Stock Spotlight

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 wh...

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 th...

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...

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...

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...

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 Cos...

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 introd...

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,...

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 w...

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...

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 inve...

This episode is the foundation for everything Stock Spotlight covers. Michael walks through why he started the podcast, his background in baseball and customer insights, and how both shaped the way he studies businesses and markets. Topics include the 33-question quality checklist, quality growth investing, valuation techniques, portfolio construction and what to expect from future episodes. Tune...

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 Invisalig...

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...

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 rating The goal is simple: track whether execution still...

In this episode of Stock Spotlight, host Michael expands on his investment strategy, focusing on the process of entering new positions and creating effective portfolio tracking metrics. This episode builds upon the previous discussion of investment checklists and benchmarks by introducing additional tools and techniques for successful investing. Michael begins by reiterating his 33-question resear...

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...

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 econom...

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, manag...

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 reve...

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. Mi...

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 Qualit...

On this special episode of Stock Spotlight, Michael is joined by Shivam Kashan to shine the spotlight on Copart — the global leader in online salvage vehicle auctions and one of the most quietly dominant marketplaces in the United States. Think of Copart as a vertically integrated marketplace: like eBay economically, but with Amazon-like logistics infrastructure and a scale advantage that’s incred...

On this episode of Stock Spotlight, Michael shines the spotlight on Tyler Technologies ($TYL), the largest pure-play provider of public sector software. Think of Tyler as the “operating system of state & local governments” — powering tax collection, court systems, payroll, permitting, and digital citizen services across 13,000+ client sites. With 98% retention and 85% recurring revenue, it’s a...

On this episode of Stock Spotlight, Michael shines the spotlight on Badger Meter ($BMI), the hidden powerhouse behind smart water management. Think of BMI’s meters as the cash registers of utilities: essential, sticky, and increasingly digital. With secular tailwinds in conservation, regulation, and infrastructure investment, the company sits at the intersection of necessity and innovation. Michae...