Rick D. W. Howson

Provides investment advice

Howson Tattersall Investment Counsel's (HTIC) fixed-income investment process applies multiple strategies, with no one dominant style. The firm adds value primarily through interest rate anticipation and yield enhancement strategies, and also incorporates relative value trade strategies. Their fixed-income selection process is based on a four-step, top-down portfolio management approach. The first step is developing a macroeconomic view, which consists of a thorough analysis of economic strength or weakness - the guiding force to the future path of interest rates and inflation. Next, through economic analysis HTIC determines how to position themselves on duration relative to the benchmark and decides where on the yield curve to execute their strategy. Drawing on the conclusions from the first two steps, they determine sector weights, industry weights and average corporate credit quality to pinpoint potentially attractive investments. Finally, using in-house credit analysis to indicate under- or overvalued bonds, HTIC decides what type of bond structure to purchase with specific attention given to those issuers that are not heavily followed by rating agencies or brokers. HTIC's equity investment process is based on value investing. Designed to uncover companies with stock prices below fair market value, the research process begins by screening stocks using their proprietary valuation model. Based on criteria that focus on estimates of the long-term profitability of a company rather than short-term forecasts of earnings, the firm determines a fair market value for each company in the research universe. After narrowing the universe of potential investments to companies with attractive quantitative factors, they undertake independent qualitative research which involves reviewing financial statements and meeting with company management. They also use a variety of valuation metrics rather than limiting investment opportunities to a single touchstone of value. Risk control is achieved by ensuring that all portfolios are widely diversified. HTIC audits consistency by verifying criteria such as the median market cap, price-to-book value and price-to-cash flow to confirm that their portfolios financial characteristics are less expensive than the overall market. HTIC's valuation model not only provides the portfolio managers with new purchase candidates, but it also provides a warning sign when successful holdings become too highly priced. A comparison with current market prices highlights companies trading both below our estimate of fair market value (purchase candidates) and those above fair market value (sell candidates). Though not limited by sector, the firm tends to invest in the stocks of US and Canadian companies in the finance, non-energy minerals, energy minerals and industrial services sectors. HTIC invests across all market-caps.