Today we are covering the world of fast fashion. If you don't know the name Inditex, you certainly know Zara, the core business inside Inditex. My guest, Alistair Wittet, recently launched Aecus Partners, an equity boutique specializing in European and global equities, and has followed Inditex for decades. 

He gets into how the company pivoted its business over the years from the initial store expansion, the e-commerce evolution, and what has allowed Inditex to succeed where other fast fashion peers have struggled. There are so many interesting themes here: success in no-growth industries, the power of thoughtful vertical integration, decentralized decision-making, and corporate pivots.

Please enjoy this Breakdown of Inditex.

Founders Podcast - #372 Amancio Ortega

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Public: Invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more in one place. A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. The [6.7%] yield is the average annualized yield to maturity (YTM) across all ten bonds in the Bond Account, before fees, as of [9/05/2024]. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore a bond’s YTM is “locked in” when the bond is purchased. Your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTM is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTM of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity, or if the issuer calls or defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule.

Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. You should evaluate each bond before investing in a Bond Account. The bonds in your Bond Account will not be rebalanced and allocations will not be updated, except for Corporate Actions.

–

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

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Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns

(00:06:52) Overview of Inditex and Zara

(00:09:46) The Fast Fashion Model

(00:14:27) Origins and Expansion of Inditex

(00:17:22) Navigating Financial Crises and E-commerce

(00:22:30) Supply Chain and Inventory Management

(00:24:32) Revenue and Growth Dynamics

(00:29:48) Margin and Cost Structure

(00:35:35) Inditex's Financial Management Strategies

(00:36:20) Impact of COVID-19 on Inditex's Margins

(00:37:13) Free Cash Flow and Inventory Management

(00:39:43) Competitive Landscape: H&M and Shein

(00:42:57) The Role of Culture in Inditex's Success

(00:54:51) Sustainability and ESG Concerns

(00:58:43) Investment Insights and Risks

(01:00:40) Key Lessons from Inditex

Today we are breaking down commercial real estate lending with Josh Zegen, co-founder and managing principal of Madison Realty Capital. 

Josh and his team at Madison launched in 2004 and evolved from a hard money lender when there really was no alternative industry called commercial real estate lending. They've developed into a single-source capital provider today with more than $21 billion in AUM.

Josh gets into great detail here about how it's not an all-or-nothing story when it comes to real estate. We covered some of the basics on construction loans, the life cycle of capital, and new developments. Then, we get into some of the current market dynamics, post-COVID interest rates, post-SVB, and much, much more. 

Please enjoy this Breakdown of commercial real estate lending.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Public: Invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more in one place. A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. The [6.7%] yield is the average annualized yield to maturity (YTM) across all ten bonds in the Bond Account, before fees, as of [9/05/2024]. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore a bond’s YTM is “locked in” when the bond is purchased. Your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTM is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTM of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity, or if the issuer calls or defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule.

Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. You should evaluate each bond before investing in a Bond Account. The bonds in your Bond Account will not be rebalanced and allocations will not be updated, except for Corporate Actions.

–

This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. The Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. This holiday season go to eightsleep.com/breakdowns and use code JOYS for up to $600 off the Pod 4 Ultra when bundled. 

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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns

(00:05:22) Starting Madison Realty Capital

(00:06:44) Evolution of the Lending Market

(00:10:08) Construction Lending Dynamics

(00:15:36) Risk Management and Portfolio Strategy

(00:18:49) Leveraging Private Credit

(00:30:31) Portfolio Management and Challenges

(00:33:32) COVID-19's Impact on Real Estate Projects

(00:34:49) Strategies for Loan Workouts

(00:37:38) Post-COVID Market Dynamics

(00:39:45) Opportunities in Loan Purchases

(00:42:53) Sector-Specific Real Estate Insights

(00:49:27) Impact of Work Schedules on Real Estate

(00:51:22) Interest Rates and Market Impact

(00:55:45) Future Opportunities and Market Trends

Today we are breaking down SpaceX. Luke Ward from Baillie Gifford was the perfect match for this episode, as he and his team first invested in SpaceX in 2018.

We cover the story of SpaceX and its scientific magic, but we really key in on the business model. We focus on the cost curve of launches, separating manufacturing from reusability. Luke gets into how Starlink represents a key component in making the Starship program and the broader economic model click. We then use our intellectually honest galaxy brains to imagine what the space economy could look like in the future and Luke is very open and honest about the risks and rewards with such a capital-intensive mission. 

Please enjoy this Breakdown on SpaceX.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Public: Invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more in one place. A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. The [6.7%] yield is the average annualized yield to maturity (YTM) across all ten bonds in the Bond Account, before fees, as of [9/05/2024]. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore a bond’s YTM is “locked in” when the bond is purchased. Your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTM is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTM of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity, or if the issuer calls or defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule.

Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. You should evaluate each bond before investing in a Bond Account. The bonds in your Bond Account will not be rebalanced and allocations will not be updated, except for Corporate Actions.

–

This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. The Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. This holiday season go to eightsleep.com/breakdowns and use code JOYS for up to $600 off the Pod 4 Ultra when bundled. 

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Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns

(00:05:53) SpaceX: A Blend of Business and Technology Innovation

(00:06:30) Baillie Gifford's Investment Journey with SpaceX

(00:09:53) Challenges and Innovations in Space Launch Costs

(00:11:24) The Rise of Private Space Companies

(00:15:23) SpaceX's Reusability and Cost Efficiency

(00:18:25) Starship: The Future of Space Travel

(00:26:05) Starlink: Revolutionizing Satellite Internet

(00:32:01) The Potential of Space-Based Manufacturing

(00:36:31) Competitive Advantage of Starship

(00:37:19) Management and Culture at SpaceX

(00:39:55) Government and Commercial Markets

(00:40:45) Starlink's Future and Connectivity

(00:44:11) SpaceX's Long-Term Vision

(00:51:11) Regulatory and Launch Challenges

(00:54:49) Valuation and Investment Insights

(01:02:23) Lessons from SpaceX

Today, we are covering the increasingly thematic market of venture secondaries. My guest is Ravi Viswanathan, founder and managing partner of NewView Capital. 

We cover some of the basics around these transactions because so much of private markets are bespoke. And while Ravi confirmed that the bespoke nature makes each individual secondary deal unique, there are consistencies in terms of how they approach the opportunity. 

We discuss the various players in the market and their motivations for buying and selling, whether they are VC sellers, founders, employee sellers, or VC buyers. Ravi lays out the structural dynamics that are likely to make this a larger market well into the future. Please enjoy this Breakdown of venture secondaries. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. The Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. This holiday season go to eightsleep.com/breakdowns and use code JOYS for up to $600 off the Pod 4 Ultra when bundled. 

—

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

-----

Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Introduction to Secondary Transactions in Private Markets

(00:08:43) Understanding the Basics of Secondary Transactions

(00:10:28) Evolution and Growth of Venture Secondaries

(00:13:12) Impact of Market Dynamics on Secondary Transactions

(00:15:20) Pricing and Valuation in Secondary Markets

(00:18:47) Challenges and Strategies in Secondary Transactions

(00:28:25) Market Trends and Future Outlook

(00:33:30) Venture Sponsor to Sponsor Transactions

(00:34:05) Buyer Mentality and Exit Strategies

(00:35:39) IPO Market and Valuation Trends

(00:38:09) Focus on Growth and Profitability

(00:40:04) Strategic Exits and Market Dynamics

(00:49:48) Risk Dynamics and Market Competition

(00:55:44) Key Lessons and Future of Venture Capital

Today we are breaking down Informa. At its core Informa is a live events business headquartered in the UK. While media conversations often revolve around consumer giants like Disney, Informa operates in a different realm entirely - dominating the world of business-to-business connections through the largest portfolio of trade shows and events globally.

I am joined by Nick Shenton from Artemis Investment Management. With nearly 1,000 live events across industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to maritime, Informa creates the meeting places where entire supply chains come together to exchange knowledge, build networks, and do business. These industry events come with a compelling financial model, which Nick details. He also describes Informa’s academic publishing business, B2B digital services, and all of the risks involved with this unique company. Please enjoy this breakdown of Informa. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. The Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. This holiday season go to eightsleep.com/breakdowns and use code JOYS for up to $600 off the Pod 4 Ultra when bundled. 

—

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

-----

Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns

(00:07:37) Informa's Business Model and Key Assets

(00:09:46) Revenue Breakdown and Financial Performance

(00:12:51) Historical Background and Growth

(00:16:54) Impact of COVID-19 and Technological Advancements

(00:20:24) Economics of Live Events

(00:25:28) Challenges and Cyclicality in the Events Business

(00:32:03) Informa's Publishing Arm: Taylor and Francis

(00:34:39) Criticisms and Value of Publishing Models

(00:36:31) Digital Transition in Publishing

(00:37:45) Introduction to TechTarget

(00:38:36) TechTarget's Unique Market Position

(00:43:22) Financial Overview and Valuation

(00:46:17) Risks and Industry Dynamics

(00:50:39) M&A Strategy and Capital Allocation

(00:57:22) Lessons from Informa's Success

This is Zack Fuss. Today we're breaking down Fastenal. Starting as a small fastener retailer in Minnesota, the company has evolved into a mission-critical supply chain partner for its industrial customers. Today, the business sports a nearly $50 billion market cap and produces nearly $8 billion in sales. 

The impact of Fastenal's founder, Bob Kierlin, on Fastenal's commercial success can't be overstated. The industrial vending machine was his original idea, a vision he made a reality years later through its network of local branches, onsite locations, embedded with customers and innovative inventory management technologies.

I'm joined by Delian Entchev, a portfolio manager at Aoris Investment Management. Today, we'll unpack the strategic choices, cultural DNA, and relentless customer focus that have fueled Fastenal's remarkable success. Please enjoy this Breakdown of Fastenal.

Check out our new print publication Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. The Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. This holiday season, go to eightsleep.com/breakdowns and use code JOYS for up to $600 off the Pod 4 Ultra when bundled. 

—

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

-----

Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns

(00:07:44) Understanding Fastenal's Business Model

(00:08:24) The Amazon Connection

(00:10:09) Fastenal's Founding Story

(00:12:06) Pivot to Business Customers

(00:13:18) Empowering Employees for Growth

(00:14:44) Frugality and Culture at Fastenal

(00:17:33) Expansion and Evolution

(00:19:07) Onsite Services and Technological Innovations

(00:22:17) International Growth and Future Opportunities

(00:23:16) Financial Profile and Customer Relationships

(00:28:36) Customer Integration: Fastenal's On-Site Business Model

(00:29:21) Three Pillars of Fastenal's Service: Experts, Inventory, and Technology

(00:30:39) Customization and Proximity: Tailoring On-Site Solutions

(00:31:56) Economic Relationships and Customer Spend

(00:33:56) Fastenal's Competitive Edge: Value Proposition and Culture

(00:37:54) Growth and Market Share: Fastenal's Expansion Strategies

(00:44:52) Financial Discipline and Capital Allocation

(00:50:14) Lessons from Fastenal: Transparency and In-Person Visits

Today, my guest is Fernando De Leon, founder of Leon Capital Group. Fernando operates 14 different businesses under the Leon Capital umbrella, which vary across real estate, healthcare, and financial services. But as you will hear in our conversation, the businesses are connected and instruct one another. The connective tissue throughout this conversation is how demographic insight sits underneath everything and is the foundation of what makes this business possible. 

As you will hear, there's no better person to talk about demographic dynamics than Fernando. Please enjoy this Breakdown on the demographics driving real estate. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegas help you make smarter decisions faster.

—

This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. The Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. Go to eightsleep.com/breakdowns and use the code glueguys for $350 off. 

-----

Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Introduction and Background

(00:05:55) Early Life and Education

(00:08:03) Real Estate and Demographics

(00:11:02) Business Ventures and Strategies

(00:13:17) Challenges and Opportunities in Real Estate

(00:17:13) Efficient Resource Management

(00:18:12) Downside Protection Strategies

(00:19:59) Insurance and System Optimization

(00:21:43) Real Estate Cyclicality and Capital Support

(00:24:28) Challenges in Housing Development

(00:25:58) Target Markets and Demographic Trends

(00:29:39) Opportunities in Secondary Markets

(00:31:49) Nearshoring and Global Trade

(00:43:13) Future Outlook and Technological Impact

(00:55:02) Lessons From Breaking Down The Industry

This is Zack Fuss. Today we are breaking down Merck, one of the world's largest and oldest pharmaceutical companies. The company has been shaping medicine and fostering innovation for over 130 years. From its humble beginnings as a small family pharmacy in Germany, today's iteration of Merck has transformed into a nearly $300 billion market cap business with particular strength in oncology. 

At the heart of Merck's recent success is Keytruda, arguably the world's most important cancer drug. This single medication now generates over $25 billion in annual revenue. But, Merck's story is not only about Keytruda, it's about a company that's consistently pursued innovative science, combined with a handful of bold decisions, which resulted in the development of some of the world's first vaccines and breakthroughs in diabetes treatment. 

To break down Merck, I am joined by Ashwin Varma, who is currently a medical student at UT Health San Antonio. We unpack Merck's business model, explore its industry-leading oncology franchise, and examine its pipeline of future drugs, and understand how they have navigated the complex world of pharmaceutical patents and regulation. Please enjoy this Breakdown on Merck. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegas help you make smarter decisions faster.

—

This episode is brought to you by EightSleep, the temperature-controlled mattress cover that heats or cools your mattress to transform your sleep. The Pod 4 Ultra is the new gold standard in intelligent sleep systems. It can be added to your current mattress like a fitted sheet and is been clinically proven to give you up to an hour more quality of sleep every night. The cooling capability can cool your side of the bed to 20 degrees below room temperature, all managed by the pod's autopilot feature, which adjusts the temperature throughout the night. Go to eightsleep.com/breakdowns and use the code glueguys for $350 off. 

-----

Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns

(00:05:50) History and Evolution of Merck

(00:08:32) Merck's Blockbuster Era and Challenges

(00:10:51) Understanding the Pharma Industry

(00:15:32) Merck's Current Business and Financials

(00:20:48) Patent Protection and R&D Strategies

(00:35:00) Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment

(00:35:54) The Rise of Keytruda: From Trials to Triumph

(00:37:56) Keytruda's Expanding Indications and Market Impact

(00:39:56) Understanding Cancer Therapy Lines

(00:42:09) Keytruda's Competitive Landscape and Future Challenges

(00:46:33) Merck's Strategy for Post-Patent Success

(00:57:41) Leadership and Organizational Structure at Merck

(01:04:01) Lessons from breaking down Merck

Today we are breaking down American Tower: the REIT, the communications giant, and the infrastructure asset. To break down American Tower I'm joined by William Heard, founder and CIO of Heard Capital Management. William founded Heard Capital in 2011. 

Today, the firm manages $2 billion in assets, holds about 15 to 20 names, and has very specific criteria for investing in companies. We cover AMT from all angles—the long life, physical assets that underpin the business, the contracted and highly visible revenue stream, the secular growth story, and some of the micro dynamics. American Tower represents so many things in the economy, so it made for a very interesting and wide-ranging conversation. Please enjoy this Breakdown of American Tower. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegas help you make smarter decisions faster.

—

This episode is brought to you by Public: Invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more in one place. A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. The [6.7%] yield is the average annualized yield to maturity (YTM) across all ten bonds in the Bond Account, before fees, as of [9/05/2024]. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore a bond’s YTM is “locked in” when the bond is purchased. Your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTM is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTM of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity, or if the issuer calls or defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule.

Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. You should evaluate each bond before investing in a Bond Account. The bonds in your Bond Account will not be rebalanced and allocations will not be updated, except for Corporate Actions.

-----

Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns 

(00:03:42) Understanding American Tower's Infrastructure

(00:04:41) Market Size and Share

(00:05:44) Ownership and Construction of Towers

(00:06:51) Investment and Growth in Tower Infrastructure

(00:11:32) Data Centers and Their Importance

(00:14:34) Leasing Model and Revenue Structure

(00:17:02) Management and Financial Strategy

(00:18:42) Acquisitions and Growth Strategy

(00:21:39) Management Teams and Strategic Priorities

(00:22:35) Capital Allocation and Dividend Strategy

(00:24:09) REITs and Market Dynamics

(00:26:49) International Operations and Challenges

(00:29:19) Carrier Spending and Revenue Streams

(00:37:57) Risks and Competitive Landscape

(00:38:58) Lessons from Breaking Down American Tower

Today, we are breaking down the insurance giant AIG. AIG's story is one of a remarkable turnaround, a tale of a global insurance giant emerging from near collapse during the great financial crisis. Over nearly two decades, AIG has transformed itself into a more focused and efficient property and casualty insurer.  

To grasp the magnitude of AIG's journey, consider this: During the financial crisis, the company required a $180 billion bailout from the U. S. government, a sum it fully repaid with interest. 

To help tell the story of AIG's transformation and its current position, I'm joined by Austin Hawley, Portfolio Manager at Diamond Hill. Today, under Peter Zaffino's leadership, AIG has refocused its underwriting efforts, returning to profitability while divesting noncore businesses, including the demerger of its life insurance arm, Corebridge. The AIG of today stands as a near pure play specialty insurer with a focus on achieving top-quartile industry returns. Please enjoy this breakdown of AIG

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Introduction to Business Breakdowns

(00:04:57) AIG: A Tale of Turnaround

(00:05:31) Understanding PNC Insurance

(00:06:56) AIG's Historical Context

(00:09:58) AIG's Post-Crisis Struggles

(00:15:17) The 2017 Management Overhaul

(00:21:42) Berkshire Hathaway's Role

(00:24:26) Strategic Moves and Divestitures

(00:28:32) AIG's Strategic Transformation

(00:30:40) Understanding AIG's Business Metrics

(00:32:10) Specialty Lines and Global Footprint

(00:33:31) AIG's Niche Businesses

(00:34:47) Evaluating Insurance Companies

(00:38:04) Competitive Advantages in Insurance

(00:42:04) Pricing Environment and Market Dynamics

(00:45:35) AIG's Investment Strategy

(00:48:25) Competitors and Comparisons

(00:50:03) Lessons from Breaking Down AIG's Turnaround