Inspired Investing | BlogS
The Economy Looks Strong. Here’s Why It Doesn’t Feel That Way
Topic Key Takeaways The economy looks better on paper than it feels in real life. Stocks are up, unemployment is low, and consumers are still spending. That is all true. It just does not mean everyone is doing fine. Asset ownership is the dividing line. Homeowners and...
The Case for Active Management in a Concentrated Market
Topic Key Takeaways Market concentration is at a 60-year high. The 10 largest companies make up approximately 40% of the S&P 500, while three chipmakers account for roughly 30% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. History tells us leadership rotates. Energy...
Why Marathon Petroleum Employees Retire So Well
Topic Key Takeaways Marathon Petroleum offers one of the strongest retirement benefit packages among large publicly traded companies, including a pension, generous 401(k) contributions, and retiree healthcare. Companies that invest in their employees often outperform...
Are We in an AI Bubble? An Investor’s Honest Take
Topic Key Takeways We are not in an AI bubble in 2026 Valuations in tech have compressed since January even as earnings growth has accelerated, with the S&P 500 tech sector trading around ~21.8x forward earnings and earnings growing 14% in 2025 and tracking ~18%...
SpaceX IPO Goes To The Moon
The recent SpaceX Initial Public Offering (IPO) caught my attention. Not because I suddenly decided I need to become a space analyst. I don’t. And not because a huge IPO automatically means the market is about to fall apart. It doesn’t. But when a company like...
The Anatomy of Investment Benchmarks
The S&P 500... The Dow Jones Industrial Average... The Nasdaq... The Russell 1000 Value... You’ve heard of them. You probably follow them. You may even compare your portfolio to them from time to time. But if we’re being honest, most people don’t really...
The Case for Copart
Unlikely to make the front page of The Wall Street Journal, some of the best long‑term investments come from places few people are really paying attention to at the time. Not the flashy stuff. Not the “next big thing.” Just boring, behind‑the‑scenes businesses...
I Wrote This for You (Not Artificial Intelligence)
No, Artificial Intelligence DIDN'T write this blog. I, Austin Wilson, wrote this for you. Listen, I'm far from an AI prude. In fact, I use the technology almost every day! I use Microsoft Copilot for office-related tasks. I like how the content is “sandboxed” and...
Oil Shock, Inflation, & The Fed
Over the past few weeks, oil markets have reminded investors just how quickly geopolitics can disrupt the global economy. With roughly a third of the world’s oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, even the possible threat of disruption has sent prices sharply...
Market Commentary: Iran Conflict & Market Movements
Our team at Hixon Zuercher has been closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East following the recent escalation involving Iran, and want to ensure readers stay informed by sharing timely insights and perspective on what these developments may...
Berkshire Without Buffett (Case Study)
Let’s talk about Berkshire Hathaway and a name that is instantly brought to mind: Warren Buffett. The story is actually pretty remarkable when you think about it. Buffett took over what was basically a struggling textile company in 1965 and transformed it into one...
Austin Wilson’s Career Path
Well, everyone... We officially made it to my second blog! In my first post, I shared why I wanted to start writing... Now, I’d love to take you back to where it all began, including how I got my start and a little more about who I am. So, let’s take a quick trip...
