BIBLIOPHILE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BY HOWARD MARKS “CONTROLLING RISK”

Posted on July 16, 2017 by Jimit Zaveri under BIBLIOPHILE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BY HOWARD MARKS

In the last article, we have talked about the identifying risk and recognizing risk. Now, in the current article, we discuss regarding controlling the risk. Generally, in the market, we put much emphasis on the higher absolute return instead of superior risk-adjusted return. But the great investors are those who focus on the risk and generate moderate returns with low risk or high return with moderate risk.

Generating higher returns with the higher risk for a long time is rare in the market. The risk of losing money arises when our investment meets adverse situations and Loss does not occur till the negative events occur. We should always focus on controlling the risk because we do not know that when the negative situation arises and we met losses.

When we bought the home, we check that the home is constructed in a way which can be protected by earthquake or not. The similarly, we should focus on our investment. We should focus on the situations where the occurrence of such negative situations can destroy our wealth. And work as an earthquake in our financial position.

It can be possible that an earthquake will never happen in life long, but we bought the home which can be protected with an earthquake. Similarly, it may be possible that adverse situations will not arise during our investment time, but we should focus on raising of adverse situations and how we can able to protect our wealth from such situations.

The risk is not always easily visible. If our surrounding environment is positive, then we start thinking that negative situation may not arise due to the influence of that positive environment. But in fact, the risk is always present in the good environment also. And anytime good environment can easily turn out to the bad environment. Such transformation does not come to us with the prior intimation. We must have to be ready properly with such considerations before making investment decisions. Even controlling risk is becoming essential into the good environment because nobody is talking about risk and in a bad environment, risk takes care of itself because everyone fearing of risk.

Generating superior return compared to benchmark with the similar risk nature is a good performance. But, a good value addition is while we generate a return which is like the benchmark return with the lowest risk and with proper controlling of the risk. Such scenario is even better.

When the environment is positive, everyone rides the wave and we cannot able to say which one is better. (Good article – Doubled your Money in Last 3 Years ? Skill or Luck ?)

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So that we should always focus on the controlling risk, whether it will rise or not. Because we cannot able to really predict the occurrence of the risk.

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Careful investors always know that they cannot able to know the future so that they try to focus on controlling risk and try to factor the risk of loss of capital while they make any investment decisions.

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We start avoiding focusing on risk as the environment is going positive. Initially, we might put weight on risk, but many times that risk might not get triggered. So that we start avoiding it and started believing that there is a no risk into the environment. Such risk will not occur and we saved from the negative situation.

As we have seen in Russian Roulette with 100 chances, we may save for 99 times, but the 1 time can kill us. Or if we are lucky we can be saved all the 100 times. It doesn’t mean that there is no risk or risk may not arise in the future.

Example – THE EVENTUAL CONSEQUENCES OF RISK SEEKING OR RISK BLIND BEHAVIOR

We constructed belief in our mind from our past experiences. If we have seen the positive environment, then we have made belief that negative situations never come. We should always keep in mind that occasionally extreme situations can arise and that can be out of our all belief.

In the year 2007, also welcome structured products, huge capital inflows, etc.

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We should not run from the risk but should manage risk intelligently. We should take the risk, but at the appropriate time and most importantly at an appropriate price.

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When we walk on a road with keeping our eyes closed and we do not meet an accident, then it’s not our talent, it’s a pure luck which plays out. We are a real blind if we consider such situation as our own skill. And such risky situations do not stay rewarding for a long period and we must walk on the road with keeping our eyes open.

Read for more detail: The Most Important Thing Illuminated by Howard Marks

BIBLIOPHILE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BY HOWARD MARKS “RECOGNIZING RISK”

Posted on June 25, 2017 by Jimit Zaveri under BIBLIOPHILE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BY HOWARD MARKS

We have seen the process for the identification of risk in the previous article of the same series. In the current issue, I am going to discuss regarding recognizing of the risk.

For the successful investing, we must have to focus on the generating return with having a proper control on risk. And for the controlling risk, we require to identifying and recognizing the risk.

The risk is always being at a much higher where we are too much optimistic towards the particular scenario and also paying a much higher price for the buying particular asset. But we should focus on When odds turn out against us than how we can able to protect ourselves or get out of such scenario with least damage. So, for the protecting ourselves, we need to avoid paying too high prices and also keep ourselves away from the extreme level of optimistic sentiment.

Click for Video — Auction scene

We always forget the real worth of the assets in the bull phase and start chasing that asset class. Such behavior is dangerous for the health of our wealth. This increases the risk while we are purchasing assets more than its worth.

The market always works in a pendulum and people generally forget the nature of the pendulum. The pendulum always moves towards the both extreme directions.

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Whenever pendulum moves towards the bullish extreme, many of us forget that such situations will not stay forever. Many of us forget about the risk which involves during the bull phase. And start taking higher risk for generating higher returns; which invites further huge amount of risk. At bullish sentiment, people generally buy assets at the highest valuations multiple and that invites the risk to the particular asset class. This scenario has a very high chance of getting damage to our wealth compared to generating a higher return.

Reverse to such scenario, whenever the pendulum moves towards extreme bearish phase, then generally people start recognizing the risk and start avoiding to invest in the particular asset class; which take out the risk from that particular asset class. Such scenario is the appropriate time for capturing the opportunities because in such scenario we have very less chance to lose.

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Many a time due to bullish sentiment, we think that the risk is very low, we start taking more risky situations, also start taking leverage and from that time risk starts taking its shape. Our behavior towards particular asset class invites risk.

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Risk will be only low if we as an investor behave in a careful and wise manner. We cannot eliminate the risk, but we can able to control its effect. We have to analyze risk in every scenario. Risk always has its presence, though we are having a bullish sentiment. And according to me, the risk is much higher while having a bullish sentiment.

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At the extreme bullish sentiment, we forget to worry, fear of loss and instead of it, we think about to miss the opportunity. We think that all others will earn the money and we remain without earning money. We start taking much leverage and believe that we are living in a low-risk world.

Click for Video — Bull phase in auction

We have seen in the above video that the person who doesn’t want to purchase a horse for the Rs.5 lakh; same person bought the horse for the Rs.5 lakh due to the influence of the increasing value of the bid for the horse. The person doesn’t want to lose the horse and cannot see others to take that horse.

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Read for more detail: The Most Important Thing Illuminated by Howard Marks

BIBLIOPHILE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BY HOWARD MARKS “UNDERSTANDING RISK”

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Jimit Zaveri under BIBLIOPHILE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BY HOWARD MARKS

For making any investment decisions, we have to be dealt with the future, which is uncertain in nature. So, that when there is an uncertainty, then there is an involvement of risk and we cannot escape from the risk. We must have to focus on asserting risk while making any investment decisions.

When we focus on the return of the particular instrument, then we have concentrated our focus on half of the movie and rest half will get completed with asserting risk in that particular investment.

Risk 01

Traditionally, we all have learned, that in making a higher return, we need to take an incremental risk.

But we think logically about the same that if we get a higher return for the taking of incremental risk than there should not be a risk. We get rewarded by the returns for taking a higher risk.

Risk 02

Traditional risk/return graph has communicated the positive relationship between risk and return but ignored uncertainty involved for making such returns. Additionally, traditional risk/return graph has shown a risk as similar to volatility, but not focused on the danger which is involved in the investment.

Many a times volatility cannot be an as riskier as compared to other dangerous events for our investment.

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So, that risk is not a volatility in the price of stocks, but the real risk is the permanent loss of our capital. And we must have to be worried about the permanent loss of capital rather than volatility. We must have to focus on the understanding of the risk which could have the probability of erosion of our capital.

Many a times risk is not only limited to, permanent loss of capital or to volatility, some kind of risk are objective and personal in nature; such as-

1) Falling short of one’s goal

Many investors have a different need, goals and not meeting those by investment results can be the risk for the particular person.

If someone just requires meeting the routine expenses, then getting a fixed return from fixed return instrument might not be at risk for the person, but if someone who wanted to build capital for investment then such a lower return can be a risk for that particular person.

2) Underperformance

Such kind of risk is related to the investment manager. If the investment manager cannot able to generate higher returns compare to index than the investment manager might lose his clients.

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3) Career risk

This is an extreme form of underperformance risk. Continuous underperformance can have resulted in the risk to the career.

4) Unconventionality

This risk is connected with a being different while making an investment idea. If unconventional idea got wrong, then there might be a risk to the career.

We buy metals, sugar stocks, etc. (at the worst time of the cycle). Instead of buying pharma, IT, Banking which is a darling of the industry. And if our stock picks up doesn’t work, then we have to face trouble and extreme risk of loss of career.

5) Illiquidity

This risk arises when investors need a money for some urgency and unable to break his investment.

Let me take an example of the cricket match for understanding a risk.

The main risk in the cricket match is to losing the match, series, etc. as similar to losing our capital in investment. If all the players play a poor game, then definitely team will lose the match and similar to an investment; if all our investment resulted in poor returns or more risk oriented than we might lose our capital or lose real value of capital.

As we have seen in Indian cricket history that Mr. Sachin Tendulkar, Mr. Rahul Dravid has played very well and created the record, they don’t always come to the ground for making a century or creating a huge score but always played well for protecting their wickets. Their focus on protecting their wicket helps them to play well for the longer period of time. And on against to them, many other players came to Indian cricket history and gone also; cannot able to stay for a longer period of time. They just have focused on making a score and sometimes due to the luck they can able to make good score but not always.

If players do not able to play well on a continues basis, then they will have lost the opportunity of staying with the cricket team (Career Risk). Also, we have seen that Mr. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has taken a many unconventional decision for the team during the match. Many of his decisions got success and many not. When he filled with his unconventional decisions, he has to face the anger of the people. This is as similar to our unconventional investment decisions and has to face anger from our clients if we filed into the unconventional decisions.

It is not necessary that we only can be incurred a loss by buying weak fundamental stocks. If we bought the comparatively lower fundamental company at a very lower price than that investment turns out to be a successful investment.

Sugar IT

We can see that if we have bought the comparatively lower fundamentally good stock at a cheap price than this stock has generated a higher return compared to the good fundamental stocks in last 5 years.

Also, not good macro environmental promises of safety. Because too positive news brings up prices at too high and any small adverse development can be enough for damages to our wealth.

People generally tend to associate with the things that are doing well. And that investment might be able to fulfill expectations for a while and thereafter small negative event can damage much higher. Such scenario having an involvement of higher risk.

So, that value investors believe in achieving higher returns from lower risk. We have to be ready with underperformance risk while we are buying bargains and market is in a heated bull phase. We need to accept it rather than incurring losses.

Investment is dealing with the future and the future is highly uncertain. And it’s impossible to know anything about the future.

Risk means more things can happen compared to what happened in the past. Understanding of risk requires a second level thinking and it’s not an easy task. The risk of losing money is observed by one that’s similar is not observed by another one.

Read for more detail: The Most Important Thing Illuminated by Howard Marks

BIBLIOPHILE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BY HOWARD MARKS “THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRICE AND VALUE”

Posted on April 23, 2017 by Jimit Zaveri under BIBLIOPHILE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BY HOWARD MARKS

As we have discussed regarding value in the previous article of a Bibliophile. Now, I am going to talk about the 4th Chapter of The Most Important Thing – The relationship between price and value.

01 P&V

There is not an availability of any asset class which having a birthright for providing a higher return. If we bought a particular asset class at an appropriate price, then that provides us a higher return to safety.

02 P&V

An example of one the biggest wealth creator company of the Indian stock market—

INFY Chart

If someone has bought this company during the March-2000, At the high price of around Rs.431 then after the 16 years of the period, he gets returned at 7% CAGR. And if enter to the similar company at the low price of around Rs.275 during the March-2000 then after the 16 years of the period, he gets a returned of 10% CAGR (*Considering all time high price for calculating returns). Though revenue grew at 30% CAGR, Operating profit grown at 27% CAGR and Net profit also grown at 27% CAGR during the same period with supported by the good management team.

If we buy such a good thing at a too high price, then we have to wait for the very long time for getting fair returns rather getting superior returns. But if we have bought junk asset class or good asset class at an appropriate value, then we can able to create a superior return.

We should focus on correctly buying an asset at a cheaper price so that we need not keep focusing on the selling decisions. Because our buying decision provides us a huge safety. Whenever we buy any stock at a cheaper price and all our calculations of intrinsic value are correct, then over a period of time, the stock price should reach its intrinsic value.

So, that One of a good idea of making an investment is to buy whenever the pessimistic situations around us which provide us a good return with proper safety. But such scenario not always comes. This means we construct our portfolio at the time of crisis, but every time, we cannot stay only dependent on the crisis for making our buying decisions.

03 P&V

Thus, most important are to understand the relationship of price & value. By knowing the relationship between price and value, we can able to take an advantage of mispriced valued stock and consistently create a wealth for the longer period of time. We also need to understand the Psychology of investors along with the understanding the price – value relationship because the psychology of investors can drive stock prices in the short run. But at a longer period, the price should reach its intrinsic value. So, that it is an essential for us to buy an asset at a discount from its intrinsic value.

IT Bubble

04 P&V

Investors Psychology is also one of the important factors along with the Fundamental value of the security which can drive stock prices to an extreme side and that provide us an opportunity for our entry/exit. We should avoid falling into the trap with short term price fluctuation due to the psychology of investors but should take an advantage from it.

05 P&V

06 P&V

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People never focus on the price at clever people make an investment. But they start herding towards the news of such deals. So, that more and more people start buying the same stock and due to the flow of buying, the stock starts rising and again more investor start buying into it and stock start rising again. Thus, psychology drives a price much more rather than its fundamental in the shorter period of time. Everyone starts creating stories after the clever people make an investment, those stories drive the price of the asset class at extreme direction.

As per the Howard Marks, there are few ways by which we can earn a profit on the investment:

Benefiting from rising in the asset’s intrinsic value.

In this method, an investor has to predict accurately to the improvement in the intrinsic value of the assets in the future. But this task is not as easy as it seems. We even don’t know our future and we are going to predict the future of the intrinsic value which is very uncertain in nature.

Applying leverage

Leverage means investing using borrowed money. Leverage always works as a double edged sword. It can either make you or will break you. It magnifies both gains as well as losses. So, leverage might provide us a higher return, but it can also create a threat to our own capital. Selling for more than your asset’s worth

Selling for more than your asset’s worth

Here, we need to hope for the buyer who is ready to buy an asset at a higher price. If we are holding an asset which is overpriced or fairly priced than we need a greater fool to buy an asset from us at a higher price.

Buying something for less than its value

In this option, we are buying an asset at the discount, from its intrinsic value. It’s just required for the proper functioning of the market and that brings an asset to its intrinsic value. This can be one of the most useful ways to make a consistent return with a safety of our capital.

Sultan Mirza

Click for Video — Sultan Mirza

As we have seen in the video that Ajay Devgan has bought Guava at a very high price compared to the real value of the Guava. We have many a time experienced such kind of the irrationality among the investors who focus on story prevailing at market space rather than focus on the real value of the particular stock. We will not always able to meet Sultan Mirza (Ajay Devgan) / Irrational investor who buy an asset from us at a very irrational price. So, that we always need to focus on the buying an asset at a discount from the real value for getting a consistent return to safety.

Read for more detail: The Most Important Thing Illuminated by Howard Marks