Value Based Management
Full Alignment of Manager and Shareholder Interests
Smart investors have noticed that fundamental problems arise where ownership and control of the modern corporation are separated. Managers control the firm and can make decisions that benefit themselves at the expense of the firm's owners.
Value-based management systems (VBM) are the answer to this problem.
Our value-based investing method avoids stocks in companies whose managers' interests are not aligned with the interests of investors'. We know that these companies will not lead to long-term value for our clients.
Instead, the ValueAligned® Partners investment system focuses exclusively on VBM-friendly companies.
Economic Value Added Companies
What is an Economic Value Added™ Stock?
An Economic Value Added™ Stock is a stock of a company that has high Economic Value Added™ (EVA), meaning that it is likely to provide maximum shareholder value based on certain calculations.
Consulting firm Stern Stewart & Co. developed and trademarked the EVA™ methodology to mitigate the various flaws in other valuation measures.
From 1997 to 2002, ValueAligned® Partners' founder, David Berkowitz, was in charge of Stern Stewart’s North American EVA™ implementations. He specialized in advising manufacturing companies on how to manage the company to maximize shareholder value, so he can spot a well-run company – from a shareholder's point of view – from a mile away.
From 1997 to 2002, ValueAligned® Partners' founder, David Berkowitz, was in charge of Stern Stewart's North American EVA™ implementations. He specialized in advising manufacturing companies on how to manage the company to maximize shareholder value, so he can spot a well-run company – from a shareholder's point of view – from a mile away.
No Middle Men
The ValueAligned® Difference
Unlike Brokers, as Fiduciary, Independent Financial Planners, we are legally bound to put your interests ahead of our own.
You may have worked with an independent financial advisor whom you thought was serving as a fiduciary but instead turned out to be nothing but a middle man.
Eliminating 100% of all middle men (and the high fees they command) has been one of our core values since David Lee Berkowitz founded the firm in 2002. We wouldn't have it any other way. It's one of many ways that we ensure you’re getting the maximum possible retirement savings.
Separately Managed Accounts
Don't Ever Pay More in Taxes than You Have To
Separately managed accounts (SMAs) have traditionally been a tool for the wealthy. Unfortunately, they’ve traditionally been out of the reach of most other investors. But with the incredible advances in technology, we can now avail them to all of our clients.
Our "breatkthrough solution" SMA
requires just a $25,000 investment and an all-in cost to clients of 1% – no commissions, no open end mutual fund fees or other costs and no marketing fees – just 1% for everything.
Separately managed accounts avoid tax pitfalls by giving the investors the benefits of professional money management, with all of the tax efficiencies associated with individual cost basis.
Quite simply, SMAs can do all these great things because of technology…specifically, computing power. Instead of having to pool investors’ money with that of other investors to gain enough money to buy one full share of stock (as is the case with mutual funds), computing power now allows us to buy a fractional share of stock for you – and you alone.
Monitor Market Risk
The Role of Risk in Stock Investing
Pretty much every human is vulnerable to the "buy high, sell low" scenario. It's all based on the instinct to preserve what we have while holding on to as much money as possible.
If anyone tells you they can consistently and successfully "time the market," we give you license to call them out. No one, not even experienced stock investors like us, can consistently call the market's short-term ups and downs.
Successful investors are in the market for the long-term – staying the course with a consistent investment program – avoiding critical market-timing mistakes.
Staying the course does not mean "buy and hold forever" or "buy and forget" stock investing. It's about making regular investments and adjusting your portfolio as your needs and market-prices-relative-to-value change, as opposed to trying to time the market's short-term ups and downs.
It means periodically reviewing your portfolio and rebalancing it to avoid becoming predominated by over-valued stocks. And it means measuring and monitoring market-based risk so we can change tactics when the risk of general market decline increases.
Diversification
Exploring Mutual Fund Alternatives
Diversification is the process of combining different types of non-correlated investments that don't all move in the same direction, by the same amount, at the same time in reaction to market forces. An example diversified portfolio might include retail, technology, and energy stocks, all with different risk characteristics.
By optimizing different investment type combinations that don't move together, it is possible to generate higher returns without increasing risk — when one security or securities from one sector perform poorly, others may perform well. Therefore, diversification allows you to incur less risk and achieve higher expected returns in the market over an extended period.
Reduce Costs/Raise Returns
Reduced Costs. Increased Customization. Full Tax Management.
Investment costs such as fees, commissions, and sales charges matter! The more you pay, the less you earn in return.
ValueAligned® Partners brings our clients UNLIMITED COMMISSION-FREE TRADING on MOST SECURITIES in exchange for a low annual fee based on invested assets. That's it. No commissions, loads, or other fees to separate you from your money.
Study after study consistently shows that, over the long term, mutual funds actually trail the broad market averages, such as the S&P 500 index.
Add in the tax-minimization abilities built into the ValueAligned® Investing approach, and it's hard to believe why anyone would choose the mutual fund approach. The truth is, it's usually based in fear of bucking the trend – "Everyone else invests in mutual funds, so I guess I should too." Following the herd is almost always a bad idea, however.
The TOTAL cost to any ValueAligned® Partners client is one low fee. (*Note that your custodian may charge for other services like IRA trust maintenance.)