The Strategic Investing concept (Keep It Safe, Simple & Stay Focused, or KISS & SF) utilizes technology to find stocks that may appreciate 50% or more after being identified within a year. The primary focus of the Strategic Investing philosophy is capital, or wealth preservation. Stocks meeting the Strategic Investing criteria must have a record of increasing profit growth. These concepts have enabled the Strategic Investing Conservative Portfolio to show significant profits each year since inception in 1996.
For almost 50 years, Fred Richards has been a successful investor. He was trained as a fundamental security analyst and trader at 40 Wall Street during the 1960’s. Listed in “Who’s Who in the World” since 1965 and many other reference sources, his insights and observations on domestic and world economic affairs were first published in 1972 in the monthly ‘Tis Only My Opinion!” newsletter. Recent issues are available at www.adrich.com as well as the “Current Indicators and Market Overview” which is updated weekly.
The KISS & SF methodology uses updated financial analysis and risk management techniques which originated with Mr. Richards’ pioneering work during his Wall Street career. Investing in profitable, growing companies in expanding markets with institutional support was the foundation. Since 1952, he has had a relationship with William J. O’Neil, the developer of the CANSLIM™ system. The Strategic Investing methodology incorporates many CANSLIM™ principles as well as the Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) stock screening and rating systems. In 1992, building upon the IBD ratings, Mr. Richards began extensively researching and back-testing additional computer-based tools for stock market investing. After four years of testing, the Strategic Investing filters were deployed on live portfolios, using some of Fred Richards’ personal funds.
By 1998, so many people were asking Fred Richards for personal advice on their IRA, 401(k) and other investments that he began presenting seminars to help individuals understand investment alternatives other than mutual funds. Mr. Richards is not a licensed investment adviser and cannot give personal advice, or manage money for others.
Unusual among newsletter writers, Mr. Richards continues to run some of his personal money in public. What subscribers see is real money, in actual portfolios. His portfolio holdings and changes are usually posted daily.
His daily Market Musings and the weekly Stock Watch List and Market Commentary and the Portfolios are available to his subscribers at www.stratinv.net. The renewal rate of the Strategic Investing subscribers is over 95%.
He is a regular speaker before the CANSLIM, VectorVest and computer user groups. He often speaks on Economics and the Stock Market at University forums and at the FEDFRIDAY® meetings plus many other venues.
In 1959, Mr. Richards received a BS in IE (honors) from Southern Methodist University on the Cooperative Engineering program while working at Collins Radio and LTV. After receiving an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1961, he joined the Harvard faculty as a Research Assistant to Professor Herbert F. Stewart in the “Management of New Enterprises” course. In 1962, he began a Wall Street career with Harold F. Linder, William T. Golden and Ralph E. Hansmann who were members of the N.Y. Stock Exchange.
He began working with computers in 1955 on the Univac I at SMU and assisted in installing the first computer at HBS. The holder of several patents, he pioneered computer implementation in financial and operating businesses including stock market analysis. He also authored the CorpSec/MGR, Personnel/MGR and Security/MGR software packages in the 1980’s.
He is the President and CEO of Adrich Corporation which he founded in 1965. It grew from one employee and 180 sq. ft. into a diversified company with manufacturing facilities in five countries. In 1972, he founded A. R. Associates, an international consulting firm specializing in trade development between the Pacific Rim, North America, and Europe. With the sale of the operating entities of Adrich in 1981, the corporation became a family investment vehicle.
Mr. Richards then joined Capital Alliance Corporation where he was involved in its venture capital and turn-around activities until retiring in 1992. His operating experience includes serving as a CEO and/or COO for businesses in agribusiness, software publishing, computer leasing, digital imaging, media storage manufacturing, wholesale distribution, business intelligence and high tech security processes. He also has served as a consultant to governmental agencies and Congressional committees.
In 1992, he was a founder of the American Regulatory Compliance Association, a non-profit organization helping small to medium-sized businesses cope with the increased environmental and workplace regulations. He has spoken before many organizations on topics ranging from the IMF, international monetary flows, currency fluctuations, agribusiness and PL 480, regulatory compliance, the stock and commodity markets, and entrepreneurship.