Investor Education

In this article, Dimensional Fund Advisors compares market returns across the 2000s and 2010s, highlighting the benefits of diversification and pursuing known drivers of higher expected returns: The first decade of the 21st century, and the second one that’s drawing to a close, have reinforced for investors some timeless market lessons: Returns can vary sharply…

The following is a transcript of the 8/16/2019 episode of Stock Talk with Chief Investment Officer Chris Perras, of Oak Harvest Financial Group: Welcome to the Aug 16th edition of our weekly stock talk podcast, “keeping you connected to your money.” It’s summer. It’s blistering hot in Houston, with seven straight days over 100 degrees…

By Chris Perras, Chief Investment Officer. Is the Stock Market Gambling? Over the years, we’ve heard from a lot of skeptical people that regard investing in the public stock markets as just another form of gambling. Unfortunately, this misinformed view could keep people from enjoying the financial rewards of thoughtful investment in the United States…

By James McFarland, Senior Portfolio Manager. Costs matter. Whether you’re buying a musical instrument, a new car, or selecting an investment strategy, the costs you expect to pay are probably going to play a big role in your decision. People rely on a lot of different information about costs to help inform these decisions. I’m…

By James McFarland, Senior Portfolio Manager. We strongly believe that focusing on what you can control can lead to a better investment experience. And whether you’ve been investing for decades or just getting started, at some point, you’ll likely ask yourself some of the questions below. Trying to answer them may be intimidating, but know…

By Chris Perras, CFA, Chief Investment Officer. Investing requires patience and discipline, yet flexibility.  Volatility returned to the markets in 2018 as the Federal Reserve ramped up its interest rate increases and tightened monetary policy from late January through mid-December.   In the public investment markets, volatility is a given.  Volatility is not a four-letter word! …

by Chris Perras, CFA, Chief Investment Officer. The financial press is constantly using terms such as “bull market”, “bear market”, “market correction”, and “recession”.  What do these terms mean, what characteristics do they hold for the asset prices, and most importantly, what do they mean for your portfolio? Overview: Bull versus Bear Markets The term…

by Chris Perras, CFA, Chief Investment Officer. There are three components of equity market returns over time.  They are 1) a company’s growth in earnings and free cash flow, 2) the change in valuation an investor pays for those earnings and free cash flow over time (P/E ratio), and 3) the dividend yield on a…

by James McFarland, Senior Portfolio Manager. For investors, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the relentless stream of information in the media. Let’s face it, there’s a lot of noise out there, and when talking head on TV are shouting non-stop, it can be easy to lose sight of your long-term investment goals.…

by James McFarland, Senior Portfolio Manager. In 1958, economist Leonard Read published an essay entitled “I, Pencil: My Family Tree as Told to Leonard E. Read.” The essay, narrated from the point of view of a pencil, describes the “complex combination of miracles” necessary to create the commonplace writing tool that has been used for…