Joining us right now to talk about the markets is Matt Powers with Powers Advisory Group. He's a managing partner there. Uh Matt, you think that there is still risk to that market and the biggest risk at this point is concentration in too few stocks.>> Yeah, good morning Becky. Thanks for having me. Uh you know, I don't want to come off sounding bearish because I'm not.And maybe kind of a cheesy analogy. I heard you guys have one here earlier. Uh you know, we're not necessarily worried about the pie growing ...

Core Insights - Cloudflare experienced a significant outage on Tuesday, affecting access to numerous websites and services, including major platforms like OpenAI and Spotify [1][3][6] - The outage was attributed to an internal software failure rather than a cyberattack, which initially raised concerns of a "hyper-scale DDoS attack" [4][5] - The incident highlights the risks associated with reliance on centralized internet services, as similar outages have occurred with other major providers like Amazon Web Services [12][13] Company Overview - Cloudflare is a San Francisco-based cloud services and cybersecurity company, utilized by approximately 20% of all websites [2] - The company provides essential internet infrastructure alongside other major players like Amazon Web Services and CrowdStrike [2] Outage Details - The outage began around 3:30 a.m. PT and lasted for over three hours, with most services returning to normal by 6:30 a.m. PT [3][5][11] - During the outage, Downdetector reported over 2.1 million outage reports, with significant numbers from the US, UK, Japan, and Germany [7][8] Financial Impact - The outage could result in direct and indirect losses estimated between $250 million to $300 million, considering the downtime's impact on various services [13] - The incident raises concerns about the fragility of the infrastructure that supports AI and other critical services [14]

Core Insights - Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is rebalancing its portfolio by purchasing shares in Alphabet and reducing its stake in Apple, indicating a strategic shift in investment focus [1][8] - The company has sold its stake in Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD and has been increasing investments in Japanese firms since July 2019, aiming for income generation and geographical diversification [3][4] Investment Moves - Berkshire purchased approximately 17.85 million shares of Alphabet for about $4.34 billion, while trimming its Apple holdings by 41-42 million shares, leaving it with 238.2 million shares [1][8] - The reduction in Apple and Bank of America stakes suggests a deliberate effort to lower concentration risk in its investment portfolio [4] Market Position and Competitors - Alphabet holds a dominant position in the online search market with around 90% market share and is expanding in cloud computing and autonomous vehicles, making it an attractive investment for Berkshire [2] - Competitors like Progressive Corporation and Travelers Companies are focusing on inorganic growth strategies to enhance their insurance portfolios and maintain competitiveness in the market [5][6] Financial Performance - Shares of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) have increased by 11.1% year-to-date, outperforming the industry average [7] - Despite revenue growth expectations for 2025 and 2026, EPS estimates for BRK.B have declined, with a 15.8% decrease for Q4 2025 over the past week [10][11] Valuation Metrics - BRK.B is currently trading at a price-to-book value ratio of 1.55, which is above the industry average of 1.48, indicating a relatively expensive valuation [9] - The company holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), reflecting a neutral outlook in the current market environment [12]

Core Insights - The article discusses the concentration risk in the market as investors approach 2025, emphasizing the importance of diversification and the potential benefits of active small-cap ETFs like T. Rowe Price Small-Mid Cap ETF (TMSL) [1] Investment Strategy - TMSL employs a bottom-up stock selection approach, focusing on fundamental metrics such as profitability, stability, earnings quality, return on equity, and book value [2] - The ETF has achieved a year-to-date return of 5.6%, outperforming its Factset Segment average [2] Key Holdings - Rambus, Inc. (RMBS) has shown a remarkable year-to-date return of 69.45% and a quarterly year-on-year revenue growth of 30.33% as of October 13th [2] - MKS Instruments, Inc. (MKSI) has returned 17% year-to-date [2] - InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC) has delivered a year-to-date return of 77.2%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500, with a forward P/E ratio of 23.73 [2] Market Context - Small-cap firms are expected to benefit from cheaper borrowing costs, and the focus on fundamental research may uncover durable investment opportunities [2]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of using checklists in investing, highlighting that not all checklists are equally effective. The DO-CONFIRM approach is preferred over the READ-DO approach for investment analysis [2][3]. Group 1: Understanding the Business - Investors should be able to explain a company's business model in simple terms, akin to explaining it to a 12-year-old. This understanding should precede any analysis of financial statements [4][5]. - The financial statements should align with the business narrative. Revenue is crucial as it is the lifeblood of any business, and discrepancies between management claims and revenue performance should be investigated [6][7]. Group 2: Financial Health and Growth - A strong business should finance its own growth through sufficient free cash flow, which indicates the ability to fund expansion without external assistance [8][9]. - The balance sheet's strength is vital for a company's agility and resilience. Excessive debt can hinder a company's ability to navigate challenges [10][11]. Group 3: Strategic Positioning and Risk Management - Companies with multiple avenues for growth, or optionality, are more attractive investments. This includes having assets that can support new business lines [12][13]. - Concentration risk can be hidden at various levels, such as reliance on a few customers or suppliers, which can pose significant threats to stability [14][15]. Group 4: Resilience and Adaptability - Companies that have demonstrated resilience during real-world challenges, such as the pandemic or economic shifts, are more likely to be robust investments [15][16]. - Acknowledging unknowns and potential risks is crucial for investors. Overconfidence can lead to overlooking vulnerabilities [17][18]. Group 5: Continuous Improvement - Investors should refine their checklists based on experiences, learning from both mistakes and successes. A disciplined approach is more beneficial than relying solely on intelligence [18][19].

Earnings Season Performance - 86% of companies beat earnings expectations, which is in line with the average [3] - Strong results are seen across the board, but big upside moves are not necessarily observed, suggesting multiples may have reached a point where they can't push much higher [4] - Earnings have been a key reason for market resilience, with upward revisions of earnings estimates increasing profit estimates and providing an environment for multiple expansion [1] - Multiples tend to decrease when estimates are cut, indicating that valuations can remain high as long as numbers continue to be revised upwards [2] Bond Market and Economic Signals - Ten-year Treasury yields are below 4%, raising questions about whether the bond market is signaling concerns about equity and credit or reflecting expectations of quantitative easing or contained inflation [5][6] - The context of why the ten-year yield is falling is crucial; a falling yield due to a bad economic scenario implies lower earnings and valuations, while a falling yield due to an aggressive Fed or reduced Treasury issuance could still be beneficial for risk assets [8][9] - Fed GDP now is at 39% [5] Market Concentration and Potential Catalysts - The U S represents 30% of the global stock market, almost 50% now [10] - Concentration risk has been a topic for over a year, and past peaks of concentration (Nifty 50, tech bubble) were followed by lost decades of returns for equities [11][12] - A catalyst is needed for the concentration to unwind, and earnings growth of the "Magnificent Seven" is identified as a potential catalyst [12]

Core Insights - The dominance of a few mega-cap tech and AI stocks in the S&P 500 Index has created a concentration risk for investors, prompting them to seek alternative hedging strategies [1] - Investors are increasingly turning to cash, gold, and cryptocurrencies as uncorrelated assets to mitigate this risk [2][3] Investment Trends - ETF flows indicate a significant shift towards cash, precious metals, and cryptocurrencies, with these being the most popular trades among investors this year [2] - The allocation to gold and crypto is still relatively small, typically ranging from 1-3% for crypto and 3-7% for gold, but these allocations are on the rise [3] Gold Market Dynamics - Gold has seen substantial selling recently but remains up over 60% for the year, with record highs above $4,400 driven by central bank buying and geopolitical risks [4] - The SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has experienced approximately $6.8 billion in inflows over the past month, contributing to nearly $40 billion in net inflows for gold funds this year [4] Cryptocurrency Developments - Cryptocurrencies have gained traction as a hedge, with Bitcoin returning 17% and Ethereum 15% this year, although gold's performance has outpaced them [5] - The introduction of spot Bitcoin ETFs has attracted institutional investment, legitimizing digital assets as portfolio components, with the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) managing close to $90 billion in assets [5] ETF Market Evolution - The evolution of ETFs has allowed investors to access diverse market strategies, moving from large-cap equities to alternative exposures like gold and emerging markets [6] - The rapid development of regulated ETFs for cryptocurrencies has transformed Bitcoin and Ethereum from speculative assets to recognized components of diversified investment strategies [7]

Core Insights - The article discusses a financial advisory situation where a 94-year-old individual, Jewel, is advised to invest $1.4 million in a single S&P 500-indexed annuity, which raises concerns about the adviser's motivations and the safety of such an investment [1][2]. Investment Risks - The proposed annuity would protect 90% of the principal and return 80% of the S&P 500 gains over six years, but financial expert Suze Orman warns of significant risks associated with this investment strategy [2]. - A major concern is the commission earned by the adviser, which could amount to around $70,000 for the transaction, indicating potential conflicts of interest [3]. - Concentration risk is highlighted, as investing more than $250,000-$300,000 in a single annuity is generally considered unsafe due to insurance limits, putting up to $1.1 million at risk if the company faces financial difficulties [4]. - Tax implications are also a concern; investing in the stock market could allow Jewel's heirs to avoid income tax on gains, while an annuity could subject them to ordinary income taxes on growth, reducing their inheritance [5]. Personal Comfort - Orman emphasizes the importance of personal comfort in financial decisions, stating that feeling uneasy about an investment is a warning sign, regardless of the adviser's recommendations [6].

Market Imbalance - Tech sector constitutes 35% of the S&P 500, marking a 50-year high [3] - Defensive sectors (staples, healthcare, utilities, and energy) represent only 19% of the S&P 500, a 35-year low [3] - Investors' exposure to tech stocks is at an all-time high [4] Alternative Investments - Investors are exploring alternatives like gold, Bitcoin, and cash to address the imbalance [4] - Cash offers a 4% return with no volatility [4] - Gold is exhibiting the best trend in the investable universe [4] - Crypto assets are attracting investors seeking exposure and potential uncorrelation with the tech sector [5] ETF Trends - Investors are increasingly allocating funds into alternative asset ETFs [5] - Leveraged ETFs and alternative investments are gaining attention [6]

Core Insights - The end of 2025 presents an opportunity for investors to evaluate and position for potential investments in 2026 [1] Group 1: ETF Overview - Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can provide significant investment opportunities, particularly those focused on growth stocks, such as the Vanguard Communication Services ETF (VOX) [2] - VOX is a $5.8 billion sector ETF that is considered an aggressive investment, having returned approximately 125% over the past three years, outperforming the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF which returned 85% [3] Group 2: Portfolio Composition - VOX holds 121 stocks but is characterized by concentration risk, with three stocks—Meta Platforms, Alphabet Class A, and Alphabet Class C—making up 45.52% of the ETF's holdings as of September 30 [5][6] - This concentrated portfolio has benefited investors as Meta and Alphabet have been leaders in the megacap growth sector [6] Group 3: Accessibility and Cost - VOX serves as an ideal investment for capital-constrained investors, allowing them to gain exposure to high-value stocks like Meta and Alphabet at a more accessible price of $185 per share [7] - The ETF features a low annual fee, making it attractive for cost-conscious investors [8]