Weitzman has operations across Texas' major markets.

Dallas-based retail real estate firm Weitzman is expanding its investment property operations.

The regional real estate firm has hired Tim Baker as its new executive vice president and managing director of acquisitions.

Baker, previously an officer with Pittsburgh-based grocery retailer Giant Eagle, will be charged with retail and commercial real estate acquisitions statewide. He also worked with grocer Albertsons, Safeway and Walmart on deal sourcing, property acquisitions, asset management and disposition.

We have developed a substantial group of investors looking to place capital in retail real estate with us, and we are also in dialogue with several institutional groups, Weitzman president and CEO Marshall Mills said in a statement. We continue to target two main buckets of deals: grocery-anchored centers and well-located, shadow-anchored neighborhood strip centers.

Baker will collaborate with Ryan Stempf, Weitzmans chief investment relations officer.

Founded in 1989, Weitzman has a team of about 250 commercial property professionals working in Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and San Antonio.

See the original post:
Weitzman hires key executive to grow its investment property operations - The Dallas Morning News

George Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace, and Seunghyuk Cha, Chairman of Aerospace9, agreed to a purchase agreement for 300 aircraft.

Aerospace9, an information and technology company based in South Korea, has agreed to purchase 300 of Bye Aerospaces all-electric aircraft, according to a Nov. 2 press release. The agreement marks an important opportunity in the Asia Pacific market, George Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace, told Avionics International.

When you look at the macroeconomic growth of the world, you cannot ignore how important our friends in Asia are, Bye said. When you look at the overall opportunity, the Asia market is gigantic, maybe not today, but it's becoming that tomorrow and soon thereafter.

Bye Aerospace, a Colorado-based aircraft manufacturer, is currently in the Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) certification process for its all-electric trainer eFlyer, which comes in two and four-seat options. Bye said he expects this process and production to start in the third quarter of 2022. The original date of 2021 was pushed back because of COVID-19.

Aerospace9 will be purchasing a total of 150 eFlyer 2s, the two-seat variation, 148 eFlyer 4s, the four-seat variation, and two Envoys, which is Bye Aerospaces soon to be announced 9-seat variation, according to the release. It will also have the opportunity to acquire 100 additional aircraft.

This investment is not just a purchase contract, it is a very meaningful contract that creates an amazing opportunity for Asia, Chairman Seunghyuk Cha of Aerospace 9, said in a press statement. Our company has a very important responsibility in the aviation industry as a new strategic partner of Bye Aerospace.

Bye Aerospaces prototypes, fixed-wing all-electric aircraft produced under Part 23 Amendment 64, were initially rolled out four years ago. They use lithium-ion battery cells for power lasting between three to five hours depending on the aircraft configuration. The eFlyer is a trainer aircraft, which negates the need for longer flight times, Bye said.

The cell goes into a module, which provides thermal management mechanical protection and safety systems and those battery packs, there are two strings that have battery packs completely redundant one to the other, that provide the energy for the battery management system, Bye explains. It's basically a computer that monitors the health and the state of charge and so forth and those electrons feed the electric energy into the controller inverter and electric motor, and that system is designed for a three-hour flight time on the two-seat eFlyer 2.

Once Bye Aerospace receives FAA type certification, it expects to subsequently achieve certification from South Korea's civil aviation authority.

When we get a type certificate in America there's, generally speaking, a collaborative agreement between the FAA and South Korea, where there's a paperwork process of acknowledgment of this level of rigor of achieving a type certificate under the FAA, in our case 14 CFR 23 Amendment 64 rules, Bye said. And that paperwork process pulls the FAA type certificate into the Civil Aviation Authority of Korea and they achieve an airworthiness certificate level of acceptance in Korea.

Including the Aerospace9 agreement, Bye Aerospace now has future purchase agreements for 711 total aircraft.

In July Bye Aerospace announced a $10 million investment by a venture capital fund which allowed it to begin work on the first production-conforming prototype of its eFlyer 2 aircraft. The SUBARU-SBI Innovation Fund also invested in the company in 2018.

Read the original post:
Bye Aerospace Gets Investment from South Korean Aerospace9 - Aviation Today

After another quarter of year-over-year revenue declines, it might be hard to get too excited about Visa (NYSE:V) (or its peer Mastercard, for that matter). Both are suffering from significantly lower transaction volume this year. Nevertheless, the trend toward cashless payments is making steady progress all around the world. And Visa, with its massive globe-spanning digital transaction business, is one of the best bets on an eventual economic recovery. While fintech outfits like PayPaland Square may look like the best starting places for a war-on-cash portfolio, don't ignore Visa's growing capabilities in financial technology and best-in-class profit margins.

Image source: Getty Images.

A lot of travel plans -- of both the business and leisure variety -- have been eliminated this year, but Visa has replaced much of the activity with e-commerce transactions. Nevertheless, cross-border money movement between countries is hurting, and while digital cash is still in motion, not as much of it is flowing through Visa's system as prior to the pandemic.

That was on display during the fourth quarter of Visa's fiscal 2020 (the three months ended Sept. 30, 2020). Payments volume returned to growth and rose 4% year over year, but cross-border transaction volume was down 29%. As a result, Q4 revenue fell 17% from the year prior to $5.1 billion, and net income fell 29% to $2.1 billion.

Nevertheless, it was a good sign that payment volume is back on the rise, and management indicated it has been busy renewing deals with existing customers and inking deals with new ones. And in Visa's "value-added services," which include data security and other related tech, revenue grew 15% during Q4 and 18% during the whole of 2020. All told, while things haven't been great for Visa since the emergence of COVID-19, it hasn't been an unmitigated disaster, either.

Metric

12 Months Ended Sept. 30, 2020

12 Months Ended Sept. 30, 2019

Change

Revenue

$21.8 billion

$23.0 billion

(5%)

Net income

$10.9 billion

$12.1 billion

(10%)

Adjusted earnings per share

$5.04

$5.40

(7%)

Data source: Visa.

The way the world makes purchases is rapidly shifting, and though Visa's year has been less than stellar, it is nonetheless well-positioned to benefit moving forward. New digital payments platforms like PayPal's Venmo have been flying high, but Visa recently secured a deal to power the Venmo credit card, and it's powering other features on the app. Similar initiatives have been launched with other high-growth peers, like Southeast Asia's Shopee e-commerce platform owned by red-hot Sea Limited. Other digital wallets around the globe are turning to Visa as a trusted partner as well.

And Visa continues to grow its exposure to these next-gen tech companies. It recently announced the acquisition of YellowPepper, a small software platform used as a universal adapter to connect and scale digital payment capabilities. It is worth noting that the previous purchase of fintech Plaid back in January is under review by the U.S. Department of Justice as a potential antitrust issue given Visa's already dominant operation, but regardless of the results of the investigation, Visa remains in pole position as a digital payment ecosystem leader.

How is Visa able to pull it all off? It's all about profit margins. Thanks to its virtual duopoly with peer Mastercard and the massive global scale of its tollbooth-like business (Visa earns a fee every time a transaction takes place on its network), even in a tough stretch like 2020, Visa generated a net profit margin of 50%. Talk about an enviable operating model. That gives Visa a constant stream of cash that it can continue to invest for further growth as the war on cash picks up in earnest amid the pandemic.

It also explains the steep premium Visa stock trades for -- 38 times trailing 12-month earnings per share as of Monday's close. Because digital payments remain a long-term secular growth trend, the high price tag will look a lot more reasonable once Visa inevitably returns to growth mode.

Simply put, recovering economic activity and digital payments will keep this ship afloat for a long time. Visa is a solid place to start building a war-on-cash investment basket.

See more here:
Should You Start Your War-on-Cash Investment Basket With Visa? - Motley Fool

Getting your start in real estate investing can be extremely intimidating. There are so many investment options to choose from, and since every investor is starting from a different place with different financial goals and interests, there isn't always a clear direction on where to start. Rather than figuring it out on your own, below are a few different scenarios to help you determine what your first real estate investment should be based on your interests, available capital, and end goals.

The type of investment you target will depend on what your goal is for investing in real estate. Are you looking for passive income or are you looking to generate capital quickly? Both can serve you well and be achieved by the type of investment you target will differ based on your desires.

Consider how much money you have available to invest. Most lenders will require a 20% down payment or more when purchasing an investment property, which means for a $100,000 property you would need a minimum of $20,000. If the property needs repairs or improvements, your capital investment just went up. If you only have $5,000 to $10,000 to invest, your options are limited when compared to those who have $25,000 or more.

It's also important to consider where you're located. If you're in a market that's expensive or highly competitive, $10,000 or $20,000 may not go far. In that case, consider looking just outside your target market. Many rural or suburban areas next to the major metros will have more opportunity and lower real estate prices. Having an investment in your backyard definitely makes it easier at times, but it isn't a requirement.

It's also important you don't spend all of your life savings on your first real estate investment. It's a good idea to have additional savings set aside and invest with money set aside specifically for investing.

Having built up equity in your home can be a very helpful tool in providing additional cash to invest, especially in low interest-rate environments like we're in today, but I suggest tapping into the equity with caution. Taking out a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or refinancing can provide you with more money for your first deal, but it puts your personal residence on the line in order to do so. If the deal goes south, are you comfortable knowing your equity is gone and you're stuck with a potentially higher mortgage payment than before?

If you have anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 available to invest, I would suggest your first real estate investment should be a fix-and-flip property to help generate more cash. Rehabs require careful market analysis to ensure accurate estimation for rehab cost and holding costs and that after-repair value can be achieved. But if done well, it can be a very lucrative business model.

If you don't own your own home and have at least $10,000 or more saved, I would suggest your first real estate investment be your own personal residence, ideally a duplex or a single-family home that has an additional unit, such as an inlaw suite, that you can rent. While a duplex may not be your dream home, it's a great way to offset property expenses and pay off your mortgage faster by having rental income. It's unlikely the duplex will generate positive net income for you, but instead will help offset all or a portion of your mortgage. You can choose to use the additional savings to pay down the mortgage faster or save that extra money for your next investment.

If you have $20,000 or more, I would suggest a rental property as your first real estate investment. This can be a single-family rental or preferably a multifamily residential property like a duplex, triplex, or fourplex. While not always the case, multifamily residential properties can provide higher returns while mitigating risk by having multiple tenants to offset unexpected expenses or vacancies when they occur. Buying value-add rental properties, or properties that need renovations in order to rent optimally, will almost always provide better returns and can still provide cash flow and rental income as well as the added benefit of increased equity from the improvements that were made.

If you're not interested in fix-and-flips or are looking to invest passively, I would suggest getting started in real estate by purchasing shares in a real estate investment trust (REIT). REITs provide access and diversification of real estate without requiring you to be an active participant in the management of the properties. This form of real estate investing is particularly great for those who want to get started but may only have a few thousand dollars saved up. Rather than sitting on the sidelines as you save more money to invest, you can grow that money by investing in REITs.

Remember, there's no perfect first investment for everyone. I personally did none of these things when I got started in real estate and was still able to build a successful investing career. The suggestions above are the most accessible and easy ways to get started. Once you get your feet wet, plus a few investments under your belt, then you can consider branching out to larger commercial real estate investments or more complex investing strategies, like mortgage notes.

Continue reading here:
This Is What Your First Real Estate Investment Should Be - Motley Fool

MCLEAN, VA / ACCESSWIRE / November 3, 2020 / Gladstone Investment Corporation (NASDAQ:GAIN) (the "Company") today announced earnings for its second fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2020. Please read the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which is available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov or the investors section of the Company's website at http://www.gladstoneinvestment.com.

Summary Information: (dollars in thousands, except per share data (unaudited)):

September 30, 2020

June 30, 2020

Change

%

Change

For the quarter ended:

Total investment income

$

11,840

$

10,707

$

1,133

10.6

%

Total expenses, net(A)

7,472

6,534

938

14.4

Net investment income(A)

4,368

4,173

195

4.7

Net realized gain

621

753

(132

)

(17.5

)

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

1,641

(4,887

)

6,528

NM

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations(A)

6,630

39

6,591

NM

Net investment income per weighted-average common share(A)

0.13

0.13

-

-

Adjusted net investment income per weighted-average common share(B)

0.15

0.11

0.04

36.4

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations per weighted-average common share(A)

0.20

-

0.20

100.0

Cash distribution per common share from net investment income

0.20

0.28

(0.08

)

(28.6

)

Cash distribution per common share from net realized gains(C)

0.01

0.02

(0.01

)

(50.0

)

Weighted-average yield on interest-bearing investments

12.1

11.8

0.3

2.5

Total dollars invested

$

57,082

$

300

$

56,782

NM

Total dollars repaid and

collected from sales

1,484

620

864

139.4

As of:

Total investments, at fair value

$

608,962

$

561,342

$

View original post here:
Gladstone Investment Corporation Reports Financial Results for its Second Quarter Ended September 30, 2020 - Yahoo Finance

BIRDSBORO PA Reitnouer Inc., the Birdsboro manufacturer of aluminum flatbed and drop deck trailers, has received a $15,000 investment from Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania to help the company improve production flow and operational efficiencies. Reitnouer sales have fallen during the coronavirus pandemic, the regional economic development fund said.

The cash infusion will be matched by the company, which before the pandemic saw sales growing, according to Ben Franklin. But the transportation industry has been strongly affected by the virus, it added, and its money is intended to support Reitnouers innovative approach in building the structures that improves product strength and durability.

The investment will improve the companys productivity and position it for recovery and growth, a Ben Franklin media release stated Oct. 27 (Tuesday).

The money won by Reitnouer is part of a total of $407,130 awarded to nine companies in the funds 21-county service area. Ben Franklin Technology Partners is a program of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners project office photo (at top) from one of its videos

Read more:
Birdsboro Trailer Manufacturer Wins Fund Investment - The Post - The Sanatoga Post

(Christy Bieber)

Having enough money in retirement is essential to enjoy your later years. To make sure you're financially comfortable, it helps to estimate how much income you'll need your retirement savings to produce. For example, say you're hoping to have $50,000 in annual retirement income. Here's the amount you'd need to save to meet that milestone.

If you're like most retirees, chances are you'll get your income from two sources: your Social Security benefits and your investments. If you receive a Social Security benefit of $1,514 per month (the average as of June 2020), that would mean you'd need your investment accounts to produce $31,832 in income in order to have $50,000 as a retiree.

Image source: Getty Images.

You'll want to make sure taking this much out of your retirement accounts won't drain your nest egg too quickly. That means adopting a safe withdrawal rate. If you follow the 4% rule, which allows you to withdraw 4% of your investment account balance the first year you retire and adjust withdrawals up by inflation annually, you'd need $795,800 saved by the time of your retirement in order for your investment balance to produce the $31,832 that combines with your Social Security to give you $50,000.

See the article here:
Want $50000 in Retirement Income? Here's How to Get It. - dbrnews.com

by Salvatore Minetti, CEO of Fountech.Ventures

In many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic is more than just an epidemiological event. The virus has been unprecedented in the size and nature of its impact across all sections of societyand the investment landscape has been no exception.

The onset of the virus has prompted startups and burgeoning companies to pivot their offerings, with many finding new and pioneering ways to survive and secure investment in the new normal. Some companies have been luckier than others, with the pandemic re-igniting interest in their business.

Here at Fountech.Ventures, for instance, we have seen the deep tech space rise to prominence. Demand for technologies that look to have a big impact by building new infrastructure is exploding, and this is in part driven by the increasing availability of capital and reducing tech barriers to entry.

While an initial dip in confidence was to be expected, new data shows that funds raised in 2020 have already surpassed the total in 2019, despite the unremitting uncertainty. According to a report from PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association, U.S. venture capital funds closing this year had raised $56.6 billion as of September 30more than $54.9 raised in all of 2019.

Although the venture capital market has proven resilient, the pandemic has still reshaped the market in many ways. And with the virus showing no signs of abating just yet, founders and investors alike will be wondering what the long-term effects will be for companies looking for much-needed capital.

Over the last decade, cleaner, more founder-friendly terms have increasingly replaced the onerous provisions traditionally demanded by VCs. It is fair to presume that, in an attempt to de-risk the investment process in the post-COVID landscape, investors might try to reintroduce some of their old tactics and in turn herald the return of convoluted term sheets.

Thankfully, it is unlikely that the pandemic will prompt a reversion to aggressive terms, although founders should be ready for some adjustments. No doubt, VCs will be more cautious in the short term, but they will also be eager to back businesses offering innovative solutions to new obstacles.

In the long-run, aggressive terms will affect the most important currency in venture capital: reputation. In my recent experience, founders know their value, and as such, they will walk away in search of a new partner offering more agreeable terms: ideally, one that is able to help them de-risk rather than merely pointing out those risks.

There are compelling opportunities across many sectors that the pandemic will accelerate. In the current climate, digital-first business models will have a more immediate appeal for VCs, with changing consumer behavior further driving demand for solutions that can digitize physical processes.

Founders can expect to see further capital directed towards companies in the artificial intelligence (AI) and data science space, that promise profitability in a time of uncertainty. Investors will be on the lookout for long-term survivors that they can steer towards sustained success; namely, companies that present clear digital solutions to modern challenges. Notably, industries such as edtech, fintech, and ecommerce have all recently been cast into the spotlight due to the nature of their pandemic-related problem-solving capabilities.

That said, in order to safeguard their reserves, VC investors are still unlikely to engage until the later stages of the startup journey. Instead, they will look to back already established business models and those who already have pre-seed funding. Startup founders would therefore be better off looking to venture builders that can not only offer early-stage investment, but also the tools and support needed to navigate these uncharted waters.

The introduction of social distancing practices has seen the en-masse switch to remote working, with companies all over the world trading in their office desks for their kitchen tables. For the investment landscape, initially, this was cause for concern. With face-to-face meetings no longer an option, founders were apprehensive about the lack of opportunities for mentorship. Meanwhile, investors will have been concerned about the dampened prospect of closing deals.

However, this neednt have been the case, as it seems that VCs and startups alike have transitioned comfortably into the world of remote working. As the figures show, investors have been able to manage their day-to-day with minimal disruption; whether this is completing valuations, or offering advice to founders, the new business as usual has largely been a success.

This is not to say that the changes have been without complications; it is safe to say that the process has required some careful thought and adjustment. VCs and portfolio companies alike will have needed to review their internal business plans and processes to decide how best to build relationships and scale businesses in a virtual setting.

Yet this is not necessarily a bad thing; while not meeting people in person can make things difficult, remote working has served to highlight the value of strong communication. Indeed, VCs will likely have a deeper understanding of their portfolio companies and the challenges that they face on a daily basis as a result of more frequent and strategic communication.

All things considered, opportunities are certainly there for progressive markets and investors. I anticipate seeing more promising startups demonstrate their inherent ability to make the most of a crisis, with the aid of forward-looking VCs at their side.

Salvatore Minetti is the CEO ofFountech.Ventures, which acts as venture builder and investor for deep tech and AI startups. With a presence in Austin, Texas, US, and London, UK, the company supports startups through the stages of ideation, development, commercialization and funding.

Read the original here:
How has COVID-19 changed the VC investment landscape? - The Burn-In

It is tempting to chase high returns in the market? Maybe.

Why would you wait a year for 10% return when you could have it all in a day?

Investors chasing high returns will sometimes turn toleveragedin order todoubleor eventripletheir returns. But investing in leveraged ETFs is akin to spinning a roulette wheel.

With high returns comeshigh risk, and unless you're an experienced investor you should steer clear of leveraged ETFs.

More from ETF Edge:Heres what every election since 1900 can tell us about the 2020 races impact on stocks Why are ETFs so appealing to investors?ETF Edge explains: Tax risks of ETFS

These ETFs promise to amplify the returns of an underlying index using debt, equity swaps and financial derivatives to create leverage. Leveraging is an investing strategy that uses borrowed funds to purchase options and futures in order to increase the impact of price movements. It is a very complicated process. And if gains can be amplified -- so can losses.

Another problem: leveraged ETFs only seek results that are leveraged to their benchmark for a single day. For example, if you buy an ETF that is 2x leveraged to the S&P 500, if the S&P rises 1% that day, you will get a return of 2%, but only for that day. The ETF resets the next day. If you are still holding it the following day, your return could be substantially different than 2x.

Not only is there outsized risk but management fees and transaction costs that come with leveraged ETFs can eat away at a fund's return. Many leveraged ETFs have expense ratios of 1% or more.

Tetra Images | Getty Images

Because of the risks and costs, Leveraged ETFs are typically used by day traders who want to speculate on an index and are rarely used as long term investments.

These same warnings apply to another class of leveraged ETFs leveraged inverse ETFs, which try to deliver returns that are the opposite of the index's returns. So for example, if you had an ETF that was 2x leveraged inversely to the S&P 500, if the S&P went up 1% in a day, your investment would decline 2%.

The bottom line is unless you intimately understand how these ETFs are designed and can stomach the significant risk associated with them, steer clear of leveraged ETFs.

Disclaimer

Original post:
This is why only thrill seekers invest in leveraged ETFs - CNBC

Wind farms are key part of renewable energy mix on offer. Photo: Getty

An increasing number of investors believe that sustainable investments lead to higher returns, according to a new study from Block-Builders.net that was released on Tuesday.

It found that 44% of knowledgeable or expert investors fall into this category, with those in Asia and America particularly enthusiastic about social and green investments. German and European investors are lagging behind, it added.

"More and more investors are coming round to the idea that sustainability and returns are not mutually exclusive," said Block-Builders analyst Raphael Lulay. "Despite recent gains for these assets, we may still be at the beginning of a long term investment trend.

The study also found that 37% of financial experts did not want to include sustainable environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) investments in their portfolios in 2007, while only 4.1% are equally hesitant in 2020.

Further data reflects this growing interest.

According to the Block-Builders.net survey, interest in sustainable stocks reached a 12-month high on Google in 2020. The Google trend score, which indicates the relative search volume, reached a maximum trend score of 100 based on this search result.

This nascent trend is also seen on the trading floor.

Sustainable investments in the form of funds and shares have been among the recent leaders on various indices. Over the last 12 months, the Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN) rose by 68.8%. The MSCI World Socially Responsible ETF (UC44.L) also gained 4.9% in value - all in a period during which the DAX (^GDAXI) has declined by around 6.8%, said the study.

The news comes as the European Central Bank said it plans to review its strategy and adopt more sustainable investment practices. According to ECB policymaker Olli Rehn in an interview on Monday, the bloc needs to take into account growing global challenges, such as climate change and the need for sustainable economic development.

WATCH: What is the Green Home Grants scheme?

See more here:
More investors believe sustainable investments 'deliver higher returns' - Yahoo Sports