We have never been able to spend time discussing investment philosophy. Please allow me to share some thoughts that you may find relevant when making your investment decision:
Your great aunt Millie began an investment relationship with me a little over a decade ago with $125,000. Over our time together her investment portfolio increased to over $750,000.
The roughly 6 fold increase in Millie's investment portfolio can be traced back to the cornerstone of our investment approach at Rosenthal Capital Management: Protect capital first; capture upside when possible
Our emphasis of capital preservation allowed us to weather one of the worst bear markets / financial collapses in history (2008). We carried large cash positions and other defense assets during this tumultuous time. Then, while most of the investment community was reeling from the devastation, we acted decisively in 2009 to deploy capital on the extreme weakness.
I highlight this action because we believe markets are on the cusp of another historically volatile period. We are at the tail end of a decade of unprecedented Central Bank intervention in equity and debt markets. This intervention, created to save a failed financial system and extended to foster economic recovery, has run its course. 2018 will be the year remembered for the end of outright and aggressive US, European, Japanese etc. Central Bank buying of assets and as such prices will suffer.
The extent of coming stock market price declines will be in direct correlation to the incredible extent of complacency infecting the behavior of investment professionals and individuals alike. While Central Banks were engaged in the noble pursuit of saving our financial system, they inadvertently trained a generation of investors to believe market prices only rise....
Warmest Regards,
Bret