Bull Sessions (2/21/2023)

Pass the Paczkis! A Few More Moments with Pithecophobia III. Complete review of the Utility Auto-Pay Demonstration. Some solid funds for 2023.

In this Fat Tuesday edition of Bull Sessions, Mark Robertson and Ken Kavula discuss market conditions, inflation trends, and Manifest Investing's methodology for selecting quality stocks. The hosts begin with lighter commentary on rising prices at everyday businesses like Taco Bell and Jimmy John's, which sets the stage for a broader discussion about inflation and its impact on consumer costs. They review the Value Line Median Appreciation Projection (VLMAP) and explain why Manifest Investing pays close attention to this metric as it tracks similarly to their own Median PAR (MIPAR) calculations, with examples showing Manifest now tracks approximately 2,600 companies compared to Value Line's 1,600-1,700 companies.

The session includes a humorous running theme about a "monkey" portfolio (likely a random selection strategy for comparison purposes) and its performance relative to the broader market. Robertson and Kavula present data suggesting that selecting from a diverse universe of small, medium, and large-cap companies, rather than just the S&P 500, represents a winning long-term strategy. The hosts also preview their annual investment club awards roundtable event happening one week away, where they honor best selections, highest accuracy picks, and other categories. Throughout the presentation, they emphasize their educational mission and remind viewers that all analysis is for demonstration purposes only, with no investment recommendations intended.