Client Letter - Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd.

Bogle’s Convictions

September 29, 2016

September 2016 Client Letter

Jack Bogle did not invent the mutual fund, but he certainly turned the industry on its back. In 1974 Bogle founded the Vanguard Group based on his conviction that an investment company should first and foremost manage in a way that serves the best interest of the individual and seeks to avoid conflicts of interest. Bogle spearheaded changes within the mutual fund industry, allowing investors the option of creating a diversified portfolio without the traditional sales loads, 12b-1 fees, and high annual expense ratios that dominated the industry.

Most Profitable Move of 2016

August 22, 2016

August 2016 Client Letter

One of the most profitable investing moves of 2016 involved no research, no trading and actually no work at all. While it now seems like a distant memory, you may recall the nosedive that stocks took to begin the year. Just 10 trading days into January, U.S. stock markets recorded their worst start to a year on record. Making matters worse, the bad days did not end quickly. Stocks continued lower into the first part of February. An Economistarticle asked, “Is this really 2008 all over again?”

The Snap-Back Rally

July 28, 2016

July 2016 Client Letter

In a surprise vote on June 23, the British decided by a 52% to 48% margin to leave the European Union (EU). The vote caught many investors and pundits off-guard. Financial markets cratered on the news, with U.K. stocks falling 16%, euro-area shares dropping 13%, and stocks in the U.S. slipping 5.3%. The British pound fell over 13%, and government bond yields hit new lows. In the U.S., 10-year Treasury yields dropped to 1.36%—the lowest level in history.

A Decades Old Strategy

June 29, 2016

June 2016 Client Letter

The Sell in May and Go Away investment strategy is a perennial favorite of the financial press. Each spring I read at least one article that opines on the Sell in May strategy. Some articles are pro-sell while others oppose the approach.

The Forlorn, the Unloved, and the Out-of-Favor

May 29, 2016

May 2016 Client Letter

From the time he took over the Windsor Fund in 1964 until his retirement in October 1995, John Neff delivered to his shareholders one of the most impressive returns in mutual fund history. Over Neff’s 31-year tenure at the helm of the Windsor Fund, a $10,000 investment grew to over $564,000. That same $10,000 investment in the S&P 500 would have grown to only $233,000—the average annual return difference between Windsor and the S&P 500 was only about 3% per year; but compounded over three decades, it resulted in an extra $331,000 of wealth.