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21 January 2025

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1-12 out of 17 results.

Could Korean corporate reform trigger a Japan-style market rally?

Corporate governance reforms in Japan have helped spur a 45% rise in the share market over the past 12 months. Korea looks set to follow the Japanese reform playbook, and may be poised for a similar bounce.

A case study in good business culture versus bad

Peter Drucker’s axiom “culture eats strategy for breakfast” continues to ring true. If culture is the sophisticated word for execution, Boral has been a standout over the past 12 months, while Fletcher Building has lagged.

Why stock prices are a distraction

Stock prices are like email: distraction machines. With email, it distracts people from getting work done efficiently, while with stock prices, they distract investors from what really matters: the businesses underlying them.

Director identification numbers – time is ticking!

Do you know that if you're a company director you have to register for a director identification number (director ID) by 30 November 2022? Here's an overview of what you need to know and what you need to do.

How diversified bond portfolios yield 7%

The rapid rise in US Treasury yields and widening spreads on almost all other types of credit have pushed down bond prices, but it now means diversified bond funds can give investors returns not seen for many years.

Beware the headlines as averages don’t tell the whole story

Averages provide the central value in a data series but provide no window into variation. Every market drawdown, financial crisis and recession is different, and market cycles only end when excesses are corrected.

When do demergers work? Backing the ugly duckling

Some conglomerates include hidden assets that the market is not valuing properly. It may take a demerger to show their worth and there are good reasons why these work. How do investors identify the best demergers?

Which companies have the pricing power to fight inflation?

Company pricing power will be a crucial competitive advantage in the year ahead. There are signs that inflation could linger, but some companies and industries have the ability to grow their margins.

Best-in-class, ‘pure-play’ companies give clearer focus

Best-in-class or ‘pure-play’ companies concentrate on one business really well, while companies with diverse operations lead to inefficient capital allocation and underinvest in the best opportunities.

Is growth of zombie companies real or fiction?

Much has been written about the rise of 'zombie firms' which should have gone bankrupt, but new research should be comforting to economists and investors alike, with focus on a particular segment.

Interview: How markets saved companies with zero revenues

Both equity and fixed interest markets now have far greater understanding of which companies will struggle during COVID. Supported by central banks, the markets have bailed out companies facing zero revenues.

Five industries profoundly changed by COVID-19

Even when the virus is finally contained, the business landscape will look very different. A critical issue is the ability of consumers to find product substitutes. Many people like what they find.

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Australian stocks will crush housing over the next decade, one year on

Last year, I wrote an article suggesting returns from ASX stocks would trample those from housing over the next decade. One year later, this is an update on how that forecast is going and what's changed since.

What to expect from the Australian property market in 2025

The housing market was subdued in 2024, and pessimism abounds as we start the new year. 2025 is likely to be a tale of two halves, with interest rate cuts fuelling a resurgence in buyer demand in the second half of the year.

Howard Marks warns of market froth

The renowned investor has penned his first investor letter for 2025 and it’s a ripper. He runs through what bubbles are, which ones he’s experienced, and whether today’s markets qualify as the third major bubble of this century.

The perfect portfolio for the next decade

This examines the performance of key asset classes and sub-sectors in 2024 and over longer timeframes, and the lessons that can be drawn for constructing an investment portfolio for the next decade.

9 lessons from 2024

Key lessons include expensive stocks can always get more expensive, Bitcoin is our tulip mania, follow the smart money, the young are coming with pitchforks on housing, and the importance of staying invested.

The 20 most popular articles of 2024

Check out the most-read Firstlinks articles from 2024. From '16 ASX stocks to buy and hold forever', to 'The best strategy to build income for life', and 'Where baby boomer wealth will end up', there's something for all.

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