Don’t Fall for the September Effect

By: Jeff Pollock It’s difficult to dispute the seasonal weakness that September historically accompanies. Many call it the “September Effect”. Going back almost a century, it’s the only month of the year when the S&P 500 statistically posts a loss more often than a gain. Since 1930, September has delivered a median return of -0.4%. […]

There’s No Margin of Safety When You Buy Using Leverage

Buying stock on margin occurs when you borrow money to purchase securities. It’s called leverage because it magnifies your results in both directions.  Warren Buffett has said “if you’re smart, you don’t need it; if you’re dumb, you shouldn’t use it.” For example, imagine you have $100,000 of your own money to invest but you […]

UnitedHealth Group Has Made a Speedy Recovery

Health insurer UnitedHealth Group (“UNH”) has been one of the best performing stocks so far this year. However, it hasn’t been a straight line up. Following the release of a disastrous quarterly earnings report in April 2025, the market overreacted by crashing the stock price almost 30% in a matter of weeks, marking it a […]