New beginnings: Joseph's best articles in January
Joseph launched a new weekly column for investors and mused on everything from real estate shares to hot stock picks in the media.
While I can't quite believe that we are already here, I hope the first month of 2025 was good to you. My financial resolutions coming into the year were pretty simple:
- Get financially stronger with every paycheck by sticking to my plan.
- Continue to refine an investing process that works for me and focuses on quality not quantity of investment.
A big part of my journey on the second front has been guided by reading investing books and letters from famous investors. So in the hope that insights from my adventures can help you in a similar way, I have launched a new weekly column: Bookworm.
Introducing Bookworm
Bookworm aims to share one insight or big idea from an investing book or shareholder letter that I found interesting.
If the insight came from many years ago, I will illustrate it using more modern examples. If the idea came from abroad, I'll try to add an Australian twist.
Here's what you can find in the first three editions:
- In edition one, I shared how a legendary fund manager's advice for studying historical stock valuations exposed an error in my investing process.
- In edition two, I looked at how one aspect of Hamilton Helmer's 7 Powers framework might explain the unlikely rise of a big ASX winner.
- In edition three, I explored whether Richard Koch's 'Star Principle' might be useful when it comes to finding public companies with abnormal growth potential.
New editions of Bookworm are published every Tuesday. I hope you come along for the ride!
Ask the analyst
Our Ask the analyst feature isn't so new by this point, but I'd say January was one of its best months yet. At least in terms of the depth of insights shared by our equity analysts.
Adrian Atkins mused on why markets have gone sour on APA Group. Jon Mills helped me weigh up Deterra Royalties, while Brian Han answered a question on Corporate Travel Management's post-Covid prospects.
If you have a question about an ASX company or industry under our coverage, please email it me to at [email protected]. Select questions will be put to our equity analysts and may feature in a future edition.
Real estate, hot stock picks and investing for kids
Earlier in January I gave my two cents on why stock tips given in the financial press usually seem to have one thing in common: red hot recent performance. You can see why I think this is the case, and why this might be good for individual investors, by reading here.
I also shared a story from a chance meeting on the golf course that shows the power of investing early in life. More specifically, it shows the incredble headstart you can give a child by investing on their behalf from a young age.
Finally, I looked at Australian listed property and highlighted what I see as a rather obvious issue for investors seeking diversified exposure to it. Go here to see why it may pay to look beyond the index and most active funds in the space.
Earnings season ahoy
As I look forward to February, reporting season looms large on the horizon. I look forward to sharing our equity analysts' most interesting (and often contrarian) views on the month's biggest announcements and market moves.
Don't forget to send any questions that pop up to [email protected] so I can put them forward for an Ask the analyst feature. And more importantly, don't let the earnings season newsflow distract you from your long-term strategy.
For a four-step primer on how to build a strategy that makes sense for you, I recommend reading this guide by my colleague Mark LaMonica.
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