James T. Tierney, Jr.

As the AI halo begins to fade, equity investors are seeking companies that can profit from—and not just pontificate about—artificial intelligence.

Competition for electric vehicles is mounting, but demand persists. So how can equity investors capture the potential of the fast-changing industry?

Earnings haven’t been consistently rewarded in equity markets recently. That could change faster than you think.

Recent labor agreements in the auto and airline industries spotlight the profitability conundrum facing US companies—and equity investors.

Equity investors should look beyond the hype for companies with clear strategies to profitably monetize the benefits of generative AI.

Despite softening demand, US home prices remain elevated. The culprits are high interest rates, limited supply and owners' reluctance to take on new mortgages.

Three of our US equity portfolio managers discuss market conditions in 2023 and provide perspectives on positioning for the challenges ahead.

Here’s what we learned in earnings season about how companies are coping with a particularly tricky set of macroeconomic conditions.

With 2023 approaching, all eyes are on corporate earnings forecasts. We believe companies that demonstrate three critical competitive advantages will be best positioned for earnings success in the coming year.

Three chief investment officers of our US equity portfolios discuss their approaches to identifying quality stocks and explain why they think quality will ultimately perform well again despite a difficult 2022.

There are already signs that some deflationary forces may be just around the corner. Investors should consider the implications.

The recent divergence of the largest US technology and new media stocks reminds us why fundamentals should always trump fads for long-term equity investors.

In a tougher economic environment, investors in growth stocks must identify companies with the right features to overcome headwinds to earnings.

Solid earnings growth and high profitability underpin the benefits of US stocks, even in a tougher environment during 2022.

Companies that have pricing power will be able to maintain strong margins, even in an inflationary environment.

A wave of inflation is rolling through the economy. To be successful, companies must have pricing power in their business quiver.

US vacationers are out in force while the holiday scene remains subdued in Europe and Asia. How can equity investors capture the unfolding global mobility recovery?

Many companies expediting the digital revolution aren't household names. But they often offer stronger growth potential than big-name brands making blockbuster products.

Investors are reassessing which types of companies will thrive in the next stage of the recovery amid the recent rebound of value stocks. But we think the distinguishing performance factor will be a company’s ability to generate sustainable earnings, regardless of its style classification.

The GameStop drama that has rattled US stocks reflects the growing power of individual investors to shape market events. But there are lessons for traditional, long-term investors, too. When markets ignore fundamentals, redoubling a focus on quality is the best way to produce consistent returns while reducing volatility.

The five largest US growth stocks now comprise more than a third of the Russell 1000 Growth Index. Investors should be alert to the risks of high benchmark concentration.

Economic fallout from the pandemic is devastating US retail. But companies that were already adapting well to seismic changes in the industry should prosper over time.

In the midst of a historic crisis, it's hard to see through the fog. But investors who ask the right questions now will be able to identify companies that can make it through.

With US equities trading at relatively high valuations, earnings growth will be essential for investors to generate returns in 2020. That’s a tall order in today’s environment. Finding standout companies with sustainable growth potential will be especially important.

After a series of disappointing initial public offerings (IPOs), private and public equity investors are becoming more discerning about earnings. And for good reason. Profitable companies outperform by a wide margin over time, even among high-growth companies, which often post losses early in their lifecycles.

There's growing evidence that private equity markets are beginning to overheat after several high-profile IPO flops. Investors in stocks should pay attention because private funding troubles are also a very public market affair.

My first investment-related job was on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), more than 40 years ago. So I was feeling a bit nostalgic when I recently visited the NYSE to attend Mastercard's analyst meeting, which reinforced my conviction about the importance of innovation in the 21st century.

Many US corporations are indulging heavily in leverage. That may be all right for now, but if economic conditions deteriorate, those highly leveraged companies will face difficulties in the next few years. But investors can find active equity solutions that generate returns without the risk of excess leverage.

In today's highly uncertain market environment, investors in US stocks are paying a premium for companies with high-dividend yields. But how much is too much—especially if interest rates stop declining? Stocks with resilient high-growth profiles deserve a closer look.

I started back in the eighties as part of a centralised research group. Each person was responsible for an individual sector. Instead, what we do within our concentrated approaches today is we work as a team. I'll give you an example, when we go to visit Apple.inc, we bring our retail analyst, we bring our tech analyst, and I go given my media experience. What is Apple? Apple is a little bit of a retailer, a little bit of a tech company and a whole lot of a media company. So I think the combination of three people around the table asking questions really brings some huge synergies to the research that we do on Apple that most centralised research shops can't provide.

Equity markets recovered in June as the US Federal Reserve turned decidedly dovish, coming in line with most central banks around the world. But after posting strong gains, to end the quarter close to a record high, how much more steam do US stocks have left?

From rising sea levels to catastrophic weather events, investors can't afford to ignore the risks of climate change. Since many companies would be vulnerable if current climate forecasts materialize, asset managers may want to consider climate change in their equity research process and engage management teams on the subject.

Many US companies have forgotten how to raise prices because they haven't had to for a long time. In some sectors, such as retail, pricing power has been hobbled by the giant consolidated retailers, leaving other businesses unable to adequately offset inflationary pressures.

With US stocks facing multiple risks, it's easy to lose sight of the positive trends that could help the market recover. In 2019, investors should search for select stocks with the right attributes to produce positive surprises in a potentially tricky market environment.

US companies reported stellar first-quarter profits this year. But some investors suspect that earnings growth has plateaued. Our research suggests that slowing earnings growth means nothing for stock prices.

Finding high-quality companies is an essential component of many equity strategies. But with revolutionary forces sweeping through key industries, what really defines quality stocks? Investors must think proactively about how to identify quality in a changing world.