I am Steven Cress, Head of Quantitative Strategies at Seeking Alpha. I manage the quant ratings and factor grades on stocks and ETFs in Seeking Alpha Premium. I also lead Alpha Picks , which selects the two most attractive stocks to buy each month, and also determines when to sell them.Steven Cress is VP of Quantitative Strategy and Market Data at Seeking Alpha. Steve is also the creator of the platform’s quantitative stock rating system and many of the analytical tools on Seeking Alpha. His contributions f ...

I am Steven Cress, Head of Quantitative Strategies at Seeking Alpha. I manage the quant ratings and factor grades on stocks and ETFs in Seeking Alpha Premium. I also lead Alpha Picks , which selects the two most attractive stocks to buy each month, and also determines when to sell them.Steven Cress is VP of Quantitative Strategy and Market Data at Seeking Alpha. Steve is also the creator of the platform’s quantitative stock rating system and many of the analytical tools on Seeking Alpha. His contributions f ...

I am Steven Cress, Head of Quantitative Strategies at Seeking Alpha. I manage the quant ratings and factor grades on stocks and ETFs in Seeking Alpha Premium. I also lead Alpha Picks , which selects the two most attractive stocks to buy each month, and also determines when to sell them.Steven Cress is VP of Quantitative Strategy and Market Data at Seeking Alpha. Steve is also the creator of the platform’s quantitative stock rating system and many of the analytical tools on Seeking Alpha. His contributions f ...

I am Steven Cress, Head of Quantitative Strategies at Seeking Alpha. I manage the quant ratings and factor grades on stocks and ETFs in Seeking Alpha Premium. I also lead Alpha Picks , which selects the two most attractive stocks to buy each month, and also determines when to sell them.Steven Cress is VP of Quantitative Strategy and Market Data at Seeking Alpha. Steve is also the creator of the platform’s quantitative stock rating system and many of the analytical tools on Seeking Alpha. His contributions f ...

Core Insights - Steven Cress is the Head of Quantitative Strategies at Seeking Alpha, managing quant ratings and factor grades for stocks and ETFs, and leading the Alpha Picks initiative which selects two attractive stocks to buy each month [1][2] Group 1: Company Overview - Seeking Alpha has developed a quantitative stock rating system and analytical tools that help investors interpret data and make informed investment decisions [2] - The platform aims to eliminate emotional biases in investment decisions by utilizing a data-driven approach and sophisticated algorithms [2] Group 2: Leadership and Experience - Steven Cress has over 30 years of experience in equity research, quantitative strategies, and portfolio management, having previously founded CressCap Investment Research and Cress Capital Management [2] - Prior to his current role, he worked at Morgan Stanley and Northern Trust, focusing on proprietary trading and international business development [2]

Group 1 - Steven Cress is the Head of Quantitative Strategies at Seeking Alpha, managing quant ratings and factor grades on stocks and ETFs [1] - Cress leads Alpha Picks, selecting two attractive stocks to buy each month and determining when to sell them [1] - The quantitative stock rating system created by Cress is designed to interpret data for investors, offering insights and saving time [2] Group 2 - Cress has over 30 years of experience in equity research, quantitative strategies, and portfolio management, positioning him well to discuss various investment topics [2] - Prior to Seeking Alpha, Cress founded CressCap Investment Research and a quant hedge fund, and worked at Morgan Stanley and Northern Trust [2] - The Alpha Picks tool aims to help long-term investors create a best-in-class portfolio by removing emotional biases from investment decisions [2]

Group 1 - Steven Cress is the Head of Quantitative Strategies at Seeking Alpha, managing quant ratings and factor grades on stocks and ETFs [1][2] - The Alpha Picks initiative selects two attractive stocks to buy each month and determines optimal selling times [1][2] - The quantitative stock rating system at Seeking Alpha is designed to interpret data for investors, providing insights and saving time [2] Group 2 - Steven Cress has over 30 years of experience in equity research, quantitative strategies, and portfolio management, enhancing his expertise in investment topics [2] - Prior to Seeking Alpha, Cress founded CressCap Investment Research and Cress Capital Management, and worked at Morgan Stanley and Northern Trust [2] - The platform aims to remove emotional biases from investment decisions through a data-driven approach and sophisticated algorithms [2]

Market Context - The market is experiencing significant volatility due to geopolitical events, particularly US and Israeli airstrikes, and rising inflation numbers [10][12][20] - Recent economic data indicates that inflation remains high, with core CPI at 2.5% and PPI at 2.9% year-over-year, contributing to market pressure [13][21] - The market has seen a rotation into defensive sectors, with energy up 27.5% and basic materials up 17.4% year-to-date [15][16] Investment Strategy - In light of current market conditions, the focus is on dividend stocks as a hedge against inflation and geopolitical uncertainty [14][20] - The average dividend yield of the recommended stocks is approximately 5.64% [15] - A barbell approach is suggested, combining dividend-paying stocks with those that have strong fundamentals to mitigate risk [41][42] Stock Recommendations - Three REITs are highlighted for their strong performance and dividend yields: 1. **Getty (GTY)**: Market cap of $1.96 billion, ranked 1 out of 24 in retail REITs, with 27 consecutive years of dividend payments and a forward yield of 5.86% [62][63][65] 2. **W.P. Carey (WPC)**: Market cap of $16 billion, ranked 2 out of 12 in diversified REITs, focusing on mission-critical assets with strong profitability and momentum [67][69] 3. **Alpine Income Property Trust (PINE)**: Market cap of $320 million, ranked 1 out of 170 in diversified REITs, with a 5.3% dividend increase since Q4 [71][73] Performance Metrics - The REIT strong buys have outperformed the XLRE ETF, with a return of 191% since January 2017 compared to the ETF's 84% [60][61] - The quant strong buys have shown a significant performance increase, with a 117% return over two years following a 15% market pullback [52] Market Sentiment - Current market sentiment is characterized by fear and uncertainty, leading to a sell-off in high-performing stocks, which presents buying opportunities for those with strong fundamentals [29][30][55] - Historical data suggests that markets tend to recover positively after military events, with a median return of about 11% over 12 months [46][48]

Group 1 - Steven Cress is the Head of Quantitative Strategies at Seeking Alpha, managing quant ratings and factor grades on stocks and ETFs [1][2] - The company offers a systematic stock recommendation tool called Alpha Picks, which selects two attractive stocks to buy each month [2] - Seeking Alpha's quantitative stock rating system is designed to interpret data for investors, providing insights and saving time [2] Group 2 - Steven Cress has over 30 years of experience in equity research, quantitative strategies, and portfolio management, enhancing the company's expertise in investment topics [2] - Prior to joining Seeking Alpha, Cress was the Founder and CEO of CressCap Investment Research, which was acquired by Seeking Alpha in 2018 [2] - The company emphasizes a data-driven approach to investment decisions, aiming to remove emotional biases [2]

Core Insights - Steven Cress is a key figure at Seeking Alpha, serving as VP of Quantitative Strategy and Market Data, and is the creator of the platform's quantitative stock rating system [1] - Cress has over 30 years of experience in equity research, quantitative strategies, and portfolio management, positioning him as an expert in investment topics [1] Company Overview - Seeking Alpha offers a quantitative stock rating system designed to interpret data for investors, providing insights and saving time [1] - The platform includes analytical tools that simplify complex investment research through a data-driven approach [1] Product Offerings - Alpha Picks is a systematic stock recommendation tool aimed at helping long-term investors build a high-quality portfolio [1] - The grading system for stock trading recommendations is updated daily, enhancing user experience and decision-making [1] Background of Key Personnel - Steven Cress previously founded CressCap Investment Research, which was acquired by Seeking Alpha in 2018, enhancing its quant analysis capabilities [1] - Prior to his role at Seeking Alpha, Cress founded a quant hedge fund and led a proprietary trading desk at Morgan Stanley [1]