The Value Fund returned +5.3% in 2018 net of fees and expenses (or approximately +7.1% gross). We managed to outperform both of our benchmarks in 2018. The S&P/TSX Total Return Index finished down -8.9% for the year. The S&P500 Total Return Index was down -4.4% for the year. Measured in Canadian dollars (the Value Fund’s reporting currency) the S&P500 Total Return was up +3.9% for the year.
There is a concept in cycling that has been adopted by famed value investor Tom Russo that resonates with us – namely the capacity to suffer. There will be times when our prudent value investing approach will be out of step with the markets and we will experience the pain of looking foolish for ignoring expensive and/or poor-quality stocks. But our long-term and patient approach when things aren’t going our way serves us well when panic returns. The ability to endure short-term pain (be it psychological, emotional and/or physical) often leads to long-term rewards. Buffett has often said that temperament is more important than intelligence in investing. Fortunately we were wired a certain way that happens to be helpful in the investing arena.