About Martin

Martin Trieu launched Tourmaline Capital Management.

My portfolio aims to produce returns from small to mid-cap companies in a range of sectors from Technology to Media sector. I focus on discovering significantly undervalued companies with encouraging unique products and opportunities for significant gains. My style is not exactly to create an index fund-like portfolio with a large diversified basket of stocks I understand little about, but a smaller and more manageable basket I understand very well. The stocks I own also matches my personal portfolio, with most conviction in the names with heavier concentration.

I take advantage of upcoming Option events and trade on momentum while investing on fundamentals. I build around a core position and will add or decrease positions gradually when opportunity arises, while never trying to guess tops or bottoms. I leverage market volatility and may take some profits sooner if my long stocks run up too fast, and same goes for my stocks short that drop rapidly. Although I am a fundamental investor, I do not ignore technical analysis and use it as a tool when I see fit.

I am a deep-rooted “bottom up” investor, but I also take into account macroeconomic risks. In this decade we have witnessed the aftermath from the dot com bust and housing bubble crash, which have affected stocks from all sectors. Currently the market is still very fragile from economic conditions such as the credit crunch, increased budget deficits, high unemployment, devaluation of the pound and now what some deem to be the formation of a commodities bubble. I may adjust my portfolios long/short ratio, position sizing, and cash balance accordingly to protect from any perceivable risks. Not losing money will always be priority over making money.

Stocks that I choose can be very lucrative, some returning double digit gains if invested wisely and you find the gem. Due to this, there is also increased risk and volatility but proper hedging mechanism can greatly diminish the risk. It is imperative for me to find the best risk/reward scenarios all the time to minimize the downside. There are a number of guidelines and deep analysis I undertake when evaluating stocks, most beneath the layers shown on the outer surface.

I also frequently have discussions with other investors of stock names I’m invested in or doing research on, ranging from private investors to even hedge fund and portfolio managers owning thousands worth of the stock. We share ideas and have excellent debates, and I gather all their opinions to form my own investment thesis.