The world is a big place, with approximately 50,000 publicly traded companies. At Polen Capital, we’re not trying to understand all of them. We seek only the best of the best.
We do this by applying our proven investment philosophy. We know that we can find great companies in a variety of geographies and industries, and we take our investable universe of about 8,000 companies and narrow it to approximately 500 by applying our five guardrails.
Our guardrails allow us to stay focused on great companies that we believe are competitively advantaged and have long runways for profitable growth for the foreseeable future. They also help us avoid getting distracted by fads or economic cycles. We want to focus exclusively on companies where the odds are in our favor and where we believe we can generate great returns for a long time.
When we apply the guardrails and exclude the industries that we find unattractive, we get a more manageable list that allows our team to do what they do best. We have a collaborative and talented group of investment professionals that can go deep. We study structural and secular elements of these businesses, talk to management, and assess the market and competitive dynamics. And importantly, we’re constructively paranoid about the risks and uncertainties that exist for any great company.
At the end of the day, we’re putting our investors’ capital and our own at risk. So, we want to make sure we understand why the quality of our investments is not just present, but durable. We want to own our companies for five years or more, so we conduct our due diligence with that mindset.
We believe that in today’s environment, it’s possible to find wonderful companies at wonderful prices. The great reset of 2022 has afforded us an opportunity to look at these same great businesses at attractive valuations. Our pipeline of ideas has rarely been this good, and we’re excited about it.
Important Disclosures
This information is provided for illustrative purposes only. Opinions and views expressed constitute the judgment of Polen Capital as of August 2023 and may involve a number of assumptions and estimates which are not guaranteed and are subject to change without notice or update. Although the information and any opinions or views given have been obtained from or based on sources believed to be reliable, no warranty or representation is made as to their correctness, completeness or accuracy. Opinions, estimates, forecasts, and statements of financial market trends that are based on current market conditions constitute our judgment and are subject to change without notice, including any forward-looking estimates or statements which are based on certain expectations and assumptions. The views and strategies described may not be suitable for all clients. This video does not identify all the risks (direct or indirect) or other considerations which might be material to you when entering any financial transaction.
The information in this video has been prepared without taking into account individual objectives, financial situations or needs. It should not be relied upon as a substitute for financial or other specialist advice. This video is provided for informational purposes only and may not be reproduced in any form or transmitted to any person without authorization from Polen Capital Management.
Past performance does not guarantee future results and profitable results cannot be guaranteed.