Value Investing & Deep Value Investing: The Hunt For 100X

Here I am, being asked to write about my biography. In a sense, it is a weird feeling that I have for I feel no need for self importance. However, I have more than one story to share with regards to my investing journey that could perhaps help people on their way to become better investors. I have been an investor for 15 years now and my journey has meandered from Warren Buffett to Ben Graham. My start, like many, really was the naive idea that Buffett's skills could be replicated in some fashion. I was proven wrong when some of the supposed stock picks that I chose had dismal performances. Then, I learnt that it is no point trying to be someone I am not. Gradually, through failure and some success in deep value investing, my approach towards stocks gradually shifted to an approach based around Graham's techniques. So, I give credit where credit is due and to Ben Graham, I and many other investors around the world, owe him a great deal. So, if you want to read up on biographies, read about Ben Graham. His seminal work, Security Analysis is a gem. My books are just rich interpretations of what he has taught.

These days, I gladly proclaim myself to be a deep value investor. I am a practitioner of deep value investing, namely the net current asset value approach. There have been many strategies taught by Graham himself. For example, the the requirement that the earnings yield of a stock be twice that of the AAA bond yield is a sound one. Also, Graham taught strategies such as special situations and risk arbitraging techniques etc. But for me personally, if you could chose one strategy and be a master in it, you would do very very well in your life as an investor. As Bruce lee says : I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. I want to be that man that has practiced one kick 10,000 times. That "one kick" in my arsenal for now is the net current asset value strategy until my portfolio grows to an immense amount. My take is that the deep value approach is quantitative and leaves less room for wild, almost obscene judgement that comes with the human mind.

Deep value investing is a great place to begin your investing journey. There are a whole host of reasons as to why an asset based approach such as the net current asset value strategies work. I cover them in great detail in the many case studies within my books. But let me give you an example of a boring stock that many will not purchase. Company A does not give dividends and its earnings are paltry. On a PE basis, the company trades at 40 times earnings. In the eyes of an investor that seems to expensive. At a market capitalization of $80 million, the company's recent net income for the latest fiscal period is just $2 million. Immediately, investors glance over it. But if you look at the balance sheet, the company has a net asset value of $140 million and a liquidation value of $120 million. The purchase price is definitely cheap relative to the assets in the company. The company is probably undergoing some temporal downturn that has caused its stock price to be quite depressed. Incidentally, that is the best time to purchase such a stock. I have found in my experience that buying such stocks have given me good investing results. And at the very least, it is something on which I can hang my hat on.

So in a nutshell, this is how I would like to invest. Some of the stocks I have purchased are written about in my books. Within these books, you will get to know the why, what, who, whom, when, how of deep value investing and the net current asset value approach. You will understand the nuances of the strategy and make the strategy work for you.  Of course, at the same time,  I have other ideas which may resonate with you. I have found that stalking 100 baggers is a possibility. And with increased knowledge and competencies, that possibility moves towards probability.

As always, here I am. Here you are. It is destiny that you are reading this and I hope to connect with you in some heartfelt manner in the future. I really do. Do reach out to me and start a conversation. May you be blessed with prosperity, health and happiness!