Valuing High Growth Companies – A Common Sense Framework
Learning about valuing high growth companies seems almost like an oxymoron. The stock market clearly has two opposing camps – growth and value – and so the idea of putting a valuation on a growth stock can sound heretical to some. But as Warren Buffett once said, “Growth and value investing are joined at the […]
The 7 Ground Rules for Warren Buffett’s Partnership that Led to 24.5%+ Gains
At a young age of just 25 years old, Warren Buffett had a keen vision on how he would run his partnership and achieve superior returns for investors. He called these principles The Ground Rules. All partners, friends and family had to agree to these terms so they could understand Buffett’s vision. To say that […]
BVPS: How Valuable is it to Know the True Value of a Stock?
The book value per share (BVPS) ratio compares stockholders’ equity to the total number of outstanding shares. In other words, this calculates a company’s per-share total assets less total liabilities. Value investors have traditionally embraced book value per share as a method of valuing different investments. Benjamin Graham, the founder of value investing, developed what […]
Qualitative Fundamental Analysis: The 8 Key Factors According to Ben Graham
Investors think of Warren Buffett’s mentor, Benjamin Graham, as a numbers guy who only considered financial data, or the quantitative side of fundamental analysis. They haven’t read his books carefully enough. Ben Graham dedicated most of a chapter in his seminal Security Analysis to the qualitative factors of fundamental analysis. It is well worth examining. […]
Stock Buying Checklist: Essential Part of Evaluating Stocks (Example Checklist)
The stock buying checklist is one of the essential tools to any investor, in my opinion, and to most, an underutilized tool. Using a checklist is a fantastic way to learn from your mistakes, plus it can help you standardize your investment process by building on your experience and what you observe throughout your career. […]
WACC vs. ROIC: Is Shareholder Value Being Created or Destroyed?
Measuring a business’s economic moat is a challenge, but a comparison using several metrics allows us to get an economic moat idea. That comparison is the grudge match of finance, WACC vs. ROIC. Warren Buffett speaks numerous times about his fondness for companies with economic moats. His best investments, such as See’s Candies, Coca-Cola, and […]
Defining a Good FCF Margin Formula: Basics, Examples, and Analysis
Updated 4/6/2023 FCF margin is a valuable tool for understanding how much free cash a company can generate from its revenues. In general, a higher FCF (Free Cash Flow) margin means a company doesn’t need to spend much money to create profits and free cash. Why is FCF Important? Free cash flow is the amount […]
Beginner’s Guide to the Price to Book Ratio
“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” –Warren Buffett The price-to-book ratio remains a top valuation metric for certain companies like banks, insurance companies, or railroads. Numerous variables influence the choice to purchase a certain stock. Of course, the first factor is how well the underlying business does. Equally crucial is determining […]
A No-Nonsense Value Investing Checklist from One of the All-Time Greatest
Value investors come in all styles, shapes and sizes. Fidelity’s Peter Lynch was one famous brand of value investor—looking for growth-y companies trading at a reasonable price. Who better to find a value investing checklist from than the great Peter Lynch? Here are some of the items on Lynch’s checklist (“The Final Checklist”) that he […]
Debunking the Belief that Life Insurance is a Waste of Money
As a young adult, spending money on something with no return can feel wasteful, but I can assure you the belief that life insurance is a waste of money is far from the truth. Until you near retirement age, it’s really difficult to think about planning for the future. It’s easier (and more fun) to […]
