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19 April 2024
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The big 4 banks have pulled back from lending to SMEs and private credit funds have stepped in to fill the breach. Here's what investors need to know about the benefits and risks of including these funds in their portfolios.
Some high-quality companies have emerged even stronger since the onset of COVID and are well placed for outperformance. We call these the ‘COVID Opportunists’ as they are now dominating their specific sectors.
Many investors focus primarily on the big listed companies but the smaller end in tech, mining and healthcare outperforms through innovation. Many Australian companies are world-leaders in their speciality.
Over the last 20 years, smaller Australian listed companies have outperformed larger companies but with greater volatility. Following a strong run in the last six months, the smaller end is looking expensive.
Global equity markets have experienced huge volatility during 2020. Investors are now looking at stretched large cap valuations but there are good opportunities in less well-known, smaller companies.
Many companies have strengthened their balance sheets but their soundness can be directly correlated to the duration of the pandemic. What lessons has 2020 revealed coming into reporting season?
Australian investors have a domestic bias, but around the world, a swag of small to medium cap companies offer better value than the mega-cap names that have driven markets in recent years.
In some parts of the market, the case for active management over passive is strong. The less-researched small companies space shows a focus on strong capital, proven management and a clear strategy pays off.
As heads turn to the hottest tech or niche stock, some companies in traditional business sectors get left behind because they are boring. But overlooked means not overcooked.
Non-banks are claiming market share from banks in many forms of private debt, and it's changing the nature of funding for many small to medium businesses.
The share prices of smaller companies are traditionally more volatile than large, but the market is changing and the roles seem to be reversing. Is it possible to change our bias against small caps?
What factors are a guide to a long term successful investment experience in small caps given the sector has struggled to deliver decent returns?
The ATO has released all the superannuation rates and thresholds that will apply from 1 July 2024. Here's what’s changing and what’s not, and some key considerations and opportunities in the lead up to 30 June and beyond.
Jim Simons has achieved breathtaking returns of 62% p.a. over 33 years, a track record like no other, yet he remains little known to the public. Here’s how he’s done it, and the lessons that can be applied to our own investing.
Life has radically shifted with my brain cancer, and I don’t know if it will ever be the same again. After decades of writing and a dozen years with Firstlinks, I still want to contribute, but exactly how and when I do that is unclear.
Australia will have 3.7 million more people in a decade's time, though the growth won't be evenly distributed. Over 85s will see the fastest growth, while the number of younger people will barely rise.
Being rich is having a high-paying job and accumulating fancy houses and cars, while being wealthy is owning assets that provide passive income, as well as freedom and flexibility. Knowing the difference can reframe your life.
Investor disgust, consolidation, de-listings, price discounts, activist investors entering - it’s what typically happens at business cycle troughs, and it’s happening to LICs now. That may present a potential opportunity.