💰How to Analyze a Balance Sheet Fast!


Hey Reader,

Did you know Chuck Akre coined the term "compounding machines" to describe businesses that can reinvest their earnings at high rates of return over long periods. He prioritizes companies with durable competitive advantages like Visa, Mastercard, and American Tower.

In today's issue:

  • How to analyze a balance sheet < 2 minutes
  • Breakdown of the Health Care Industry
  • The ups and downs of buying the dip
  • Much more.

💸Sponsored by: Finchat.io

FinChat only runs two sales per year. One on Black Friday and one around a big product launch.

And this week, they’re rolling out one of our biggest updates ever!

To celebrate the launch, they’re offering 25% Off all FinChat Paid Plans now until Friday.

This week only, you can get an institutional-grade data terminal starting at just $18/month

They won’t run another sale until November, so if you’re thinking about upgrading, now is the time!

Why FinChat?

  • Unparalleled Financial Data: In addition to 20 years of financials, FinChat has the largest company-specific Segment & KPI database on the internet.
  • Best-in-Class Charting Tool: FinChat’s fundamental charting let’s you compare multiple companies at once across thousands of metrics.
  • Manage Multiple Accounts & Watchlists: Build multiple dashboards to track all your favorite companies. Include your holdings, set your preferred currency, and get your portfolio statistics.
  • Transcripts, Screener, Super Investors, & More: FinChat has endless resources to help bring all your investment research into one place.

💎NUGGETS

My Favorite Finds

🧵 How to analyze a balance sheet in < 2 minutes from Brian Feroldi. Necessary skills and lots of great suggestions here.

📖 Buying the dip, the appeal and dangers from Aswath Damodaran.

📖 A deep dive into US healthcare. Great breakdown of his industry and what to look for as a possible investment.

📖 Breakdown of a Warren Buffett speech, well worth your time.

🎥 Peter Lynch explains how to start investing as a beginner. Relevant for more experienced investors too.

🧵 Mostly Borrowed Ideas breaks down Chuck Akre's 3-legged stool idea. Consider that Akre has beaten the S&P 500 over the past 10 years without owning any Mag 7.


🔍Question of the Week


📖Knowledge Tidbits

twitter profile avatar
The Investing for Beginners Podcast
Twitter Logo
@IFB_podcast
10:2 AM • Apr 26, 2025
22
Retweets
155
Likes

Thanks,
Dave Ahern
------------------
einvestingforbeginners.com
Investing for Beginners Podcast


Hi! Welcome to Investing for Beginners

Unlock the mysteries of the stock market with us! We break down complex topics into simple, easy-to-understand language. Join over 21,000+ readers who receive our insights every Tuesday.

Read more from Hi! Welcome to Investing for Beginners

Hey Reader,Did you know that the S&P 500's lowest recorded P/E ratio was 5.31 in 1917, while its highest was 123.73 in May 2009, during the financial crisis? This represents a range of over 2,200% between the most undervalued and overvalued market conditions, demonstrating how dramatically valuation perspectives have shifted across different economic eras. In today's issue: Warren Buffett breaks down how he would invest if he could start over. What is never sell really? Why ROIIC is more...

Hey Reader,Did you know Professor Damodaran constantly emphasizes that there is no single "correct" value for a company? Valuation is filled with uncertainty and bias. The goal isn't to be perfectly right, but to be "less wrong" over time. He views valuation as a craft that improves with practice, humility, and a willingness to acknowledge what you don't know. In today's issue: Aswath Damodaran covers the dark side of valuation Checklist to help evaluate management and capital allocation...

Hey Reader, Warren Buffett transformed investing by emphasizing “moats”—the lasting competitive advantages that protect great businesses. As he wrote, “The key to investing is determining the competitive advantage of any given company and, above all, the durability of that advantage.” In today's issue: How Pat Dorsey builds wealth by investing in wide moat businesses. Terry Smith on the art of compounding and investing. Morgan Housel shares some very "bad advice." Much more.... 💸Sponsored by:...