MLPs Promising Recent Jump
MLPs lead as midstream markets post gains for a 6th straight week
This summer reminds us why we have held faith in the fundamentals of the midstream MLP market. MLPs, a lesser known asset class, is beginning to shine in the second half of 2018.
The global markets have been turbulent and volatile thus far in 2018. Ongoing discussions between the U.S. and China and other key trading partners over import/export imbalances and ever-changing, multi-nation tariffs contribute to this volatility. However, despite increased coverage of tariffs and their negative effects on the global economy, pockets of U.S. equity markets out-performed global equity markets.
Because trade tariffs have little effect on small caps, the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China actually helps drive small cap prices higher. The U.S. small-cap market continues to lead equity market performance year to date. See Small-Cap Stocks Post New Highs.
MLPs positioned for long-term investors
After a frustrating couple of years, the commodity environment appears to be stabilizing. U.S. production growth trends remain strong, dividend cuts are likely nearing an end and balance sheets continue to improve. Earnings reports at the end of quarter 2 supported this stabilization. Notably, EBITA came in 3.2% better than consensus estimates and 4.6% higher than the preceding quarter.
Oil transports are far from the only players in the midstream MLP marketplace. Natural gas constituents continue to contribute to MLPs returns and were the best performing sub-sector for July 2018. Energy exports–crude oil, natural gas and gas liquids–maintain record levels, thus providing a shining growth source for midstream companies.
Pairing current growth outlook and continued production increases with attractive current valuations, we believe MLPs are well positioned for long-term investors seeking attractive income and upside growth potential.
Long-term strategies may challenge investors to stay focused. The fight against short-term thinking is getting harder as we accomplish so many things with increasing ease and speed.
There is more computing power in an iPhone than what NASA had during the first landing on the moon. Remember when Netflix mailed DVDs to your home? Now we can stream just about anything to our smartphones. And what would you have said ten years ago if I had told you the President of the United States’ main communication tool in 2018 would be Twitter?
But speed doesn’t change everything.
Janiczek community members recently enjoyed an evening of sushi rolling at Izakaya Den in Denver. Chef and Owner Yasu Kizaki taught twenty clients and employees about the history, types, and methods of rolling sushi.
“Everyone enjoyed meeting each other and we learned some fascinating things from a master of his craft,” said Brady Siegrist, partner. “It was a rather unique cultural experience.”
Brady Siegrist presents his sushi creation to Chef Yasu Kizaki
Janiczek Events
This year, the Janiczek team resolved to nurture personal and professional connections between community members.
“Many of our clients reside in the greater Denver area,” said Siegrist. “Our team plans to present future opportunities for clients to get to know one another. One of our goals is to explore topics and activities that seek to enhance life and living in some way.”
Janiczek Community
Whether discussing investments, longevity, or sushi, the benefits of connecting Janiczek community members can be powerful. Future events are in the planning stages, so if you are interested in learning more about the growing Janiczek community, let us know!
Books, Reading and Knowledge
“I read and read and read. I probably read 5 to 6 hours per day. I read five daily newspapers, I read a fair number of magazines, I read 10k’s, I read annual reports, and I read a lot of other things too. I’ve always enjoyed reading. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest.”
– Warren Buffett
In other words, reading opens one’s mind to bigger and better things. Another voracious reader, Bill Gates, recently shared his picks for some good summer reading. And who wouldn’t be interested in reading what a brilliant thinker like Gates found illuminating?
Of course, the Janiczek community isn’t short on good book recommendations either. In December, our team offered up some of our favorite books of the year, and our client community responded with some great picks of their own. (One client recommendation made the current Bill Gates list … great minds think alike, right?!)
So, as you begin your summer reading, whether to learn or to simply escape, we gladly share a few of our picks. Personally, I’ll be reading one of Bill Gates’ picks, Origin Story: A Big History of Everything by David Christian.
If you have book recommendations, by all means, let me know!
Book Recommendations from the Janiczek Team
One asset class has rebounded to new all-time highs — U.S. small cap stocks.
After a bullish 2017 and hopes of a continued global equity melt up, 2018 has instead reintroduced market volatility. Despite global market volatility, U.S. small cap stocks have rebounded to new all-time highs.
Factors influencing the success of U.S. small cap stocks
So what factors has caused this success versus larger capitalization stocks?
I’m not sure Yogi Berra is big source of investment knowledge for most investors. But, that doesn’t mean his words of wisdom, “déjà vu all over again,” don’t apply.
Today’s Wall Street Journal included an article titled, “Value Investors Face Existential Crisis After Long Market Rally.” It discussed the “rut” that value investing has experienced since 2009. No arguments there. Value stocks are down about 1% year-to-date while growth stocks are up nearly 8%. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite Index, which holds many of the favorite tech names among growth investors, is at its all-time high.
A Familiar Scenario
But as I sipped my morning coffee and read further, I didn’t ask myself how we should change our current value approach (for the portion of our portfolios dedicated to value investing) to match the current environment. Instead, I found myself thinking about earlier in my career, the late 1990s. Tech ruled the day from 1995 through 1999, and value investors lagged back then too.
Lynne Amerson Inspires Action
Community and Schools Partner for Success
Lynne Amerson supports education and encourages community involvement. For that reason, Lynne recently spoke at the 7th annual City Year Denver Women’s Leadership Breakfast. As she welcomed the crowd of over 600, Lynne expressed the core values of City Year. “We firmly believe in the potential of every student. In addition, we know their success is our success. We all have a role to play in helping them reach their full potential.”
Lynne Amerson, Managing Director, Janiczek Wealth Management
For the past five years, Lynne has been a member of City Year Denver’s Women Advisory Council.
“The Return of Volatility.” “Volatility Is Back With A Vengeance.” These are some of the headlines recapping the first quarter of 2018. Many of them
discuss volatility and risk interchangeably, as though they were both the same … but they’re not.
Risk and volatility are different, and we intend to set the record straight. In this issue of Portfolio Matters, we cover the first quarter’s risks and volatility that was (and wasn’t) witnessed in markets, and provide investors some clarity on thinking about the two individually and separately…read more.
If you read the Wall Street Journal or Barron’s Magazine this last week, you will see that Barron’s listed Joseph J. Janiczek of Janiczek Wealth Management in its 2018 listing of top advisors in the nation.
This represents the fifth year in a row we made this prestigious list, adding to our tradition of making many top investment and wealth management lists and/or rankings going all the way back to 2001.
This latest award adds to top advisor lists published in or by:
- The Wall Street Journal
- Barron’s Magazine
- Financial Times
- AdvisoryHQ
- Worth Magazine
- Mutual Funds Magazine
- NAPFA
Tax season is in full swing, and it can bring some uneasy thoughts. “How much will I get back?” “How much will I owe?” “Am I forgetting anything?” “What can I expect next year?”
In a recent team meeting, one of our firm’s partners shared a question from a client that’s often not heard, “Why is my tax bill so low?!”
This client had been taking significant IRA distributions since the beginning of retirement as they had settled into a routine of travel and other retirement leisure. Of course, IRA distributions are generally going to be taxed as income, and the client became accustomed to paying a steady tax bill each year. In recent years, their travel slowed and their expenses correspondingly decreased, but their regular withdrawals had not.
