The Rules of Investing: How Alex Waislitz uncovers hidden gems

Livewire Exclusive

Livewire Markets

In the ‘go-go 80s’, a young Alex Waislitz worked for the legendary Australian entrepreneur, Robert Holmes á Court. Holmes á Court was Australia’s first billionaire, though he lost much of his fortune in the ’87 crash – a valuable lesson for the young Waislitz. Some 30 years later, Waislitz has built a fortune of his own, primarily through investing well. In an exclusive interview with Livewire, Waislitz explains one of the key lessons he learned working for Holmes á Court.

"I learned from him to look for hidden value that others may have overlooked. Often, on a company's balance sheet was written down land values that may have been bought many years ago, it could be industrial land from a manufacturing operation. Or it could be a brand that was underexploited but was fully owned by the company. He was a master at identifying value that others seemed to disregard. I'm always looking for the jewels - what is there in the company that hasn't been noticed."

In our latest podcast, we take a dive into the process that’s allowed him to achieve outstanding returns, including his top reasons to walk away from a potential investment.  

Six reasons to walk away from a potential investment:

  1. Run by the wrong people
  2. Management focused on promotion, not operation
  3. The financial metrics don’t stack up
  4. A ‘hockey stick’ earnings profile
  5. A lack of uniqueness
  6. The competitive landscape in their industry too strong.

Never miss an episode

Subscribe to The Rules of Investing on iTunes using this link.


2 stocks mentioned

Livewire Exclusive
Livewire Markets

Livewire Exclusive brings you exclusive content from a wide range of leading fund managers and investment professionals.

I would like to

Only to be used for sending genuine email enquiries to the Contributor. Livewire Markets Pty Ltd reserves its right to take any legal or other appropriate action in relation to misuse of this service.

Personal Information Collection Statement
Your personal information will be passed to the Contributor and/or its authorised service provider to assist the Contributor to contact you about your investment enquiry. They are required not to use your information for any other purpose. Our privacy policy explains how we store personal information and how you may access, correct or complain about the handling of personal information.

Comments

Sign In or Join Free to comment
Elf Footer