261 episodes

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.

Stock Stories Alex Mason

    • Business
    • 4.9 • 57 Ratings

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.

    FedEx (FDX) - Big Moat, Small Margins

    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

    • 15 min
    Morgan Stanley (MS) - Wealth Management Powerhouse

    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

    • 14 min
    Citigroup (C) - Lowest Price Big Bank Stock

    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
    Bank of America (BAC) - Trading Below Book Value

    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

    • 12 min
    100 Stock Market Investing Lessons

    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

    • 1 hr 50 min
    Goldman Sachs (GS) - Top Deal-Maker On Wall Street

    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

    • 16 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
57 Ratings

57 Ratings

James124456789 ,

Great podcast

Alex’s analysis of each stock is what makes the podcast unique, the production keeps outdoing the last episode.

LimaLocs ,

My Fav Investment Podcast

Your podcast is my favorite by far in my investment education journey. You are very detailed but easily understood. I love the fact that you focus on how to improve mindset which is what gets us new investors into hot water. I promote this podcast series to all of my friends and family and they said they enjoy it as well. I also like the fact that you speak in a normal tone and pace and fast talking like some of these podcast hosts on the platform as if you are selling something at an auction. Each and every time I listen to your podcasts I become more confident about my decision to invest and I thank you for that because I’m coming from a scarcity money mindset and have always been scared to assume risk with money. Again great content and thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Vballdavid05 ,

Awesome!

Way to go Mason! Found you through Radical Personal Finance. Would love to potentially host you on Getting Money Right sometime.
Warmly,
David Thompson

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