There’s one little fund, a rather clever contraption called the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG +0.20%), that’s been tickling my fancy. It’s not flashy, mind you. It doesn’t promise overnight riches. But it’s a solid sort of chap, and in this topsy-turvy world, that’s worth a good deal.
Consider the case of Nvidia, a company now possessing a market capitalization that rivals the annual budgets of small nations. To add another sum – a hundred billion, say – to this already prodigious wealth is akin to adding a single grain of sand to a boundless desert. It is noticeable, certainly, but scarcely alters the landscape. The true potential, the genuine opportunity for exponential growth, lies elsewhere, amongst those enterprises still finding their footing, still striving to establish dominion over their chosen territories. A modest investment, wisely placed, in such a concern can yield returns that dwarf the incremental gains to be had from the already ascendant.
Okay, so Arbor Realty is, essentially, a sophisticated mortgage REIT. They lend money, mostly for multifamily properties. They hold these loans, intending to get paid back over time. It sounds… straightforward. They also have this agency platform where they refinance these loans into longer-term mortgages backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Which is… a lot of acronyms. They also collect fees for servicing these mortgages. It’s clever, really. A way to get multiple revenue streams. Like trying to have three side hustles at once. It seems like a good idea, until you realize you’re completely exhausted and nothing is getting done properly.
Let’s have a rummage through what went wrong, shall we? It’s always useful to know where the splodges came from before you try to polish things up.
Last summer, Netflix appeared invincible, a titan striding across the digital landscape. The stock, a proud vessel, sailed at over $134. But tides, as any sailor knows, can turn. Now, it’s down a good thirty percent from that peak. A golden opportunity, perhaps? Or merely a trap for the unwary, baited with promises of growth?
The year 2025, therefore, presented not a crisis, but a test of character. Investors, ever eager for fireworks, discovered instead a confirmation of existing virtues. It was a year less about acceleration and more about the elegant restraint that defines the marque. One might say it was a year to remind oneself that true luxury lies not in what one has, but in what one deliberately chooses not to offer.
The catalyst? That Taiwanese behemoth, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC). They just dropped earnings, and it was… substantial. TSMC builds Nvidia’s chips, see. So when TSMC thrives, Nvidia doesn’t just benefit, it inhales the good news. It’s a symbiotic relationship, a silicon-based pact with the devil, and frankly, it’s working. The market, that ravenous beast, is responding accordingly. It’s a goddamn feeding frenzy.
It’s achieved a curious state of being. It’s not quite successful, not quite failed. It’s hovering in that liminal space reserved for companies that are, shall we say, creatively accounting for reality. A 19% gain year-to-date is less a sign of health and more a testament to the sheer unpredictability of the market – and the enduring power of a good internet joke.
The stock itself has climbed a respectable 79% in the last five years – a performance that, while not quite scandalous, is certainly… agreeable. The question, of course, is not merely where Netflix is, but where it intends to be. A destination, like a reputation, is a most delicate thing.
The bulls were all over it, naturally. “Disruptive!” they cried. “Challenging Adobe!” (ADBE 0.16%). And for a minute, it looked like they might be right. Figma was growing like a weed, and Adobe, well, Adobe was looking a little…stuck in its ways. But enthusiasm, as anyone who’s ever dated will tell you, is a fleeting thing. And growth slows. And expenses…oh, the expenses.