We may think we manage time, but time manages us - Weekly Blog # 893

 

 

 

Mike Lipper’s Monday Morning Musings

 

We may think we manage time,

but time manages us

 

Editors: Frank Harrison 1997-2018, Hylton Phillips-Page 2018

 

 

 

Recognition

When asked for investment advice the most appropriate response is, what is the expected pay-off time? That should be followed by what critical actions are expected during the “work-out” period? The answers to these questions will show both the humility and arrogance of the expectation of success.

 

The plain truth is, we collectively don’t know what the future will bring. The future course of events will be dictated by natural elements, what others do to us, and what we do to ourselves. (Today being Fathers’ Day, it is wise to include the impact of the entire heritage of our thinking and be thankful for it.)

 

The best way I have found to come up with usable answers is to rely on what I’ve learned at the racetrack, which is to assign odds to various logical outcomes. The purpose of the exercise is not the numbers, but a way to rank the various opportunities, remembering that I can be wrong.

 

The real benefit of the exercise is when I am proved wrong. What order of possibilities would have been better? This may include the theoretical Charley Munger and Warren Buffett box, labeled too hard to predict. (The other two boxes were yes and no.)

 

Applying the Approach

Starting with a deep depression, the most extreme example being the falling stock prices between 1929 and 1942. During those years there were periods of rallies and declines, but the extremes were not broken. Prior to that period there was extreme growth of corporate and farm debt. There was an increase in the belief that central governments could materially alter the course of the general economy. Also, during that period an activist political force tried to change the laws and regulations beyond their authority.

 

I have frequently reminded subscribers of the quote that history does not repeat itself but often rhymes. Using the methodology of assigning odds to a potential depression, I suggest there is at least a 40% chance current conditions are predictive of an oncoming depression.

 

Other Problems

• The World Bank has cut its prediction of global growth from 2.8% to 1.4%.
• Moody’s has warned that selling private asset funds to retail clients introduces new risks to private asset managers, including “reputation loss, heightened regulatory scrutiny and higher costs.”
• Robert Gates, former Director of the CIA, Secretary of State, and a former independent Director of Fidelity Funds, wrote “The US can rise to the Chinese challenge” and needs to.
• At least 170 large public companies expect to announce job cuts in June. These companies announcing job cuts do not include private companies, which employ much of the US work force.

 

While I perceive a more than average number of problems related to investing in US equities over the next few years, I remain bullish about investing in US equities. Our geographic position, the dollar size of our commercial and financial markets, and our eventual ability to surmount our problems, all support continued stock investments in the US for long-term retirement investment accounts.

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

Did you miss my blog last week? Click here to read.

Mike Lipper's Blog: Selective Readings of Data - Weekly Blog # 892

Mike Lipper's Blog: No One Knows: Searching for Clues - Weekly Blog # 891

Mike Lipper's Blog: “Straws in the Wind”: Predictions? - Weekly Blog # 890

 

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Copyright © 2008 – 2024

A. Michael Lipper, CFA

 

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Contact author for limited redistribution permission.

Selective Readings of Data - Weekly Blog # 892

 

 

 

Mike Lipper’s Monday Morning Musings

 

Selective Readings of Data

 

Editors: Frank Harrison 1997-2018, Hylton Phillips-Page 2018

                             

 

 

Assumption

I assume as a careful reader of these musing one cannot avoid the “happy talk” produced by most of the media. For balance, as a public service for my blog readers, I’ll focus on data and other information supporting the other side.

 

Long-Term

Jaime Dimon, the CEO of JP Morgan Chase, was recently quoted as follows: “If we are not the pre-eminent military and pre-eminent economy in 40 years, we will not be the reserve currency…” He is pleading with you to develop four views that he considers critical to a sound investment philosophy. They are the importance of military standing, economic position, having a forty-year view (the bulk of institutional and individual money is invested for long periods), and the significance of being the sole reserve currency.) I will be happy to discuss your views on these questions.

 

Others’ Views Focused on the Short-Term

Recently, 17 well-known investment advisors made estimates of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index 2025 closing price. Nine estimates were higher and eight lower. The lowest was JP Morgan Chase, 13% below Friday’s close. (Of all the various stock market indices, I believe the S&P 500 Index is the best to gage the level of the market. On Friday it only gained one tenth of 1%, showing the stickiness of the movement.) Morgan Stanley is expecting the US dollar to drop 9% over the next year.

 

Unfavorable Conditions

Retail investors of all sizes are being told to invest in private investment vehicles, including private equity. These investments represent some 30% of the M&A market. History suggests the public buyers come into many trends last.

 

Currently, there are 7.5 million unfilled job openings. Employers can’t find suitable workers. I believe many potential employees lack sufficient motivation, discipline, and/or integrity for these jobs. This is leading to a low growth rate in labor productivity.

 

The employees themselves are one reason for these conditions at commercial, government, and nonprofit institutions. Due to the slow growth of our society there are pressures at all levels of management to improve labor productivity. Managers strive for efficiency, defined as output divided by input. The simple way to do that is to assign generated revenue to each worker. This is relatively easy to do for line employees, by leaving out the supervisors. The next step is to reduce the number of supervisors. This creates efficiency. However, supervisors create most of the worksite culture, which leads to product and service quality.

 

In just about every sector of modern life we are experiencing a decline in the quality of the products or services we receive. However, as a result of employers not hiring more experienced quality supervisors, this has led to customer dissatisfaction, lower customer/client loyalty, lower sales, and fewer recommendations. Employers should be hired for effectiveness, which would reduce costly mistakes and improve relationships.

 

Two World Realties

As long as we have politicians and their advocates chanting happy talk about the economy while employers cut back on hiring, we are going to experience a dichotomy in the investment world. We can hope for the best but should be prepared for the worst.

 

The Form Does Work

As many subscribers already know, I count my former time at the New York racetracks as a critical learning experience. Consequently, the running of the Belmont Stakes, which was run early Saturday evening, is very important to me. The race is now one quarter mile shorter than the traditional 1½ miles, which means its long history of winning times is no longer relevant to racing analysts (handicappers).  From a betting/investment standpoint, the job of the analyst is to evaluate the odds of a particular horse winning vs the odds posted on the tote boards. These odds are derived from the amount of money invested on each horse, including taxes and fees paid to the track. The smaller the odds, the more popular the payoff selection on the winning horse. In many ways this is similar to the most popular investments in the marketplace. It is important to remember that the most popular bets, called favorites, win a minority of the time. But they do win more often than the less popular bets.

 

The first three horses crossing the finish line at the Belmont Stakes were the same three horses finishing in that order at the Kentucky Derby. Thus, the history of these horses proves to be a good predictor. Can stock buyers count on a similar phenomenon in picking stock investments? It is occasionally possible, but not all the time.

 

If using lessons learned at the racetrack seems a bit odd, think about Ruth and I attending a New Jersey symphony concert on Sunday afternoon. This featured two great classical performers, Xian Zhang, conductor and Conrad Tao, pianist. They impressively played Sergei Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto. This piece was a breakthrough work marking Rachmaninoff emerging from a three-year depression. The length of the depression could be a useful guide to an investment depression, unless the government lengthens the period of the depression, as FDR did in 1937.

 

Thoughts?      

 

 

 

Did you miss my blog last week? Click here to read.

Mike Lipper's Blog: No One Knows: Searching for Clues - Weekly Blog # 891

Mike Lipper's Blog: “Straws in the Wind”: Predictions? - Weekly Blog # 890

Mike Lipper's Blog: After Relief Rally, 3rd Strike or Out? - Weekly Blog # 889

 

Did someone forward you this blog?

To receive Mike Lipper’s Blog each Monday morning, please subscribe by emailing me directly at AML@Lipperadvising.com

 

Copyright © 2008 – 2024

A. Michael Lipper, CFA

 

All rights reserved.

 

Contact author for limited redistribution permission.

 

No One Knows: Searching for Clues - Weekly Blog # 891

 

 

 

Mike Lipper’s Monday Morning Musings

 

No One Knows: Searching for Clues

 

Editors: Frank Harrison 1997-2018, Hylton Phillips-Page 2018

                             

 

 

President Trump

Judging by the frequency of changes emerging from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Mar Lago, and Bedminster NJ, even Mr. Trump doesn’t know what will happen. Furthermore, one gets the feeling that what he wants appears to change over time. While he can wait a bit, people with portfolio responsibilities often cannot. In addition to many of the same concerns facing the President, we must deal with the impact of the unknowns on our clients and on our own fears. In an attempt to provide some soothing ideas using our somewhat unique search for clues, I stand ready to attempt to apply these concepts to your individual concerns. Below are my brief thoughts on trying to evolve an overall investment strategy.

 

May Meeting of the Federal Reserve Board

Under Powell, members of the Board really cogitate about the long-term outlook. Part of the reason for their current cautious attitude in terms of interest rate changes is a period of potential stagflation, which would be difficult for the Board to manage. It would be difficult for investors to properly position their portfolios and still be in position at the correct time for a subsequent expansion.

 

There are at least two very current clues that such a period is now possible, with after tariff expenses paid by the supply chain and/or the retail buyer. For the week, both the Big Board and NASDAQ had more prices closing down than rising. Also, this week’s sample survey of the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) had the six-month bullish view of 32.9% dropping below the bearish projection of 41.9%. The prior week the two readings were 37.7% and 36.7%, respectively. The Fed is very concerned about inflation expectations.

 

Historical Clues

Recorded history is replete with partial descriptions of cyclical behavior, both human and natural. Though recessions are not identical, they are similar in many cases and can be roughly divided between climate and man-made. Man-made events are largely caused by excessive debts and insufficient reserves, which can be broken down into two categories, cyclical price problems and the less frequent and more serious structural problems.

 

As with most problems, the people experiencing them don’t recognize what is really happening to them until later. Concerning what we are now experiencing, a couple of columns published this weekend in The Financial Times may be instructive.

• One article noted that US private equity has 12,000 investments in their portfolios. If they could sell 1500 of them each year, it would take eight years to totally liquidate them all. As many private equity vehicles have been sold to retail customers as income-producing investments, the periodic sale of their investments is critical in supporting sales in the portfolio. A problem suffered by many mutual funds.
• Gillian Tett, in her column discussing current tariff concerns, noted that “Trump’s bark is often worse than his bite. The courts also sometimes rein him in, as seen this week. FDR, another activist President, had similar problems with the courts’ actions.

 

Taiwan

Until this week I was not overtly concerned about a successful amphibious landing of Chinese forces in Taiwan. As a former US Marine Combat Cargo Officer on an Amphibious Personnel Attack (APA) ship responsible for landing Marines on an unfriendly beach, I thought landing on a defended beach in Taiwan would be difficult.

 

To the best of my knowledge, the Chinese did not have a significant amphibious effort. This week I learned they have ships similar to what I was on over 60 years ago. In addition, the Chinese have significant troop-carrying helicopters capable of deploying Special Forces on the island to attack defending forces on the beach. Certainly by 2027 the Communists will be equipped to make a successful attack. Perhaps the only real defense of Taiwan is the threat that the US could use nuclear bombs to destroy the TSMC facilities. Let’s hope it does not come to that.

 

Current Reactions

Mutual Fund investors are concerned about the current outlook. Last week I noted that both Asian and European fund returns were recently competitively better. Year-to-date through May 29th, peer-group leadership has rotated to small-cap, mid-cap, Healthcare, and Natural Resources sector leadership.

 

Portfolio Management

Position changes should be a little at a time. Exposure to winners that have become very large should be tailored. Companies reporting disappointing results should be examined to identify if timing was a problem, or a reaction to excessive withdrawals, political issues within the organization, or bad judgement. One should be humble in making decisions.

 

Call us if we can help.  

 

 

 

Did you miss my blog last week? Click here to read.

Mike Lipper's Blog: “Straws in the Wind”: Predictions? - Weekly Blog # 890

Mike Lipper's Blog: After Relief Rally, 3rd Strike or Out? - Weekly Blog # 889

Mike Lipper's Blog: Slow Moving in a Fog - Weekly Blog # 888

Mike Lipper's Blog: Significant Messages: Warren Buffett to Step Down

 

Did someone forward you this blog?

To receive Mike Lipper’s Blog each Monday morning, please subscribe by emailing me directly at AML@Lipperadvising.com

 

Copyright © 2008 – 2024

A. Michael Lipper, CFA

 

All rights reserved.

 

Contact author for limited redistribution permission.