Blog

Cutting Through the Noise


September 22, 2006

By Tom Bradley

The Agony and Ecstasy of the Absolute-return Manager

The Globe and Mail, Report on Business Published September 22nd, 2006 Because I'm starting a new mutual fund company, I've had the opportunity to sit down and talk to a lot of money managers over the last few months. I've ...

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September 21, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Sleepless in Kitsilano

I woke up way too early this morning (against my will). I decided not to fight it and instead used it as a chance to catch up on the reading that has been piling up. Part of the pile was ...

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September 15, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Business Startup Reality Check I - The IRC

I went to a seminar yesterday sponsored by the law firm, Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG). It was about setting up an "Independent Review Committee" (IRC) for a mutual fund company. Going forward, each company must have a committee of independent ...

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September 5, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Investment Industry's Perverse World: Pray for Bad News

The Globe and Mail, Report on Business, Guest Column Published September 2nd, 2006 If I had to choose one word to describe the investment industry, I'd pick ‘perverse’. It is like no other industry I know. That word came to ...

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August 30, 2006

By Tom Bradley

PPNs - The Investment Industry's Vioxx

Since my column on principal-protected notes was published in the Globe & Mail on August 1st, I've had lots of e-mails. Almost without exception, they've been supportive of my view. Stuff like: "right on" ... someone needs to take a ...

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August 23, 2006

By Tom Bradley

You're Paying Too Much If...

Jonathan Chevreau of the National Post is known for continually pounding away on the fee issue. He had lots of ammunition this week when he got his hands on a U.S. academic study called "Mutual Fund Fees Around the World". ...

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August 17, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Unrealistic Expectations I

I was golfing with a friend of mine a couple of Friday's ago. At the 19th hole, we got talking investments, which led us to the PH&N Bond Fund. He's owned the fund for years and has been very happy ...

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August 16, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Users' Guide to the Business Media

Originally published: October, 2004 (Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Quarterly Report). Context of the article: There's more investment information on the Internet and in the press than ever before. It's overwhelming. This article tries to help the individual investor ...

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August 16, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Are Investors Buying Too Much Insurance

Originally published: January, 2005 (Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Quarterly Report) Context of the article: In 2005, Principal Protected Notes (PPN's) were again big sellers during RRSP season and were garnering a lot of attention amongst individual investors. The ...

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August 16, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Discipline, Patience and Courage ... and a Little Cheating

Originally published: April, 2004 (Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Quarterly Report) Context of the article: Being successful at investing is hard. It takes discipline, patience and courage. If investors don't possess those traits, they should consider other alternatives. The ...

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August 16, 2006

By Tom Bradley

In Defense of the Lowly Mutual Fund II

Originally published: July, 2004 (Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Quarterly Report) Context of the article: In the spring of 2004, the Globe & Mail did a series of articles on the mutual fund industry. The tone was pretty damning. ...

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August 16, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Just Plain Wrong

Originally published: October, 2003 (Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Quarterly Report) Context of the article: There are rules of thumb in the investment industry that get established despite the fact that they aren't necessarily correct. This article discusses four ...

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August 16, 2006

By Tom Bradley

In Search of a Better Balance

Originally published: July, 2003 ( Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Quarterly Report) Context of the article: In 2003, there was a lot of press on the conflicts of interest that are inherent in the investment industry. At that time, ...

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August 16, 2006

By Tom Bradley

A View From the Bottom

Originally published: April, 2003 ( Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Quarterly Report) Context of the article: The stock market had been going down for three years. Three year returns for the Canadian and U.S. markets (Cdn $) were -11% ...

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August 16, 2006

By Tom Bradley

What Appears Obvious is Probably Untrue

Originally published: July, 2002 (Phillips, Hager & North Investment Funds Quarterly Report) Context of the article: In the summer of 2002, we were well into a bear market for equities. This article is build around the fact that when everyone ...

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August 11, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Will the Next 5 Years Look Like the Last 5?

With all the performance data from the June 30th quarter-end piled up on my desk and getting staler by the minute, I thought I'd better get at it. I was going through the SEI Pooled Fund survey (which reviews the ...

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August 4, 2006

By Tom Bradley

How Does It Feel To Be An Underdog?

In today's National Post, Jonathan Chevreau writes about Steadyhand Investment Funds in a story entitled: ' A tough way to start a fund '.  This article certainly reminds Neil and me of the challenges we face in selling directly to ...

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August 3, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Will I Ever Feel the Same About Westjet Again?

It's been a couple of weeks since Westjet settled with Air Canada for $15 million. As you may remember, Air Canada was suing Westjet for commercial espionage. Westjet was caught illegally stealing data on flight loads from Air Canada's data ...

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August 3, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Principal-protected Notes Give Investors Worst of Both Worlds

The Globe and Mail, Report on Business, Guest Column Published August 1st, 2006 As I contemplate starting a new investment company, I've had to assess what form it will take. Specifically, I've been trying to decide whether the good ol' ...

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August 1, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Looking for a CFO

I mentioned in my last posting that Neil Jensen and I (along with a few other like-minded people) are starting a new mutual fund company, Steadyhand Investment Funds Inc . We are at the stage now where one of those ...

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July 31, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Who'd Be Crazy Enough to Start a New Mutual Fund?

Us - that's who! I am partnering with Neil Jensen and a few other like-minded people to start Steadyhand Investment Funds . We're hoping to open the doors in the first quarter of 2007, although the date will be highly ...

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July 27, 2006

By Tom Bradley

The Wise CEO Rides the Cycle

The Globe and Mail, Report on Business, Guest Column July 21 2006 There are big decisions being made in the resource sector these days, as there are in the housing market, and at their core, the decisions are very similar. ...

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July 27, 2006

By Tom Bradley

Are We Near Top of Market Cycle? Ask a Porsche Dealer.

The Globe and Mail, Report on Business, Guest Column July 12 2006 In April, 2003, when everyone was felling pretty beaten up after three years of falling stock markets, I wrote an article in the Phillips, Hager & North Quarterly ...

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July 12, 2006

By Tom Bradley

The Mutual Fund - What a Concept!

As I contemplate starting a new investment company, I've had to assess what form it will take. Specifically, I've been trying to decide whether the good ole mutual fund is still a valid investment vehicle, or is it going the ...

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July 4, 2006

By Tom Bradley

If It Isn't Worth Doing...

"If something isn't worth doing, it isn't worth doing well." This is one of my favourite Charlie Munger lines and I think it's very applicable for those of us who manage money, for clients or just for ourselves. Specifically, I'm ...

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