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PODCAST

Stock Spotlight

Stock Spotlight is a podcast dedicated to highlighting intriguing investment opportunities. In each episode, host Michael examines stocks that have earned a "watch" or "pass" rating on his 33 question research checklist. Listeners can expect a thorough exploration of selected companies, covering business models, financial performance and industry positioning. The show also features guest Q&As with other investors and delves into broader investing topics, as well.

business investing

All Episodes

00:34:02

Building a Quality Growth Portfolio (with Will Biddy)

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/10/05

In this episode of Stock Spotlight, host Michael is joined by investor and content creator Will Biddy to discuss how they build and manage quality growth portfolios. Will shares how he got started in investing, what makes a business “world class” and how he balances business quality with valuation.Michael and Will also use Toast ($TOST) and Intuitive Surgical ($ISRG) as case studies, comparing what attracted them to each company, the key metrics they follow and the risks that could challenge their

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00:35:50

$IPAR: The Fragrance Compounder That Doesn’t Own Its...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/09/30

In this episode of Stock Spotlight, Michael takes a deep dive into Interparfums ($IPAR), the fragrance company behind major licensed brands including Coach, Jimmy Choo, Montblanc, GUESS and Lacoste. He breaks down the economics of its licensing model, brand concentration, U.S. and European operations, competitive position, financial quality, founder ownership and the upcoming 2027 product cycle that management believes could reaccelerate growth.The episode also examines $IPAR’s management incentives

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00:33:59

What 15 Years of Advising Investors Teaches You About...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/09/29

In this episode of Stock Spotlight, host Michael sits down with his longtime college friend and financial advisor Jon Tan to explore what more than 15 years of working with investors has taught him about building lasting wealth.They discuss how Jon’s investing philosophy has evolved, the behavioral and planning mistakes he sees investors make, why performance chasing is so difficult to avoid and what separates successful long-term wealth builders from everyone else.The conversation also covers

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00:27:46

Quarterly Portfolio Review: What I Sold, Bought &...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/08/19

In this episode of Stock Spotlight, host Michael opens up his portfolio and walks through what has changed since his last quarterly review, including the stocks he sold, bought and how his individual stock positions fit together today.Michael explains why he exited Nintendo ($NTDOY) and Honeywell Aerospace ($HONA), why he added Intuitive Surgical ($ISRG) and Karman Holdings ($KRMN) and then goes deeper on two current holdings: Toast ($TOST) and Booking Holdings ($BKNG).For Toast and Booking, he

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00:30:10

$MELI: What Investors May Be Misreading Heading Into...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/08/03

MercadoLibre ($MELI) is widely followed, but some of the most important parts of the investment case remain misunderstood. In this episode of Stock Spotlight, host Michael reconnects with Shivam following his trip to Brazil and his presentation on the company to professional investors.They discuss what Shivam’s local observations revealed about the strength of MELI’s ecosystem, why investors may be misreading the credit book and near-term margin pressure, and how the company is gaining ground in

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00:37:12

Great Business, Bad Stock? Valuing Ferrari and Costco...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/07/30

A great company is not automatically a great investment at any price. That is one of the hardest lessons for quality-focused investors because the better the business looks, the easier it becomes to justify paying too much. In this episode, host Michael is joined by Fajasy, founder of StableBread, to examine how much future growth is already embedded in two high-quality businesses: Ferrari and Costco.Using Residual Earnings valuation, Reverse DCF analysis and market-implied Competitive Advantage

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00:08:08

The Most Important Financial KPI: Your Savings Rate

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/07/22

Most investors spend countless hours researching stocks, building valuation models and trying to improve their investment returns. But before your portfolio can compound wealth, you first have to create the capital to invest.In this episode, I explain why I believe your savings rate is the single most important financial KPI, share two simple examples that quantify its long-term impact and introduce a Personal Capital Allocation Dashboard with four metrics I use to think about my own finances. If

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00:44:55

Rivian Automotive ($RIVN): Survival Story or the Next...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/07/16

Rivian Automotive ($RIVN) might be one of the most polarizing companies in the market today. Customers seem to love the vehicles, the brand continues to gain traction and the R2 launch could dramatically expand its addressable market. Yet the stock remains well below its highs as investors question Rivian’s path to profitability, manufacturing scale and long-term viability. More recently, however, sentiment appears to be improving: $RIVN has returned approximately 19% over the past 3 months,

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00:42:33

Napco Security Technologies ($NSSC): Hardware Company...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/07/09

In Episode 32 of Stock Spotlight, host Michael dives deep into Napco Security Technologies ($NSSC), a founder-led small-cap security company serving the professional alarm, locking, access control and fire communication markets. At first glance, Napco looks like a niche hardware manufacturer with uneven equipment demand. But underneath that hardware business is a recurring service revenue stream with 90%+ Gross Margins, raising the bigger question: is $NSSC quietly becoming a higher-quality

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00:15:57

$HONA: Is Honeywell Aerospace Worth Buying After the...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/06/24

Is Honeywell Aerospace a compelling spin-off opportunity on June 29th or is the market already pricing it like a premium aerospace asset? In Episode 31 of Stock Spotlight, host Michael breaks down the $HONA spin-off, the implied equity value and enterprise value from the when-issued price and the valuation debate around 2026E EV/Adjusted EBIT.The business has a lot to like: commercial aftermarket exposure, Defense & Space, RMUs, long-life aerospace platforms and broad aircraft content. But the

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00:57:03

Building a Portfolio You Can Actually Stick With

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/06/17

In this episode of Stock Spotlight, I’m joined by Blake Fischer, an independent investment advisor and fellow investor, to discuss how to build a portfolio you can actually stick with through different market environments. We explore the evolution from stock picking to portfolio construction, why diversification may be making a comeback after a decade dominated by U.S. mega-cap growth and how investors should think about assets like bonds, gold, international equities and managed futures.We also

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00:37:17

Align Technology ($ALGN): Fallen Giant or Mispriced...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/05/26

In Episode 29 of Stock Spotlight, host Michael dives deep into Align Technology ($ALGN), the company behind Invisalign and one of the biggest winners of the digital dentistry boom. After a massive post-pandemic re-rating, Align now trades more like a mature medtech company despite still leading the global clear aligner market. Michael breaks down the full investment thesis, including the Invisalign ecosystem, iTero scanner moat and whether the market may be underestimating the durability of Align’s

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00:29:41

Insurance Brokers: The Hidden Compounders in Financials

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/04/22

Insurance brokers are some of the most consistent compounders in financials, yet they’re often misunderstood. On the surface, companies like $AON, $AJG, $BRO, $MRSH and $WTW can look very similar. But under the hood, differences in business mix, capital allocation and execution lead to very different outcomes for investors.In this episode, I break down how the brokerage model actually works, why it’s structurally advantaged vs. carriers and how growth is driven across cycles through pricing,

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00:12:17

Quarterly Portfolio Review: $FTNT, $RACE, $UNP

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/04/01

In this episode of Stock Spotlight, I walk through a quarterly portfolio review across three companies I own: Fortinet, Ferrari and Union Pacific.For each company, I break down:• The original investment thesis• Key KPIs and how they’re trending• What the market is focused on right now• My forward outlook• A simple green / yellow / red ratingThe goal is simple: track whether execution still supports the underwriting.----------------------------------------------------------------00:00 Intro00:53

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00:22:40

Intercontinental Exchange ($ICE): Clearing,...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/03/11

In Episode 26 of Stock Spotlight, host Michael sits down with returning guest Shivam for a deep dive into Intercontinental Exchange ($ICE), the global financial infrastructure platform behind the NYSE. The conversation breaks down how ICE actually makes money across its core business segments and why exchanges remain the primary engine of the company.Michael and Shivam walk through the mechanics of clearing and collateral, including how the economics work and why collateral appears on both sides of

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00:37:30

Veeva Systems ($VEEV): Platform Expansion vs. CRM...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/02/04

In this episode of Stock Spotlight, Michael dives deep into Veeva Systems, the vertically integrated SaaS platform powering critical workflows across the life sciences industry. From clinical trials and regulatory compliance to commercial CRM and embedded data analytics, Veeva has become the operating system for biopharma, delivering elite margins, strong free cash flow per share and a wide economic moat built on high switching costs and regulated environments.Michael explore Veeva’s growth drivers,

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00:18:54

How I Exit Positions: A Risk-Aware and Thesis-Driven...

Stock Spotlight ·

2026/01/16

Most investors obsess over what to buy. Very few have a clear, repeatable plan for when to sell.In this episode of Stock Spotlight, I break down the risk-aware and thesis-driven selling framework I use to protect capital early, avoid deep losses and continuously upgrade portfolio quality over time. Selling is not about calling tops. It is about defining your downside before emotion sets in, managing uncertainty when conviction is still forming and only staying invested when the business continues to

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00:35:59

Toast, Inc. (TOST): Can a Restaurant OS Become a...

Stock Spotlight ·

2025/12/12

In this episode, Michael takes a close look at Toast, one of the fastest growing names in restaurant technology. Toast has delivered a 50% 5-YR revenue CAGR, 80% 5-YR gross profit CAGR, 110%+ net retention and its first year of positive SBC adjusted free cash flow. Despite that momentum, the company is still early in its profitability journey. SaaS quality is improving, but the payments heavy revenue mix continues to distort gross margins and complicate valuation work.The path from high growth to a

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00:26:27

15 Investing Metrics That Actually Matter - and Why

Stock Spotlight ·

2025/11/28

In this special episode of Stock Spotlight, host Michael steps back from individual company deep dives to unpack the core framework behind his entire investing process — the 15 metrics that truly matter. From returns on capital to reinvestment discipline, from free cash flow conversion to innovation efficiency, these are the numbers that separate durable compounders from fragile growth stories.Michael explains what each metric reveals, how to calculate it and why it deserves a place in every

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00:34:49

Cintas Corporation (CTAS): The Engine for Workplace...

Stock Spotlight ·

2025/11/12

On this episode of Stock Spotlight, Michael shines the light on Cintas Corporation ($CTAS) — the quiet giant that keeps America’s workplaces running. From uniforms and first aid to safety and facility services, Cintas powers over one million business locations with an unmatched blend of scale, efficiency and recurring revenue.Michael walks through why Cintas scored an impressive 82% on his Quality Checklist (94th percentile overall), its durable moat built on route density and switching costs and

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41 results

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