Investing Round Table (September 2026)

We have One Job. Actionable ideas.  The September 2026 edition of the Round Table features our traditional FREE and free-wheeling format generally held on the last Tuesday of the month at 7 PM ET. The tracking portfolio for the Round Table stands at 15% since inception (16 years ago). Our cadre of stock selection knights will share some of their best current ideas... 

The Knights of the Mid-Michigan Round Table present an online monthly discussion centered on creating a portfolio that will beat the market indexes by at least five percentage points. They aim for at least 50% of their picks to beat the market as well. Each month, they examine the progress toward these goals and then make picks to add to the tracking portfolio. Occasionally, they even jettison a position. Along the way, the Knights will answer many questions about investing and discuss topics such as technical indicators, fundamental stock evaluation and analysis and more.

The September 2026 Investing Round Table, hosted by Ken Kavula from Better Investing and Mark Robertson from Manifest Investing, brought together investment professionals to discuss market conditions and present stock ideas. The roundtable celebrated surpassing market performance with a 14.4% return versus the Wilshire 5000's 14%, though the presenters acknowledged the challenging environment for small-cap and mid-cap growth stocks. Ken Kavula, Matt Spielman, Craig Bramer, and Mark Robertson addressed broader market dynamics, including the unusual disconnect between declining stocks and rising indexes, before diving into specific investment opportunities.

The discussion highlighted the roundtable's top holdings, dominated by MAG7 stocks (Microsoft, Nvidia, Alphabet, Amazon) alongside selections like Booking and Advanced Micro Devices. The team noted their weighted portfolio growth rate of 15% and identified opportunities for portfolio pruning, particularly among lower-growth holdings in top positions. Ken Kavula presented Excel Service Holdings (EXLS) as a compelling opportunity, emphasizing the company's long history in AI-driven consulting solutions before AI became mainstream. With consistent 17% CAGR, 23% EPS growth, and revenue from AI solutions growing 60% annually, EXLS was positioned as a leader well-positioned for the expanding enterprise AI market.

The presenters stressed the importance of fundamental analysis and disciplined, long-term investing despite short-term market volatility. They noted that beating the market remains challenging, with only 38% of their selections currently outperforming benchmarks, and emphasized that patience and quality stock selection typically prove rewarding over extended periods.