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Are You Ready To Invest Like Rothschild?

For many getting started, understanding how to invest can be a challenge. Knowing what to invest and where can seem daunting. For the very wealthy it is business as usual, and they have devised strategies and tactics to make sure their wealth can really work for them, but it is harder for smaller or new investors. According to Richard Dyson (2012), reporting for This Is Money , the very wealthy have focused on creating portfolios and organisations where generally they own a large share. However, in most cases, small investors were not aware that they could invest in these. However, in recent years, changes to regulations have been made such that these sorts of investments are more suitable for smaller investors as well. According to Dyson, one such company to invest in is RIT Capital Partners (“RIT”) ( OTCPK:RITPF ), in which the Rothschilds, an extremely rich family, has a large share. As explained: “Lord Rothschild and his family own 18% of what began in the early 1960s under the name of Rothschild Investment Trust.” It is cited that growth has been achieved to the position where RIT is now worth £1.8 billion, and the Rothschilds own £324 million of that. This has been extremely attractive as a proposition for investment to other private investors, especially as the investment has a superb record over a long history. The assets included are property and hedge funds, among others. History of Wealth The Rothschilds have been growing their wealth for a time span of more than 200 years, and they are considered one of the richest families of all time. Investor Network explains that the family originally made money from the Napoleonic Wars by supporting the side of the English in battling Napoleon. Rothschild was aware that the battle was lost for Napoleon, and he knew this ahead of other investors. This enabled him to purchase much of the stock market at a very favourable price, and when the news came out about Napoleon’s defeat, the market grew tremendously. In addition, the money lent was repaid, and overall, the family did really well out of the war. They continued to do well, and by 1825 they were in such a strong position that they were able to prop up the Bank of England when there was a financial crisis faced. Following this, the family invested in stocks and made shrewd investments and financial decisions that have led to the wealth accrued today. RIT Capital Partners is a good opportunity because small investors have gained significantly over the time it has been up and running. It is reported that the trust has delivered returns, on average, of 12.4 per cent per year. The approach taken is to make sure that investors’ capital is safeguarded as far as possible in the event of stock market crashes. This is beneficial in terms of risk, as there is lower exposure, but it is detrimental when the stock markets rise rapidly, and the investment will be likely to not perform as well as other opportunities in the markets at those times. Investing in RIT will help you invest like the Rothschilds. The cost of the fund is 1.25% per year. Experts say that it is a particularly good investment for pensions. Alternatively, you can learn from the way they operate. The family uses a multi-asset approach, which spreads the wealth across a range of different investments. This includes anything from gold, to shares in a range of high performing companies like eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY ), Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS ) and Samsung ( OTC:SSNLF ). It has also invested in gold, and it has funds that are focused on commodities, including BlackRock Gold and General and Baker Steel Precious Metals. In taking the approach that it does, it holds onto liquidity appropriately, and focuses on long-term benefits rather than short-term gains. Golden Rules of Contrarian Investing The approach taken by the Rothschilds is known as contrarian investing. Basically, those who follow this approach buy when there is bad news and sell when there is good news. It is thought that this is wise, because when there is good news on the stock market, investors are likely to pay a high price for it. On the other hand, when there is bad news, investors are more likely to get a good deal, as others are in fear of buying at those times. There are 5 golden rules of contrarian investing : When you read about it in the newspapers or see it on the news, it is already all over. Buy when everyone wants to sell, and sell when everyone wants to buy. No one sees a bubble when their income depends on it. Don’t take tips or advice, and don’t believe research notes. What is obvious to you is not obvious to others. Rationality and Risk Although it seems like extremely risky investment strategy, it is based on the principle of “rationality” . It might seem a bit contradictory, but it has a sense, as rationality is based on healthy evaluation of any financial decisions apart from current trends or experts’ advice. The latter, in turn, might be over-reliable, or under/overpriced. Not Contrarian Investment Strategy Contrarian Investment Strategy While efficient market hypotheses are based on stock prices reflecting the financial situation of industry, company or economy in question, the contrarians believe that the market can be beaten by keeping a rational investing viewpoint. They do it by being independent thinkers and controlling their optimistic and pessimistic feelings. To become a contrarian investor, you’ll need to go against the market trends, against the crowd and against social pressures. You’ll need to go for an optimism visible to yourself only. Uncertainty is a right time for investment for a contrarian investor, who will need to have a lot of patience as well as time for such a risky long-term strategy. Editor’s Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

The V20 Portfolio Week #9: A Great Week, But Potential Chop Ahead

Summary The V20 Portfolio rallied by 5%, beating the S&P 500, which ended the week flat. Investor sentiment has shifted for Spirit Airlines. Perion Network made a significant acquisition. Conn’s will report earnings on Monday. The V20 portfolio is an actively managed portfolio that seeks to achieve annualized return of 20% over the long term. If you are a long-term investor, then this portfolio may be for you. You can read more about how the portfolio works and the associated risks here . Always do your own research before making an investment. Read last week’s update here ! The S&P 500 (NYSEARCA: SPY ) was salvaged on Friday, jumping 2% and ended the week flat. The V20 Portfolio completely smashed the index and started December with a bang, rising 5% for the week. Year to date, the portfolio is now up by 98%. Portfolio Update There were two major contributors to this week’s performance: Spirit Airlines (NASDAQ: SAVE ) and Perion Network (NASDAQ: PERI ), which appreciated 23% and 19%, respectively. There were no material news coming from Spirit Airlines, so it would appear that the market sentiment has shifted. About three weeks ago, hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson pitched the stock , perhaps investors are finally recognizing the company’s value after a figurehead on value investing speaks out. Another possible factor contributing to the recent rally is falling crude prices. Perhaps you’ve heard that oil has recently dipped below $40 and OPEC decided to hold production quota constant. These negative events are great news for the airline industry overall, as airline companies will continue to benefit from cheap fuel in the near term. However, I believe that this was only a minor contributor to Spirit Airlines’ rise. In the graph above we can see that the stock has greatly surpassed the performance of the airline index, whose performance is driven mostly by macro movements such as oil. As for Perion Network, the company recently got an investment from JP Morgan , significantly boosting investor confidence. In addition, the company also acquired an adtech company for $180 million. The management has a history of making acquisitions, so I’m not too surprised. The management also disclosed that undertone was profitable (15-17% EBITDA) and has a good growth trajectory. While I would’ve preferred a large share repurchase program since that way the return would’ve been more certain, this acquisition could work out in the long run. About Conn’s Our largest holding, Conn’s (NASDAQ: CONN ), actually fell this week, declining 5% from $27.02 to $25.64. With earnings on Monday, clearly the market is still uncertain. Couple weeks ago I mentioned that the share repurchase program instituted by the management will buoy the stock in the near term. Thus far, this prediction rings true. We can observe the price movement since the $100 million buyback program was announced in the chart below. Of course, now that the company is reporting earnings, this effect will be nullified on Monday. Outlook Since next week our biggest position will report earnings, expect significantly higher volatility. In the past, Conn’s has achieved 15% swings in a week without batting an eye. Of course, as I’ve outlined in the introduction of the V20 Portfolio, volatility is a necessary part of our concentrated style of investing, and we should accept it as opportunity instead of shying away from it. In any case, we should continue to focus on the fundamentals regardless of where the stock ends up on Monday .