Uncategorized News As Drama Posted on May 11, 2017 By Matthew Garrott Children have trouble focusing their attention. To get my son to turn all his attention to his homework (since when do first graders have homework, anyway?), we often need to mute or turn off the TV. Handheld screens are completely off the table for him unless we are on a… Read more
Manager Skill vs Luck Don’t Turn Your Portfolio into the NFL Draft Posted on April 28, 2017August 17, 2026 By Matthew Garrott The NFL draft reminds me of picking investments. Lots of hype followed by second-guessing every pick. It’s nice to acquire new talent, but the key to investing is to avoid a bust. Don’t Overthink It Leading up to the NFL draft, the experts on ESPN make and revise their mock… Read more
Uncategorized Three Trades Based on This Week’s Headlines Posted on April 27, 2017 By Matthew Garrott The two big news items this week are the French election and US tax reform. There was also a big shakeup in the House of Mouse as Disney’s ESPN laid off a significant amount of on-air talent. What’s the best way to trade this news? If you read this blog… Read more
A Note on Structured Notes Posted on April 15, 2017August 17, 2026 By Matthew Garrott What happens to all the investments we say no to? We are acutely aware of how our invested money performs, but it can be difficult to keep track of the investments that just didn’t make the cut. Did we dodge a bullet? Or did we miss out on a shooting… Read more
Manager Skill vs Luck Settling for Average Posted on April 13, 2017August 17, 2026 By Matthew Garrott Settling for Average Capital Group is pushing back hard against the passive investing crowd. They make the case that some basic screens (low expenses, manager investing in their own fund, etc) can reveal good managers. I agree with that. The screens I use at Fairway are kind of hilariously basic… Read more
Uncategorized Walk of Shame Posted on April 11, 2017 By Matthew Garrott Motivation Most people seem to be operating on the same social frequency. I can see this, but I am unable to take part without tremendous effort that feels insincere. Awkward conversation is my forte. Hoping to improve, I observe and try to understand how people interact with one another. One… Read more
Uncategorized Eventful 24 Hours Posted on April 7, 2017 By Matthew Garrott The last 24 hours have been eventful. If you need yet another perspective on world events, keep reading. If not, just skip to Other Stuff where it’s less serious. We launched missiles into Syria. This feels like the typical setup where the world calls on the US to act as… Read more
Don’t Buy the Next Amazon Posted on March 28, 2017August 17, 2026 By Matthew Garrott THIS STOCK COULD BE LIKE BUYING AMAZON IN 1997! So reads the ad disguised as a headline on Yahoo Finance. Here’s the thing: you don’t want to buy the next Amazon. Clicking on the ad takes you to a wall of text. The performance is stellar. The method is so… Read more
Uncategorized Red Herring, Red Swan Posted on March 21, 2017 By Matthew Garrott Red Herring With headlines proclaiming the worst day for the stock market in 2017, you might think the market has plummeted in a bout of panic-selling. This is a red herring. The S&P 500 hasn’t been down more than 1% in over 100 days. Of course we’re going to have… Read more
Uncategorized March Madness and a Special Dispensation in Cleveland Posted on March 16, 2017 By Matthew Garrott A quick update today as March Madness takes hold and Cleveland prepares for St. Patty’s Day. How big is St. Patrick’s Day in Cleveland? The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland issued a notice regarding corned beef and Lent. My Catholic friends are encouraged to enjoy corned beef and perform a work… Read more