Welcome to the first 2023 episode of 'On the Couch'. This occasional podcast series of chats with fund managers, CEO’s and brokers aims to give you an insight into the investing world.

In this episode I am joined by Ben Clark from TMS Capital.

Ben will be a familiar face and voice to some, as he appears on various media channels and is on the Ausbiz 'Investment Committee' with me.

With over 20 years’ experience, he is principally responsible for analysing, selecting and monitoring the businesses that TMS Capital invests in, and also provides advice on overall portfolio construction. Whether visiting companies or performing deep dive analysis of outlooks, Ben is a highly skilled and hands-on investor, sharing his insights with the TMS team and clients alike. An excellent communicator, Ben regularly features in the media. Ben completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Sydney, majoring in Finance and Economics.

Some of the topics we cover:

·       How was 2022 for you?
·       Any lessons learnt that you can pass on to our listeners?
·       What did you get right and what did you get wrong?
·       New year, so in general terms, how do you go about building a portfolio?
·       What criteria do you use to select stocks?
·       Are there any red flags?
·       If you started from scratch, what five stocks would you put in the portfolio?
·       If you had to pick three stocks for 2023, what would they be?
·       Is there any stock that you feel is completely the wrong price?
·       What will be the big theme for 2023?
·       Where do you see the index going this year?

Note: Ben talks about a Royalty Stock in this episode:  it is Deterra (DRR) - He talks at one stage about gold royalties, he was talking about how most other royalty stream companies are based on gold royalties. DTR is different. Iron ore royalties. It may not have been clear  in the excitement of the moment. It is an iron ore royalty from BHP's  South Flank operations.

Disclaimer: This is general advice only and you should consult your financial adviser regarding any of the thoughts, ideas or insights in this podcast.

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