Quality

For us, the quality of a company essentially boils down to its moat, its financial solidity and its stakeholders.

The moat is in accord with barriers to entry that protect the growth of the company and its ability to set prices. Competitive advantages can come from constant innovation, already dominant market share, scale, brand recognition, high replacement costs or accumulated and patented know-how. Operational excellence, based on disciplined execution of well-defined processes, can also be a franchise.

Financial strength is an indicator of superior returns produced by the company and its ability to generate excess cash flow. It also reflects the accuracy of past decisions by managers. Financial strength is therefore the quantitative expression of qualitative advantages. Favoring balance sheets with limited indebtedness is only natural in this context. Furthermore, sticking to healthy balance sheets is especially important when the economic environment becomes more challenging. It is indeed in these moments that the wheat is separated from the chaff.

No matter how skilled and astute managers or shareholders may be, they cannot be the only reason to invest in a company. Conversely, they may be a good reason for not doing so. Beyond the intellectual capacities of individuals, the motivation of the management team and the strategic vision of key shareholders determine the long-term success of the company. It goes without saying that human quality, defined by integrity, transparency and humility, is essential for minority shareholders and all other stakeholders who interact with the company.

Time, research and experience are absolutely necessary to understand quality, especially when it comes to smaller or younger companies. It is easy to misunderstand a company's economic model, especially in the face of a formatted and often overly optimistic managerial discourse. To counterbalance the latter, a dose of skepticism and criticism is necessary.