Would “Big Daddy” Gardiner (Expressway) Buy the Banks Today?

Last month, at a Rotary Club meeting, I found myself sitting next to someone I hadn’t met before. After asking about my profession, he leaned in a few minutes later and said, “Is it true that to get rich, you should only buy Canadian banks?” Well, I know of at least one person who rode […]

Maple Leaf Foods’ Shareholders are Tasting an 80% Gain This Year

To my surprise, Maple Leaf Foods (“MFI”) has been our strongest performer this year, up nearly 80%. On February 26, 2024, we started buying MFI for clients at $22.82. At the time, the stock was about as unpopular with investors as I was with the ladies in high school. Just two trading days earlier, a […]

Stock Prices Historically Get Sent to Detention in September

September has historically been a weak month for stocks, and this year’s sentiment will hinge on Jay Powell’s speech tomorrow at Jackson Hole Students aren’t the only ones uneasy about September—stocks often dread it too. Historically, it’s the worst month for the market. Since 1930, the S&P 500 has fallen about 55% of the time […]

Why Mutual Funds Often Benefit Banks More Than You

Mutual funds are marketed as safe and simple. But in reality, they often accompany hidden costs and conflicts of interest. We recently reviewed a portfolio managed by another institution. The Management Expense Ratio (“MER”), which is the total cost of owning a mutual fund and is embedded in its price, was much higher than its […]

When in Crisis, Always Bank on Charles Schwab

Anyone who lived through 2008 (or studied the 1930s) knows how frightening banking crises can be. The financial system runs on confidence, and once that’s shaken, restoring trust can take significant time. In 2023, the U.S. regional banking sector faced its own crisis. It started in March with the abrupt collapse of Silicon Valley Bank […]

Don’t Let Scammers Call the Shots

Someone once said that if Al Capone had turned his talents toward legitimate enterprise, he could have been the CEO of General Motors. Today’s fraudsters are no different—highly organized, intelligent, and using sophisticated tools. Unfortunately, they’re applying those skills to deception, not innovation. My Close Call Recently, I received a phone call that appeared to […]

Don’t Just Pass the Buck—Protect It from Being Squandered

Did you know that a staggering 90% of inherited wealth is gone by the third generation? A friend recently shared that he had inherited $500,000 just before the pandemic. His mother never spoke to him about money and he was surprised there was an estate to divide. Unfortunately, because he was so unprepared, the money […]

Mailbag of Client Questions

Each month, we select a handful of questions that were asked by clients or soon-to-be clients. We like to post our answers online because others may have that same question as well. Here are a few of the things we were asked about most recently. Please contact us at info@schneiderpollock.com. How do I log in […]