Modern Portfolio Theory has failed investors. A change in direction is long overdue. We are in a time of enormous risk. Economic growth is anemic, and political risk to the capital markets is on the rise. In the U.S., a generation of white collar baby-boomers is heading into retirement with insufficient assets in their 401(k) programs, and industrial workers are stuck with materially underfunded pension plans. Against that backdrop, the investing industry’s current set of practices and assumptions—Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT)—is based on a half-century old formula that is supposed to deliver the maximum amount of return for a given amount of risk. The trouble is that it doesn’t work very well. In Getting Back to Business, dividend-investing guru Daniel Peris proposes a radical new approach—radical in that it does away with MPT in favor of a more intuitive, common-sense approach practiced by business people in their own affairs everyday: cash returns on cash investments. “In a profession utterly lacking a historical sensibility,” Peris writes. “One periodically needs to ask why we do things the way we do, how we got here, and whether perhaps there is a better way.” Balancing detailed historical evidence with a practitioner’s real-world expertise, Peris asks the right questions—and provides a solution that makes sense in today’s challenging investing landscape.

Résumé : Balancing detailed historical evidence with a practitioners real-world expertise, this book asks the right questions?and provides a solution that makes sense in todays challenging investing landscape. --

The concept of the short term involves a complex network of quantitative, qualitative, and operational ideas. It is essential everywhere from the ontology of time, to the science of memory, to the preservation of art, to emotional life, to the practice of ethics. But what does the idea of the short term mean? What makes a temporal term short? What makes a time segment terminate? Is the short term a quantitative idea, or a qualitative or functional idea? When is it a good idea to understand events as short term events, and when is it a good idea to make decisions based on the short term? What does it mean for the nature of time if some of it can be short? Jay Lampert explores these questions in depth and makes use of the resources of short (as well as long) term processes in order to develop best temporal practices in ethical, aesthetic, epistemological, and metaphysical activities, both theoretical and practical. The methodology develops ideas based on the history of philosophy (from Plato to Hegel to Husserl to Deleuze), interdisciplinary studies (from cognitive science to poetics), and practical spheres where short term practices have been studied extensively (from short term psychotherapy to short term financial investments). Philosophy of the Short Term is the first book to deal systematically with the concept of the short term.

A new way forward for sustainable quality of life in cities of all sizes Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity is a book of forward-thinking ideas that breaks with modern wisdom to present a new vision of urban development in the United States. Presenting the foundational ideas of the Strong Towns movement he co-founded, Charles Marohn explains why cities of all sizes continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, and reveals the new paradigm that can solve this longstanding problem. Inside, you’ll learn why inducing growth and development has been the conventional response to urban financial struggles—and why it just doesn’t work. New development and high-risk investing don’t generate enough wealth to support itself, and cities continue to struggle. Read this book to find out how cities large and small can focus on bottom-up investments to minimize risk and maximize their ability to strengthen the community financially and improve citizens’ quality of life. Develop in-depth knowledge of the underlying logic behind the “traditional” search for never-ending urban growth Learn practical solutions for ameliorating financial struggles through low-risk investment and a grassroots focus Gain insights and tools that can stop the vicious cycle of budget shortfalls and unexpected downturns Become a part of the Strong Towns revolution by shifting the focus away from top-down growth toward rebuilding American prosperity Strong Towns acknowledges that there is a problem with the American approach to growth and shows community leaders a new way forward. The Strong Towns response is a revolution in how we assemble the places we live.

Time-Tested Techniques - Safe, Simple, and Proven Effective - for Building Your Own Investment Portfolio. "As its title suggest, Bill Bernstein's fine book honors the sensible principles of Benjamin Graham in the Intelligent Investor Bernstein's concepts are sound, his writing crystal clear, and his exposition orderly. Any reader who takes the time and effort to understand his approach to the crucial subject of asset allocation will surely be rewarded with enhanced long-term returns." - John C. Bogle, Founder and former Chief Executive Officer, The Vanguard Group President, Bogle Financial Markets Research Center Author, common Sense on Mutual Funds. "Bernstein has become a guru to a peculiarly '90s group: well-educated, Internet-powered people intent on investing well - and with minimal 'help' from professional Wall Street." - Robert Barker, Columnist, BusinessWeek. "I go home and tell my wife sometimes, 'I wonder if [Bernstein] doesn't know more than me.' It's humbling." - John Rekenthaler, Research Chief, Morningstar Inc. William Bernstein is an unlikely financial hero. A practicing neurologist, he used his self-taught investment knowledge and research to build one of today's most respected investor's websites. Now, let his plain-spoken The Intelligent Asset Allocator show you how to use the time-honored techniques of asset allocation to build your own pathway to financial security - one that is easy-to-understand, easier-to-apply, and supported by 75 years of solid history and wealth-building results.

IF YOU'RE INVESTED IN THE FUTURE OF THE STOCK MARKET, THIS IS YOUR WAKE-UP CALL. DIVIDENDS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. THEY'RE PART OF THE SOLUTION. Forget the Great Recession. According to fund manager and author Daniel Peris, the real threat to investment returns from stocks is the Great Retreat--a 30-year drop in the dividend payout ratio of the leading corporations in the United States that has rendered the U.S. stock market a grand casino rather than a business investment platform. Peris believes that profit distributions--the dividends of publicly traded corporations--are the greatest indicators of a business's success. Investors and company executives should focus on them. This is The Dividend Imperative, a bold new vision for anyone interested in having a stronger, broader, and healthier stock market for everyone. If you're a personal investor ... this book will show you how to identify and invest incompanies that value shareholders by rewarding them with ample, growing dividends. If you're a portfolio manager ... this book will help you shift your focus from near-term earnings to long-term dividends--even if it goes against conventional wisdom. If you’re a business leader ... this book will show you how to restore trust and confidence in the corporate world, the stock market, and the future of investing. This is no get-rich-quick scheme or one-size-fits-all money guide. It is a realistic, tightly reasoned approach to dividend investing that could have far-reaching effects on Main Street and Wall Street alike. Using real-world case studies and analytic models, Peris shows investors and companies that concentrating on dividend generation and growth can lead to mutually rewarding results. You'll learn why stocks go up when dividends go up--and what it means to a company's bottom line. You'll discover practical financial tools for assessing the value of higher dividend payouts and determining the value of a dividend growth trajectory. Even if your direct stock market experience has been disappointing or your mutual funds have performed poorly in recent years, refocusing your efforts on dividend strategies can provide just the vision you need to achieve long-term success with your investments. This is what business is all about. This is how investors and companies can share profi ts, build trust, and create opportunities for the future. This is The Dividend Imperative. You've seen the markets swing from bubble to scandal and back again. You’ve watched the divide between Wall Street and Main Street grow larger each year. You've wished there was a strategic approach to investing that strengthened portfolios, benefited companies, and bolstered the economy as well. The answer, according to business investor Daniel Peris, is simple. You need to focus on dividends. Investors need to demand bigger dividends, and U.S. corporations need to pay out more of their profits as dividends. This is THE DIVIDEND IMPERATIVE--a powerful new call to action for investors and corporate leaders by the acclaimed author of The Strategic Dividend Investor. "[Peris's] ideas about aligning interests through higher dividend payments may be counter to current Wall Street wisdom, but savvy investors should trust Peris to guide them toward a strategy that focuses on generating strong long-term returns." -- JOHN EADE, President, Argus Research "Peris makes a compelling case that investors and companies need to focus more on dividends, which have accounted for the lion’s share of stock market returns." -- JOHN HEINZL, Toronto's The Globe and Mail "If you’re a shareholder, and not a near-term 'shareseller,' you deserve a better deal. Most companies can afford to pay higher dividends. Here's why they should. Investors who like cash should cheer for Peris." -- JEFFREY KOSNETT, editor of Kiplinger's Investing for Income "The book is a rallying cry for long-term investors to regain their rightful position using a simple but very powerful tool that they have at their disposal--demand for increased dividends." -- WILLIAM LYONS, CFO, CONSOL Energy

A concise and masterful discussion of a proven investing strategy There are many ways to make money in today’s market, but the one strategy that has truly proven itself over the years is value investing. Now, with The Little Book of Value Investing, Christopher Browne shows you how to use this wealth-building strategy to successfully buy bargain stocks around the world. You’ll explore how to value securities and find bargains in the stock market. You’ll also learn to ignore irrelevant noise, “advice” from self-proclaimed gurus, and other obstacles that can throw you off your game. The Little Book of Value Investing also offers: Strategies for analyzing public company financial statements and disclosures Advice on when you truly require a specialist’s opinion Tactics for sticking to your guns when you’re tempted to abandon a sound calculation because of froth in the market Perfect for beginning retail investors of all stripes, The Little Book of Value Investing will also earn a place in the libraries of veteran investors and portfolio managers seeking an expert reference covering the most time-tested lessons of value investing.

TIRED OF THE STOCK MARKET'S UPS AND DOWNS? Get off the Wall Street roller coaster with strategic dividend investing! There's a big difference between investing in the stock market and investing in companies through the stock market.The Strategic Dividend Investor shows you why, over the long run, investing in companies with high and rising distributions is far superior to "playing the market." Responsible for $4.5 billion in dividend-anchored portfolios, Daniel Peris demonstrates that, for most investors, buying a stock in the hope of making a quick buck by selling it in a few weeks or months is far from the best way to create wealth. Instead, you should use the stock market as a means of receiving a share of excess profits—dividends—from corporations in which you own stock. Over time, those payments—and the growth of those payments—represent the vast majority of stock market returns. The Strategic Dividend Investor outlines the key issues you need to address in order to create a solid dividend portfolio, including how to: View the stock market as a business venture rather than as a platform for speculation Strike the right balance between current yield and dividend growth Learn to assess the ability and inclination of a company to pay and increase its dividends over time The real key to mastering the stock market is to take the stock out of the equation and treat your outlay as you would any other business investment—with an eye to the long term and to cash returns. By contrast, the "buy low, sell high, repeat frequently" philosophy foisted on the investing public has been wrecking portfolios on Main Street for decades, all the while generating big profits for Wall Street. But after a decade of mediocre returns from the stock market—highlighted by two dramatic crashes—now is the time to refocus your portfolio on dividends, and The Strategic Dividend Investor will show you how. Praise for The Strategic Dividend Investor "Peris is way out in front of the Wall Street pack. His book makes a case for dividend-driven investing that no one in this back-to-basics era should ignore." Josh Peters, Editor, The Morningstar Dividend Investor "Peris is a leading portfolio manager in the dividend investing space, and his results and insights add tremendous value to any portfolio. Whether you're an individual investor or an institution portfolio manager, The Strategic Dividend Investor is an absolute must read in this challenging market environment." Don Dion, President, Dion Money Management, and Editor, The Fidelity Independent Adviser "In this lively and persuasive polemic, Daniel Peris forcefully reminds us what equity investing is really all about: SHOW ME THE MONEY!" Ian Kennedy, former Director of Research, Cambridge Associates "[Makes] the strongest cases I've ever seen for relentlessly investing in dividend stocks and funds that own them." Kiplinger's

Is there an ideal portfolio of investment assets, one that perfectly balances risk and reward? In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio examines this question by profiling and interviewing ten of the most prominent figures in the finance world,Jack Bogle, Charley Ellis, Gene Fama, Marty Liebowitz, Harry Markowitz, Bob Merton, Myron Scholes, Bill Sharpe, Bob Shiller, and Jeremy Siegel. We learn about the personal and intellectual journeys of these luminaries, which include six Nobel Laureates and a trailblazer in mutual funds, and their most innovative contributions. In the process, we come to understand how the science of modern investing came to be. Each of these finance greats discusses their idea of a perfect portfolio, offering invaluable insights to today's investor