Alternatives

I was recently a guest on the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast with host Michael Sidgmore.

While I was at Future Proof last month, I recorded an episode of The Sherman Show podcast, hosted by DoubleLine Capital's Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Jeffrey Sherman, and Samuel Lau, a DoubleLine Portfolio Manager.

I could have chatted with these guys for hours, and I think that comes through in the discussion. Please give it a listen!

This past weekend's issue of Barron's featured a piece from Lauren Foster on farmland investing with a few quotes from yours truly.

Agriculture is fascinating in the sense that it predates modern investing by multiple millennia and yet few investors have any material exposure to it in their portfolios.

From an investment standpoint, there's a lot to like about farmland - current income, capital appreciation, inflation-hedging properties, and low correlation to other asset types.

So with its rich history and attractive investment properties, why has it remained elusive to the average investor?

This past week I was a guest on my friend Nate Geraci's podcast, ETF Prime. In addition to hosting ETF Prime, Nate is President of the ETF Store and a co-founder of the ETF Institute. In short, he's forgotten more about ETFs by breakfast than I have learned in my lifetime. 

In our ~20-minute conversation, we covered a lot of ground with an emphasis on the alternative asset landscape and the role of alts in a portfolio. Given Nate's background, the question naturally came up:

Are Alternative Investments and ETFs Compatible?

While the obvious answer would seem to be 'yes' given how ubiquitous ETFs are today as the default product choice for millions of investors, the reality is not so cut and dry.

Looking to add something to your podcast queue for your 4th of July holiday weekend travels? Say no more, fam. I got you covered. 

Earlier this week, I joined Lauren Foster, Senior Writer at Barron's, for a fun 30-minute chat about the role of alternative investments in asset allocation...

The question often comes up from readers and prospective clients of Savant:

What do alternatives look like in practice for a typical client portfolio at your firm? 

While there is no such thing as a "typical" client portfolio, there are some common threads as it relates to the types of alternative investments we incorporate across the households we serve.

With that in mind, our investment team at Savant has authored a hot-off-the-press white paper on alternative investments that is available to download on our website. 

As alternative investments continue to broaden in their accessibility and play a more meaningful role in the portfolios of the future for individual investors, financial advisors will by necessity need to develop their competencies in this arena.

It is with that notion in mind that I am proud to announce I will be serving on the advisory council of UniFi by CAIA™, a just-announced learning platform dedicated to educating the private wealth management industry on alternative investments.

A portfolio that works great on a spreadsheet is of no use if the end recipient lacks the confidence, understanding, and/or patience to stick with it until it bears fruit.

Truly diversifying alternative investments can be a valuable arrow in the allocator's quiver in meeting investor objectives and delivering successful outcomes. That being said, the experience of owning them can be difficult at times. 

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year, it's likely you've at least heard the term NFT, even if you don't know what it it stands for or why you should care.

Meb Faber is one of my favorite people in the investment business. He recently interviewed me on his podcast, The Meb Faber Show, and it was a ton of fun.

This past week, I made my first repeat podcast appearance on Behind the Market with Jeremy Schwartz, Global CIO for WisdomTree Asset Management.