The Meb Faber Show - Better Investing

Latest Episodes:

Ted Seides, Capital Allocators – I Want To Compound My Capital…But I Want To Do It Alongside Of People That I Respect And Trust | #293 Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

In episode 293, we welcome our guest, Ted Seides, host of the Capital Allocators podcast and author of Capital Allocators: How the world's elite money managers lead and invest. In today’s episode, we go all the way back to Ted’s early days working under the great David Swensen at Yale to hear what makes him one of the most respected Chief Investment Officer’s in the world. Then we move on to his famous bet with Warren Buffett and hear how the real winner of the bet was the collateral set aside for the duration of the bet. After touching on what the Chief Investment Officer job entails and sharing the insights he’s learned from speaking with some of the top managers in the world, Ted shares how he invests his own money. We talk about Bill Ackman’s fund, SPACs, and even some crypto. All this and more in episode 293 with Ted Seides.

Tom Barton, White Rock Capital – I Just Thought, Well, This Is The Dumbest Short Of All-Time | #292 Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

In episode 292, we welcome our guest, Tom Barton, famed-short seller and founder and President of White Rock Capital. In today’s episode, we start with taking a look back at one of Tom’s tweets from September, which said that GameStop was a misunderstood short, and hear why he thought so back then. We also touch on the differences between shorting based on valuation versus because the company is a fraud. Then we turn to what he mostly focuses on these days: biotech and gene-therapy companies. We hear about his brutal two-year experience as an activist and what he learned from the experience. As we wind down, Tom walks us through some companies he likes in the biotech space, and even shares a SPAC that looks attractive to him at the moment. Please enjoy this episode with the White Rock Capital’s Tom Barton.

Ron Lieber, The New York Times - If You Look At Private Colleges And Universities, On Average, They’re Discounting Their Tuitions by 52% | #291 Mar 03, 2021

Show notes

In episode 291, we welcome our guest, Ron Lieber, the Your Money columnist for The New York author of the book, The Price You Pay for College. In today’s episode, we’re talking about what Ron describes as the biggest financial decision your family will ever make: paying for your child’s college tuition. We begin with some background as to how the sticker price of college has soared over the past few decades. Then Ron explains what merit aid is, how it can save you tens of thousands of dollars, and how schools are using it to compete with other schools for prospective students. Ron walks us through some of the best ways to start preparing for this big expense and why he believes you should talk to your son or daughter before they enter high school about all the factors impacting this important financial decision. As we wind down, Ron explains what policy suggestions he’d love to see implemented to help fix the student debt crisis. All this and more in episode 291 with The New York Times’ Ron Lieber.

Bill Smead, Smead Capital Management - There’s Less Respect For Stock Picking Experts Right At This Moment Than There Has Been Since The Peak Of The Dot-Com Bubble | #290 Feb 24, 2021

Show notes

In episode 290, we welcome our guest, Bill Smead, the Chief Investment Officer for Smead Capital Management. In today’s episode, Bill explains why he believes the market is undergoing a tide change. He starts with a look back on the 2000 tech bubble and uses Cisco as an example of why it’s important to separate a good business from a good stock. After talking about parts of the market he doesn’t like, we move on to the parts he finds attractive, including home-builders, energy, suburban mall REITs, and financials. As we wind down, Bill touches on the antitrust case for big tech and what the investment implications may be. Please enjoy this episode with Smead Capital Management’s Bill Smead.

Stocks Are Allowed To Be Expensive Since Bonds Yields Are Low…Right? | #289 Feb 22, 2021

Show notes

Episode 289 is a Mebisode. In this episode, you’ll hear Meb put today's stock valuations into historical perspective. He addresses the claim that stock valuations should be high because bond yields are low and then looks at what conditions were present at the start of the best ten-year stock returns in history. Finally, he provides some thoughts on what investors could do to handle the current market environment.

All of this and more in episode 289.

Best Idea Show - Doug Pugliese, Alpha Architect - Why Not Elect A 1042 Sale And Control When You Pay Those Taxes? | #288 Feb 17, 2021

Show notes

In episode 288, we welcome our guest, Doug Pugliese, the Head of 1042 QRP Solutions at Alpha Architect, where he manages the firm’s qualified replacement property investment strategies practice. In today’s episode, we’re covering Doug’s best idea: employee stock ownership plans.

ESOP’s are a niche but incredibly attractive way for a business owner to sell their business for both themselves and the long-term viability of the company. The episode starts with a broad overview and then dives into the inner workings of an ESOP sale. Doug explains how the tax benefits of a 1042 election allow the owner to defer capital gains tax and even invest the proceeds into a portfolio of blue chip stocks.

As the conversation winds down, Doug shares why ESOP’s may be an ideal way for middle market private equity companies to exit investments.

Please enjoy this special “Best Ideas” episode with Alpha Architect’s Doug Pugliese.

Jonathan Hsu, Tribe Capital - Our Specific Areas Of Expertise Are Around Being Able To Tell A Story Utilizing Your Own Data | #287 Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

In episode 287, we welcome our guest, Jonathan Hsu, the co-founder and General Partner at Tribe Capital, a venture capital firm focused on using product and data science to engineer N-of-1 companies and investments.

In today’s episode we're talking about using a quantitative approach to venture capital investing in a way that hasn’t been done before. Jonathan us through his background, with stops at Facebook and Social Capital. Then we hear how Tribe Capital leverages their data science capabilities to assess the product-market fit of companies to invest from the seed stage to late stage. Jonathan explains how this process led him to invest in both Slack and Carta.

As we wind down, we learn about the firm’s co-invest vehicles, which allow others to access their deal flow.

All this and more in episode 287 with Tribe Capital’s Jonathan Hsu.

This episode is sponsored by Masterworks. Masterworks is opening the doors to top-tier, blue-chip art investments to everyone. Use Promo Code “MEB” to skip their 15,000 person wait list.

Jeremy Grantham, GMO - What Day Is The Highest Level Of Optimism? It’s The Day The Market Hits The Peak | #286 Feb 08, 2021

Show notes

In episode 286, we welcome our guest, Jeremy Grantham, co-founder and Chief Investment Strategist of GMO.

In today’s episode, Jeremy begins by talking about the current market, which he believes will be recorded as one of the great bubbles of financial history. He puts this bubble into historical perspective by comparing it to the Japanese, technology and housing bubbles. Then he addresses the commonly cited argument that low interest rates justify high stock valuations. Next, Jeremy explains why he is so bullish on venture capital and has allocated almost 60% of his foundation to the asset class, making it, as he says, one of the most aggressive portfolios in the philanthropic world.

As we wind down, Jeremy explains why he is so passionate about addressing climate change through his foundation, and why China is ahead of the U.S. to address the issue.

Please enjoy this episode with GMO’s Jeremy Grantham.

Best Idea Show - David Marcus, Evermore Global Advisors - Do You Sell Things That You Like To Buy Things That You Now Love? | #285 Feb 03, 2021

Show notes

In episode 285, we welcome our guest David Marcus, the co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of Evermore Global Advisors, where he manages the Evermore Global Value Fund. In today’s episode, we’re talking about David’s best idea: special situations in Europe.

David’s been investing in Europe for almost his entire career and thinks now is the best opportunity for special situations he has ever seen. First, he explains what it was like for him to watch legendary investor Michael Price navigate the 1987 crash. Then David explains what led him to start Evermore Global and the firm’s investment philosophy. He touches on the different types of special situations he focuses on, including spinoffs, restructurings, and breakups, and why activism, catalysts, and cheaper valuations make Europe especially attractive.

As the conversation winds down, David talks about some of his current holdings and the benefits of investing in family-owned businesses.

Please enjoy this special “Best Ideas” episode with Evermore Global Advisor’s David Marcus.

Michael Gayed, Toroso Investments - I Don’t Know The Exact Mile Marker I Might Crash My Car, But I Do Know The Conditions That Favor The Accident | #284 Feb 01, 2021

Show notes

In episode 284, we welcome our guest, Michael Gayed, a Portfolio Manager at Toroso Investments, where he runs two tactical, risk-on, risk-off strategies. He’s also the publisher of the Lead-Lag Report.

In today’s episode we’re talking about how to use indicators to decide when to go risk-on, risk-off. Michael explains how he came to focus on risk management early in his career and has kept that mentality since. He walks us through how he uses the utilities sector as an indicator for when volatility is going to spike, which worked well in 2020, helping him return over 70% in his ATAC fund. Then he takes us through his award winning paper on lumber and gold, two seemingly uncorrelated commodities that actually work well together to serve as a strong indicator for inflationary or deflationary conditions.

As we wind down, he explains how often he assesses these signals and what they are showing as we start 2021.

Please enjoy this episode with Toroso Investment’s Michael Gayed.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Meb Faber Show – Better Investing

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected