I recently joined The REIT Forum and if you are looking for more investment ideas like this one, get them exclusively at The REIT Forum with access to our subscriber only portfolios.When I last wrote about Toast (NYSE: TOST ), I upgraded the stock to a “buy,” as the company continued to see momentum in its core US market while closing its largest enterprise deal with Applebee’s, demonstrating the versatilityAmrita runs a boutique family office fund in beautiful Vancouver, where she leads the investment stra ...

“I’m ready to relocate as a renter. My car is paid for and I have no debt.” (Photo subject is a model.) - Getty Images/iStockphoto Dear Quentin, I’m a 69-year-old happily single woman. With inheritance, I now have a little over $1 million in cash and investments. I get $3,000 a month in Social Security. I’m ready to relocate as a renter. My car is paid for, and I have no debt. Can I afford to pay $2,000 a month rent in a new town? It would be $400 more than what I’m paying now. I want to live in a pla ...

Boring portfolios build exciting lives. ...

国际金融协会（IIF）数据显示，8月份投资者向新兴市场股票和债务投资组合投入了近448亿美元（7月为流入381亿美元），为近一年来的最高水平。中国债券和股票市场净流入超过390亿​​美元，而中国以外债券市场则吸引了132亿美元的资金流入。中国以外股票市场在连续3个月流入后，出现74亿美元的流出。IIF经济学家指出，所有（国家或地区）的资金流入量均高于上月，基本格局仍反映出中国在投资组合配置中的巨大作用。投资者仓位似乎对整体风险和政策噪音越来越敏感，特别是在受外部冲击或选举周期影响的经济体。 ...

Group 1 - The article discusses the potential for Shopify Inc. to exceed a market capitalization of $150 billion in the second half of 2025 [1] - The author emphasizes the importance of sustainable, growth-driven investments that maximize shareholder equity [2] - The article highlights the author's background in high-growth supply-chain start-ups and venture capital, indicating a strong foundation in investment strategy [2] Group 2 - The newsletter mentioned has been recognized as a top finance newsletter, indicating its credibility and influence in the investment community [2] - The focus on democratizing financial literacy suggests a trend towards making investment strategies more accessible to a broader audience [2]

Stock Buybacks Overview - Companies repurchase shares to potentially benefit investors [1] - The report explores the benefits, risks, and strategies associated with stock buybacks [1] Investment Implications - Understanding stock buybacks is crucial for assessing their potential impact on investment portfolios [1]

Offering low-cost access to virtually every corner of the market, ETFs allow investors big and small to build institutional-caliber portfolios with lower costs and better transparency than ever before. But what exactly is an ETF? And how does it provide these benefits? Start With Mutual Funds To understand how ETFs work, the best place to start is with something familiar, like a traditional mutual fund. Imagine half a dozen investors, sitting at home, each trying to figure out the best way to invest in ...

Group 1 - The REIT Forum offers exclusive investment ideas and access to subscriber-only portfolios [1] - Amrita leads a family office fund in Vancouver, focusing on sustainable, growth-driven companies to maximize shareholder equity [2] - The Pragmatic Optimist newsletter, co-founded by Amrita, emphasizes portfolio strategy, valuation, and macroeconomics [2] Group 2 - Amrita has experience in high-growth supply-chain start-ups and has worked with venture capital firms to enhance user acquisition [2] - The newsletter has been recognized as a top finance newsletter and aims to simplify financial literacy and macroeconomic concepts [2]

Portfolio Performance & Strategy - The Hi5 portfolio, initiated in August 2023 with 500,000 Canadian dollars, surpassed 1 million Canadian dollars by June of this year, achieving a compound growth rate close to 12% [1] - The core investment strategy is DCA (Dollar-Cost Averaging) plus BTD (Buy The Dip), involving consistent monthly investments regardless of market fluctuations [1] - Investing in the US stock market is a key component of the strategy, based on the belief that it will rise in the long run due to factors like oversupply of money and the influence of capitalism and vote-driven politics [1] - The strategy emphasizes that market drops and corrections, including crashes, present opportunities for accelerated wealth growth, as the market will eventually recover and reach new highs [2] Risk Management & Market Analysis - Data from JP Morgan indicates that between 1980 and 2020, 44% of companies in the Russell 3000 index experienced catastrophic losses (stock price fell >70% from peak and never recovered) [2] - During the same period, 42% of stocks in the Russell 3000 index generated negative absolute returns, and 66% underperformed the market [2] - Only 10% of stocks outperformed the market during this period, achieving cumulative returns of 500% or more [2] - Actively managed stock funds have a low survival rate, with 59% of funds from December 31, 1992, to September 30, 2022, either closing down or merging, and only 10% outperforming the S&P 500 index [2] Portfolio Rebalancing & Adjustments - The Hi5 portfolio will undergo annual rebalancing in August, involving adjusting the holdings of the 5 ETFs to maintain equal weighting [2][3] - MOAT ETF will be replaced by SPMO ETF, shifting from a fundamental-based stock selection model to a momentum-based model that selects the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 index [2][3] - The rationale for replacing MOAT with SPMO is that SPMO has demonstrated better overall performance and a superior risk-return ratio compared to MOAT [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q2, net income was $253 million or $3.5 per share, compared to $258 million or $2.83 per share a year ago [6] - Net operating income for the quarter was $271 million or $3.27 per share, a 10% increase over the $2.97 per share from a year ago [6] - Return on equity through June 30 is 18.8%, with book value per share at $66.07; excluding AOCI, return on equity is 14.4% and book value per share is $90.26, up 10% from a year ago [6] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Life insurance premium revenue increased 3% to $840 million, with life underwriting margin up 6% to $340 million [6] - Health insurance premium revenue grew 8% to $378 million, while health underwriting margin decreased 2% to $98 million due to higher obligations [8] - Administrative expenses were $86 million for the quarter, a 5% increase over the previous year, representing 7.1% of premium [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - American Income Life saw life premiums up 5% to $446 million, with a life underwriting margin increase of 6% to $205 million [11] - Liberty National's life premiums were up 5% to $97 million, but net life sales decreased 5% to $25 million due to lower agent productivity [12] - Family Heritage health premiums increased 9% to $116 million, with health underwriting margin up 12% to $41 million [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company expects life premium revenue to grow around 3.5% for the year, with health premium revenue anticipated to grow between 8% to 9% [7][8] - The company is focusing on maintaining and growing its exclusive agency force, which is seen as a core competency [10] - A Bermuda reinsurance affiliate is being established to enhance financial flexibility and support continued sales and premium growth [34][35] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted favorable mortality trends contributing to lower life policy obligations than anticipated [38] - The company anticipates a total remeasurement gain in Q3 related to life and health assumption updates to be in the range of $110 million to $160 million [40] - For 2025, net operating earnings per diluted share are estimated to be in the range of $14.25 to $14.65, representing a 17% growth at the midpoint [42] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 1.9 million shares for a total cost of approximately $226 million during the quarter [28] - Liquid assets at the parent company increased from approximately $90 million to $105 million during the quarter [28] - The company plans to maintain a consolidated RBC ratio in the range of 300% to 320% [33] Q&A Session Summary Question: How should we think about the higher earnings guidance translating to statutory earnings and cash flows? - Management indicated that favorable mortality experience translates into additional statutory income, while assumption changes primarily impact GAAP [47] Question: Any thoughts on the timeline towards getting to the $200 million incremental benefits from the Bermuda affiliate? - Management stated it is premature to discuss timing but will provide updates as plans are finalized [50] Question: Given the lower guidance on life insurance sales, what gives confidence for the second half of the year? - Management noted strong agent count growth as a leading indicator for future sales growth, despite some delays in productivity [56] Question: How does the company view the Medicare Supplement market in light of regulatory changes? - Management believes there will always be a strong market for Medicare Supplement policies, despite fluctuations due to Medicare Advantage [60] Question: What is the expected impact of the Bermuda reinsurance on free cash flow? - Management confirmed that the expected benefits from Bermuda would enhance financial flexibility and could lead to increased cash flow for shareholders [72]