Why we bought Provident Financial September 22, 2017 Provident Financial, the Bradford-based sub-prime lender, has gone up in flames in recent weeks from an investment perspective. Profit warnings and high profile departures have left the company untouchable to most, but it remains attractive to value investors Look up the definition of ‘bad news’. In a dictionary these days it would not be surprising [...]
Electric cars and oil prices: should investors be concerned? June 5, 2017 What is more likely to cause a long-term collapse in oil prices – the electric car or the humble combustion engine? If you were to judge solely by media coverage or perhaps even by gut instinct, you might well answer "the electric car". But you would be wrong. So at least argues a single, thought-provoking [...]
The only question you need to ask yourself before investing in an ISA May 4, 2017 Nick Kirrage, author on The Value Perspective blog, questions whether savers are really making the most of ISAs… There is no doubt the individual savings account – or ‘ISA’ for short – has proved a huge hit among the UK’s savers and investors. In the 2015/16 tax year (the most recent for which official figures [...]
Three questions to ask on a profit warning – your reporting season survival guide February 21, 2017 If you’ve ever felt there was more financial and business news around at this time of year than any other but weren’t sure why, the reason is something known as ‘reporting season’. All UK companies are required by law to publish their annual report and accounts within three months of their financial year-end and [...]
Why banks could actually prove a less stressful part of your portfolio January 13, 2017 Market consensus tells us the banking sector remains a risky place for investors to put their money. After all, the prevailing wisdom runs, banks are cyclical, poorly capitalised and in lousy shape for the next downturn, as and when it comes. Of course, as contrarian investors, we believe market consensus and prevailing wisdom primarily [...]
Why banks could actually prove a less stressful part of your portfolio January 13, 2017 Market consensus tells us the banking sector remains a risky place for investors to put their money. After all, the prevailing wisdom runs, banks are cyclical, poorly capitalised and in lousy shape for the next downturn, as and when it comes. Of course, as contrarian investors, we believe market consensus and prevailing wisdom primarily exist [...]
Low rates, record high stocks: is the bubble about to burst? December 6, 2016 The world is, seemingly, in a bull market in everything. Just take a few headlines from this month alone: US stocks, already at all-time highs, hit a sixth consecutive closing high, which is the first time that has happened for 20 years. In debt markets, Ireland issued a bond with a negative yield, which [...]
