Fifteen Year-End Tips
The end of the year is quickly approaching, and what a year it’s been. The S&P 500 is up more than 25%, and unemployment is near historic lows. It’s been a great year to make some money and do some good.
Baylor Bears Football
The Baylor Bears are enjoying an excellent football season. They currently rank 9th in the polls after trouncing The University of Texas. With a record of 10-1, they’re headed to the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time in school history for a rematch against Oklahoma. Hopefully, they’ll be able to avenge their gut-wrenching loss.
You’re Hired!
While working at Morgan Stanley, I hired scores of individuals for the firm’s financial advisor training program. Directly or indirectly, I talked to hundreds of individuals about our firm. To hire hundreds, I reviewed thousands of resumes.
Can You Endure?
Webster dictionary defines endurance as the “ability to withstand hardship or adversity, especially
The Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are going to the World Series for the first time in their history. The Nationals moved to Washington DC in 2005 from Montreal where they were the first major league baseball team in Canada. The Expos played in Montreal from 1969 to 2004. The combined franchise has had some phenomenal players like Vladimir Guerrero, Stephen Strasburg, Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Pedro Martinez, Gary Carter, Jayson Werth, and Bryce Harper.
Yard Sales and Investing
Twice a year, my neighborhood holds a yard sale. It’s well advertised, so people come from all over town to hunt for trinkets and treasures. The buyers arrive with a plan and a purpose.
Are Zero Commission Rates Good?
Schwab dropped a bombshell on Tuesday when they announced they’ll reduce commission rates on stocks, ETFs, and options to zero! Not to be outdone, TD Ameritrade and E*Trade quickly followed suit. As a result of the announcement, Schwab’s stock fell 14%, TD Ameritrade slumped 28%, and E*Trade plunged 19%. The loss of trading commissions will result in a significant drop in revenue for these firms. Their pain is your gain.
Should You Invest in an IPO?
We like shiny new objects. For investors, the object is the initial public offering or IPO. Getting in on the ground floor of a hot offering is a huge draw. A few high-profile private companies are now publicly traded. Companies like UBER, Pinterest, Slack, Lyft, Chewy, Beyond Meat, Levi Strauss, Zoom Video, Smile Direct, and Peloton are now trading publicly.