FinTrust Capital Advisors

Allen Gillespie, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer at FinTrust Advisors, offers his 2nd Quarter 2024 Portfolio Commentary that covers 1) Price v. Value, 2) Index Concentration Is High by Historical Standards, and 3) The S&P 500 Equal Weight has Outperformed the S&P 500 in live performance and back-tested history. To learn more, click the link to read Allen's commentary. https://loom.ly/t1NrFjQ >>

Portfolio Commentary – Q2 2024 - Fintrust Capital Advisors Most consumers are aware that the price of an item and its value have an imperfect relationship. In a market-based economy, price and value tend to be correlated, but around the edges, they diverge based on consumer preferences. If we use cars as our example, large price differences are generally re...

Join Allen Gillespie as he contemplates whether there might be any economic or market implications since the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Click this link to read Allen's third quarter 2024 Wealth Management Quarterly https://loom.ly/ewvg5eo >>

WEALTH MANAGEMENT QUARTERLY - Q3-2024 - Fintrust Capital Advisors Since the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, I have been contemplating whether there might be any economic or market implications. In reviewing the stock market’s reactions to political assassination attempts, I found it to be a mixed bag of performance. At the same time, I can easily make t...

Our office will be closed on Monday, September 2nd, 2024, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024. We wish you and your family a safe and healthy holiday.

Our office will close at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, July 3rd, and all day on Thursday, July 4th, 2024, in observance of the Independence Day holiday. We will resume normal business hours on Friday, July 5th, 2024. We wish you and your family a safe and healthy holiday.

From all of us at FinTrust, Happy Fourth!

Our office will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. We will resume normal business hours on Thursday, June 20, 2024. On this important day, we commemorate those individuals who descend from ancestors held as slaves and were officially set free in Texas on June 19th after the Emancipation Proclamation. We wish you and your family peace and prosperity.

Our offices will be closed on Monday, May 27th, 2024. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, May 28th, 2024. On this important day, as we commemorate those we have lost in military service to our country, we wish you and your family peace and prosperity.

"How do you preserve wealth during times when the Four Horsemen (Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death) are on the loose?” Join Allen Gillespie as he shares his thoughts on how markets respond to the Four Horsemen.
Click this link to read Allen's second quarter 2024 Wealth Management Quarterly >>https://loom.ly/J_sGFCM

WEALTH MANAGEMENT QUARTERLY - Q2-2024 - Fintrust Capital Advisors Recently, while looking through my bookshelves for something to read, I saw my copy of Barton Biggs’ Wealth, War, & Wisdom with the Foreword by Yale Endowment CIO, David Swensen. Barton Biggs served as Morgan Stanley’s research director and Chief Global Strategist from 1973-2003. Given what I am...

One of Greenville’s biggest events, The Greek Festival, is happening this weekend, May 17-19th. This is the 38th annual year of this fun event and one that Madeline Huffman, Operations Administrator, has been involved with all her life. Make sure to come out and enjoy authentic Greek food, traditional folk dancing, music, and more!

Allen Gillespie, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer at FinTrust Advisors, offers his 1st Quarter 2024 Portfolio Commentary that covers
1) Great Presidential Election Year Starts,
2) The Fly in the Ointment, Escalating Conflict, and
3) Political Prediction Markets.
Allen writes, "At this point, we believe it is fair to write that year-to-date equity market performance most closely resembles the “Sitting President Running” pattern."
If you want to learn more, click the link to read Allen's commentary. >> https://loom.ly/okj2Mr4

Portfolio Commentary – Q1 2024 - Fintrust Capital Advisors In our last Portfolio Commentary, we shared the Stock Trader’s Almanac data regarding typical presidential election year patterns. At the time, we thought equity markets might follow an Open Field pattern, but we withheld judgment until after the first quarter of 2024. At this point, we believe it...

The team took a quick break on Monday, April 8, 2024, to enjoy the solar eclipse in South Carolina.

Our Athens Office is moving on April 19, 2024! We will be in the same building, on the same floor, and around the corner from our current office. So that you know, our suite number will remain the same. Stop by for a tour! We'll be happy to show you around. We're located at 1550 Timothy Road, Suite 102, Athens, GA 30606.

Our offices will be closed on Friday, March 29th, 2024. We will resume normal business hours on Monday, April 1st, 2024. We wish you and your family a safe and healthy Easter.

As tax season ramps up, Bethany Thompson, Certified Tax Specialist™, put together a list of some of our most asked tax questions. As always, please consult your tax advisor, as FCA and its affiliates are not tax or legal advisors. Click this link to learn more >> https://loom.ly/8pKKiK0

Tax Season Questions - Fintrust Capital Advisors As tax season ramps up, Bethany Thompson, Certified Tax Specialist™, put together a list of some of our most asked tax questions. As always, please consult your tax advisor, as FCA and its affiliates are not tax or legal advisors.

Donna Rasile's recent move to Greenville has been full of adventures. As she shares, in their family, that means exploring the local culinary scene, and from high-end restaurants to a multitude of coffee houses and a variety of cuisines, Greenville has it all! Click this link to learn about some of Donna's favorites: https://loom.ly/DpcsYKU

In recognition of International Women’s Day, Donna Rasile writes, "I am honored to share how rewarding it is to be a female investment advisor. I strive to make a difference in the financial lives of others, and I hope to pave the way for other women to pursue this as their career. Working at FinTrust, I am so grateful for the support they provide to me and the other women professionals at our firm. They value our contributions, encourage us to grow professionally, and are advocates for our success."

Recently, Allen Gillespie was reading the book "From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life" by Arthur C. Brooks. He found himself captivated by Brooks' wonderful description of a “Moonflower.” Allen shared that he had never heard of a moonflower but now wanted to see one. Click the link to learn more >> https://loom.ly/c5G8mLA

Moonflowers - Fintrust Capital Advisors MOONFLOWERS By Allen Gillespie Recently, I was reading the book From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks, and I found myself captivated by his wonderful description of a “Moonflower.” Personally, I had never heard of a...

Lee French, our Director of Equity Research, and Allen Gillespie, our Chief Investment Officer, broke out the George Foreman grill for a little office tailgate. A big thank you to our contacts in Memphis for sending us Central BBQ to enjoy with the team.

We recently brought back an old award here at FinTrust that allows us to highlight a team member’s job well done and to help build team morale. The Hot Diggity Dog Award recipient is nominated by their peers to acknowledge a coworker who goes above and beyond. The winner gets to hold the prestigious Hot Dog trophy for the month as well as receive a two hot dog combo from our friends at Skins Hotdogs, a true South Carolina staple since 1946.

In observance of Presidents' Day, our office will be closed on Monday, February 19th, 2024. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, February 20th, 2024.

As an investment advisory and strategic financial planning firm, FinTrust provides retirement advice as a core service. Retirement planning involves modeling financial resources to help clients balance how much to spend today (quality living) without running out of money in the future (quantity living). Life expectancy calculations therefore drive a lot of our work, so we pay special attention to longevity research. Click this link to join Allen as he shares highlights. >> https://loom.ly/hlF_w1s

WEALTH MANAGEMENT QUARTERLY - Q1-2024 - Fintrust Capital Advisors As an investment advisory and strategic financial planning firm, FinTrust provides retirement advice as a core service. Retirement planning involves modeling financial resources to help clients balance how much to spend today (quality living) without running out of money in the future (quantity livi...

Today’s Portfolio Commentary has been written by Allen Gillespie, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer

Summary
1. A Narrow Market Broadens in the Final Quarter.
2. Expect the Yield Curve to Normalize in 2024.
3. Presidential Election Years – “Open Field” v. “Incumbent Led” Markets

In our last Portfolio Commentary, we detailed the historical tendency for small capitalization stocks to begin a recovery just after a Federal Reserve rate hiking cycle ends, and prior to the end of a recession. We also noted how the recovery then continues for the subsequent 1-year and 5-year periods. As if on que, the equity markets began following the script in the fourth quarter as the Federal Reserve’s last rate hike was in July 2023. The small capitalization S&P 600 index gained 14.41% in the year’s final three months and outperformed the large capitalization S&P 500’s 11.24% gain for the quarter.

Click to read more >> https://loom.ly/Gn1w2R8

Portfolio Commentary – Q4 2023 - Fintrust Capital Advisors In our last Portfolio Commentary, we detailed the historical tendency for small capitalization stocks to begin a recovery just after a Federal Reserve rate hiking cycle ends, and prior to the end of a recession. We also noted how the recovery then continues for the subsequent 1-year and 5-year perio...

In observance of Martin Luther King Day, our office will be closed on Monday, January 15th, 2024. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, January 16th, 2024.

As Allen Gillespie does every year around this time, he has completed his annual look at the 30 stocks of the Dow Jones Industrial Average utilizing the methods Ben Graham laid out in his investment classic The Intelligent Investor. In this report, Allen recommends methods by which a defensive investor might determine the appropriate asset allocation. He also provides simple calculations by which to value securities and develop long-term return expectations. He defined a defensive investor as one that is “interested chiefly in safety plus freedom from bother.”

Click the link to read the report >> https://loom.ly/I9saUBY

Bitcoin, Gold, Dow Theory, & Benjamin Graham Analysis of the Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF - Fintrust Capital Advisors December 18, 2023 Industry: Diversified Tracking ETF: SPDR Dow Jones Industrial ETF (DIA) Index Overview: The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a 30-stock, price-weighted index that measures the performance of some of the largest U.S. companies. The index provides suitable sector representation with t...

Our office will be closed on Monday, January 1st, 2024, in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday. We will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. We wish you and your family a safe and healthy new year.

We wish you and your family a happy holiday season! Our office will be closed on Monday, December 25th, 2023. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, December 26th, 2023.

Join Allen Gillespie, Chief Investment Officer with FinTrust Advisors, and Mike Switzer with the South Carolina Business Review as they discuss if crypto is a legitimate investment. Click the link to listen to this latest podcast.
https://loom.ly/NcWrWm0

Special Episode—From the Desk of Podcast: Is Crypto a Legitimate Investment - Fintrust Capital Advisors Welcome to this episode of "From The Desk Of," our podcast about markets, life, and things financial. Join Chip Hardy, Senior Vice President, Fiduciary Consultant, and Mike Switzer of the South Carolina Business Review, heard each weekday morning at 7:50 AM on South Carolina’s Public Radio Network...

We wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving! Every day, we thank you for being the core of our success and look forward to a wonderful 2024. Our offices will be closed all day on Thursday, November 23rd, 2023. We will close at 1:00 PM on Friday, November 24th, 2023. We will resume normal business hours on Monday, November 27th, 2023.

Listen to today's podcast from MK Glassman, Financial Planner, and Allen Gillespie, Chief Investment Officer, as they discuss how financial markets have shadows along with the people and objects that create them. It is useful to learn about shadows, particularly because of the long, dark shadows currently wandering about the financial landscape.

Intrigued? Click this link to learn more >>https://loom.ly/6atVLI4

EPISODE 15 - Q4-2023 Wealth Management Quarterly - Fintrust Capital Advisors Welcome to this special episode of "From The Desk Of," our podcast about markets, life, and all things financial. Join Donna Rasile, Senior Vice President and Investment Advisor, and Allen Gillespie, Chief Investment Officer, as they discuss the recent downgrade of the US debt rating and what implic...

Today’s Portfolio Commentary has been written by Allen Gillespie, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer

Summary
1. The Leading Economic Index (“LEI”) and Small Cap Russell 2000 Index Confirm Recessionary Signal
2. Small Cap Stocks Historically Bottom During Recessions and Fed Cycles
3. Small Cap Stock Returns are Typically Higher for Extended Periods Following Recession

Investors today easily recognize that computers and algorithms drive much of our world. Algorithms provide driving directions, movie selections, curated places to visit, and lists of books to read. The investing world is no different, and algorithmic investing strategies now control trillions of investment dollars. Rarely, however, do we pause to consider how those algorithms might be programmed. This Portfolio Commentary provides a quick look at how a computer program might be coded to reflect economics, and where the computers suggest we are in the cycle.

Click to read more >> https://loom.ly/pqYhQXQ

Portfolio Commentary – Q3 2023 - Fintrust Capital Advisors Investors today easily recognize that computers and algorithms drive much of our world. Algorithms provide driving directions, movie selections, curated places to visit, and lists of books to read. The investing world is no different, and algorithmic investing strategies now control trillions of inv...

Join Allen Gillespie for his 4th Quarter 2023 Wealth Management Quarterly, "LONG, DARK SHADOWS." Allen begins, in natural light, long shadows appear in the winter when the axis of the earth is pointed away from the sun. Halloween with its ghosts, jack-o’-lanterns, and shadows, fittingly announces winter’s approach. Beyond the solstice points, long shadows appear at dusk and dawn, the opening and closing of the day. Shadows, therefore, appear at turning points. Long shadows obscure clear views, but they disappear over time as the world turns. Click the link to read more >>
https://loom.ly/4lG0hiA

WEALTH MANAGEMENT QUARTERLY - Q4-2023 - Fintrust Capital Advisors AG: In natural light, long shadows appear in the winter when the axis of the earth is pointed away from the sun. Halloween with its ghosts, jack-o’-lanterns, and shadows, fittingly announces winter’s approach. Beyond the solstice points, long shadows appear at dusk and dawn, the opening and clos...