PHILOSOPHY

Approach

At Ayrton, we analyze each investment with a singular goal - to identify possible outcomes and their probabilities. In doing so we answer several key questions - what is a company’s track record of success? What secular or structural dynamics are driving or destroying value in the sector? Has management delivered on previously guided goals? Does the situation lie within our domain of competence? In answering these questions objectively and truthfully, we are able to act on undervalued or unappreciated opportunities.

Process

Discipline and rigor of process are vital for investment success. Ours starts with a comprehensive review of data gathered through screening or through interactions with trusted market contacts. Observations derived from this review are further refined with retrospective and preemptive thinking thereby reducing an investment thesis to its salient elements. Long term insights gained from this work makes our technique iteratively smarter. Underlying all this is a fundamental tenet of successful investing - the only sustainable way to win is through rigorous preparation, discipline, patience and decisiveness.

Principles

• Emphasize capital preservation and margin of safety.
• Adhere to absolute standards of value.
• Insist upon proper compensation for risk (even if others don't).
• No investment is sacred when a better one comes along.
• Reputation and integrity are one’s most valuable assets; never compromise.
• Good ideas are rare - when the odds are greatly in one's favor, allocate heavily.
• Reject flawed concepts such as:
  • Being compelled to stay fully invested at all times.
  • Comparative ranking that forces short term, chase-the-herd behavior.
  • Over categorization.
• Resist the human bias to act; accept that sometimes doing nothing is best.
• Be aware and adapt to reality; it won't adapt to you.