October 25, 2025, Issue 9

Beyond Ridiculous

Back in our first issue, we discussed the difference between investing and gambling. This week the markets gave us a stark visual of what it looks like to turn the stock market into a casino. The company Beyond Meat made a splash back during the pandemic. Everyone thought that their plant-based meats would take the market by storm, and the entire population would switch to vegetarian. The stock rose to $166 in July of 2020. Then everyone tasted it. By October 16th, just 10 days ago, the stock closed at 0.52c. On the 18th, a company called Roundhill Investments said they would include BYND in their Meme Stock ETF, which invests in popular, high volatility stocks. On the 21st, BYND closed at $3.62, giving those that bought at 0.52c a hefty 600% gain. But that was not the end of the story. The very next day, the company hit $7.69 before closing at $3.58. On Friday, the last price paid for BYND was $2.18, meaning a buyer at $7.69 lost about 71% of their money. Here’s the bottom line. Beyond Meat had sales last year of $301M on which they lost $129M. In other words, they are struggling. In fairness, they did sign a distribution deal with Walmart, and maybe they can pull themselves up. But the point is that we can sometimes look at that stock that rises 600% and want to jump in to catch the wave. That’s gambling, and that’s where we can lose our hard earned dollars. Remember to stick to the research.

Beyond Money

The point of this newsletter was always meant to focus on financial issues. However, life is so much more than finances and money. A full life is about recognizing the importance of family, the role that friends play, how travel can open our eyes to different ideas and cultures. We can’t forget about reading a good book, listening to our favorite and new musical artists, or the relaxing value of becoming obsessed with a new TV show.

Lately I’ve been appreciative of the value of exercise. Early this year I was encouraged to begin a regime including weights. As we age, so I was told, we lose bone and muscle mass. So for the first time in my nearly 60 years on the planet I began a New Year’s resolution that has stuck. Exercising makes me feel energized, it helps relieve the stresses of the day, and of course it builds muscle mass and changes your body in ways that you can see. It also makes you feel like eating healthier, which is certainly another bonus.
Getting our butts into the gym will help us to live longer, healthier lives. At the end of the day all of our savings and investments aren’t worth very much if we aren’t here to appreciate the value of what they can bring. We all need a push to begin, and I am grateful for having had that push. Please try to carve out 3 days/times during the week when you will absolutely be in the gym no matter what else may come up. Putting the times into your calendar will help to not book something else during your gym times.
We will begin to tackle issues such as those mentioned above in future issues. I would love to hear what interests you have outside of financial. Please reply to this email or let us know in the comments.

World Series Thoughts

It’s nice to see a “true” World Series. This year we have a team from outside of the USA for the first time in 32 years. It’s not only nice to see, it gives me a true rooting interest for my home country, so GO JAYS!
During game one I saw Shohei Ohtani standing with Vladimir Guerrero Jr at first base after Ohtani had hit a single. It dawned on me that the contracts of those two players were worth $1.2 BILLION. While they are certainly two of the best players in the game, I found myself wondering how baseball and sports in general can sustain these kinds of salaries.
The Dodgers are trying to repeat as champions and have the highest payroll in baseball. The Blue Jays have the fifth highest payroll, and count not just a city, but an entire country as their fan base. Can any small market team like the Kansas City Royals ever truly compete for the crown?
Athletes at this level continuously amaze. A 100MPH fastball takes 375 milliseconds to reach the batter. For reference, your eyes blink in 300 milliseconds. I imagine that I would be swinging long after the catcher caught the ball!
Enjoy the Series, and Go Canada!

Thought of the Day

It is a yearly source of joy and amazement how some folks go all out with their Halloween decorations. I love driving through certain neighborhoods that really put on a show. This year people in the States will spend a record $13.1 billion on candy, decorations, and costumes. Are you going to a party? Trick or Treating? What is your costume? Let us know in the comments or by answering this email.
Happy Halloween!

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