Rule Breaker Investing 10 Years Later: 5 Lesser Known Rule Breakers
Nov 12, 2025
Anders Bylund, a veteran Motley Fool contributor, joins David to revisit five lesser-known stocks from a decade ago. They discuss Middleby's rise through acquisitions and its recent stagnation. MicroStrategy’s dramatic pivot to Bitcoin and its massive returns is also highlighted. The conversation dives into NuVasive's cutting-edge spine innovation and its acquisition by Globus, along with Trex's ups and downs in the composite decking market. Through this retrospective, they highlight which stocks truly broke the rules and reaped rewards.
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Career Start Led To Investing Passion
- Anders began investing after working at CSX and using a 401(k) to learn about markets.
- His early reading of The Motley Fool led him from tech work into investment writing.
Acquisition-Driven Growth Can Stall
- Middleby scaled via acquisitions to become a behind-the-scenes kitchen technology leader.
- Rising rates and acquisition fatigue later pressured growth and valuation.
A Company Can Become A Single-Asset Proxy
- MicroStrategy transformed from analytics firm to a Bitcoin-centric vehicle and soared with Bitcoin's rise.
- The company's fate now ties largely to Bitcoin's price and investor sentiment.
