The WCA VICTORY PORTFOLIO seeks capital appreciation through a value-driven, flexible-mandate. Candidate companies may vary in size, sector, and style. When fully invested, the portfolio seeks to invest in 20-30 companies that are:
Portfolio candidates should have a demonstrated ability to grow shareholder value over time. The compounding effect of profitable growth is a powerful driver to returns and why this is a primary focus of our analysis.
Not all growth is good growth. Growth can be achieved from unprofitable investments, but detracts from shareholder wealth over time. Therefore, we seek businesses that are demonstrating the profitable use of capital in generating cash flow and returns to investors.
Companies should have relatively low amounts of debt. As a general rule, we believe that companies with less debt on the balance sheet have greater financial flexibility. This flexibility becomes even more valuable during periods of economic distress.
Candidate companies should trade at a discount to our estimate of intrinsic value under a set of conservative assumptions. In so doing, we hope to establish a “margin of safety” that helps us to avoid unnecessary risk without sacrificing return. In situations where valuations do not reflect underlying risk, the portfolio may hold cash.
From a universe of over 1,500 companies, we identify those that appear to be consistently profitable, growing, and well-capitalized firms. Candidate companies are subjected to a detailed financial analysis and quantitative valuation process in an effort to establish a reasonable estimate of intrinsic value. We consider qualitative aspects, including industry dynamics, competitive forces, and management quality, as part of a further due diligence process. Portfolios are constructed of 20-30 securities when fully invested with a typical position size near 4%. In situations where we are unable to find investments that meet our criteria, we may seek opportunities elsewhere or hold cash as appropriate. We will sell a security if the price moves beyond our assessment of value, long-run fundamental prospects decline, or if the balance sheet becomes excessively risky. We will continue to hold a security if the company’s earnings power and our assessment of value rises ahead of the stock price.
Our discipline is simple, rigorous, and systematic. We believe the wisdom of this approach is a key element to our long-run success.
[{"id":35444,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/the-stock-market-parallels-and-contrasts-with-1999\/","name":"the-stock-market-parallels-and-contrasts-with-1999","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"The Stock Market: Parallels and Contrasts with 1999","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"Jun 4, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-06-04 14:44:17","modifiedDate":"2024-12-20 16:56:22","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-12-20 16:56:22","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":2,"sec":29},"status":"publish","content":"PDF SimilaritiesIn both 1999 and today, the stock market exhibits strong momentum and a herd mentality, particularly among the largest, most valuable companies. This is evidenced by the significant valuation"},{"id":35420,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/quality-why-it-still-matters\/","name":"quality-why-it-still-matters","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Quality: Why It Still Matters","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"May 22, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-05-22 12:39:46","modifiedDate":"2024-10-15 20:22:25","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-10-15 20:22:25","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":4,"sec":33},"status":"publish","content":"PDF From last October\u2019s lows, the total value of stocks in the United States is up another $10 trillion. Sitting near $55 trillion, the U.S. stock market is now within"},{"id":35198,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/breaking-down-the-economic-scene-how-deficits-impact-your-portfolio\/","name":"breaking-down-the-economic-scene-how-deficits-impact-your-portfolio","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Breaking Down the Economic Scene: How Deficits Impact Your Portfolio","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"Jan 31, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-01-31 20:52:06","modifiedDate":"2024-05-22 12:47:37","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-05-22 12:47:37","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":5,"sec":23},"status":"publish","content":"Imagine this: The U.S. economy had a stellar year last year, outperforming Europe with a robust 2.5% growth rate. This is a far better performance than almost anyone imagined. It"},{"id":35125,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/qualityland\/","name":"qualityland","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Qualityland","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"Dec 11, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-12-11 17:22:28","modifiedDate":"2024-02-09 16:31:51","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-02-09 16:31:51","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":25},"status":"publish","content":"At Washington Crossing Advisors (WCA), we go to great lengths describing the high quality businesses selected in our Rising Dividend and Victory equity portfolios. We believe in buying quality companies"},{"id":35013,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/equity-risk-premium-whats-it-all-about\/","name":"equity-risk-premium-whats-it-all-about","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Equity Risk Premium: What's It All About?","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"Sep 18, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-09-18 14:44:24","modifiedDate":"2023-11-13 16:55:33","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-11-13 16:55:33","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":2,"sec":24},"status":"publish","content":"Page through any investment brochure, factsheet, or presentation, and you\u2019ll eventually get to the disclosure language claiming \u201cAll investing involves risk.\u201d For fixed income investors, credit spreads over risk-free U.S."},{"id":35005,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/wcas-unique-approach-to-quality\/","name":"wcas-unique-approach-to-quality","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"WCA's Unique Approach to Quality","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"Sep 12, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-09-12 16:04:50","modifiedDate":"2023-11-13 16:55:42","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-11-13 16:55:42","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/uncategorized\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Uncategorized<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/uncategorized\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Uncategorized<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":4,"sec":41},"status":"publish","content":"Many managers use textbook financial ratios such as return on equity, debt to equity, and earnings per share variability to evaluate the quality and value of a company. However, these"},{"id":34992,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/the-necessity-of-a-strong-consumer\/","name":"the-necessity-of-a-strong-consumer","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"The Necessity of a Strong Consumer","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"Sep 5, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-09-05 13:17:33","modifiedDate":"2023-10-23 16:48:37","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-10-23 16:48:37","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":11},"status":"publish","content":"Consistency is a big part of quality. Our search for consistency leads us to companies that generate dependable growth. And the most consistent growth engine of the world's economy \u2014"},{"id":34962,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/quality-and-certainty\/","name":"quality-and-certainty","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Quality and Certainty","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"Jul 31, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-07-31 15:19:51","modifiedDate":"2023-10-16 15:32:34","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-10-16 15:32:34","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":45},"status":"publish","content":"The only sure thing in investing is the uncertain. When we began the year, bearishness was rampant. Most Wall Street forecasters were expecting a recession, and the International Monetary Fund"},{"id":34894,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/low-quality-leadership-fading-fast\/","name":"low-quality-leadership-fading-fast","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Low-Quality Leadership Fading Fast","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"Jun 27, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-06-27 14:16:11","modifiedDate":"2023-09-18 14:47:43","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-09-18 14:47:43","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":50},"status":"publish","content":"What comes around goes around. What has been going on for the past few years may now be coming to an end. From the pandemic lows of March 2020, low-quality"},{"id":34864,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/a-host-of-contradictions\/","name":"a-host-of-contradictions","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"A Host of Contradictions","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"Jun 6, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-06-06 14:23:52","modifiedDate":"2023-09-12 16:05:18","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-09-12 16:05:18","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":5,"sec":31},"status":"publish","content":"This morning's lead story in the Wall Street Journal is about the resilient U.S. economy. According to the report, strong hiring, consumer spending, stock market, and housing trends are all"},{"id":34853,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/a-new-bull-market\/","name":"a-new-bull-market","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"A New Bull Market?","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"May 30, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-05-30 20:37:16","modifiedDate":"2023-09-05 14:40:12","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-09-05 14:40:12","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":2,"sec":47},"status":"publish","content":"The S&P 500 is up 8.8% for the year through May 25. So, we should start celebrating a bull market, right? But look deeper, and a different picture emerges. Take"},{"id":34786,"link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/debt-negotiations-and-uncertainty-importance-of-quality-focus\/","name":"debt-negotiations-and-uncertainty-importance-of-quality-focus","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Debt Negotiations and Uncertainty: Importance of Quality Focus","author":{"name":"Jeffrey Battipaglia","link":"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/author\/battipagliaj\/"},"date":"May 17, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-05-17 15:39:30","modifiedDate":"2023-07-31 15:27:39","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-07-31 15:27:39","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/rising-dividend\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Rising Dividend<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/victory\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Victory<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtoncrossingadvisors.com\/category\/weekly\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly (distribution list)<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":21},"status":"publish","content":"Like it or not, debt negotiations and shutdowns are integral to the political process, recurring over the past 50 years. The fear of a budget impasse, shutdown, default, and debt"}]