From Montier’s most recent piece, Hyperinflations, Hysteria, and False Memories (.pdf) (via GMO):
In the past, I’ve admitted to macroeconomics being one of my dark, guilty pleasures. To some “value” investors this seems like heresy, as Marty Whitman¹ once wrote, “Graham and Dodd view macro factors . . . as crucial to the analysis of a corporate security. Value investors, however, believe that macro factors are irrelevant.” I am clearly a Graham and Doddite on this measure (and most others as well). I view understanding the macro backdrop (N.B. not predicting it, as Ben Graham said, “Analysis of the future should be penetrating rather than prophetic.”) as one of the core elements of risk management.
¹. Martin J. Whitman, Value Investing: A Balanced Approach, John Wiley & Sons, 1999.
“Analysis of the future should be penetrating rather than prophetic.”
I came here today looking for that quote… what a great thing they said. Probably has a lot of application for risk management.
LikeLike