Matthew McLennan (First Eagle) - Investing for Resilience
Jan 21, 2025
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Matthew McLennan, co-head of First Eagle’s Global Value team, shares insights shaped by his unique upbringing in Papua New Guinea and Australia. He discusses the importance of humility and patience in investing while emphasizing resilience within his portfolio. The conversation touches on the challenges of passive investing, the need for active strategies, and the role of gold and cash in maintaining market health. McLennan also highlights the significance of distinguishing between market noise and enduring trends to create resilient wealth.
Matthew McLennan's investment philosophy, shaped by his unconventional childhood, emphasizes resilience and the importance of patience in achieving long-term growth.
The dialogue highlights the dual impact of passive investing on market dynamics, suggesting that active strategies can exploit inefficiencies created by passive flows for better outcomes.
Deep dives
The Influence of Upbringing on Investment Philosophy
Growing up off the grid in Papua New Guinea and Australia instilled a passion for learning and a desire for financial independence in Matthew McLennan. His unique childhood experience fostered curiosity and a deep appreciation for conservatism and resilience, shaping his investment approach. Drawing parallels between his family's gardening practices and investment strategies, McLennan emphasizes the importance of patience and effort in achieving long-term growth. This childhood foundation led him to recognize the value of a margin of safety in both life and investing.
The Legacy of Jean-Marie Everard
McLennan reflects on his time under the mentorship of legendary investor Jean-Marie Everard, who instilled a focus on risk mitigation, diversification, and valuation in investing. Everard's unique perspective and collaborative approach were instrumental in shaping McLennan's investment philosophy as he transitioned into his role. With a commitment to maintaining a strong team dynamic, McLennan emphasizes the importance of humility and teamwork, highlighting that successful investing comes from collaboration rather than individual certainty. This legacy of mentorship continues to influence his leadership style and investment decision-making processes.
Core Principles of Global Value Investing
Global value investing has evolved but remains grounded in core principles established over decades. McLennan notes the importance of adapting investing strategies to account for intangible assets and market dynamics while maintaining the essence of scarcity value. He discusses how the investment landscape has changed, revealing a greater need for specialized knowledge and deep analysis due to the increasing prominence of intangible assets. The enduring success of global value investing is attributed to a commitment to these foundational principles, which allow for consistent performance across varied market environments.
Navigating the Challenges of Passive Investing
The growth of passive investing presents both challenges and opportunities in the current market landscape. McLennan argues that while passive strategies can enhance market efficiency, they can also exacerbate price insensitivity and distort price discovery. The conversation highlights the potential for ripe investment opportunities arising from market inefficiencies created by passive flows. Ultimately, he believes that a thoughtful combination of active and passive investing can coexist and yield positive results for discerning investors willing to navigate the complexities of the market.
Matthew McLennan is co-head of First Eagle’s Global Value team and one of the portfolio managers of Global Value, a strategy that has delivered strong long-term compound returns. We discuss the importance of humility and patience, why resilience is emphasised throughout the portfolio, and how Global Value has survived and thrived across a broad range of market environments.
Show notes:
[01:24] How an unusual childhood informed Matt’s approach to investing [03:52] Succeeding Jean-Marie Eveillard [05:46] Continuous refinement of the investment kernel [07:04] Successful succession planning [09:45] Sustaining success over different market cycles [12:15] Important character traits and attributes [17:01] Impact of passive investing [19:20] The benefits of having a Senior Advisor Board [22:09] What value investing means to First Eagle [26:38] Endogenous integrity with the capacity to suffer [28:40] Discerning between secular change and noise [33:44] Approach to asset allocation [35:46] Benefits of owning gold [37:45] Role of cash in the portfolio [40:11] High valuations and prospective returns [42:51] Gold miners vs bullion [44:41] Understanding the process of growth and the role of endogenous confidence cycles
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