This One Person Can Make or Break Your Investment

[Intelligent Income Daily]( Welcome to Intelligent Income Daily, the free daily newsletter from wealth and income expert Brad Thomas. Brad’s experience spans three decades of real estate and stock market booms and busts. Today, he and his team focus exclusively on the safest and most predictable ways to earn sustainable and growing income in any market condition. You can find all past issues [here](. And if you have any questions, please contact Brad and his team [here](mailto:memberservices@widemoatresearch.com). This One Person Can Make or Break Your Investment By Brad Thomas, Editor, Intelligent Income Daily “Take your pants off.” That’s what the CEO of Washington Prime, Lou Conforti, said to me at a real estate investment trust (REIT) conference with multiple people present—including my junior analyst, Noah. Noah stared at me, not knowing how to proceed as Lou repeated himself, “take off your pants.” The exchange was incredibly uncomfortable, and I realized a couple seconds later that he had intended it to be so, as Lou began telling me about one of his company’s tenants, Victoria’s Secret. I felt like I had been slimed and was grateful that no female member of my team had been present. I knew immediately from this exchange that Washington Prime’s leadership was a bit eccentric and that our team needed to watch the company closely. It doesn’t matter how perfect your business model is, poor management destroys a company. Here at Intelligent Income Daily, our goal is to steer you towards financial freedom and away from shady business dealings. So today, I will share with you how this story ended and why we go to great lengths to assess the quality of the management teams in the companies we recommend. Knowing the signs early helps keep us away from poorly managed companies, and in the ones that keep making us money, instead. Recommended Link [World’s Most Accurate Forecaster to Make 1st Major Public Prediction]( Wall Street Legend Who “Called the 1987 Stock Market Crash Practically Down to the Minute” to Share Major Forecast With Public [image]( “Called the 1987 stock market crash practically down to the minute”—Chicago Tribune “Uncanny predictions of market turns”—New York Post “He could be the next guru”—The Economist In the 1980s, one man shocked the world with his uncanny predictions… In 1982, after the stock market went sideways for 14 years, he called the massive bull run that followed… In 1987, they warned the public about a coming crash… and even recommended investors bet against the market… 11 days before Black Monday! (A move that made one hedge fund manager $100 million.) Since that famous call, this forecaster has kept all his predictions private… reserved for his hedge fund clients (including a Forbes top 40 ranked billionaire) who each pay him up to $10,000 – A MONTH – for his work. But, now, that all changes… Because, this man just appeared on camera to publicly release his first major forecast in years… Why? Because he sees a significant event on the horizon, unlike anything we’ve seen in decades. And it could hit America – in the next 8 weeks! To watch this rare, exclusive interview, click the link below: [The Prophecy: Watch HERE]( -- How the Story Ends A few months after my encounter with the CEO, we downgraded shares of Washington Prime to a Strong Sell (based on deteriorating fundamentals) and I told my subscribers that the company was a sucker yield. [For a reminder of what a sucker yield is, [click here]( Washington Prime’s dividend yield approached mid double-digits and investors were pouring in – mesmerized by fool’s gold. But our team stood firm, recognizing that the dividend wasn’t sustainable. A few months later I witnessed the company implode. Now, I knew from listening in on Washington Prime’s earnings calls that the CEO loved the band Queen. So it seemed fitting that when the company filed for bankruptcy in 2021 that I, with great pleasure, titled the article: “Another One Bites The Dust.” Needless to say, my first clue to avoid the company was revealed in one of the most awkward moments of my research career. Management Matters Many times, my interviews with management teams – either on or off the record – give me clues about the overall quality of a company. This certainly happened in the case of Washington Prime. And it also happened again a few weeks ago. Now I cannot name names because this conversation was off the record, but I was speaking with a CEO who informed me that one of his competitors was intimidating several customers of other companies. This CEO informed me that these customers were annoyed, and they didn’t want to do business with the CEO that was harassing them. As a result, they were contacting his team in the hopes of putting distance between themselves and their bully. Now this did not surprise me because I had been doing my research. From all the data I had gathered, I knew the story was credible – but I followed up to be sure. Every time I had spoken to the CEO of the company that had been harassing clients of other firms, I found him incredibly arrogant and edgy. (Sound familiar?) I was already on the fence as our team was considering downgrading this company based on conflicts of interest, an elevated payout ratio, and stupidity (pivoting to a new business model). So when I heard about the customer service issues, I knew that it was time to double downgrade the company from a Speculative Buy to a Sell. As this situation is currently in the works, I can’t comment further. But I will say with confidence that it is only a matter of time before this company goes the way of Washington Prime. And at Wide Moat Research, we don’t wait around to find out how a company will implode once we recognize that it will. Our team is laser-focused on stewardship, recognizing that management plays a key role in value creation. If the company loses market share (i.e. loses customers to competitors because the CEO is an a-hole), is unable to raise prices (no pricing power) or has a history of value destruction, we move swiftly to get investors to safety. Owner’s Orientation One of the best ways to assess the strength of a company’s business model is to put yourself in the shoes of the management team. By pretending you’re the CEO of the prospective business you can then make a more logical assessment of the company from an owner’s orientation. So when I decided to double-downgrade the above-referenced company, I recognized that there was no unique competitive edge that the company had over its peers whatsoever and that the potential for shareholder destruction was elevated. Being able to communicate with management is an extremely important part of our research and finding these “nuggets of wisdom” allows us to strike gold as well as spot fool’s gold. Next week, I will be recommending another company in our latest issue of the Intelligent Income Investor. And just like the management teams of the companies I mentioned above, our team has thoroughly vetted this one’s. My team and I have determined to provide you with safe and reliable income investments with quality leadership based on fundamental analysis and firsthand experience. There’s no perfect management team, but it’s critical to pay very close attention to the CEO behind the wheel. And that means getting into the driver’s seat and making sure the company is staying in its lane, and not veering into a ditch while shouting out, “take your pants off.” Happy SWAN (sleep well at night) investing, Brad Thomas Editor, Intelligent Income Daily P.S. My team and I have vetted well over 100 management teams and put together a winning portfolio of battle-tested stocks in our Intelligent Income Investor service. The goal of each pick at Intelligent Income Investor is to provide you with a safe, reliable, and durable income stream… So you can sleep well at night in all market conditions. And while many Americans are in survival mode, our research has already shown over 100,000 people how to streamline their retirements. To find out our latest pick and learn more about the Intelligent Income Investor, [click here](. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT… [Is this next bankruptcy to rattle markets?]( Something strange is happening in our financial system. According to analysts at UBS, more than 50,000 retail locations could shut their doors in the months ahead. Already, Walmart, Foot Locker, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Macy’s are cutting stores. And former Home Depot CEO Bob Nardelli recently issued a grim warning: “We’re going to see a lot of bankruptcies. [This is] different than anything I have seen in my 52 years…” What does it all mean for your family and your money? According to Dr. Prins, our money is about to change forever… and the overhaul is set to happen in just a few weeks. To help folks prepare, she’s recorded a briefing that explains all the details of what she calls a ‘reset’ to our financial system. In it, she lays out all the evidence of this currency crisis, and what you can do to prepare. [Click here now to see her full (and free) presentation.]( P.S. The last time we saw a similar transformations to our money, folks who failed to prepare were blindsided. But those who moved their money beforehand had the opportunity to multiply their nest-egg as a result. [Click here to see why.]( [image]( [Wide Moat Research]( Wide Moat Research 55 NE 5th Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33483 [www.widemoatresearch.com]( To ensure our emails continue reaching your inbox, please [add our email address]( to your address book. This editorial email containing advertisements was sent to {EMAIL} because you subscribed to this service. To stop receiving these emails, click [here](. Wide Moat Research welcomes your feedback and questions. But please note: The law prohibits us from giving personalized advice. To contact Customer Service, call toll free Domestic/International: 1-888-415-6046, Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm ET, or email us [here](mailto:feedback@widemoatresearch.com). © 2023 Wide Moat Research. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, copying, or redistribution of our content, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from Wide Moat Research. 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