21 APR 2024 · One week, we are talking about how well the market did in the 1st quarter, and a couple of weeks later, weakness has entered the market. How quickly the tides can shift. Geopolitical issues and interest rates again spooked the markets this week.  Pullbacks are normal throughout an investing year and shouldn't cause too much concern with your overall portfolio strategy. You can, however, use these pullbacks to start new positions or put funds back to work if you trimmed while the markets were higher.  According to the S&P oscillator, the market is currently oversold. It's important to remember that most of the market's best days occur within two weeks of the worst days.   

14 APR 2024 · This past week, I closed on my first commercial real estate property. I thought it could be helpful to discuss how this came about, how the deal was structured, and why I thought it would be a good investment.  Commercial real estate is not where I primarily invest, so even though it was new, I didn't want it to deter me from a great opportunity. Like everyone else, my rate was higher than I wanted, and the deal didn't look perfect, but over the long term, I believe it will still work in my favor.  Unfortunately, we also discuss inflation, interest rates, and the Federal Reserve. I'm as tired of talking about this as I am sure you're tired of listening to it. Just like the real estate deal I discuss, interest rates can be a part of your decision but they shouldn't be the only thing you consider. The same goes for investing in stocks.  

31 MAR 2024 · The end of the Q1 is in the books. What a quarter it was, with the S&P 500 finishing up 10%. The last time the market finished up 10% in the first quarter was in 2019. There is chatter that the market has moved too far, too fast, and it's due for a pullback. Perhaps this is true, but history says that momentum can be a strong signal that pushes the market higher.  As we have discussed, many investors sold out during 2022 and have not invested their money back into the market. It doesn't take much for FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) to take hold and pull investors back in.  This week, we look at some of the main themes powering the market higher in 2024 and what we can expect moving forward. It should come as no surprise that the biggest story of 2024 so far is AI. The expectations and implementation of AI will both be major themes for the rest of 2024. 

17 MAR 2024 · Boring stocks! While they don't get press like the magnificent 7, they can and often play a pivotal role within your portfolio. This week, we focus on some boring stocks that have outperformed the market over the past three and five years, with many also increasing their dividends at an impressive rate.  $WM, $RSG, $AZO, $UNP, $TSCO, $CARR, $OTIS, $PGR, and $NUE are some of the stocks covered.  We also discuss this coming week's Fed decision on Wednesday and Nvidia's GTC conference.   

3 MAR 2024 · This past week we had news from Wendys ($WEN), Apple ($AAPL), and Kroger ($KR). Wendy's gets push back for dynamic pricing, Apple cancels plans for a car, and the FTC blocks Kroger's merger with Albertsons. We also discuss signs to look for when it comes to trimming stocks within your portfolio that have had a big gain. Has the thesis changed? Has the gain overweighted your portfolio? Did they report poor or bad guidance? All on this week's show.

26 FEB 2024 · NVDA powered the markets higher this past week as their AI boom was supported with STRONG quarterly numbers! Their chips are doing well, and their data centers are growing at over 400%. It's impressive to watch... this doesn't happen very often. Warren Buffett's letter to shareholders came out yesterday, and we discuss the little morsels of insight that have historically been woven throughout. Finally, we have been doing this little podcast for a while now, and we have seen a full market circle together from peak to trough and back to peak again. This is quite the accomplishment for every new investor and you should be proud of yourself. We take a look back in this week's episode.

11 FEB 2024 · The S&P 500 hit 5,000 for the first time this week! The American economy has been a growth and compound machine unlike any the world has ever seen. Seriously, at the bottom of the financial crisis in 2008, the S&P 500 was at 735! Another important topic we discuss is the rules surrounding Traditional and Roth IRAs. You have until April 15th to finish your 2023 contributions. So, if you've been thinking about starting one of these, you can contribute for 2023, allowing yourself a whole year to make your 2024 contribution. Contribution Limits: The maximum total annual contribution for all your IRAs combined is Tax Year 2023 - $6,500 if you're under age 50 / $7,500 if you're age 50 or older. Tax Year 2024 - $7,000 if you're under age 50 / $8,000 if you're age 50 or older.

7 FEB 2024 · Robert A. Caro has written 6 books and won 2 Pulitzer prizes. The quality of his work is second to none. The dedication and determination to complete these books is nothing short of amazing. He's not done yet; at 88, he is still working to complete the 5th and final volume of his Lyndon B. Johnson series. In this episode, we discuss his coverage of Robert Moses of New York and President LBJ. Not being literary experts here at Investor Professor, we highlight a person (Robert A. Caro) as someone we admire for being dedicated to their craft. It's admirable and hard to find those who have so dedicated themselves to a single purpose that you should take the time to acknowledge it when you find one. Robert Caro's books are about gaining and using power, but his writing has also provided a masterclass in determination, grit, and the personal sacrifice it takes to be excellent. https://www.sonyclassics.com/film/turneverypage/ https://www.robertcaro.org/books https://liverpoolcathedral.org.uk/

4 FEB 2024 · What a week! Earnings galore from $AAPL, $META, $MSFT, $AMZN, and $GOOGL. A Federal Reserve meeting was also mixed in. The story of the week had to be $META adding 20% to its market cap on Friday, which is the largest single-day gain ever at 197 billion dollars! More than earnings, we discuss what makes a great business. What numbers should we look at? What questions about a business should we ask? What actions do we take when we find a great business to invest in? Hint: LEAN IN.

28 JAN 2024 · Earnings session rolls on! We discuss the big earnings of the past week, including $TSLA, $AXP, and $MMM, and we discuss all the big earnings coming out this week. $AMZN, $AAPL, $MSFT, $GOOGL and other all report this coming week. How do we determine when to invest in a stock? What's a way to find ENTRY POINTS? We use $MSFT in this week's episode to discuss this very thing. As always, we want a consistent method and disciplined approach, just like we used when the market was down. You could argue it is more critical when the market is high.