What If I'm Wrong?
During my final semester of college, I discovered the stock market through an investment class. The professor opened my eyes to the possibility of creating wealth by owning great American companies. In the Fall of 1987, I experienced Black Monday in my college classroom; I didn't lose money because I didn't own stocks. Despite the crash, or because of it, I became enthralled with equities.
Since 1987, I've been a student of the stock market reading thousands of books and articles, studying legendary investors like Graham, Buffett, Lynch, Templeton, Miller, Bogle, Marks, etc. - each one a raging capitalist who believed in America's economic engine. These notable investors bought stocks during troubled times, which is why they're worth multi-millions and billions. Warren Buffett, at 91, continues to purchase companies and could care less about market drops or corrections. In fact, he has been on a buying spree this year, despite the decline in the market.
Since 1926, stocks have averaged 10% per year despite wars, recessions, corrections, and inflation spikes. The market has always rebounded from previous pullbacks, but what if this time is different? What if stocks don't recover? Is this the beginning of the end for equities? What if the sun does not rise tomorrow? Is it time to bury your money in the backyard or under your mattress? Maybe it is. Perhaps now is the time to abandon equities and embrace cash.
It feels like the end of times because stocks are off to their third-worst start ever while bonds posted their worst returns. The S&P 500 is down 19%, and Bloomberg's US Aggregate Bond index is off nearly 10%! It's unusual for stocks and bonds to perform poorly simultaneously. Historically, when stocks fall, bonds rise. During the previous five S&P 500 Index corrections, where stocks fell 20%, bonds rose 2.2%.[1] According to the Capital Group, the average annual return for the ten years ending December 2021 was 16.5%, and the average annual return for 10-year rolling periods dating back to 1974 was 15.74%. From 2012 to 2021, a $10,000 investment grew to $37,900, but if you missed the 40 best days, your valuation dropped to $10,050.[2] According to Bloomberg, bonds have made money 100% of the time during every rolling 5-year period dating back to 1926.[3] Time in the market is more important than timing the market.
Inflation spikes have occurred about fifteen times over the past 108 years or every seven years. We last experienced a severe increase more than forty years ago, from 1977 to 1980. Once inflation started to wane, the stock market soared to all-time highs from 1982 to 1999, rising by 1,211%. The market declined slightly in 1990, closing down 6%, but the bull run did not end until 2000, when stocks crashed during the Tech Wreck.[4] What about 1987? On October 19, 1987, stocks fell more than 22% or 508 points. Despite the drop, the market finished the year in positive territory.
Is it possible that McDonald's stops selling hamburgers or Apple no longer offers earbuds? Will people stop shopping at Amazon, Target, or Walmart? Will Budweiser halt selling beer at baseball games? Will Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific quit shipping materials across the country? Will Tesla stop building electric cars? Will Southwest Airlines leave the airline industry, or gasp, Starbucks exits the coffee business? It's possible but not probable.
I spent considerable time a McDonald's while attending college, and when I ordered food, I didn't care if its stock was up or down. I started my investment career in 1990, and my first recommendation was McDonald's because people must eat. It fell 15% in 1990, and clients were worried it would fall further. I told them to visit any McDonald's in the world at noon, and if it was empty, we would sell the stock. I never received a call. Since 1990, McDonald's stock has risen 5,210%. A $100,000 investment is now worth $5.35 million.
The Dow Jones has weathered many storms and achieved several milestones, but investors were nervous when the index was 30, 300, 3,000, and 30,000. When it reaches 300,000, investors will be anxious —human nature. Do not let your short-term fears derail your long-term goals, and don't bet against great American companies.
Rather than worry about the market, invite a friend to McDonald's and enjoy the day.
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine. ~ REM
May 19, 2022
Bill Parrott, CFP®, is the President and CEO of Parrott Wealth Management, located in Austin, Texas. Parrott Wealth Management is a fee-only, fiduciary, registered investment advisor firm. Our goal is to remove complexity, confusion, and worry from the investment and financial planning process so our clients can pursue a life of purpose. Our firm does not have an asset or fee minimum, and we work with anybody who needs financial help regardless of age, income, or asset level. PWM's custodian is TD Ameritrade, and our annual fee starts at .5% of your assets and drops depending on the level of your assets.
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