By Bill Taber
TABER Asset Management’s approach to investing is likely different than what most financial advisory firms are currently employing. Although uncommon, it’s a tried and true, time-proven strategy. Our approach is firmly rooted in taking a long-term strategy with our investment recommendations. As we consider what stocks to recommend to our clients, we are not looking for winners to bring returns in the short term. We’re looking for companies that are most likely to perform over the long term: five to 10+ years down the road. Since our approach most likely differs from your local financial advisor, let’s take a deeper look at it and some of the history behind it.
The Heart of Our Approach
Our approach prioritizes investing in the best companies. The companies we recommend to our clients are the ones we find, through our research, are the most likely to perform well in the long run. We’re on the lookout for companies who are poised to make it through the market’s usual ups and downs and offer long-term gains. We discover who these companies are through our very extensive process of investigation. We at TABER analyze a company’s financials and past performance. We research each company’s competitors, vendors, as well as their suppliers and bankers. We’re hunting for companies which are likely to grow and provide high returns to our clients. As they say, we leave no stone unturned.
We also live by the idea that it’s best to invest in a smaller number of proven companies than in holding a highly diversified portfolio. We typically suggest to our clients to keep their portfolio to 10-35 different investments.
The companies we choose to bring to our clients, after the lengthy vetting process, are categorized into one or more of six account classes: Growth, Growth & Income, Equity Income, Balanced, Fixed Income, and Money Market Accounts. You may have guessed already that we don’t categorize stocks according to the traditional buckets of small-cap growth or large-cap value.
The Background of Our Approach
We have taken years to study and practice different methods of investing. Over that time, we have honed our favorite strategy as described above. But we’re not taking credit for the philosophy. We have combined the principles of Graham and Dodd’s value investing and Philip Fisher’s growth investing ideologies. We believe their strategies, combined, are the most optimal way to create, grow, and preserve your wealth over time.
Graham and Dodd believed in the power of research. They believed research was the only way to truly determine the value of a stock. They worked together in the early 1900s to develop a methodology to identify and buy securities priced below their actual value.
Philip Fisher was a renowned growth stock investment strategist and author of Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits, first published in 1958. His book recommended strategically gathering information about companies before investing. His 15-point standard highlights the value of finding great long-term investment opportunities rather than opportunities that fluctuate with the market mood.
The great investor Warren Buffett adopted the practices of Fisher and Graham and credits them with his personal investment strategy. He built his fortune using their methodologies. In fact, both Buffett and Fisher adopted the less-than-common practice of concentrating, rather than over-diversifying the number of holdings in one’s portfolio. And we at TABER agree.
What Does Our Approach Mean for You?
You can be sure that TABER will conduct that deep level of scrutiny when exploring investment options for you. With that approach, we believe we can find proven, stable companies for you to invest in that are likely to be profitable many years out. You are looking for a fully customized, solid financial plan that is suited perfectly to you as you live your life and watch your goals become reality. Let our approach be your guidepost.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
At TABER Asset Management, our goal is to spend time getting to know you and your story so we can help you create a plan that continues to work for you for years to come. Get started today by scheduling a 15-minute intro phone call online or reaching out to us at 515-557-1860 or invest@taberasset.com.
About Bill
Bill Taber is President and Founder of TABER Asset Management, an independent, fiduciary wealth management firm that strives to do one thing well: manage their clients’ money by creating wealth, building wealth, growing income, and preserving capital so they can experience financial freedom. With more than four decades of experience, Bill is dedicated to building relationships with his clients and their families and walking alongside them as they navigate financial decisions. His favorite days are the ones when he gets to witness the joy and relief on his clients’ faces when they realize they can pursue their dreams and live their ideal lifestyles. Bill is known for going the extra mile, getting things done with integrity, and working with a stewardship mentality.
Bill graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and fell in love with the profession when he got to help one of his first clients—his father—turn his lifetime of hard work into a dream retirement. He got his start in the industry as a corporate services representative for Bankers Trust Company and spent decades working as Assistant Vice President of E.F. Hutton & Co. and First Vice President of Principal Financial Securities. He is also a graduate of the E-Myth Worldwide Mastery Business Development Program and is Series 65 registered.
In his spare time, Bill enjoys giving back to his community and served 11 years as a member of the Board of Trustees of Broadlawns Medical Center and 14 years as a Community Representative to their Board Finance Committee. He is also one of the founding members of the Greater Des Moines Connections Mentoring Program. When he’s not working, you can often find Bill spending time with his family and participating in one of his many hobbies, which include traveling to national parks, presidential libraries, and foreign countries; gardening; reading non-fiction; and practicing yoga, Pilates, and meditation. He also loves the simple joys of listening to music, going for walks or bike rides, and watching James Bond 007 films and any movie starring his favorite actress, Meryl Streep. To learn more about Bill, connect with him on LinkedIn.