Stock Stories

Alex Mason

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. read less
BusinessBusiness

Episodes

Citigroup (C) - Lowest Price Big Bank Stock
Jun 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
Bank of America (BAC) - Trading Below Book Value
Jun 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
100 Stock Market Investing Lessons
Jun 2 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 Goals03:00 - (3) Put Your Money To Work03:39 - (4) What's Your Goal?05:15 - (5) Shares = Business Ownership06:07 - (6) Intrinsic Value07:15 - (7) Greed vs Fear08:03 - (8) Margin of Safety09:00 - (9) Don't Fall In Love09:30 - (10) Investing Takes Time10:08 - (11) High Interest Debt10:49 - (12) Asset Class Time Horizon11:40 - (13) 10-K Filings12:32 - (14) 13-K Filings13:29 - (15) CEO's Letter to Shareholders14:07 - (16) The Three Financial Statements15:02 - (17) Assets vs Liabilities15:59 - (18) Revenue vs Profits16:58 - (19) Price to Sales Ratio17:46 - (20) Price to Earnings Ratio18:21 - (21) Trading Stocks19:39 - (22) Active vs Passive20:58 - (23) Age as Proof of Concept21:54 - (24) Timeless Businesses23:14 - (25) Young Businesses24:11 - (26) Size Matters25:45 - (27) Initial Public Offerings27:33 - (28) Brand Strength28:43 - (29) Oil and Biotech Volatility30:15 - (30) Boring Businesses30:39 - (31) Exciting Businesses31:43 - (32) Beat Inflation32:38 - (33) Returns Don't Matter...At First33:34 - (34) Fees Matter34:16 - (35) Asset Location35:19 - (36) Capital Gains Taxes36:09 - (37) Index Funds36:55 - (38) Index Fund Components37:59 - (39) 80% Under-perform38:38 - (40) 20% Over-perform39:16 - (41) Timing the Market41:27 - (42) Opportunity Cost42:29 - (43) Portfolio Personality43:43 - (44) Invest Internationally44:51 - (45) Structural Issues45:45 - (46) Worst Industries47:38 - (47) Best Industries49:34 - (48) Industry Characteristics50:13 - (49) Old and New Industries50:56 - (50) Businesses Evolve52:06 - (51) Volatility by Size52:46 - (52) Quality of Earnings54:36 - (53) High Regulation55:55 - (54) Barrier to Entry57:50 - (55) Perpetual Debt59:19 - (56) Low Debt60:23 - (57) Interest Rates61:55 - (58) Top Index Components63:37 - (59) Cash Is King65:25 - (60) Share Dilution66:46 - (61) Share Buybacks67:54 - (62) Failure68:37 - (63) Buyouts69:13 - (64) Efficient Market Theory71:28 - (65) Analyst Over-optimism72:32 - (66) Mismatched Expectations73:38 - (67) Insider Buying74:40 - (68) ESOP75:18 - (69) Dividends at Mature Firms76:06 - (70) Dividends at Young Firms76:29 - (71) Dividend Growth and Quality77:34 - (72) Small But Profitable79:02 - (73) Risk Shifting80:00 - (74) 100 Baggers81:10 - (75) Unicorns81:44 - (76) Value Trap82:40 - (77) Business vs Stock Performance83:29 - (78) ROE Definition84:04 - (79) Long Term Value = ROE85:03 - (80) Valuation and Expectations85:50 - (81) Average Business, Super Cheap86:28 - (82) Excellent Business, Super Expensive87:06 - (83) Three Dimensions of a Stock88:13 - (84) Leverage Effects89:09 - (85) Three-Legged Stool90:33 - (86) Risk-Adjusted Total Return91:36 - (87) Spin-offs and Split-offs92:30 - (88) International Expansion93:51 - (89) Taxes on Foreign Dividends95:13 - (90) Wash Sale Rule95:57 - (91) Float97:40 - (92) Total Addressable Market99:19 - (93) Volume / Margin Mix100:49 - (94) Acquisition Logic102:16 - (95) Industry Stabilization103:27 - (96) Three Levels of Risk104:33 - (97) Many Faces of Diversification105:44 - (98) Debt Structure106:54 - (99) Horizontal and Vertical Thinking108:20 - (100) The Most Important Lesson...Email: alex@stockstoriespodcast.com
Goldman Sachs (GS) - Top Deal-Maker On Wall Street
May 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 HistoryThe 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 ModelAn 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 FinancialsA 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 PerformanceGoldman 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