Unlocking the Upside #7: We've hit a big number. Now is the time to use it

Get smarter: insights, new tech and content updates

Author

Geoff Robinson
June 03, 2024

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Table of Contents

Morning all,

I’ve been thinking more and more about the purpose of this platform, and I think again I gravitate back to one of Buffet’s quotes:

“Risk is not knowing what you are doing.”

I’d argue that almost every F#%up I’ve dealt with as an analyst, advisor, and instructor stems from a lack of knowledge. This can manifest itself in a bunch of different ways. I don’t care whether you’ve been in the industry for decades or are some fantastic young analyst; we’ve all got knowledge gaps, areas of weakness, or just areas of insight we neglect in our thesis building.

So what do I want to do? I want to help you close the gaps, extend the knowledge, and build frameworks that allow you to generate better, more robust insights.

My desire for this platform is to produce the best product available in the market in terms of content, production quality, and tech. Otherwise, what’s the point? It’s the driving force in all that we do. We sometimes fail to achieve this objective, but we will learn from failures and convert them into wins. The fails will ultimately make the product even better!

The Big number is 3,613….
Assess, learn & conquer

Everybody learns in their way.

Some like to listen, some like to watch, most like to do, and some like to be tested and learn from that experience. Assess, Learn, and Conquer is our self-assessment engine.

I want you to think of this as an additional learning conduit. The questions try to deliver focused learning. Still, more importantly, the answers provide the detailed, analyst-curated insight you can take away.

I developed every one of these 3,613 questions in the engine. I haven’t outsourced the writing. I sat here thinking about what analysts need to be assessed on to make them better analysts and investors. I’ve avoided typical CFA regurgitation and standard training company cookie-cutter content. We’ve pulled on our experience of acute awareness of what analysts need to know and where their knowledge gaps exist.

I want to create the largest, most relevant fundamental self-assessment available anywhere.

What do Assess, Learn, and Conquer do?

  • Every assessment is unique and built for you.

  • Each question gets instantly marked, together with Immediate feedback from me.

  • Complete answer analysis and review are provided at the end of the assessment.

  • You’re on the clock.

  • Take the test again and again. Each time, we will generate a unique self-assessment for you.

Accounting and Analysis: Assess, Learn and Conquer: NOW LIVE

How do you find these self-assessments?

  • Firstly, you’ll need a Premium Plus subscription to get full access (we provide a free sampler across all of our subscription tiers):

  • They are in your “Learning Hub”

  • Follow the “Assess, Learn, and Conquer” link on the App landing screen

  • Search “Assess” using any of the search fields

    We are still working on an accounting and analysis bank of questions.

    We will publish this once we have a decent critical mass of questions.

    Watch the video

    Check out the video below and see the features and functionality we’ve built into the App:

New Content: The Supply Chain Edge

A recent interview with Helen Jewell, the Fundamental Equities CIO at Blackrock, catalyzed me to put this series together. Supply chain analysis was also a cornerstone of the work that UBS Evidence Lab was (and is) focused on when I was there as a sell-side analyst.

However, despite its apparent benefits, supply chain analysis is still an area that many under-analyze. So, it made sense to put this series together and discuss what supply chain analysis can bring to the analytical table.

Monday is new stuff day.

A content platform cannot remain static. It goes stale.

From now on, Mondays will be our release day for new content, tech, UX enhancements, etc. We are committed to releasing new stuff every Monday (unless I’m on a beach! - and honestly, even then, I’ll probably still post new content!).

Welcome to Monday. New Stuff Day!

Want to talk about training and consultancy? Book some time with me

Do you want to discuss training or fundamental consultancy? Click here or on the image below to book a time that works for you.

Is the London IPO market alive again?

Could London be alive again as an IPO market?

I spent months on the research floor at UBS, watching the sector analysts pump out their IPO research. I never knew (quite rightly for compliance purposes) what they were working on, but I saw how much effort these research notes took to put together and how the analysts had to put their day-to-day on ice while they were neck-deep in the IPO process. The gutting thing is that, more often than not, these IPO deals were pulled before they went live. IPOs have been rare in the London market for the last couple of years. But this sentiment seems to be shifting now.

As the UK prepares for its general election in July 2024, the City of London seems to be returning as a hot spot for companies looking to raise money. But if you take a closer look, this newfound excitement could be just smoke and mirrors, and it might not mean much for London's long-term status as a financial powerhouse.

Recent Wins and Optimism

Sure, there have been some big wins lately, like National Grid's massive £7 billion rights issue and the FTSE 100's impressive performance. London has even outpaced other European cities in terms of money raised from share sales. Plus, potential IPOs from companies like Raspberry PI, Shein, and Anglo-American's De Beers division have people talking. But these successes are often driven by unique situations and don't necessarily mean London is suddenly the place to be for listing your company.

UK Companies Struggling Abroad

UK companies listed on US exchanges have been struggling, with some even delisting or seeing their value drop significantly. This shows that London might not be able to compete with other global financial centers when it comes to attracting companies to list there.

Supply and Demand Problems

London faces challenges on both the supply and demand sides when raising money through the stock market. The UK has had difficulty producing enough homegrown superstars to excite fund managers, while years of flip-flopping policies have driven domestic investors away. Retail ownership is at an all-time low, and the UK's stamp duty makes investing in overseas shares more appealing.

Competitors Making Moves

While London tries to figure things out, other places are playing their game. The EU Parliament recently passed the Listing Act, which aims to make it cheaper for companies to raise capital. This puts the EU ahead of the UK in reforming regulations, even though the UK started the process earlier with the 2021 Hill Review.

Time for a Change

With the upcoming general election, UK policymakers must prioritize reviving London's capital-raising environment. They should take a page from the US, which passed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act in 2012 to tackle similar issues. British lawmakers must implement reforms that make London more attractive for companies to raise money.

The Bottom Line

While the recent buzz around London's stock market might seem promising, taking it with a grain of salt is essential. London's success as a financial center will depend on addressing the underlying supply and demand challenges, implementing effective reforms, and creating a supportive environment for companies looking to raise capital. Only by taking bold action can London hope to secure its spot as a leading global destination for raising money through the stock market in the long run. Also, think of these poor sell-side analysts too!

Check out our IPO playlists:

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❝

Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever.

Mahatma Gandhi

Clients do say the nicest things…

Highlights from the back catalog

Now that we’ve built a pretty extensive portfolio of digital assets, we can explore the vault and highlight a few programs you might have missed.

Learn something new now. Excel’s new Checkboxes!

I don’t know if you’ve seen the new Checkbox function in Excel. It's so much easier and more adaptable than what we had before. It's excellent for adding multiple scenarios to your models and turning that model from a static calculator to something more like a model! Watch the video below—you’ll find it a handy skill in your Excel arsenal!

I’m currently putting together a library of what will probably end up being 300+ Excel Shorts videos. I’ll drip-feed these videos onto our social media platforms and host them on the InsightOne App (as part of the free access).

Download In-App content and consume offline.

Did you know you can download our In-App content and consume it offline? Watch the video and start building your offline library.

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The InsightOne App is live and available for download on the App Store and Google Play. Click on the images, and we will take you to the relevant App Store.