Stock Stories

Alex Mason
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This is the podcast that helps you decode the business behind the stock. Join Alex Mason, your stock storyteller, as we journey through the S&P 500, mental models, and more.

  1. 07/10/2023

    FedEx (FDX) - Big Moat, Small Margins

    Today we're looking at one of the world's largest transportation companies, Federal Express (better known as FedEx). We'll discuss the history, business model, and financials of this logistics giant. History: [01:02] Business Model: [03:27] Financials: [05:47] Stock Price: [13:08] 🎧 Listen to 250+ episodes on other companies and mental models: https://stockstoryteller.com/podcast/ Disclaimer: Everything shared is for informational and educational purposes only.  Nothing I share on this platform should be construed as financial, tax, or legal advice.  Please consult a competent professional who can assist with your specific needs and circumstances. Email: alex@stockstoriespodcast.com

    16 min

  2. 07/03/2023

    Morgan Stanley (MS) - Wealth Management Powerhouse

    Morgan Stanley's Origins and Glass-Steagall Act [00:00:00] Merger with Dean Witter and Diversification [00:02:27] Financials and Business Segments of Morgan Stanley [00:04:51] Debt Issuance and Payments [00:10:35] Increasing Cash Dividends [00:11:45] Stock Performance and Valuation [00:12:49] 🎧 Listen to 200+ episodes on other companies and mental models: https://stockstoryteller.com/podcast/ Disclaimer: Everything shared is for informational and educational purposes only.  Nothing I share on this platform should be construed as financial, tax, or legal advice.  Please consult a competent professional who can assist with your specific needs and circumstances. Email: alex@stockstoriespodcast.com

    15 min

  3. 06/29/2023

    Citigroup (C) - Lowest Price Big Bank Stock

    Today we'll learn about Citigroup, one of the Big Four American banks. Like its peers, Citi has had a tumultuous history. Is the stock worth the price at current levels? History of Citigroup [00:02:26] Citigroup's history, from its founding in the early 1800s to its expansion and innovation in the 20th century, to its acquisition of Travelers Group and subsequent spinoff, to its troubles during the financial crisis and eventual return to profitability. Citi's Business Model [00:04:50] An overview of Citigroup's business model, including its five major markets: banking, personal banking, markets, Citi Global Wealth, and services. Citigroup's Financials [00:07:00] A summary of Citigroup's financial data over the past several years, including its revenue, net income, dividends, and share repurchases. Citigroup's stock price performance [00:10:22] Citigroup's stock price has been flat over a year and down over 30% over the past five years. The market is pricing it lower than its peers, but it could be a good stock to own potentially. Earnings yield and dividend yield of Citigroup [00:11:20] The earnings yield of Citigroup stock is 15%, and the dividend yield is 4.39%, which is higher than average in the market right now. Is Citigroup a potential value play? [00:12:26] Citigroup could be a potential value play, but it depends on whether you want to own a bank with slower growing revenues compared to its peers. 🎧 Listen to 200+ episodes on other companies and mental models: https://stockstoryteller.com/podcast/ Disclaimer: Everything shared is for informational and educational purposes only.  Nothing I share on this platform should be construed as financial, tax, or legal advice.  Please consult a competent professional who can assist with your specific needs and circumstances. Email: alex@stockstoriespodcast.com

    13 min

  4. 06/26/2023

    Bank of America (BAC) - Trading Below Book Value

    Bank of America has become one of the largest banks in the United States, and has rebounded nicely from the Great Recession of 2008. We'll look at the history, business model, and financials of this banking giant. 01:17 - History of Bank of America. The founder of Bank of America, Amadeo Peter Giannini, opened the Bank of Italy in San Francisco in 1904, which later merged with another bank in Los Angeles in 1928 and was renamed Bank of America. The bank expanded through acquisitions and innovations such as the Bank America card, which later became Visa. 05:37 - Bank of America's Recovery. After suffering major losses from acquiring Countrywide Financial, Bank of America paid over $23 billion in fines and downsized, but returned to growth in 2015 and is now the second largest bank by deposits in the US. 08:01 - Financials of Bank of America. Bank of America's financials show mid single-digit growth across all segments, indicating a diversified financial business. The bank has seen gradual growth in interest income and revenue, and has been actively buying back shares while paying out a dividend. 🎧 Listen to 200+ episodes on other companies and mental models: https://stockstoryteller.com/podcast/ Disclaimer: Everything shared is for informational and educational purposes only.  Nothing I share on this platform should be construed as financial, tax, or legal advice.  Please consult a competent professional who can assist with your specific needs and circumstances. Email: alex@stockstoriespodcast.com

    13 min

  5. 06/02/2023

    100 Stock Market Investing Lessons

    Check out these 100 stock market investing lessons below! For all of the fun visuals, check out the video on the Stock Stories YouTube channel. 0:51 - (1) Why Invest? 01:57 - (2) Investing Goals 03:00 - (3) Put Your Money To Work 03:39 - (4) What's Your Goal? 05:15 - (5) Shares = Business Ownership 06:07 - (6) Intrinsic Value 07:15 - (7) Greed vs Fear 08:03 - (8) Margin of Safety 09:00 - (9) Don't Fall In Love 09:30 - (10) Investing Takes Time 10:08 - (11) High Interest Debt 10:49 - (12) Asset Class Time Horizon 11:40 - (13) 10-K Filings 12:32 - (14) 13-K Filings 13:29 - (15) CEO's Letter to Shareholders 14:07 - (16) The Three Financial Statements 15:02 - (17) Assets vs Liabilities 15:59 - (18) Revenue vs Profits 16:58 - (19) Price to Sales Ratio 17:46 - (20) Price to Earnings Ratio 18:21 - (21) Trading Stocks 19:39 - (22) Active vs Passive 20:58 - (23) Age as Proof of Concept 21:54 - (24) Timeless Businesses 23:14 - (25) Young Businesses 24:11 - (26) Size Matters 25:45 - (27) Initial Public Offerings 27:33 - (28) Brand Strength 28:43 - (29) Oil and Biotech Volatility 30:15 - (30) Boring Businesses 30:39 - (31) Exciting Businesses 31:43 - (32) Beat Inflation 32:38 - (33) Returns Don't Matter...At First 33:34 - (34) Fees Matter 34:16 - (35) Asset Location 35:19 - (36) Capital Gains Taxes 36:09 - (37) Index Funds 36:55 - (38) Index Fund Components 37:59 - (39) 80% Under-perform 38:38 - (40) 20% Over-perform 39:16 - (41) Timing the Market 41:27 - (42) Opportunity Cost 42:29 - (43) Portfolio Personality 43:43 - (44) Invest Internationally 44:51 - (45) Structural Issues 45:45 - (46) Worst Industries 47:38 - (47) Best Industries 49:34 - (48) Industry Characteristics 50:13 - (49) Old and New Industries 50:56 - (50) Businesses Evolve 52:06 - (51) Volatility by Size 52:46 - (52) Quality of Earnings 54:36 - (53) High Regulation 55:55 - (54) Barrier to Entry 57:50 - (55) Perpetual Debt 59:19 - (56) Low Debt 60:23 - (57) Interest Rates 61:55 - (58) Top Index Components 63:37 - (59) Cash Is King 65:25 - (60) Share Dilution 66:46 - (61) Share Buybacks 67:54 - (62) Failure 68:37 - (63) Buyouts 69:13 - (64) Efficient Market Theory 71:28 - (65) Analyst Over-optimism 72:32 - (66) Mismatched Expectations 73:38 - (67) Insider Buying 74:40 - (68) ESOP 75:18 - (69) Dividends at Mature Firms 76:06 - (70) Dividends at Young Firms 76:29 - (71) Dividend Growth and Quality 77:34 - (72) Small But Profitable 79:02 - (73) Risk Shifting 80:00 - (74) 100 Baggers 81:10 - (75) Unicorns 81:44 - (76) Value Trap 82:40 - (77) Business vs Stock Performance 83:29 - (78) ROE Definition 84:04 - (79) Long Term Value = ROE 85:03 - (80) Valuation and Expectations 85:50 - (81) Average Business, Super Cheap 86:28 - (82) Excellent Business, Super Expensive 87:06 - (83) Three Dimensions of a Stock 88:13 - (84) Leverage Effects 89:09 - (85) Three-Legged Stool 90:33 - (86) Risk-Adjusted Total Return 91:36 - (87) Spin-offs and Split-offs 92:30 - (88) International Expansion 93:51 - (89) Taxes on Foreign Dividends 95:13 - (90) Wash Sale Rule 95:57 - (91) Float 97:40 - (92) Total Addressable Market 99:19 - (93) Volume / Margin Mix 100:49 - (94) Acquisition Logic 102:16 - (95) Industry Stabilization 103:27 - (96) Three Levels of Risk 104:33 - (97) Many Faces of Diversification 105:44 - (98) Debt Structure 106:54 - (99) Horizontal and Vertical Thinking 108:20 - (100) The Most Important Lesson... Email: alex@stockstoriespodcast.com

    1h 50m

  6. 05/31/2023

    Goldman Sachs (GS) - Top Deal-Maker On Wall Street

    In this episode of the Stock Stories podcast, we will be discussing the history, business model, and financials of Goldman Sachs. We will provide a brief history of the company, highlighting its innovation in trading capabilities and investment banking services. Today, Goldman Sachs has three main divisions: global banking and markets, assets and wealth management, and platform solutions. It is worth noting that Goldman Sachs derives most of its revenue from investment activities, with the investment management division showing steady growth. We will also take a look at the balance sheet and cash flow statement of Goldman Sachs, concluding that the stock is not undervalued or overvalued. 00:46 - Goldman Sachs History The history of Goldman Sachs, from its origins in commercial paper trading to its expansion into investment banking and asset management. 05:20 - Goldman Sachs Business Model An overview of Goldman Sachs' business model, including its three main divisions: global banking and markets, assets and wealth management, and platform solutions. 08:21 - Goldman Sachs Financials A breakdown of Goldman Sachs' revenue streams, including investment banking, investment management, commissions and fees, and market making. 10:08 - Goldman Sachs' Revenue  Goldman Sachs' revenue in investment management has steadily grown, while their investment banking division needs improvement. 11:04 - Goldman Sachs' Expenses and Profits  Goldman Sachs' expenses are mostly compensation and benefits, with a profit of 107 billion in 2022, a far cry from the 21 billion in 2021. 13:48 - Goldman Sachs' Cash Flow and Stock Performance Goldman Sachs has a good cash position relative to their loans, invests in acquisitions and technology, pays dividends, and has a stock price history of 38% growth in the past five years. Email: alex@stockstoriespodcast.com

    17 min

  7. 05/12/2023

    Wells Fargo (WFC) - From Stagecoach Company to Modern Bank

    Today we discuss the importance of conservatism in banking and the risks of not managing risk well. He then analyzes the history, business model, and financials of Wells Fargo, noting that the bank is a fundamentally good business with potential for growth. Despite a decline in revenue due to economic headwinds and a scandal related to fraudulent cross-selling, I believe that Wells Fargo is simplifying its operations and positioning itself for strong shareholder returns in the future. While I would prefer a slightly cheaper valuation, I do consider Wells Fargo to be a good business and a potential investment opportunity. 00:46 - History of Wells Fargo The founding of Wells Fargo by Henry Wells and William Fargo, their early courier business, and the company's expansion to the West Coast during the gold rush.  05:33 - Divisions of Wells Fargo An overview of Wells Fargo's four main divisions: consumer banking, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, and wealth and investment management. 07:38 - Financials of Wells Fargo  A breakdown of Wells Fargo's revenue, including net interest income and non-interest income, and how the company is still recovering from the scandal related to fraudulent cross-selling. 09:28 - Valuation of Wells Fargo  Alex Mason discusses the valuation of Wells Fargo's stock, which he believes is relatively cheap at 11 times earnings. Email: alex@stockstoriespodcast.com

    11 min

  8. 05/05/2023

    The Big Project Revealed!

    In today's episode, I reveal the big project that I've been working on for the past year. Email: alex@stockstoriespodcast.com

    11 min
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About

This is the podcast that helps you decode the business behind the stock. Join Alex Mason, your stock storyteller, as we journey through the S&P 500, mental models, and more.

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Mason
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2023
  • Episodes
    261
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Stock Stories
  • Show Website
    Stock Stories