Passing the CFP® exam is a requirement to become a Certified Financial Planner professional. On test day, you're allowed to bring an approved battery-powered, non-programmable financial calculator with you. The CFP Board does not specify how many calculation questions are included on the exam, but you can prepare for them by familiarizing yourself with the formulas used to complete them. You'll find them listed on the CFP formula sheet, which is included in the exam candidate handbook. Are you looking to ...

Chief Investment Officer Ryan Israel said Vantage operates across more than 24 lines of business spanning specialty insurance and reinsurance and has a management team led by CEO Greg Hendrick, whom he said has more than 30 years of industry experience. Israel highlighted that Vantage was founded in 2020, which he said limited exposure to reserving issues tied to business written in the 2015–2019 period. He also cited what he described as appropriate reserves and a strong book value position.Ackman also sai ...

Core Viewpoint - Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. is transitioning from a pure-play real estate and development company to a diversified holding company, with a focus on metrics that reflect this transformation [2][21][74]. Real Estate Business - The company has a strong pipeline of condominium projects, with $1.6 billion in future revenue contracted, marking the strongest year in its history [33]. - The master planned communities (MPC) segment achieved record earnings before tax (EBT) of $476 million, driven by strong demand and pricing power [30]. - The average price per acre for finished residential land sold reached $1.7 million, demonstrating the embedded value within the communities [30]. - The company emphasizes a long-term view on land sales, focusing on optimizing per-acre value rather than maximizing short-term profits [31][39]. Condominium Development - The condominium platform is viewed as a disciplined capital recycling engine, with significant presales reducing refinancing risk [35]. - The company requires substantial presales before construction, utilizing non-recourse financing to mitigate risks [35]. - Expected gross revenue from condominiums under construction is approximately $5 billion, with estimated profits of $1.3 billion at a 25% margin [40]. Insurance Business - The acquisition of Vantage Holdings is expected to enhance Howard Hughes Holdings Inc.'s growth profile and diversify its earnings streams [21][27]. - Vantage is positioned as a higher return and faster-growing business, with a focus on profitability and investment returns [18][27]. - The company plans to leverage Pershing Square's investment expertise to improve Vantage's investment asset returns over time [26]. Financial Performance and Guidance - For 2026, adjusted operating cash flow is expected to range between $415 million and $465 million, reflecting a normalization of expectations [37]. - The MPC segment's EBT is projected to be between $343 million and $391 million, with a year-over-year decline primarily due to the absence of a bulk land sale [38]. - Operating assets are expected to generate NOI between $279 million and $290 million, indicating stable growth [39]. Capital Structure and Strategy - The company has successfully refinanced its senior notes, achieving the tightest credit spreads in its history, which reflects strong market reception [44]. - The additional investment from Pershing Square provides equity support without increasing cash obligations, enhancing financial flexibility [46]. - The company prioritizes using excess cash to fully own the insurer before considering other investments or debt repayment [71].

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of building a balanced investment portfolio that includes both technology stocks and defensive options, highlighting the need for intrinsic value and strong catalysts in investment decisions [1] Group 1: Investment Strategy - The company focuses on diversifying portfolios to ensure clients benefit from technology stock growth while maintaining investments in defensive sectors [1] - There is a strong preference for established technology companies and those in consumer staples and discretionary goods, prioritizing company value over market circumstances [1] Group 2: Experience and Expertise - The company has been actively managing third-party portfolios for seven years, with a focus on macroeconomic trends, stock valuation, and the interplay between politics and markets [1] - A Master's degree in Economics and experience as a consultant for public and private organizations contribute to the company's analytical capabilities, particularly in financial and economic aspects [1] Group 3: Challenges and Insights - The company acknowledges the difficulty of the investment principle "buying low and selling high," particularly during market crises such as those in 2020 and 2022 [1] - The experience with public tenders has provided insights into the pressures of market fluctuations, akin to the stress of stock market declines [1] Group 4: Social Responsibility - The company promotes financial inclusion programs for women in finance, recognizing the challenges and the need for further contributions in this area [1] - There is a commitment to expanding opportunities for women within the financial sector, reflecting a broader social responsibility [1]

Project Overview - A dashboard was created to highlight Ethereum's competitive advantages [1] - The dashboard aims to assess ETH's intrinsic value using 8 models [1] Community Engagement - The project is open to feedback and suggestions [1] - The initiative encourages sharing and promotion [2]

Core Insights - Warren Buffett emphasizes the importance of measuring investment success through "slugging percentage" rather than "batting average," highlighting the value of significant, impactful investments over frequent, smaller gains [1][2][3] Investment Philosophy - Buffett's investment strategy is characterized by a focus on long-term value creation, prioritizing major successes in a few select investments, such as Coca-Cola, American Express, and GEICO, over numerous smaller investments [3] - The analogy of slugging percentage reflects Buffett's belief in the importance of identifying exceptional opportunities and committing to them, which leads to better long-term performance [3][4] Earnings Perspective - The context of Buffett's quote relates to Berkshire Hathaway's fluctuating earnings, which are influenced by accounting rules that require annual market valuations of equity holdings [4] - Buffett argues that these short-term earnings variations do not accurately represent the company's economic strength, advocating for a focus on the long-term compounding of intrinsic value [4] Decision-Making Approach - Buffett's philosophy promotes patience, selectivity, and concentration in investment decisions, contrasting with traders who focus on high activity and short-term results [5] - The analogy reinforces the idea that choosing the right moments to invest for maximum impact is more crucial than the frequency of investment actions [5]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q3 2025, the company generated $31 million of net income, $41 million of operating cash flow, and $42 million of free cash flow [12] - Over the last 12 months, free cash flow totaled $190 million, indicating strong cash generation despite market challenges [4] - The company has retired nearly $130 million of debt over the past 12 months, with only $70 million remaining as of the end of the quarter [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The mineral rights segment generated $41 million of net income, with operating and free cash flow each decreasing by $9 million compared to the prior year due to weaker metallurgical coal markets [12] - The soda ash segment saw a net income decrease of $11 million, with operating and free cash flow each down by $6 million, primarily due to lower international sales prices and weakened demand [13] - The corporate and financing segment improved net income by $3 million, with operating cash flow and free cash flow each improving by $2 million due to reduced debt and lower interest costs [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Metallurgical coal markets are facing challenges from slowing global growth and soft steel demand, while thermal coal markets are struggling with muted demand due to mild weather and competition from natural gas [4][5] - The soda ash market remains oversupplied, with international prices below cash production costs for most producers, indicating a generational bear market [6][9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company continues to manage its operations with a conservative approach, focusing on maintaining a robust free cash flow and improving its capital structure [6][10] - There is an emphasis on long-term sustainability in the soda ash market, with expectations that producers will eventually rationalize supply [7] - The company aims to increase unit holder distributions in the future, contingent on market conditions improving [10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges the significant headwinds in coal and soda ash markets, with no near-term catalysts for improvement [9][10] - The company believes that most coal operators are struggling to make profits, with many operating at razor-thin margins [5] - The outlook for thermal coal remains cautious, with a belief that North American thermal coal is in long-term secular decline until evidence suggests otherwise [5] Other Important Information - The company did not receive a distribution from Shishajam, Wyoming, in Q3 2025, and does not expect distributions to resume until market conditions improve [8][13] - The carbon-neutral industry continues to face challenges, with significant barriers to CO2 sequestration operations [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: Inquiry about lithium mining leasing in the Smackover region - The company is active in leasing acreage for lithium production in the Smackover formation, with varied activity levels over the years [16][17] Question: Clarification on operating and maintenance expenses - Operating and maintenance expenses include salaries, corporate costs, property taxes, and royalty expenses, with a focus on cost management [19][20][21] Question: Opportunities in natural gas production - The majority of the company's mineral rights are in the Haynesville basin, which is currently active, but oil and gas revenues are not material to the partnership [28] Question: Criteria for unit repurchases - The company aims for a "fortress balance sheet" before considering unit repurchases, prioritizing unit holder distributions and opportunistic acquisitions [34][35] Question: Thermal coal infrastructure capacity for increased demand - Increased power demand from data centers may require significant capital investment in thermal coal infrastructure, but specifics are uncertain [40]

Core Viewpoint - Apple Inc. is analyzed using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model, revealing that the stock is currently overvalued compared to its intrinsic value, despite its strong brand and cash generation capabilities [1][5]. Company Profile - Apple Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets a range of products including smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables, and accessories globally. Its key products include the iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods, supported by a growing ecosystem of software and services such as the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, and Apple TV+. The company's integrated hardware-software model fosters brand loyalty and pricing power, enabling substantial free cash flow and shareholder returns through buybacks and dividends [2]. DCF Analysis - The DCF analysis uses a discount rate of 10% and a terminal growth rate of 3%. The forecasted free cash flows (in billions USD) are as follows: - 2025: $110B → Present Value (PV): $100.0B - 2026: $112B → PV: $92.6B - 2027: $114B → PV: $85.7B - 2028: $116B → PV: $79.4B - 2029: $118B → PV: $73.5B - The total present value of free cash flows is $431.2B. The terminal value, calculated using the perpetuity growth model, is $1,737B, leading to a present value of the terminal value of $1,081B. The enterprise value totals $1,512.2B [3][4]. Net Debt and Equity Value - Apple has cash and equivalents of $65.17B and total debt of $106.63B, resulting in net debt of $41.46B. The equity value is calculated as $1,512.2B minus net debt, yielding an equity value of $1,470.74B. With approximately 15.1B shares outstanding, the intrinsic value per share is estimated at $97 [4]. Conclusion - The DCF value is $97, while the current market price is around $246, indicating a margin of safety of approximately -60%. Despite being one of the most profitable companies with strong brand strength and recurring revenue, the stock appears overvalued under conservative DCF assumptions. The market seems to be factoring in ongoing ecosystem expansion, product innovation, and potential AI-driven growth. For long-term investors, Apple remains a high-quality compounder, but not a deep value opportunity at current price levels [5].

Core Insights - The investment philosophy emphasizes the importance of financial performance and valuation, with a focus on return on invested capital (ROIC) as a key metric for classifying potential investments [1] Investment Classification - Investments are classified into three categories based on ROIC: - Long-term/Indefinite: ROIC greater than 9% and capable of growing intrinsic value [1] - Medium-term: ROIC between 6% and 9% with the ability to maintain intrinsic value [1] - Value Traps: ROIC less than 6% and unable to meet their cost of capital [1] Investment Strategy - The strategy is influenced by Warren Buffett's focus on long-term moats and value creation, combined with Peter Lynch's approach to growth opportunities [1] - The goal is to acquire value opportunities at a 30% discount to intrinsic value, targeting over 9% return on equity (ROE) adjusted for the equity value per share at purchase [1] Growth Estimation - Growth is viewed as a subjective variable, estimated through the product of retained earnings and the company's return on equity, considering the variability over the past decade [1]

The third argument I wanted to talk about is um anti- bitcoin argument is bitcoin lacks intrinsic value. So Peter shift said something like bitcoin has no intrinsic backing like gold. It relies solely on collective belief or adoption.Your rebuttal was bitcoin's intrinsic value derives from its secure decentralized proofof work network, immutability of its ledger, instant auditability and digital scarcity making it verifiable and trust minimized compared to physical assets requiring third-party validation. U ...