Re-introduction to Asian Century Stocks
An introduction for those of you who are new to the newsletter
The number of subscribers to Asian Century Stocks has risen dramatically over the past year.
As a recipient of this newsletter, you might wonder:
Who is Michael?
And why is he showing up in my email inbox?
So allow me to re-introduce myself and my newsletter Asian Century Stocks.
Who are you?
My name is Michael Fritzell, and I'm a full-time Substack writer. I’m 38 years old and have spent much of my career in the finance industry in Asia.
This newsletter Asian Century Stocks, is about investor education on value stocks in the Asia-Pacific.
With value stocks, I mean blue-chip stocks that trade at low valuation multiples
And with investor education, I mean helping investors like you learn about companies in the Asia-Pacific
The Asia Pacific region includes stock markets across East Asia (in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China) and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines)
My goal is to keep you well-informed. While I don't make investment recommendations, I hope that the information provided to you is both entertaining and valuable.
Once you’ve learnt about a company or an industry, you should then consult your financial adviser to understand what investment might be appropriate for your particular situation. You can find my newsletter’s legal disclaimer here and at the top of every newsletter post.
Where did you come from?
You might wonder what an (almost) 2 metres tall Swedish man has to offer when it comes to Asian stocks.
That's a good question. I ended up in Asia by accident. When I was in university in the mid-2000s, I originally planned to move to Paris for my university exchange studies. But at the last minute, I changed my mind. Instead of Paris, I moved to Bangalore in India for half a year of studying economics and travelling. I loved the experience and wanted more.
Three years later, I returned to Asia with a renewed desire for adventure. I moved to Beijing to study Chinese in 2009 and then worked as an equity research analyst in China for several years.
Since 2014, I have lived in Singapore, working for a family office and two other funds investing in the broader region.
When I first came to Asia, I was naive - thinking that companies are what they say they are. But over time, I’ve become more savvy and well-informed. I hope to impart some of that knowledge to you.
What do you do?
Since April 2021, I’ve worked as a full-time financial journalist. Writing this newsletter Asian Century Stocks, is my one and only job.
The Asian Century Stocks logotype “百” stands for “one hundred” — the hundred years of the 21st century when the Asian region will once again become the world's economic centre.
Let’s see whether that prediction pans out or not. Asia has certainly been a fast-growing region over the past hundred years, driven by a generally educated population working harder than almost anywhere else in the world.
As a subscriber to the newsletter, you will receive a few different types of posts:
Monday morning links are a collection of links and news stories that I think will be of interest to investors in the region. At the top of the post, I will typically write a short paragraph about something I learned over the past week. These posts are free of charge for all paying and non-paying subscribers. You can find an example of a Monday morning links post here.
Deep-dives reports are PowerPoint reports on individual companies I think my readers might be interested in. These take a significant amount of time to put together and are therefore typically to paying subscribers only. You can find an example of a deep-dive report here.
Portfolio updates describe my personal portfolio and how I think about individual stocks in it. It’s for paying subscribers only. You can find an example of a portfolio update here.
Industry thematics are introductions to particular industries: how companies make money, how regulation works and what listed stocks can be found in that industry. These are typically for paying subscribers only. You can find an example of an industry thematic here.
Other reports include book reviews, stock screens and such. Most of them are for paying subscribers only, as well. You can find an example here.
I like mixing up the writing a bit to make it less of a chore. I hope that’s okay.
You can find a list of all previous Asian Century Stocks content here:
While I typically publish new posts on Sundays around 10am and my “Monday morning links” around noon Hong Kong / Beijing / Singapore time, there will be occasional exceptions.
I try to ensure that most of the stocks discussed are listed in either Japan, Hong Kong or Singapore - the three Asian stock markets that international investors typically have access to.
If you don’t have a brokerage account yet, you can find a guide to Asian stock brokers here.
Who do you do it for?
Most of my 276 subscribers are professional investors.
Since the companies I cover are conservative "blue chips", retail investors may find them boring. I understand that. Stocks like Tesla, NIO or Meituan often seem sexier for those wanting to make a quick buck.
But there's a place for optimism, and there's a place for caution. There has to be a balance between the two.
I'm hoping my newsletter will become a voice of reason in this increasingly promotional climate of influencers promising that their stock or cryptocurrency will go to the moon. While I don’t make outright investment recommendations, I can at least help educate you and the broader community.
How can you do it for me?
If you want to become a subscriber, click the button below, and I'll make sure to serve you the best I can: