Seeking Alpha·2026-01-14 05:35Performance Overview - Laughing Water Capital ("LWC") achieved a return of approximately 6.8% in Q4, resulting in a full-year return of about 3.9% after fees and expenses, compared to the SP500TR and R2000 which returned approximately 2.7% and 2.2% respectively in the same quarter [3] - Since inception, LWC's cumulative return is approximately 400%, outperforming the SP500TR's ~332% and the R2000's ~175% [4] Investment Philosophy - The company emphasizes investing in off-the-beaten-path businesses led by capable management, particularly during periods of uncertainty, believing this approach can yield outsized returns over time [6][8] - Despite the current market enthusiasm for sectors like artificial intelligence and technology, the company remains focused on fundamental business performance rather than market trends [7][8] Market Dynamics - Recent market trends have favored larger, growth-oriented companies, with a significant outperformance of large-cap stocks over small-cap stocks [10][15] - The SP500 has outperformed the equal-weight SP500 by 34% over the past three years, indicating a strong preference for larger companies [15] Specific Investments - Lifecore Biomedical is highlighted as a key investment, with expectations of significant growth due to its competitive advantages and increasing capacity utilization [13][14] - Liquidia Corp has seen early sales success with its drug Yutrephia, which has outperformed expectations, despite ongoing patent litigation with United Therapeutics [30][31] - NextNav Inc is positioned as a potential leader in providing a terrestrial backup to GPS, with bipartisan support for its proposal to repurpose spectrum for 5G use [36][39] Future Outlook - The company anticipates continued improvement in the fundamental performance of its investments, suggesting that over time, market recognition of these fundamentals will lead to better stock performance [62] - Management remains optimistic about the potential for significant upside in investments like Lifecore and Liquidia, while also acknowledging the challenges posed by market sentiment and timing [29][33]