Stock Spotlight

Michael
  • 4.7 (3)
  • Investing
  • Updated Monthly

Stock Spotlight is a podcast dedicated to highlighting intriguing investment opportunities. In each episode, host Michael examines stocks that have earned a "watch" or "pass" rating on his 33 question research checklist. Listeners can expect a thorough exploration of selected companies, covering business models, financial performance and industry positioning. The show also features guest Q&As with other investors and delves into broader investing topics, as well.

  1. Aug 19

    Quarterly Portfolio Review: What I Sold, Bought & Still Own | $TOST, $BKNG

    In this episode of Stock Spotlight, host Michael opens up his portfolio and walks through what has changed since his last quarterly review, including the stocks he sold, bought and how his individual stock positions fit together today. Michael explains why he exited Nintendo ($NTDOY) and Honeywell Aerospace ($HONA), why he added Intuitive Surgical ($ISRG) and Karman Holdings ($KRMN) and then goes deeper on two current holdings: Toast ($TOST) and Booking Holdings ($BKNG). For Toast and Booking, he breaks down: ​ Why he owns each company and what has changed​ The KPIs he’s watching most closely​ The biggest debate around each stock​ How he’s thinking about valuation today​ A Green / Yellow / Red rating The goal is to make portfolio management more transparent: not just what Michael owns, but why each position earns its place and what could cause him to change his mind. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Intro 00:50 Portfolio Snapshot 02:25 Portfolio Changes 09:55 Company 1: Toast ($TOST) 17:43 Company 2: Booking Holdings ($BKNG) 26:44 Outro ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intro Music: Andrey Rossi – Seize the Day Outro Music: Ra – Prospect *Music provided by Uppbeat Premium Follow me on X: https://x.com/invest091 Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stockspotlightpodcast Subscribe to the newsletter: https://stockspotlightpodcast.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: The host of Stock Spotlight is not a licensed financial advisor. The information and opinions shared during the show are for entertainment purposes only.

    Quarterly Portfolio Review: What I Sold, Bought & Still Own | $TOST, $BKNG

  2. Aug 3

    $MELI: What Investors May Be Misreading Heading Into Earnings

    MercadoLibre ($MELI) is widely followed, but some of the most important parts of the investment case remain misunderstood. In this episode of Stock Spotlight, host Michael reconnects with Shivam following his trip to Brazil and his presentation on the company to professional investors. They discuss what Shivam’s local observations revealed about the strength of MELI’s ecosystem, why investors may be misreading the credit book and near-term margin pressure, and how the company is gaining ground in Mexico while confronting Chinese cross-border competition. The conversation then turns to the key questions heading into earnings: whether current spending is strengthening MELI’s moat or weakening its economics, how investors should normalize reported cash flow and whether the company is best valued through a DCF or Sum-of-the-Parts framework. The episode closes with the expectations embedded in today’s valuation, the metrics that could break the thesis and a rapid-fire round on topics not covered earlier. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Intro 01:22 What Brazil Revealed 04:28 The Geographic Playbook 10:14 The Credit Book: Moat or Hidden Leverage? 16:13 Finding MELI's True Cash Flow 19:17 How Should Investors Value MELI? 22:24 Market Expectations Moving Forward 24:26 Rapid-Fire Questions 28:46 Outro ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intro Music: Andrey Rossi – Seize the Day Outro Music: Ra – Prospect *Music provided by Uppbeat Premium Follow me on X: https://x.com/invest091 Follow Shivam on X: https://x.com/shivamkashan Check out Shivam's website: https://kvcapitalgroup.com Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stockspotlightpodcast Subscribe to the newsletter: https://stockspotlightpodcast.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: The host of Stock Spotlight is not a licensed financial advisor. The information and opinions shared during the show are for entertainment purposes only.

    $MELI: What Investors May Be Misreading Heading Into Earnings

  3. Jul 30

    Great Business, Bad Stock? Valuing Ferrari and Costco with Fajasy

    A great company is not automatically a great investment at any price. That is one of the hardest lessons for quality-focused investors because the better the business looks, the easier it becomes to justify paying too much. In this episode, host Michael is joined by Fajasy, founder of StableBread, to examine how much future growth is already embedded in two high-quality businesses: Ferrari and Costco. Using Residual Earnings valuation, Reverse DCF analysis and market-implied Competitive Advantage Period models, Michael and Fajasy separate the value supported by current fundamentals from the portion investors are paying for years of future growth. Why does Ferrari's premium valuation appear easier to defend? And what would Costco need to achieve for its current price to make sense? Tune in if you want a practical framework for deciding when business quality is already fully priced into a stock. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Intro 01:17 Introducing Fajasy and StableBread 05:14 What Residual Earnings Means 12:19 Ferrari Residual Earnings Analysis 17:00 Costco Residual Earnings Analysis 21:41 Michael's Reverse DCF Analysis 25:38 Michael's Competitive Advantage Period (CAP) Model 28:21 Final Thoughts 32:11 Rapid-Fire Questions 34:58 Outro ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intro Music: Andrey Rossi – Seize the Day Outro Music: Ra – Prospect *Music provided by Uppbeat Premium Follow me on X: https://x.com/invest091 Follow Fajasy on X: https://x.com/stablebread Check out his website: https://StableBread.com Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stockspotlightpodcast Subscribe to the newsletter: https://stockspotlightpodcast.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: The host of Stock Spotlight is not a licensed financial advisor. The information and opinions shared during the show are for entertainment purposes only.

    Great Business, Bad Stock? Valuing Ferrari and Costco with Fajasy

  4. Jul 22

    The Most Important Financial KPI: Your Savings Rate

    Most investors spend countless hours researching stocks, building valuation models and trying to improve their investment returns. But before your portfolio can compound wealth, you first have to create the capital to invest. In this episode, I explain why I believe your savings rate is the single most important financial KPI, share two simple examples that quantify its long-term impact and introduce a Personal Capital Allocation Dashboard with four metrics I use to think about my own finances. If you enjoy analyzing great businesses, this episode will show you how to apply that same framework to your own financial life. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Intro 00:55 Think Like A Great Business 02:49 The Power of a Higher Savings Rate 04:06 Personal Capital Allocation Dashboard 07:11 Outro ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intro Music: Andrey Rossi – Seize the Day Outro Music: Ra – Prospect *Music provided by Uppbeat Premium Follow me on X: https://x.com/invest091 Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stockspotlightpodcast Subscribe to the newsletter: https://stockspotlightpodcast.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: The host of Stock Spotlight is not a licensed financial advisor. The information and opinions shared during the show are for entertainment purposes only.

    The Most Important Financial KPI: Your Savings Rate

  5. Jul 16

    Rivian Automotive ($RIVN): Survival Story or the Next Automotive Platform?

    Rivian Automotive ($RIVN) might be one of the most polarizing companies in the market today. Customers seem to love the vehicles, the brand continues to gain traction and the R2 launch could dramatically expand its addressable market. Yet the stock remains well below its highs as investors question Rivian’s path to profitability, manufacturing scale and long-term viability. More recently, however, sentiment appears to be improving: $RIVN has returned approximately 19% over the past 3 months, outperforming $SPY’s 11%, while also generating renewed momentum across social media. In Episode 33 of Stock Spotlight, host Michael is joined by @PositionJournal from X to examine the Rivian investment thesis from both a financial and strategic perspective. We discuss the R1 and R2 product lineup, why the R2 may be the most important launch in the company’s history, the Volkswagen software partnership, software and services revenue, autonomy ambitions, Amazon’s role and whether Rivian can expand beyond premium EV manufacturing into a more diversified automotive technology business. Tune in if you’re interested in electric vehicles, disruptive technology, software-defined vehicles, autonomy or automotive investing, and want to understand what Rivian must accomplish for its recent momentum to develop into a durable investment thesis. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Intro 01:31 What is Rivian Really? 06:48 Product Love, Stock Pain 12:31 Why R2 Matters So Much 22:25 Volkswagen Partnership 26:03 Software Services - The Second Business 28:38 The Long Game - Mind Robotics 33:16 Strategic Backers 37:05 Valuation and Market Expectations 40:50 Lightning Round 43:55 Outro ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intro Music: Andrey Rossi – Seize the Day Outro Music: Ra – Prospect *Music provided by Uppbeat Premium Follow me on X: https://x.com/invest091 Follow PositionJournal on X: https://x.com/PositionJournal Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stockspotlightpodcast Subscribe to the newsletter: https://stockspotlightpodcast.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: The host of Stock Spotlight is not a licensed financial advisor. The information and opinions shared during the show are for entertainment purposes only.

    Rivian Automotive ($RIVN): Survival Story or the Next Automotive Platform?

  6. Jul 9

    Napco Security Technologies ($NSSC): Hardware Company or Recurring Revenue Compounder?

    In Episode 32 of Stock Spotlight, host Michael dives deep into Napco Security Technologies ($NSSC), a founder-led small-cap security company serving the professional alarm, locking, access control and fire communication markets. At first glance, Napco looks like a niche hardware manufacturer with uneven equipment demand. But underneath that hardware business is a recurring service revenue stream with 90%+ Gross Margins, raising the bigger question: is $NSSC quietly becoming a higher-quality recurring revenue compounder? During the episode, Michael takes Napco through his full investment framework, including business quality, industry structure, KPIs to track, financial statement analysis, leadership and incentives, valuation and technical setup. Topics include recurring service revenue growth, equipment margin recovery, the 2023 accounting restatement, EV/EBIT valuation, FCF Yield, Owner Earnings Yield and 5-YR TSR underwriting. Finally, Michael explains why $NSSC is a watch at the current price of $37 and how an entry in the low $30s could make the risk/reward more compelling. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Intro 02:17 Investment Checklist & Database 02:49 Business Overview 10:36 Industry Overview 14:45 Quality Growth Profile 19:41 Financial Statement Overview 24:46 KPIs to Track 26:27 Leadership & Incentives 31:40 Valuation 35:46 Technical Analysis 37:27 Verdict 41:51 Outro ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intro Music: Andrey Rossi – Seize the Day Outro Music: Ra – Prospect *Music provided by Uppbeat Premium Follow me on X: https://x.com/invest091 Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stockspotlightpodcast Subscribe to the newsletter: https://stockspotlightpodcast.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: The host of Stock Spotlight is not a licensed financial advisor. The information and opinions shared during the show are for entertainment purposes only.

    Napco Security Technologies ($NSSC): Hardware Company or Recurring Revenue Compounder?

  7. Jun 24

    $HONA: Is Honeywell Aerospace Worth Buying After the Spin-Off?

    Is Honeywell Aerospace a compelling spin-off opportunity on June 29th or is the market already pricing it like a premium aerospace asset? In Episode 31 of Stock Spotlight, host Michael breaks down the $HONA spin-off, the implied equity value and enterprise value from the when-issued price and the valuation debate around 2026E EV/Adjusted EBIT. The business has a lot to like: commercial aftermarket exposure, Defense & Space, RMUs, long-life aerospace platforms and broad aircraft content. But the starting valuation is not obviously cheap and the company is expected to come public with meaningful debt. Michael closes with the bigger portfolio question: do I actually need more aerospace exposure or is $HONA differentiated enough to justify doubling down on one of the highest-quality industrial end markets? Listen if you want a clear framework for evaluating $HONA before buying: what the market is pricing in, what has to go right and whether this spin-off deserves a spot on your watch or buy list. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Intro 01:24 Spin-Offs 04:27 Honeywell Aerospace 08:08 Valuation 10:51 Management's Framework & Risks 12:33 Portfolio Fit 15:04 Outro ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intro Music: Andrey Rossi – Seize the Day Outro Music: Ra – Prospect *Music provided by Uppbeat Premium Follow me on X: @invest091 Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stockspotlightpodcast Subscribe to the newsletter: https://stockspotlightpodcast.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: The host of Stock Spotlight is not a licensed financial advisor. The information and opinions shared during the show are for entertainment purposes only.

    $HONA: Is Honeywell Aerospace Worth Buying After the Spin-Off?

  8. Jun 17

    Building a Portfolio You Can Actually Stick With

    In this episode of Stock Spotlight, I’m joined by Blake Fischer, an independent investment advisor and fellow investor, to discuss how to build a portfolio you can actually stick with through different market environments. We explore the evolution from stock picking to portfolio construction, why diversification may be making a comeback after a decade dominated by U.S. mega-cap growth and how investors should think about assets like bonds, gold, international equities and managed futures. We also dive into the often-overlooked role of investor psychology. Blake shares insights from working with clients across different stages of life, explaining why the “optimal” portfolio on paper is often very different from the portfolio someone can realistically hold through market volatility. Whether you're a new investor sitting on excess cash, a stock picker looking to improve diversification, or someone thinking more seriously about long-term wealth preservation, this conversation offers practical frameworks for building a portfolio that balances return potential with peace of mind. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Intro 02:29 Blake's Investing Background 11:29 Why Diversification Matters Again 15:24 What "All Weather" Actually Means 19:39 Traditional Diversifiers 41:12 Managed Futures & Trend Following 46:30 Portfolio Construction Philosophy 49:20 Closing Thoughts 56:10 Outro ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intro Music: Andrey Rossi – Seize the Day Outro Music: Ra – Prospect *Music provided by Uppbeat Premium Follow me on X: @invest091 Follow Blake on X: @DDBlakeFischer Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stockspotlightpodcast Subscribe to the newsletter: https://stockspotlightpodcast.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: The host of Stock Spotlight is not a licensed financial advisor. The information and opinions shared during the show are for entertainment purposes only.

    Building a Portfolio You Can Actually Stick With
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Stock Spotlight is a podcast dedicated to highlighting intriguing investment opportunities. In each episode, host Michael examines stocks that have earned a "watch" or "pass" rating on his 33 question research checklist. Listeners can expect a thorough exploration of selected companies, covering business models, financial performance and industry positioning. The show also features guest Q&As with other investors and delves into broader investing topics, as well.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Michael
  • Show Website
    Stock Spotlight

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