#47 - Skiing & Investing Parallels

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Writing from Big Sky, Montana on a ski trip with friends this week we will cover U.S. manufacturing and logistic investments, the February Freedom Fund recap, and the similarities between skiing and investing.

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Market Recap

• Eli Lilly ($LLY) Expands U.S. Manufacturing with $27 Billion Investment

  • The investment is expected to create over 3,000 high-skilled jobs and employ 10,000 construction workers.

  • Three plants will produce active pharmaceutical ingredients, while the fourth will manufacture injectable medicines, including treatments like Mounjaro.

  • This move aligns with the Trump administration's push for domestic manufacturing, amid potential tariffs on pharmaceutical imports.

• Humanoid Robotics in Action: Key Private Companies & Deployments

  • Agility Robotics Digit, is currently deployed at a Spanx distribution center operated by GXO Logistics in Flowery Branch, Georgia. The robots handle tasks like retrieving bins, stacking, and transporting goods to conveyor belts. The company claims its robots act as a bridge between traditional automation and human workers, offering more flexibility in logistics.

  • Apptronik, a Texas-based company, has begun trials of its humanoid robots at another GXO warehouse. The company focuses on making humanoid robots affordable to justify their adoption across industries. Their robots are designed to handle multiple tasks per shift, making them more efficient than single-purpose machines.

  • While Boston Dynamics is famous for its viral robot demonstrations, the company is shifting toward real-world industrial applications. The company has incorporated AI-powered control systems to enhance robot movement and automation. Boston Dynamics is seen as a longtime innovator, influencing advancements in humanoid robotics.

• Shift4 ($FOUR) Partners with Alterra Mountain Company

  • Shift4 will power all payments across Alterra Mountain Company's 19 destinations, streamlining transactions for hotels, restaurants, lift ticket sales, and online Ikon Pass purchases.

  • The partnership aims to provide a seamless, secure, and efficient payment infrastructure, improving the overall guest experience both on-site and online.

  • Shift4's experience in managing high-volume payment environments across multiple touchpoints makes them an ideal partner as Alterra continues to grow and enhance its destinations.

Freedom Fund Portfolio

• February 2025 Recap

  • Portfolio Value: $27,188.86

  • Total Return Since Inception w/ Dividends: 23.37%

  • February Dividends: $33.69

  • This month the Freedom Fund was generally flatline since last month. Palantir hit all time highs in the $124 range two weeks ago and since then has been hit by almost 30% due to short term sellers capturing profits and selling off. At this point I don’t plan altering my Palantir position as fundamentals for the company have not changed one bit. However I did trim some of my original investment in other private accounts.

  • Tech based stocks such as $TER, $SOFI, $SHOP, $EVLV, and $GOOGL saw some minor decreases due to overall market sentiment being weary of trade wars with the current administration.

• Friday Freedom Fund Purchase:

  • 3 shares of $APLE - Apple Hospitality REIT

  • 4 shares of $SOFI - SoFi Technologies

  • .4342 shares of $WM - Waste Management

    

• Portfolio Earnings

  • $O - Realty Income - 2024 Annual Earnings Report

    • Net income of $872 million. Invested $9.5 billion in property acquisitions, enhancing portfolios across eight countries and multiple property types.

    • Distributed $12.8 billion in dividends since the 1994 NYSE listing, with a compound annual dividend growth rate of 4.3%.

  • $APLE - Apple Hospitality REIT - Q4 2024 Earnings

    • Net income for Q4 2024 was $29.8 million (43.6% increase from $20.8 million in Q4 2023). For the full year 2024, net income reached $214.1 million (20.6%+ from $177.5 million in 2023).

    • In 2024, the company acquired two hotels for a combined $196.3 million and sold six hotels for approximately $63.4 million.

Freedom Fund Background: I created the Freedom Fund as a public brokerage account back in October of 2022 to share that anyone with a social security # and a bank account can begin their investing journey by investing a couple hundred dollars a week. Every week and month I post on X (@GrahamInvesting) public updates about the purchases, exits, dividends, and growth of the fund if you want to follow in real time. The biggest obstacle people have to investing is just getting started so I decided to start a new account at $0 to start from nothing with you.

The Parallels of Skiing and Investing

As a beginning skier keeping up with all your friends on the slopes who are wildly more experienced and fearless is a humbling world to live in. While I make my way down the greens and try to tackle some blues focusing on the fundamentals and they send it on blacks and bowls it is hard not to see the parallels between skiing and investing. The striking similarities between the two worlds often require strategy, risk management, adaptability, and time.

• Preparations & Analysis: In skiing you will constantly be accessing terrain, weather, ski level, runs and lift plans prior to going out for the day and while navigating the mountain. One of the biggest things I have learned in skiing so far is that you are always navigating the runs and lifts you need to take to find the spots for the day and get back down to the base of the mountain in time by the time the lifts close. With investing you are also always analyzing the market, economic conditions, and judging your own risk tolerance to figure out what avenue of investing you want to take.

• Time & Risk Management: Poor timing on a slope can lead to a rough ride or a fall. How you time the mountain during the day deal with the crowds and conditions are essential to a good day on the mountain. With investing, mistimed trades can lead to losses or missed opportunities. Both require patience and careful entry points to maximize success. Skiing and investing all tie back to taking risks into the unknown and while you need to take risks to gain confidence or growth you ultimately need to make sure you are taking calculated risks.

• Adaptability: Skiers adjust technique, speed, and stance based on snow conditions and terrain. Constantly judging if they need to take it slower down a steeper drop or have the ability to go as fast as possible. On the slopes you are constantly having to adapt to the terrain, others around you, and the conditions for the day. Just like with investors it is key to diversify across different asset classes to manage risk in changing markets. While you can become an expert in one asset or one run on the hill the truth is that in order to ski the whole mountain or build a resilient portfolio you have to be able to adjust to all that the mountain or the market throws at you.

• Resilience & Long-Term Focus: The same truth goes for skiing as it does investing… the earlier in your life that you start the better off you will be in the long run. While everyone starts skiing and investing at different ages the more consistent activity in the two over the long run will allow you to build up your skills and growth over the long term. While some of my friends started skiing when they were kids it is so evident that they benefited from the years of compound growth on skis. The longer you focus on learning how to ski or investing the more likely you are to gain more confidence and resiliency to what the two worlds throw at you. And it will allow you to navigate changes with more ease over time.

• The Thrill of The Ride: Both skiing and investing involve calculated risks, but the rewards come from mastering the challenge and making strategic moves. Anyone can buy a stock or drop in on a black diamond run on the mountain but that doesn’t mean you will experience success with it. The thrill of taking risks in both can lead to great success or loss. The important part is that you are taking calculated risks gradually year after year to grow your ability and your portfolio. Getting outside of your comfort zone will always be an avenue for success in the long run.

The purpose of this newsletter is to encourage you and our other 85 Gazette subscribers to start and stay consistent with your personal, professional, and financial journey.

Thanks for investing your time reading this.

-Graham (@GrahamInvesting)

Disclaimer: Graham’s Gazette provides information and resources related to investing, financial topics, and personal growth for educational and entertainment purposes only. The content presented is not intended to be construed as financial advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with qualified professionals before making any financial decisions. Graham’s Gazette and its creators do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information provided nor do they guarantee any specific results from such use of information.