TIP747: John Neff: The Value Investor Who Quietly CRUSHED the S&P 500 w/ Kyle Grieve
We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network
Intro
This chapter explores the investment techniques of John Neff, a successful value investor renowned for outpacing the S&P 500 for nearly three decades. It highlights his adaptable approach to investing in low PE stocks, cyclicals, and misunderstood growth stocks, offering valuable lessons for both value and growth investors.
On today’s episode, Kyle Grieve discusses legendary value investor John Neff, one of the most underrated investors in value investing, who quietly outperformed the S&P 500 for decades. You’ll learn more about Neff’s contrarian mindset, his focus on low PE stocks, and his disciplined yet unconventional approach, which shaped one of the most impressive track records in investing history.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
00:00 - Intro
03:04 – The unconventional mindset that made John Neff a true contrarian investor
03:41 – Why “boring” businesses can be surprisingly beautiful wealth builders
04:18 – How lessons from his father and mentors shaped Neff’s investing philosophy
06:21 – The hidden danger of investment committees that drag down star performers
10:58 – The two simple categories Neff used to organize his view of the stock market
17:11 – Why Neff’s strategy leaned into dividends—and how that powered his outperformance
19:40 – The overlooked way he measured actual business value against the market
20:20 – How Neff found profits hiding in slow growers, cyclicals, and even high PE stocks
56:51 – The surprising blind spot of value investors who ignore compounders
Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.
BOOKS AND RESOURCES
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