Value Investing: The Starvine Way

In this episode of Value Investing: The Starvine Way, we wrap up our three-part deep dive into Pulak Prasad’s "What I Learned About Investing from Darwin" — and tackle the most counterintuitive pillar of his philosophy: “Don’t be lazy… be very lazy.” At first glance, that sounds like standard investing advice: trade less, be patient, let compounding work. But Prasad goes much deeper. Drawing on evolutionary biology, punctuated equilibrium, and decades of real-world investing results, he explains why short-term volatility is often meaningless — and how inactivity, when applied to the right businesses, becomes a powerful competitive advantage. In this episode, we explore: Why evolution (and business) changes rapidly in the short term but stabilizes over long periods The Grant–Kurtén Principle of Investing (GKPI) — using short-term “shocks” to buy, not sell Real case studies like WNS, Thermax, and Page Industries that show how rare buying windows drive outsized returns Why Prasad almost never sells — and the only three reasons he ever does How most wealth is created by a tiny handful of companies, held for very long periods Why focusing on IRR often sabotages true multi-baggers How boredom, patience, and doing nothing separate great investors from merely smart ones We also cover why: Creative destruction is slower than most people think Stock price movement is not the same thing as business change The biggest gains happen on a tiny fraction of trading days — and you only capture them if you stay invested I’ll also share where my own approach slightly differs when managing real client portfolios — especially around valuation and concentration risk — while still embracing the core lesson: great businesses deserve time, not tinkering. This episode is about resisting the urge to act, tuning out noise, and letting compounding quietly do its work — even when it feels uncomfortable, boring, or downright wrong. If you’ve ever: Sold too early Traded too much Or confused price movement with business reality …this one’s for you.  

In this episode, we keep unpacking Pulak Prasad’s What I Learned About Investing from Darwin and move from pure defense to intelligent offense. We recap the non-negotiables from Part 1 (what not to buy), then show how to narrow thousands of stocks to a tight focus list using one “Moneyball” metric: ROCE (Return on Capital Employed). We compare Costco vs. Tiffany to show why operating margin can mislead while ROCE reveals the real engine. From there, we layer on robustness—the business equivalent of a roll cage—using traits like excess cash, fragmented customers/suppliers, high entry barriers, stable management, and slow-changing industries. Real-world case studies (Havells, Page Industries, Mindtree) illustrate how high-ROCE, robust companies survive hits, compound cash, and seize opportunity when others can’t. We also tackle convergence (why certain business models win across time/geographies and others chronically destroy capital) and “Darwin Ate My DCF” (ditch false precision, value what’s proven). Finally, we break the Pavlovian habit of reacting to macro headlines and hot themes, and double down on the only variable we truly control: entry price. Key Takeaways Slash the universe first: avoid crooks, turnarounds, heavy debt, serial acquirers, fast-changing industries, and misaligned owners. Use ROCE as the first filter; it proxies for great ops, smart capital allocation, and real moats. Favor robust businesses that can take a punch—and convergent models that win repeatedly. Price is the lever. Patience is the edge. Forecast less; observe more. Next up (Part 3): “Don’t be Lazy—Be Very Lazy.” Why inactivity, focus lists, and fat-pitch timing turn good process into great compounding.

In this first installment of our three-part series on What I Learned About Investing From Darwin, we explore one of the most original and thought-provoking contributions to the world of fundamental investing in recent years. Written by Pulak Prasad—an investor with an exceptional long-term track record—this work blends evolutionary biology with practical investment wisdom in a way few others have attempted. In Part 1, we focus on Prasad’s central principle: avoiding big risks. While most investors are drawn to potential upside, Prasad emphasizes the importance of minimizing the chance of permanent capital loss—a mindset that aligns with his genuine "forever" holding period. Drawing on lessons from Darwin and the natural world, he highlights how survival—both in nature and in investing—is often about what you don’t do. Tune in to discover why the skill of not losing may be the most underrated edge in investing, and how evolutionary thinking can sharpen your decision-making in the market.

What are the implications of AI for professional investors? This is surely a question on every fund manager's mind.  In this episode, we are joined by Andi Kerenxhi, founder of Ubineer. Andi is at the forefront of merging AI into professional investing with his firm’s proprietary software. Adding to his relevance for this podcast is his affinity for long term value investing. In this conversation, which was recorded on December 17, 2024, we explore how AI is benefiting professional investors, and how AI is likely to shape the landscape of both active and passive investing.  Watch Andi's keynote presentation at the Ben Graham Centre for Value Investing's 2024 Value Investing Conference here. 

In 2023, a collection of 38 letters from J.D. Rockefeller to his son was published. These letters spanned over four decades and were not previously widely available. Contained in the 194 pages is a treasure trove of wisdom relating to a broad range of topics. However, for this episode, the focus was on Rockefeller's advice that is helpful from an investing perspective. Be sure to obtain a copy of the book to gain access to the inner workings of his mind. A word of appreciation is owed to Open Stax Textbooks for making these invaluable writings available to the public.