Latest news with #Delahunty
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Forget fundamentals. 4 everyday investors have made winning stock picks with a much simpler strategy.
Some retail investors have picked winning stocks without utilizing extensive Wall Street insights. Instead, they're following Warren Buffett's strategy of investing in what you know. Paired with a broader diversification strategy, it's a great way to learn more about the market. Say goodbye to Excel spreadsheets, financial statements, and fancy Bloomberg terminals. Some everyday investors have a secret weapon that's leading to winning stock picks. Bob Vanscoy bought Nvidia in 2020, years before the AI boom propelled the company to its current position as the world's most valuable company. The 54-year-old father of two invested after observing his children playing video games during the pandemic. Vanscoy was surprised by the level of detail in the games. "I got to thinking that these were becoming more than just games. They were becoming stories," Vanscoy told Business Insider. "My kids told me Nvidia graphics cards were really, really popular and everyone was to get them." Fast forward to today, and Vanscoy holds 1,292 shares at a cost basis of $6.76 per share, brokerage statements viewed by Business Insider show. He's notched a gain of 1,593.15% on his investment, which is worth about $147,977. Vanscoy isn't the only investor who's made stock picks based on things his kids were into. Mikhaela Delahunty, a 42-year-old PR specialist, bought Crocs stock in 2022 after seeing the shoes everywhere. "They were sold out, and my kids were begging me for some really strange colored plastic shoes," Delahunty said. She did some more research, found that Crocs had recently completed an acquisition and posted strong earnings, and bought in. While Delahunty sold out of her stock positions last year to free up liquidity to grow her business, her gut instinct was correct. Today, Crocs is rated favorably across Wall Street, with an over 60% buy rating among analysts, according to Bloomberg. "The power that tweens have on the purchasing decisions of their parents is remarkable, and you can't ever discount that," Delahunty said. While picking stocks based on vibes of the moment might seem a lot less precise than what the Wall Street pros are doing, it's actually not that dar removed from traditional investing wisdom. As Warren Buffett famously advised: invest in what you understand. Some retail investors have put this mindset into action by using their day jobs to glean investing insights. Etienne Breton, a 47-year-old technical expert at a manufacturing company, invested in Palantir after realizing the software company's solutions were sorely needed at his job. "I realized it could solve the exact problem I saw at my own job: data trapped in disconnected silos, with brittle patches, custom code, and no flexibility," Breton said. Another Palantir investor, 33-year-old Sherry Jiang, was drawn to the company because of her career ambitions. "I was really curious about potentially working there, and I actually interviewed there," Jiang said. She ultimately took a job at Google instead. After a few years, Jiang left to start her personal finance company, Peek. But she kept tabs on Palantir and bought shares last year. "I still follow Palantir because I really believe in their edge. It's not just in the technology but also in their long-standing relationships with extremely sticky customers, like governments," Jiang said. Both Breton and Jiang's bets have paid off handsomely. Breton has amassed 17,800 shares of Palantir, with some as low as $6 a share. While Jiang's holding isn't quite as large, her 218 shares of Palantir at a cost basis of $23 have delivered strong returns as the shares surged in recent months. What do the pros think about this strategy? As it turns out, even some of Wall Street's biggest firms rely on similar instincts in addition to crunching numbers. Analysts often conduct "channel checks" by visiting physical locations to observe foot traffic, customer activity, and site operations. So when Delahunty observed Crocs flying off the shelves, she was essentially doing her own version of a channel check. Dan Egan, VP of behavioral finance and investing at the financial advisory company Betterment, says investors should proceed cautiously, but investing based on what you observe in your own day-to-day can indeed be a viable framework, especially for more casual investors. "If you find it engaging and intellectually stimulating, and you like talking about investment strategies, it's totally fine. Go ahead and do it," Egan said. However, he cautions investors against making this their primary method of investing. If your goal is to achieve risk-adjusted returns, staying diversified through ETFs, index funds, and broad asset allocation strategies is still the best move. For retail investors looking to get some hands-on experience, paying attention to what's around you and putting a little money behind it might be the most intuitive first step there is. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
05-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Forget fundamentals. 4 everyday investors have made winning stock picks with a much simpler strategy.
Say goodbye to Excel spreadsheets, financial statements, and fancy Bloomberg terminals. Some everyday investors have a secret weapon that's leading to winning stock picks. Bob Vanscoy bought Nvidia in 2020, years before the AI boom propelled the company to its current position as the world's most valuable company. The 54-year-old father of two invested after observing his children playing video games during the pandemic. Vanscoy was surprised by the level of detail in the games. "I got to thinking that these were becoming more than just games. They were becoming stories," Vanscoy told Business Insider. "My kids told me Nvidia graphics cards were really, really popular and everyone was to get them." Fast forward to today, and Vanscoy holds 1,292 shares at a cost basis of $6.76 per share, brokerage statements viewed by Business Insider show. He's notched a gain of 1,593.15% on his investment, which is worth about $147,977. Vanscoy isn't the only investor who's made stock picks based on things his kids were into. Mikhaela Delahunty, a 42-year-old PR specialist, bought Crocs stock in 2022 after seeing the shoes everywhere. "They were sold out, and my kids were begging me for some really strange colored plastic shoes," Delahunty said. She did some more research, found that Crocs had recently completed an acquisition and posted strong earnings, and bought in. While Delahunty sold out of her stock positions last year to free up liquidity to grow her business, her gut instinct was correct. Today, Crocs is rated favorably across Wall Street, with an over 60% buy rating among analysts, according to Bloomberg. "The power that tweens have on the purchasing decisions of their parents is remarkable, and you can't ever discount that," Delahunty said. Invest in what you know While picking stocks based on vibes of the moment might seem a lot less precise than what the Wall Street pros are doing, it's actually not that dar removed from traditional investing wisdom. As Warren Buffett famously advised: invest in what you understand. Some retail investors have put this mindset into action by using their day jobs to glean investing insights. Etienne Breton, a 47-year-old technical expert at a manufacturing company, invested in Palantir after realizing the software company's solutions were sorely needed at his job. "I realized it could solve the exact problem I saw at my own job: data trapped in disconnected silos, with brittle patches, custom code, and no flexibility," Breton said. Another Palantir investor, 33-year-old Sherry Jiang, was drawn to the company because of her career ambitions. "I was really curious about potentially working there, and I actually interviewed there," Jiang said. She ultimately took a job at Google instead. After a few years, Jiang left to start her personal finance company, Peek. But she kept tabs on Palantir and bought shares last year. "I still follow Palantir because I really believe in their edge. It's not just in the technology but also in their long-standing relationships with extremely sticky customers, like governments," Jiang said. Both Breton and Jiang's bets have paid off handsomely. Breton has amassed 17,800 shares of Palantir, with some as low as $6 a share. While Jiang's holding isn't quite as large, her 218 shares of Palantir at a cost basis of $23 have delivered strong returns as the shares surged in recent months. Ask an expert What do the pros think about this strategy? As it turns out, even some of Wall Street 's biggest firms rely on similar instincts in addition to crunching numbers. Analysts often conduct "channel checks" by visiting physical locations to observe foot traffic, customer activity, and site operations. So when Delahunty observed Crocs flying off the shelves, she was essentially doing her own version of a channel check. Dan Egan, VP of behavioral finance and investing at the financial advisory company Betterment, says investors should proceed cautiously, but investing based on what you observe in your own day-to-day can indeed be a viable framework, especially for more casual investors. "If you find it engaging and intellectually stimulating, and you like talking about investment strategies, it's totally fine. Go ahead and do it," Egan said. However, he cautions investors against making this their primary method of investing. If your goal is to achieve risk-adjusted returns, staying diversified through ETF s, index funds, and broad asset allocation strategies is still the best move. For retail investors looking to get some hands-on experience, paying attention to what's around you and putting a little money behind it might be the most intuitive first step there is.
Perth Now
23-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
The annual amount you now need to retire — and it's not $1m
If you're hoping to draw a line under your working life come the new financial year next week — but you're yet to run the numbers on exactly how much money you're likely to splash about each year in retirement — rest easy. The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia is still doing the heavy lifting for you and reckons a so-called 'comfortable' standard of living will now set couples in their mid-60s back $73,875 a year. For a single, the group's latest quarterly snapshot of the cost of living in retirement, released last week, is $52,383. For comparison, Centrelink's full age pension is currently $43,753 for couples and $29,024 for singles. The cost of a comfortable retirement includes top-level health insurance, fast internet and streaming services, an above-average car, regular leisure activities, occasional restaurant meals, regular wardrobe updates, home repairs or upgrades, annual domestic travel and an overseas trip every seven years. It also assumes the retirees own their own home. When viewed as a total nest egg balance, a couple hoping to live a little and aim for a comfortable retirement will need $690,000. For a single, it's $595,000. But those approaching retirement without any of these magic numbers in their nest egg shouldn't panic. The figures often work in conjunction with supplemental income through a part-pension, and financial advisers also say it's important to remember that annual spending falls as retirees get older. The annual figures are up 1.6 per cent from the March quarter as the higher cost of meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables and electricity offset a near 8 per cent fall in the price of international travel and accommodation as peak season demand waned for trips to Europe in the December holiday period. ASFA chief executive Mary Delahunty said while retirees were enjoying some relief from slowing inflation, essentials costs remained a concern. 'Australians in retirement are starting to benefit from a slowdown in inflation, but the prices of essentials are still rising,' Ms Delahunty said. 'It's a timely reminder that achieving a dignified retirement takes planning, and superannuation plays a critical role in making that possible.' A so-called modest standard of living for retirees now costs $48,184 for couples and $33,386 for singles. That means basic health insurance and limited gap payments, basic mobile, modest internet data allowance, owning a cheaper, older, more basic car, few leisure or travel activities, limited home repairs and keeping a close eye on utility costs. ASFA has been generating its Retirement Standard for two decades. In a sign of the times as homeownership becomes beyond the reach of many people, with an increasing number of Australians likely to be renting in retirement, it has now added budgets for retirees living at the modest level in private rentals to the benchmark guide. It estimates a single renter aged around 65 would need $46,663 a year, with a couple needing $64,259, to retire at a modest level. The lump sums at retirement needed are estimated to be $340,000 for a single and $385,000 for a couple. It said the budgets were significantly above what is provided by the full age pension and highlight the key role superannuation plays for retirees who rent. 'These new figures demonstrate how important it is that we build more homes in this country so Australians can buy a house or an apartment,' Ms Delahunty said.. 'They also illustrate how super can be the difference between hardship and stability later in life, especially for renters, which is why we need to keep it safe for retirement.'
Agriland
14-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Forage maize crops ‘well through the plastic at this stage'
Early sown forage maize crops are a month ahead of this time last year, according to a prominent Co. Kilkenny-based agricultural contractor. Edward Delahunty told Agriland that this is the specifically the case for maize grown under plastic. He said: 'The crops are well through the plastic at this stage. They have established well and are now growing strongly, thanks to the current warm and dry conditions.' The Co. Kilkenny grower is quick to claim that using plastic adds significantly to the cost of growing maize. 'It's an investment worth making,' he stressed. 'The additional heat created around the freshly planted seeds helps to boost germination rates. 'The plastic also acts to retain moisture around the newly germinated seedlings. And, again this helps to improves growth rates at the all-important early development stage of the crop.' Delahunty noted, at that stage, most of the work entailed in growing the crops is completed. 'It's now a case of waiting to see what the harvest will bring,' he said. The tremendous start to the 2025 maize growing season is raising hopes of a September harvest date for many crops. The Kilkenny based contractor and farmer also grows maize without the use of plastic. And here again, the news is positive. 'The crops are well established at this stage. They will receive a herbicide over the coming days,' he said. 'Maize grown without the use of plastic will also benefit from an application of foliar nitrogen and trace elements. 'And, again, this issue will be addressed over the coming days.' Demand for forage maize Meanwhile demand for forage maize continues to grow at an exponential rate. 'We can't keep up with demand,' said Delahunty. 'Even farmers who would normally have enough grass silage to get them through the winter are using maize. 'They recognise its value as a valuable energy source for stock. Maize now represents an essential component of most buffer feeds.' Recent years have seen the breeding of maize varieties that are specifically suited to the Irish climate, a process that is continuing. Maize is also seen as a sump for large quantities of farmyard manures and slurries. Another perceived advantage of growing maize crops under Irish conditions is the minimal disease threat they encounter. Significantly, Delahunty told Agriland that moisture stress is not an issue within any of his maize crops at the present time. Met Éireann is predicting no significant rain in the forecast until at least the beginning of the week commencing Monday, May 26.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Superannuation warning as new $73,000 retirement reality exposed
The amount of money Australians need to retire comfortably has increased slightly over the last 12 months, following a rough couple of years of high inflation. But new figures reveal pressures have finally started to ease. The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) found couples aged 65 now need $73,077 per year combined to achieve a comfortable retirement, while singles need $51,805. This assumes the retiree owns their own home outright. The budgets for a modest retirement were basically unchanged at $47,470 for couples and $32,897 for singles. The super body said the new figures highlighted that Aussies likely needed to top up their superannuation with voluntary contributions to ensure they achieve the kind of retirement they need. RELATED Retirement offer for Australians from idyllic island with no tax offers: 'Enjoy' Surprise winner after Woolworths and Aldi comparison grocery shop: 'More expensive' 'Red flag' NAB banker noticed before blocking $440,000 payment: 'Didn't add up' The cost of a comfortable lifestyle rose by around 1.3 per cent over the last 12 months, which was just over half of the Consumer Price Index of 2.4 per cent over the same period. Retiree costs rose by 0.1 per cent in the December quarter, with falling electricity prices helping to keep costs low. Electricity prices fell 9.9 per cent in the quarter, largely driven by commonwealth energy rebates. ASFA CEO Mary Delahunty said there had been a "substantial easing in price for the goods and services' that retirees purchase.'However, the last couple of years of high inflation are still weighing on their ability to fund a comfortable retirement,' she said. Insurance costs rose 1.1 per cent, which was the weakest quarterly rise since June 2022, while food prices were up 3 per cent. Domestic holiday travel and accommodation rose by 5.7 per cent due to increased demand. The superannuation body calculated the superannuation lump sums needed for a comfortable retirement at age 67 were $690,000 for a couple and $595,000 for a single. It's worth noting that Super Consumers has put this amount lower at $420,000 for a couple and $310,000 for a single to maintain their living standards in retirement, combined with the age pension. Delahunty said recent strong investment returns were helping retirees and those planning for retirement to reach their desired retirement lifestyles, but warned topping up superannuation would be necessary. 'The most recent Retirement Standard budgets reinforce the fact that Australians need both compulsory superannuation and voluntary contributions which are preserved until retirement to have the sort of retirement they need and deserve,' Delahunty said. Balanced super funds showed a typical return of at least 10.5 per cent in 2024, with some funds recording nearly 12 per cent. SuperRatings found monthly returns turned negative in February, which marked the second negative monthly return for the financial year, as the risks of US President Donald Trump's tariffs loomed. Despite the Reserve Bank cutting interest rates in February, both Australian and international share markets, which are key drivers of super fund returns, declined over the month. 'The impact of tariffs on China and potential flow on effects to the Australian economy in particular influenced Australian share expectations, offsetting any potential benefit from the reduction in interest rates,' the group said. While markets are more turbulent, SuperRatings executive director Kirby Rappell said it was important for Aussies to remember that superannuation was about long-term outcomes.
