

Two Quants and a Financial Planner
Excess Returns
Two Quants and a Financial Planner bridges the worlds of investing and financial planning to help investors achieve their long-term goals. Join Matt Zeigler, Jack Forehand and Justin Carbonneau as they cover a wide range of investing and financial planning topics that impact all of us and discuss how we can apply them in the real world to achieve the best outcomes in our financial lives.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 9, 2024 • 1h 3min
Practical Lessons from Aswath Damodaran
Aswath Damodaran, a renowned valuation expert, shares his deep insights into the investing world. He warns against dogma in investment philosophies and discusses the rivalry between active and passive strategies. The conversation tackles the challenges of factor investing and highlights the importance of storytelling in valuation—showing how narratives can enhance perceived value. Additionally, Damodaran explores how AI might reshape investing careers, urging a focus on wealth preservation rather than quick gains. His practical wisdom resonates for both pros and individual investors.

Sep 3, 2024 • 1h 3min
The Case Against Value Investing
Is value investing still relevant in today's market? The hosts delve into how low interest rates and tech dominance challenge traditional value metrics. They explore the sway of narratives in investment decisions and the role big data plays in assessing company worth. With insights into adaptive strategies, the discussion highlights the shifting landscape of value investing amidst evolving market dynamics. Can investors navigate this complexity while staying true to Graham and Buffett's principles? Tune in for a vibrant exploration of current perspectives!

12 snips
Aug 26, 2024 • 1h 12min
Our Guests Gave Us 119 of Their Most Important Investing Lessons: We Give You Our Favorite 12
Join experts like Michael Mauboussin, a strategy guru, and Rick Ferri, a seasoned advisor, as they unpack crucial investing lessons. Discover the power of base rates in decision-making and the advantages of simplicity in strategies. Bob Elliott warns against viewing diversification too narrowly, while Andy Constan reveals why most investors lack an edge. Meb Faber emphasizes the value of long-term investing, and the group stresses treating stocks as ownership in businesses. This is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone looking to sharpen their financial acumen!

Aug 20, 2024 • 1h 3min
10 Common Misconceptions About Factor Investing
In this episode, we explore common misconceptions about factor investing. We discuss why factors aren't less risky than the market, the challenges of diversification, and why adding more factors isn't always beneficial. We emphasize the importance of long-term perspectives when evaluating factor performance and the need for strategies to evolve with changing markets. We also touch on the emotional aspects of factor investing, the differences between academic studies and real-world implementation, and emerging ideas about factor design.
We hope you enjoy the discussion.
SEE LATEST EPISODES
https://excessreturnspod.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VALIDEA CAPITAL
https://www.valideacapital.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SUNPOINTE INVESTMENTS
https://sunpointeinvestments.com/
FOLLOW JACK
Twitter: https://twitter.com/practicalquant
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-forehand-8015094
FOLLOW JUSTIN
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjcarbonneau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcarbonneau
FOLLOW MATT
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cultishcreative
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-zeigler-a58a0a60/

4 snips
Aug 13, 2024 • 60min
Inside the Recent Market Volatility | What You Need to Know to Navigate It
In this episode, we dive into recent market volatility and its implications for investors. We examine several intriguing charts highlighting unusual market behavior, including significant VIX spikes and their historical context. We discuss the importance of understanding market mechanics while maintaining a long-term perspective. Throughout our conversation, we emphasize key lessons for navigating turbulent markets: the value of education over ignorance, the danger of making impulsive changes, and the importance of aligning investment strategies with personal convictions. We explore how fundamentals continue to drive long-term market performance and why maintaining conviction in your investment approach is crucial during volatile periods. Finally, we stress the importance of understanding the potential downsides of your investment strategy and how they relate to your current life stage, reminding listeners that while market behavior may seem chaotic in the short term, a well-thought-out, long-term approach remains the best path to financial success.
We hope you enjoy the discussion.
SEE LATEST EPISODES
https://excessreturnspod.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VALIDEA CAPITAL
https://www.valideacapital.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SUNPOINTE INVESTMENTS
https://sunpointeinvestments.com/
FOLLOW JACK
Twitter: https://twitter.com/practicalquant
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-forehand-8015094
FOLLOW JUSTIN
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjcarbonneau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcarbonneau
FOLLOW MATT
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cultishcreative
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-zeigler-a58a0a60/

Aug 5, 2024 • 1h 7min
Lessons from Jack Schwager | 10 Things Long-Term Investors Can Learn from History's Best Traders
Jack Schwager, author of the influential Market Wizards series, shares invaluable insights on trading and investing. He emphasizes that trading isn't for everyone and highlights the importance of learning from failure. The conversation dives into risk management, the psychological aspects of investing, and the necessity of reevaluating strategies as market conditions shift. Schwager's experiences underscore resilience and adaptability, offering practical tips for long-term investors to enhance their approach.

Jul 29, 2024 • 54min
What You Need to Know About Momentum Investing | Six Experts Help Us Understand the Basics
In this episode, we dive deep into momentum investing, bringing you insights from some of the smartest investors we know. We explore the fundamentals of momentum, breaking down its types and examining the academic research that supports its effectiveness. We discuss why momentum works, looking at behavioral explanations and comparing it to other investment factors. We also share ways to enhance momentum strategies, such as focusing on consistency and combining it with other factors like value and low volatility. Throughout the episode, we play clips from our interviews with experts like Sheridan Titman, Jack Vogel, Harin de Silva, Andy Berkin, Pim van Vliet and Wes Gray, providing you with insights on this powerful but often misunderstood investment strategy. We also address the potential downsides of momentum investing and the challenges of factor timing.
We hope you enjoy the discussion.
SEE LATEST EPISODES
https://excessreturnspod.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VALIDEA CAPITAL
https://www.valideacapital.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SUNPOINTE INVESTMENTS
https://sunpointeinvestments.com/
FOLLOW JACK
Twitter: https://twitter.com/practicalquant
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-forehand-8015094
FOLLOW JUSTIN
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjcarbonneau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcarbonneau
FOLLOW MATT
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cultishcreative
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-zeigler-a58a0a60/

Jul 22, 2024 • 1h 2min
Practical Alternatives to the 60-40 Portfolio
In this episode, we dive deep into practical alternatives to the traditional 60/40 portfolio. We explore various approaches like the Permanent Portfolio, risk parity and return stacking and take a detailed look at how we build alternative portfolios for our clients. We also examine Nomadic Samuel's innovative work on building diversified portfolios using new ETF products. Throughout our conversation, we emphasize the importance of having a systematic process, understanding the risks and potential behavioral challenges, and considering factors like taxes and market regimes. While acknowledging that the 60/40 portfolio isn't "dead," we highlight how these alternative approaches can potentially improve risk-adjusted returns and provide better protection in different economic environments.
We hope you enjoy the discussion.
SEE LATEST EPISODES
https://excessreturnspod.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VALIDEA CAPITAL
https://www.valideacapital.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SUNPOINTE INVESTMENTS
https://sunpointeinvestments.com/
FOLLOW JACK
Twitter: https://twitter.com/practicalquant
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-forehand-8015094
FOLLOW JUSTIN
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjcarbonneau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcarbonneau
FOLLOW MATT
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cultishcreative
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-zeigler-a58a0a60/

Jul 15, 2024 • 1h 8min
Eight Things We Learned from Our Interview with Mike Green | Practical Takeaways for Investors
In this episode, we dive into the key takeaways from our recent interview with Mike Green of Simplify. We explore several important lessons, including the need to be open-minded about new ideas in investing, the potential unintended consequences of passive investing, and the importance of looking beyond market aggregates. We discuss how these concepts apply to the average investor and what they mean in practical terms for portfolio management. We also touch on the double-edged nature of innovative investment products and caution against making hasty investment decisions based on election outcomes. Throughout the conversation, we emphasize the importance of understanding the "why" behind market movements and considering the practical implications of complex market dynamics for individual investors.
We hope you enjoy the discussion.
SEE LATEST EPISODES
https://excessreturnspod.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VALIDEA CAPITAL
https://www.valideacapital.com
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SUNPOINTE INVESTMENTS
https://sunpointeinvestments.com/
FOLLOW JACK
Twitter: https://twitter.com/practicalquant
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-forehand-8015094
FOLLOW JUSTIN
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjcarbonneau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcarbonneau
FOLLOW MATT
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cultishcreative
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-zeigler-a58a0a60/

Jul 8, 2024 • 1h 4min
Our Biggest Takeaways from the First Half of 2024 | Inflation, Growth, Market Concentration
The podcast discusses surprising trends in the economy and markets of the first half of 2024, including sticky inflation and wage growth outpacing inflation. They delve into the extreme concentration of returns in the stock market driven by large tech companies, housing developments, bonds, and factor investing performance.