,” about the current financial crisis and I have a few thoughts to record. The movie was thoughtful, provocative, compelling, and sobering, and it did a tremendous job explaining some very difficult concepts … Continue reading
Posted in Ethics in Investing, The Business of Investing
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