Vegan Fund's guest appearances

Vegan Fund

Ethical & Sustainable Investing News to Profit By!

SportStack Weekly Analysis 

Jim Cramer

OwlTail

Vegan fund outperforms (VEGN). “Since inception, VEGN has returned 27.69%... against the S&amp;P500 Index’s 19.75% through to end August 2020, says Beyond Investing.” Other stocks and funds covered are Beyond Meat, Moderna, Genius Brands International, Nikola, Gevo Inc., Taronis Fuels, Inc., EarthRenew Inc., Tesla, Inc., Plug Power Inc., Workhorse Group, Inc., Algonquin Power. And more PODCAST: Vegan Fund Outperforms. And More… Transcript &amp; Links, Episode 41, September 25, 2020 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 41 published on September 11 titled “Vegan Fund Outperforms. And More…”— and presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – at this episode’s podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. And Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you.  ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Vegan Fund Outperforms. And More… A year ago in my podcast of September 13, 2019, I covered the launch of the US Vegan Climate ETF  VEGN. Well, the ETF Professor at Benzinga.com published a piece that also appeared on MarketWatch titled In First Year, Nifty Vegan ETF Struts Its Stuff. Here are some quotes from the article. “[The US Vegan Climate ETF, stock symbol, VEGN], celebrated its first birthday last week [and] tracks the Beyond Investing US Vegan Climate Index. That benchmark… is designed to provide investors with exposure to companies ‘zero animal exploitation and zero fossil fuel, represents a portfolio of stocks with lower greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation and fresh water utilisation as compared to the S&amp;P500 Index,’ according to Beyond Investing… ‘Since inception, VEGN has returned 27.69% total return on market price against the S&amp;P500 Index’s 19.75% through to end August 2020…’ according to Beyond Investing. Vegan Climate ETF implements an array of impact metrics, including greenhouse gases, water utilization, water generation, social good, environmental benefit, environmental harm and social harm, in constructing its portfolio… ‘Since its conception, Beyond Investing has always avoided companies involved in unethical practices towards animals, people, and the planet,’ said VEGN's issuer. ‘Its stringent screening process weeds out animal exploitation, child labor, high carbon intensity, the burning or extraction of fossil fuels, single-use plastics, and any other activity deemed to have a significant negative impact on the environment….’ ‘Demand for meat and dairy products has declined for the first time in nine years,’ notes Beyond Investing. ‘Leaving aside the documented links between environmental destruction, animal exploitation, and the emergence of COVID-19, slaughterhouse stoppages because of high worker infection rates, resulting in on-farm killing and disposal of animals, have been Public Relations disasters for the industry.  Conversely, sales of plant-based products have been booming.” End quotes. Further support for the vegan/vegetarian investing theme is coming from the climate campaign movement as a headline in a recent Financial Times article titled Climate campaigners turn their focus from fossil fuels to meat—makes clear!  ------------------------------------------------------------- 16 of the Most Popular Stocks Among Millennials Next, we have another good report from Kiplinger, titled 16 of the Most Popular Stocks Among Millennials written by Charles Lewis Sizemore. I’ve picked from them four stocks that might be considered by most ethical and sustainable investors. For the full list click the article link in this podcast episode. Mr. Sizemore writes that “For a generation known for doing things its own way and projecting their values with their pocketbook, the stock portfolios of Millennials are remarkably conventional. What's far more interesting about the list, however, is which stocks have become more popular among Millennials across the year… All [these stocks] have seen significant jumps in the rankings since the end of March, and several will likely surprise you. 1) Moderna (MRNA, $57.56) Is popular among Millennials, coming in at 40th in the second quarter after not being ranked at all in the first. It's not hard to see the investment play here. Moderna is one of the leading candidates for a COVID-19 vaccine. 2) Beyond Meat (BYND, $143.04) Which makes plant-based veggie burgers and other meat substitutes, climbed the ranks over the past quarter from 50th to 41st. 3) Genius Brands International (GNUS, $1.05) Has suddenly found itself popular with Millennials. The stock was unranked in the first quarter but now finds itself ranked 46th. Genius Brands creates and licenses ‘content with a purpose for toddlers and young children’. That's a fancy way of saying educational cartoons. 4) Nikola (NKLA, $37.57) Is very much a Millennial story stock. Nikola makes electric and fuel-cell 18-wheeler trucks… It only went public on June 4. But by the end of June, it had already rocketed higher to become the 49th most popular stock in Millennial portfolios.” End quotes.  ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Alternative Energy Penny Stocks to Watch Today I’ve talked a lot about renewable and alternative energy stocks in these podcasts, but one segment in that area I haven’t covered are really small companies. Joseph Keller has penned an article titled  3 Alternative Energy Penny Stocks to Watch Today that appeared on the microsmallcap.com site. I’ll mention the name of each company followed by some of Mr. Keller’s remarks about that company. “1) Gevo Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO) “Gevo Inc. is a biofuel and renewable chemicals company based outside of Denver, Colorado… As has been the case for most green technology stocks, Gevo’s stock price took a tumble throughout the first three months of the year. On August 20, however, the company’s stock price more than tripled to $1.84 per share after Gevo announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement for a $50 million registered direct offering. 2) Taronis Fuels, Inc. (OTC:TRNF) Taronis Fuels is a clean technology company based out of Phoenix, Arizona, focused on offering energy solutions using proprietary clean gas technology… Taronis Fuels’ stock took a slide as the COVID-19 pandemic choked markets, going from $0.23 per share in early March to $0.08 on March 23. 3) EarthRenew Inc. (CSE:ERTH) Based in Calgary, Alberta, EarthRenew Inc. is an agricultural technology company with proprietary technology that transforms livestock waste into organic fertilizer… After taking a fall to $0.15 per share in late March, EarthRenew recovered to reach a high of $0.40 per share in mid-June… On August 26, EarthRenew released the results from field trials conducted with Lethbridge College. These results showed that EarthRenew’s fertilizer formulations increased plant growth by up to 207% for barley and up to 49% for peas during the germination phase.”  ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Stocks to ELECTRIFY Your Portfolio's Returns More on energy by a new analyst to this podcast. His name is Sidharath Gupta and he wrote an article titled  3 Stocks to ELECTRIFY Your Portfolio's Returns that appeared on the stocknews.com site. As usual, I’ll mention the name of the recommended company followed by relevant quotes about that company from the article. “1) Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) Tesla designs, develops, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles, electric vehicle powertrain components, and stationary energy storage systems in the United States, China, and internationally. It is the world’s only fully integrated sustainable energy company. The stock gained 406% year-to-date to close yesterday’s session at $423.43. Strong product demand from China and its battery unique development are primarily driving the stock higher. The stock is up more than 395% in the last six months. [Tesla has an overall POWR Rating of B.] 2) Plug Power Inc. (PLUG) PLUG is an alternative energy technology provider that engages in the design, development, manufacture, and commercialization of fuel cell systems for the industrial off-road markets worldwide. It provides hydrogen fuel cell turnkey solutions for the electric mobility and stationary power markets… The stock is up more than 134% in the last three months and is trading 10.5% below its 52-week high of $14.35. PLUG’s POWR Ratings reflect a promising outlook. It has an overall rating of ‘Buy.’ 3) Workhorse Group, Inc. (WKHS) Designs, manufactures, and sells electric, high-performance, medium-duty trucks… The stock has gained more than 822% year-to-date to close yesterday’s trading session at $28.03. The stock… skyrocketed in June when the company announced that two of its electric delivery vans had completed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards testing, paving the way for its sales and production in the United States. The stock has increased by more than 1662% in the past six months. Workhorse Group’s strong momentum is reflected in its ‘strong buy’ POWR Rating.” End quotes.  ------------------------------------------------------------- Algonquin Power Another name in the renewable energy field is Algonquin Power  (TSX:AQN)(NYSE:AQN) recommended by Robin Brown in a post titled  2 Top TSX Income Stocks to Buy in September 2020. I saw it on the Canadian Motley Fool site. Mr. Brown says this about the company, quote “Investors benefit from a very predictable cash flow stream from the regulated natural gas, electricity, and water distribution businesses. They also benefit from the favourable ESG and green investing tailwinds that will fuel green energy earnings and multiple expansion for many years ahead. By combining these two unique segments, investors get stability, consistency, and growth… The stock is paying a nice 4.5% dividend, but there’s lots of room for that to grow.” End quote.  ------------------------------------------------------------- End Comment Well, these are my top news stories and their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Vegan Fund Outperforms. And More…” To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode. Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let’s promote a better world through ethical and sustainable investing! Contact me if you have any questions. Stay well and healthy—and conscious about the sustainable values of your investments! Thank you for listening. Talk to you again on October 9. Bye for now. © 2020 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

Vegan fund outperforms (VEGN). “Since inception, VEGN has returned 27.69%... against the S&amp;P500 Index’s 19.75% through to end August 2020, says Beyond Investing.” Other stocks and funds covered are Beyond Meat, Moderna, Genius Brands International, Nikola, Gevo Inc., Taronis Fuels, Inc., EarthRenew Inc., Tesla, Inc., Plug Power Inc., Workhorse Group, Inc., Algonquin Power. And more PODCAST:<a></a> Vegan Fund Outperforms. And More… Transcript &amp; Links, Episode 41, September 25, 2020 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 41 published on September 11 titled “Vegan Fund Outperforms. And More…”— and presented by Investing for the Soul. <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com</a> is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – at this episode’s podcast page located at <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com/podcasts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com/podcasts</a>. And Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Vegan Fund Outperforms. And More… A year ago in my podcast of September 13, 2019, I covered the launch of the <a></a>US Vegan Climate ETF <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/fund/VEGN?mod=MW_story_quote" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> VEGN</a>. Well, the ETF Professor at <a href="http://Benzinga.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Benzinga.com</a> published a piece that also appeared on MarketWatch titled <a></a><a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/in-first-year-nifty-vegan-etf-struts-its-stuff-2020-09-14?mod=exchange-traded-funds" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">In First Year, Nifty Vegan ETF Struts Its Stuff</a>. Here are some quotes from the article. “[The US Vegan Climate ETF, stock symbol, VEGN], celebrated its first birthday last week [and] tracks the Beyond Investing US Vegan Climate Index. That benchmark… is designed to provide investors with exposure to companies ‘zero animal exploitation and zero fossil fuel, represents a portfolio of stocks with lower greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation and fresh water utilisation as compared to the S&amp;P500 Index,’ according to Beyond Investing… ‘Since inception, VEGN has returned 27.69% total return on market price against the S&amp;P500 Index’s 19.75% through to end August 2020…’ <a></a>according to Beyond Investing. Vegan Climate ETF implements an array of impact metrics, including greenhouse gases, water utilization, water generation, social good, environmental benefit, environmental harm and social harm, in constructing its portfolio… ‘Since its conception, Beyond Investing has always avoided companies involved in unethical practices towards animals, people, and the planet,’ said VEGN's issuer. ‘Its stringent screening process weeds out animal exploitation, child labor, high carbon intensity, the burning or extraction of fossil fuels, single-use plastics, and any other activity deemed to have a significant negative impact on the environment….’ ‘Demand for meat and dairy products has declined for the first time in nine years,’ notes Beyond Investing. ‘Leaving aside the documented links between environmental destruction, animal exploitation, and the emergence of COVID-19, slaughterhouse stoppages because of high worker infection rates, resulting in on-farm killing and disposal of animals, have been Public Relations disasters for the industry.  Conversely, sales of plant-based products have been booming.” End quotes. Further support for the vegan/vegetarian investing theme is coming from the climate campaign movement as a headline in a recent Financial Times article titled <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/2a09202e-9395-414a-bc2a-5ca475b943b6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Climate campaigners turn their focus from fossil fuels to meat</a>—makes clear! ------------------------------------------------------------- <a></a>16 of the Most Popular Stocks Among Millennials Next, we have another good report from Kiplinger, titled <a></a><a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/investing/stocks/601372/most-popular-stocks-among-millennials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">16 of the Most Popular Stocks Among Millennials</a> written by Charles Lewis Sizemore. I’ve picked from them four stocks that might be considered by most ethical and sustainable investors. For the full list click the article link in this podcast episode. Mr. Sizemore writes that “For a generation known for doing things its own way and projecting their values with their pocketbook, the stock portfolios of Millennials are remarkably conventional. What's far more interesting about the list, however, is which stocks have become more popular among Millennials across the year… All [these stocks] have seen significant jumps in the rankings since the end of March, and several will likely surprise you. 1) Moderna (<a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/tfn/index.php?ticker=MRNA&amp;ticker_type=S&amp;page=stockTipsheet" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">MRNA</a>, $57.56) Is popular among Millennials, coming in at 40th in the second quarter after not being ranked at all in the first. It's not hard to see the investment play here. Moderna is one of the leading candidates for a COVID-19 vaccine. 2) Beyond Meat (<a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/tfn/index.php?ticker=BYND&amp;ticker_type=S&amp;page=stockTipsheet" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">BYND</a>, $143.04) Which makes plant-based veggie burgers and other meat substitutes, climbed the ranks over the past quarter from 50th to 41st. 3) Genius Brands International (<a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/tfn/index.php?ticker=GNUS&amp;ticker_type=S&amp;page=stockTipsheet" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">GNUS</a>, $1.05) Has suddenly found itself popular with Millennials. The stock was unranked in the first quarter but now finds itself ranked 46th. Genius Brands creates and licenses ‘content with a purpose for toddlers and young children’. That's a fancy way of saying educational cartoons. 4) Nikola (<a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/tfn/index.php?ticker=NKLA&amp;ticker_type=S&amp;page=stockTipsheet" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">NKLA</a>, $37.57) Is very much a Millennial story stock. Nikola makes electric and fuel-cell 18-wheeler trucks… It only went public on June 4. But by the end of June, it had already rocketed higher to become the 49th most popular stock in Millennial portfolios.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Alternative Energy Penny Stocks to Watch Today I’ve talked a lot about renewable and alternative energy stocks in these podcasts, but one segment in that area I haven’t covered are really small companies. Joseph Keller has penned an article titled <a href="https://microsmallcap.com/3-alternative-energy-penny-stocks-09-18-2020/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 3 Alternative Energy Penny Stocks to Watch Today</a> that appeared on the <a href="http://microsmallcap.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">microsmallcap.com</a> site. I’ll mention the name of each company followed by some of Mr. Keller’s remarks about that company. “1) Gevo Inc. (<a href="https://microsmallcap.com/stock-quote/GEVO/quote" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">NASDAQ:GEVO</a>) “<a href="https://microsmallcap.com/gevo-provides-business-update" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gevo Inc.</a> is a biofuel and renewable chemicals company based outside of Denver, Colorado… As has been the case for most green technology stocks, Gevo’s stock price took a tumble throughout the first three months of the year. On August 20, however, the company’s stock price more than tripled to $1.84 per share after Gevo <a href="https://investors.gevo.com/news/gevo-inc-announces-50-million-registered-direct-offering-priced-at-the-market-under-nasdaq-rules" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">announced</a> that it had entered into a definitive agreement for a $50 million registered direct offering. 2) Taronis Fuels, Inc. (<a href="https://microsmallcap.com/stock-quote/TRNF/quote" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">OTC:TRNF</a>) Taronis Fuels is a clean technology company based out of Phoenix, Arizona, focused on offering energy solutions using proprietary clean gas technology… Taronis Fuels’ stock took a slide as the COVID-19 pandemic choked markets, going from $0.23 per share in early March to $0.08 on March 23. 3) EarthRenew Inc. (<a href="https://microsmallcap.com/stock-quote/ERTH:CNX/quote" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">CSE:ERTH</a>) Based in Calgary, Alberta, EarthRenew Inc. is an agricultural technology company with proprietary technology that transforms livestock waste into organic fertilizer… After taking a fall to $0.15 per share in late March, EarthRenew recovered to reach a high of $0.40 per share in mid-June… On August 26, EarthRenew released the <a href="https://www.earthrenew.ca/news-releases/earthrenew-field-trials-with-lethbridge-college-demonstrate-significant-increases-to-plant-growth" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">results</a> from field trials conducted with Lethbridge College. These results showed that EarthRenew’s fertilizer formulations increased plant growth by up to 207% for barley and up to 49% for peas during the germination phase.” ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Stocks to ELECTRIFY Your Portfolio's Returns More on energy by a new analyst to this podcast. His name is Sidharath Gupta and he wrote an article titled <a href="https://stocknews.com/news/tsla-plug-wkhs-3-stocks-to-electrify-your-portfolios-returns/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 3 Stocks to ELECTRIFY Your Portfolio's Returns</a> that appeared on the <a href="http://stocknews.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">stocknews.com</a> site. As usual, I’ll mention the name of the recommended company followed by relevant quotes about that company from the article. “1) Tesla, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/TSLA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TSLA</a>) Tesla designs, develops, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles, electric vehicle powertrain components, and stationary energy storage systems in the United States, China, and internationally. It is the world’s only fully integrated sustainable energy company. The stock gained 406% year-to-date to close yesterday’s session at $423.43. Strong product demand from China and its battery unique development are primarily driving the stock higher. The stock is up more than 395% in the last six months. [Tesla has an overall <a href="https://stocknews.com/powr-ratings/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">POWR Rating</a> of B.] 2) Plug Power Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/PLUG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PLUG</a>) PLUG is an alternative energy technology provider that engages in the design, development, manufacture, and commercialization of fuel cell systems for the industrial off-road markets worldwide. It provides hydrogen fuel cell turnkey solutions for the electric mobility and stationary power markets… The stock is up more than 134% in the last three months and is trading 10.5% below its 52-week high of $14.35. PLUG’s POWR Ratings reflect a promising outlook. It has an overall rating of ‘Buy.’ 3) Workhorse Group, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/WKHS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WKHS</a>) Designs, manufactures, and sells electric, high-performance, medium-duty trucks… The stock has gained more than 822% year-to-date to close yesterday’s trading session at $28.03. The stock… skyrocketed in June when the company announced that two of its electric delivery vans had completed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards testing, paving the way for its sales and production in the United States. The stock has increased by more than 1662% in the past six months. Workhorse Group’s strong momentum is reflected in its ‘strong buy’ POWR Rating.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Algonquin Power Another name in the renewable energy field is <a></a>Algonquin Power <a href="https://www.fool.ca/company/tsx-aqn-algonquin-power-and-utilities-corp/272559/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> (TSX:AQN)</a><a href="https://www.fool.ca/company/nyse-aqn-algonquin-power-utilities-corp/272860/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(NYSE:AQN)</a> recommended by Robin Brown in a post titled <a href="https://www.fool.ca/2020/09/08/2-top-tsx-income-stocks-to-buy-in-september-2020/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 2 Top TSX Income Stocks to Buy in September 2020</a>. I saw it on the Canadian Motley Fool site. Mr. Brown says this about the company, quote “Investors benefit from a very predictable cash flow stream from the regulated natural gas, electricity, and water distribution businesses. They also benefit from the favourable ESG and green investing tailwinds that will fuel green energy earnings and multiple expansion for many years ahead. By combining these two unique segments, investors get stability, consistency, and growth… The stock is paying a nice 4.5% dividend, but there’s lots of room for that to grow.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- End Comment Well, these are my top news stories and their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Vegan Fund Outperforms. And More…” To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com/podcasts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com/podcasts</a> and scroll down to this episode. Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in <a href="https://apple.co/2IoJmay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes/Apple Podcasts</a> or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let’s promote a better world through ethical and sustainable investing! Contact me if you have any questions. Stay well and healthy—and conscious about the sustainable values of your investments! Thank you for listening. Talk to you again on October 9. Bye for now. © 2020 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

PODCAST: Vegan Fund Outperforms. And More…

New US Vegan Climate ETF. It’s pros and cons. Has good debut on the NYSE. Current top renewable energy stocks. Best six stocks for millennials according to Zacks' analyst. Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management purported key holdings. The  DIY Ethical-Sustainable Investing Pays Tutorial offers simple way to create a stock portfolio reflecting your values! More PODCAST: First Vegan Fund, Renewable Energy Stocks, and more… Transcript &amp; Links September 13, 2019 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical &amp; Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! for September 13, 2019—presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Investment ideas in these podcasts are generally gleaned from market participants in the US, Canadian, UK, European, Asian and Australasian financial markets. And, Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. Also, you can find a full transcript, live links to content, and often bonus material to these podcasts at their episodes’ podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now to this podcast!  ------------------------------------------------------------- Well, the US Vegan Climate ETF (VEGN: N) finally debuted on the NYSE on September 10. First days trading saw ok action hovering around its initial price of $25 a share. On September 13 it was still hovering about that price. What disappoints many vegan-vegetarian investors is that the ETF doesn’t appear much different from regular mainstream big-cap ETFs. However, as the promoters of this ETF point out that there are few pure vegan-vegetarian stock plays and the ones that are out there are small. Also, to get a well-rounded stock ETF, it had to include big cap S&amp;P 500 stocks. Also, because of its structure, I suspect its returns could be similar, or hopefully even a little better, than S&amp;P 500 ETFs generally. For a good overview of this ETF see Brenton Garen’s post,  Vegan ETF ‘VEGN’ Debuts on NYSE, on ETF Trends. Quoting Mr. Garen’s post, “Appearing on Fox Business Network’s Varney &amp; Co. on Tuesday, Beyond Investing CEO Claire Smith discussed the fund with host Stuart Varney, [saying that] ‘We are taking out about 43% of the S&amp;P 500,’ Smith said. ‘We are adding in some of the mid-caps that are more forward-thinking like Beyond Meat (BYND) and Tesla (TSLA), in order to make up some of the differentials in order to compensate for the things we are taking out. [And, generally,] the Beyond Investing US Vegan Climate Index is a passive, rules-based index of U.S. large-cap stocks, screened according to vegan and climate-conscious principles.” End quote. By the way, if, as an investor with closely held personal values, you feel uncomfortable with this and other fund options out there, there is another simple way to invest while more closely aligning your investments with your values. Check-out my one-hour  DIY Ethical-Sustainable Investing Pays Tutorial. Go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and look down the right-hand sidebar for the link.  ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, I often reference The Motley Fool as that site has some great contributors writing about ESG stocks, and again I want to draw to your attention some of their research. Appearing under the title,  3 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now, three Motley Fool contributors review their picks. However, I’ll only quote two here as the third pick was already covered on my August 16 podcast – where Travis Hoium picked SunPower. His two colleagues made new choices in addition to the ones they chose that appeared in my August 16 post. Rich Smith picked TPI Composites (TPIC: NASDAQ) and John Bromels chose TerraForm Power (TERP: NASDAQ). Rich Smith commenting on TPI Composites said, “Shares of windmill blade-maker TPI Composites crashed hard in August after the company reported an earnings beat -- but also made a big reduction in its guidance. With roughly 40% of its production lines for windmill blades either still spinning up, or in the process of being retooled to produce new models, TPI's currently operating 30% under full capacity. [However], from a loss this year, analysts forecast TPI will grow to earn more than $4 a share in just three short years… [and that] TPI Composites stock won't stay this cheap for long,” He says, end quote. John Bromels has this to say about his choice, TerraForm Power. Quote, “[TerraForm Power] is a green energy stock that pays a dividend! Most renewable stocks… are too young and focused on growth (or just too cash-poor) to swing a dividend. But a handful of them -- mostly renewable yieldcos -- do offer dividends, and TerraForm Power's is one of the best, currently yielding about 4.6%... TerraForm looks like a buy for dividend investors and green energy fans alike.” Incidentally, Wikipedia’s definition of a yieldco ‘is a company that is formed to own operating assets that produce a predictable cash flow, primarily through long term contracts.’  ------------------------------------------------------------- Another Motley Fool contributor, Maxx Chatsko, wrote a related post, titled,  2 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy in Wind Power. He likes, NextEra Energy (NEE: N) and Xcel Energy (XEL: NASDAQ), saying that they have a combined 25% of the installed wind power capacity in the United States. Elaborating on these companies, he says, that, “NextEra Energy generated more electricity from the wind and sun than any other company in the world in 2018.” And, that, “Xcel Energy doesn't directly own nearly as much wind power infrastructure as NEE, but it leans on a mix of power purchase agreements (PPA) and direct ownership to support 9,300 megawatts of installed wind power capacity. It plans to increase that to 11,100 megawatts by the end of 2021.” End quote.  ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, it’s becoming well known that millennials are eager for ethical and sustainable stocks. Addressing that issue, Awantika Poddar of  Zacks wrote a piece titled,  Top-Ranked Stocks Suitable for Millennials: 6 Picks – article also appearing on Yahoo! Finance. Though its recommendations are for millennials – I don’t see why many of them wouldn’t be applicable to most investors. So, here are the six recommendations of Ms. Poddar. She writes: “1) Keysight Technologies  (KEYS: N) sports a Zacks Rank #1 and a Growth Score of A. The stock has returned 54.4% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 10%. 2) Anixter International (AXE: N) flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 and a Growth Score of B. The stock has returned 10.7% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 8%. 3) Cirrus Logic (CRUS: NASDAQ) has a Zacks Rank #1 and a Growth Score of B. The stock has returned 60.4% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 15%. 4) Symantec Corporation (SYMC: NASDAQ) has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Growth Score of A. The stock has surged 23.4% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 6.9%. 5) Microsoft  (MSFT: NASDAQ) has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Growth Score of A. The stock has appreciated 35.3% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 11%.” And finally, “6) Alphabet  (GOOGL: NASDAQ) has a Zacks Rank #2 and Growth Score of B. The stock has returned 13.1% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 17.5%.” End quote.  ------------------------------------------------------------- One of the great heroes of sustainable investing is Al Gore, the former US Democratic Party presidential candidate. He helped create Generation Investment Management, an investment firm to invest in sustainable companies. Well, Ryan Vanzo posted an articled on GuruFocus titled,  Al Gore Loves These 3 Stocks. The three stocks that Al Gore purportedly likes are, quoting Mr. Vanzo’s post: “Jones Lang LaSalle Inc (JLL: N) [which] comprises 4.1% of Generation’s portfolio, but [is] more than 14% of the shares outstanding. Generation’s stake is worth nearly $600 million. Jones Lang LaSalle is a U.S.-based commercial real estate services firm… The stock trades at just 11.3 times forward earnings… [and] looks like a reasonably priced stock with a large moat.” End quote. The second pick is, Acuity Brands Inc. (AYI: N), Quote, “Acuity Brands comprises 3.2% of Generation’s portfolio, but the firm owns roughly 8% of the entire company. Generation’s stake is worth around $460 million. Acuity is a lighting and building management firm. It’s based in the U.S. but has operations throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The stock trades at just 12.9 times forward earnings yet consensus estimates call for a 10.67% long-term annual earnings per share growth rate. This could be a bargain if growth estimates become reality.” End quote. The third pick is, Nutanix Inc (NTNX: NASDAQ). Quote, “Nutanix is a new holding for Generation, currently comprising 2.6% of the portfolio. The stock is down 42% on the year, so don’t be surprised if the firm adds to its position if the valuation continues to fall. Generation now owns 7.7% of the company. That’s a $375 million position, nearly 10 times the daily trading volume. Nutanix is a cloud computing software company that sells ‘hyper-converged infrastructure appliances and software-defined storage.’ Over the last five years, revenues have grown by an astounding 57% per year. Year-over-year, however, sales growth has slowed to just 7%. That’s caused a steep sell-off in shares. Part of the issue seems to be a misunderstood pivot to subscription and SaaS [software as a service] revenue streams… Revenue growth slows as customers are transitioned to the cloud, but long-term retention and profitability may rise. Generation seems to be capitalizing on the temporary confusion.” End quote.  ------------------------------------------------------------- So, these are my top news stories and tips for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks. Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode. And be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in  iTunes/Apple Podcasts or wherever you download or listen to this podcast and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. That way you can help promote not only this podcast but ethical and sustainable investing globally and help create a better world for us all. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the content of this podcast or anything else related. Now, a big thank you for listening. Come again! And my next podcast is scheduled for September 27. See you then. Bye for now. © 2019 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

New US Vegan Climate ETF. It’s pros and cons. Has good debut on the NYSE. Current top renewable energy stocks. Best six stocks for millennials according to Zacks' analyst. Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management purported key holdings. The <a href="https://diy-ethical-sustainable-investing-tutorials.thinkific.com/courses/diy-ethical-sustainable-investing-tutorial" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> DIY Ethical-Sustainable Investing Pays Tutorial</a> offers simple way to create a stock portfolio reflecting your values! More <a></a>PODCAST: First Vegan Fund, Renewable Energy Stocks, and more… Transcript &amp; Links September 13, 2019 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical &amp; Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! for September 13, 2019—presented by Investing for the Soul. <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com</a> is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Investment ideas in these podcasts are generally gleaned from market participants in the US, Canadian, UK, European, Asian and Australasian financial markets. And, Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. Also, you can find a full transcript, live links to content, and often bonus material to these podcasts at their episodes’ podcast page located at <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com/podcasts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com/podcasts</a>. Now to this podcast! ------------------------------------------------------------- Well, the US Vegan Climate ETF <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/VEGN?p=VEGN" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(VEGN: N)</a> finally debuted on the NYSE on September 10. First days trading saw ok action hovering around its initial price of $25 a share. On September 13 it was still hovering about that price. What disappoints many vegan-vegetarian investors is that the ETF doesn’t appear much different from regular mainstream big-cap ETFs. However, as the promoters of this ETF point out that there are few pure vegan-vegetarian stock plays and the ones that are out there are small. Also, to get a well-rounded stock ETF, it had to include big cap S&amp;P 500 stocks. Also, because of its structure, I suspect its returns could be similar, or hopefully even a little better, than S&amp;P 500 ETFs generally. For a good overview of this ETF see Brenton Garen’s post, <a href="https://www.etftrends.com/thematic-investing-channel/vegan-etf-vegn-debuts-on-nyse/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Vegan ETF ‘VEGN’ Debuts on NYSE</a>, on ETF Trends. Quoting Mr. Garen’s post, “Appearing on Fox Business Network’s Varney &amp; Co. on Tuesday, Beyond Investing CEO Claire Smith discussed the fund with host Stuart Varney, [saying that] ‘We are taking out about 43% of the S&amp;P 500,’ Smith said. ‘We are adding in some of the mid-caps that are more forward-thinking like Beyond Meat (BYND) and Tesla (TSLA), in order to make up some of the differentials in order to compensate for the things we are taking out. [And, generally,] the Beyond Investing US Vegan Climate Index is a passive, rules-based index of U.S. large-cap stocks, screened according to vegan and climate-conscious principles.” End quote. By the way, if, as an investor with closely held personal values, you feel uncomfortable with this and other fund options out there, there is another simple way to invest while more closely aligning your investments with your values. Check-out my one-hour <a href="https://diy-ethical-sustainable-investing-tutorials.thinkific.com/courses/diy-ethical-sustainable-investing-tutorial" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> DIY Ethical-Sustainable Investing Pays Tutorial</a>. Go to <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com/podcasts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com/podcasts</a> and look down the right-hand sidebar for the link. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, I often reference The Motley Fool as that site has some great contributors writing about ESG stocks, and again I want to draw to your attention some of their research. Appearing under the title, <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/08/30/3-top-renewable-energy-stocks-to-buy-right-now.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 3 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now</a>, three Motley Fool contributors review their picks. However, I’ll only quote two here as the third pick was already covered on my August 16 podcast – where Travis Hoium picked SunPower. His two colleagues made new choices in addition to the ones they chose that appeared in my August 16 post. Rich Smith picked TPI Composites <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/TPIC?ltr=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(TPIC: NASDAQ)</a> and <a></a>John Bromels chose TerraForm Power <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/TERP?p=TERP&amp;.tsrc=fin-srch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(TERP: NASDAQ)</a>. Rich Smith commenting on TPI Composites said, “Shares of windmill blade-maker TPI Composites crashed hard in August after the company reported an earnings beat -- but also made a big reduction in its guidance. With roughly 40% of its production lines for windmill blades either still spinning up, or in the process of being retooled to produce new models, TPI's currently operating 30% under full capacity. [However], from a loss this year, analysts forecast TPI will grow to earn more than $4 a share in just three short years… [and that] TPI Composites stock won't stay this cheap for long,” He says, end quote. John Bromels has this to say about his choice, TerraForm Power. Quote, “[TerraForm Power] is a green energy stock that pays a dividend! Most renewable stocks… are too young and focused on growth (or just too cash-poor) to swing a dividend. But a handful of them -- mostly renewable yieldcos -- do offer dividends, and TerraForm Power's is one of the best, currently yielding about 4.6%... TerraForm looks like a buy for dividend investors and green energy fans alike.” Incidentally, Wikipedia’s definition of a yieldco ‘is a company that is formed to own operating assets that produce a predictable cash flow, primarily through long term contracts.’ ------------------------------------------------------------- Another Motley Fool contributor, Maxx Chatsko, wrote a related post, titled, <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/09/07/2-top-renewable-energy-stocks-in-wind-power.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 2 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy in Wind Power</a>. He likes, NextEra Energy <a href="https://www.fool.com/quote/nyse/nextera-energy/nee/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(NEE: N)</a> and Xcel Energy (<a href="https://www.fool.com/quote/nasdaq/xcel-energy/xel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">XEL: NASDAQ</a>), saying that they have a combined 25% of the installed wind power capacity in the United States. Elaborating on these companies, he says, that, “NextEra Energy generated more electricity from the wind and sun than any other company in the world in 2018.” And, that, “Xcel Energy doesn't directly own nearly as much wind power infrastructure as NEE, but it leans on a mix of power purchase agreements (PPA) and direct ownership to support 9,300 megawatts of installed wind power capacity. It plans to increase that to 11,100 megawatts by the end of 2021.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, it’s becoming well known that millennials are eager for ethical and sustainable stocks. Addressing that issue, Awantika Poddar of <a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/503150/topranked-stocks-suitable-for-millennials-6-picks?cid=CS-YAHOO-FT-analyst_blog|investment_ideas-503150" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Zacks</a> wrote a piece titled, <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/top-ranked-stocks-suitable-millennials-135401496.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Top-Ranked Stocks Suitable for Millennials: 6 Picks</a> – article also appearing on Yahoo! Finance. Though its recommendations are for millennials – I don’t see why many of them wouldn’t be applicable to most investors. So, here are the six recommendations of Ms. Poddar. She writes: “1) Keysight Technologies <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/KEYS?p=KEYS&amp;.tsrc=fin-srch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> (KEYS: N)</a> sports a Zacks Rank #1 and a Growth Score of A. The stock has returned 54.4% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 10%. 2) Anixter International <a href="https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/quote/AXE/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(AXE: N)</a> flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 and a Growth Score of B. The stock has returned 10.7% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 8%. 3) Cirrus Logic <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/CRUS/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(CRUS: NASDAQ)</a> has a Zacks Rank #1 and a Growth Score of B. The stock has returned 60.4% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 15%. 4) Symantec Corporation <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SYMC/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(SYMC: NASDAQ)</a> has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Growth Score of A. The stock has surged 23.4% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 6.9%. 5) Microsoft <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/MSFT?p=MSFT&amp;.tsrc=fin-srch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> (MSFT: NASDAQ)</a> has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Growth Score of A. The stock has appreciated 35.3% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 11%.” And finally, “6) Alphabet <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GOOGL?p=GOOGL&amp;.tsrc=fin-srch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> (GOOGL: NASDAQ)</a> has a Zacks Rank #2 and Growth Score of B. The stock has returned 13.1% on a year-to-date basis. Further, the company has a long-term expected EPS growth rate of 17.5%.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- One of the great heroes of sustainable investing is Al Gore, the former US Democratic Party presidential candidate. He helped create Generation Investment Management, an investment firm to invest in sustainable companies. Well, Ryan Vanzo posted an articled on GuruFocus titled, <a href="https://www.gurufocus.com/news/942404/al-gore-loves-these-3-stocks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Al Gore Loves These 3 Stocks</a>. The three stocks that Al Gore purportedly likes are, quoting Mr. Vanzo’s post: “Jones Lang LaSalle Inc <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/JLL/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(JLL: N)</a> [which] comprises 4.1% of Generation’s portfolio, but [is] more than 14% of the shares outstanding. Generation’s stake is worth nearly $600 million. Jones Lang LaSalle is a U.S.-based commercial real estate services firm… The stock trades at just 11.3 times forward earnings… [and] looks like a reasonably priced stock with a large moat.” End quote. The second pick is, Acuity Brands Inc. (<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AYI?p=AYI&amp;.tsrc=fin-srch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AYI: N</a>), Quote, “Acuity Brands comprises 3.2% of Generation’s portfolio, but the firm owns roughly 8% of the entire company. Generation’s stake is worth around $460 million. Acuity is a lighting and building management firm. It’s based in the U.S. but has operations throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The stock trades at just 12.9 times forward earnings yet consensus estimates call for a 10.67% long-term annual earnings per share growth rate. This could be a bargain if growth estimates become reality.” End quote. The third pick is, Nutanix Inc (<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/NTNX?p=NTNX&amp;.tsrc=fin-srch" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NTNX: NASDAQ</a>). Quote, “Nutanix is a new holding for Generation, currently comprising 2.6% of the portfolio. The stock is down 42% on the year, so don’t be surprised if the firm adds to its position if the valuation continues to fall. Generation now owns 7.7% of the company. That’s a $375 million position, nearly 10 times the daily trading volume. Nutanix is a cloud computing software company that sells ‘hyper-converged infrastructure appliances and software-defined storage.’ Over the last five years, revenues have grown by an astounding 57% per year. Year-over-year, however, sales growth has slowed to just 7%. That’s caused a steep sell-off in shares. Part of the issue seems to be a misunderstood pivot to subscription and SaaS [software as a service] revenue streams… Revenue growth slows as customers are transitioned to the cloud, but long-term retention and profitability may rise. Generation seems to be capitalizing on the temporary confusion.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- So, these are my top news stories and tips for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks. Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com/podcasts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com/podcasts</a> and scroll down to this episode. And be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ethical-sustainable-investing-news-to-profit-by/id1455160925" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> iTunes/Apple Podcasts</a> or wherever you download or listen to this podcast and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. That way you can help promote not only this podcast but ethical and sustainable investing globally and help create a better world for us all. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the content of this podcast or anything else related. Now, a big thank you for listening. Come again! And my next podcast is scheduled for September 27. See you then. Bye for now. © 2019 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: First Vegan Fund, Renewable Energy Stocks, and more…

Amazon dissed as a sustainability investment compared to eBay. Livent, Brookfield Asset Management, and Sunpower, as renewable stock investments suggested by analysts. US Vegan Climate Exchange Traded ETF appears to finally arrive. Not what it seems though. ESG overlay for corporate bonds enhances portfolio performance says J P Morgan study. Unique ESG Factor ETF. More PODCAST: Amazon vs. eBay, First Vegan Fund, and more… Transcript &amp; Links August 16, 2019 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical &amp; Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! for August 16, 2019—presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Investment ideas in these podcasts are generally gleaned from market participants in the US, Canadian, UK, European, Asian and Australasian investment markets. And, Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. Also, you can find a full transcript, live links and often bonus material to these podcasts at their editions’ podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now to this podcast!  ------------------------------------------------------------- Tim Nash at Corporate Knights has another insightful  Sustainable Stock Showdown. This time comparing Amazon (AMZN.OQ) vs. eBay (EBAY.OQ)! He begins his analysis with the following critical statement, saying that, “Amazon may be primed for growth but amidst worker protests, climate concerns and military links, is eBay a better bet?” End quote. Additionally, Mr. Nash writes about Amazon’s poor sustainability record. You probably know that Amazon is a top holding in many ESG and sustainable funds. But should it be, given the previously mentioned issues! Do you feel comfortable investing in Amazon when it is heavily criticized on such issues? Writing about some of these concerns Mr. Nash says, again quoting him that, “A petition with 270,000 signatures was delivered to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos calling for better worker rights and for the company to cut ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency responsible for rounding up and deporting undocumented immigrants. Although these protests didn’t amount to much action, they certainly shone a light on Amazon’s many problems.” End quote. By contrast, on eBay, Mr. Nash writes that, and I quote, “eBay is the next largest online retail company and is a much better performer when it comes to sustainability metrics. With a focus on selling pre-owned products, about 16% of eBay’s revenues are estimated as green…eBay publishes a detailed  Impact Progress Report that charts its progress on sustainability goals such as growth of sellers in ‘less-advantaged communities’ and a 50% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.” Close quote. In summary, Mr. Nash concludes, that, “Sustainable investors will want to consider the financial trade-offs involved in walking away from a stock with Amazonian growth, but they’ll sleep better at night owning eBay and knowing its carbon footprint won’t swallow the planet at the click of a button.” Close quote.  ------------------------------------------------------------- Next item is about a unique new ESG ETF called the IQS ESG Global Equity Multi-Factor UCITS ETF – now that’s a mouthful! We have this information from an article titled,  Invesco launches multi-factor ETF with strict ESG criteria written by Gary Buxton in IFA Magazine. Talking about his new ESG ETF, fund manager Gary Buxton, Head of EMEA ETFs at Invesco, says, ‘Three of the biggest trends we have seen over the past decade are growing demand for multi-factor strategies, ESG investments and ETFs more generally. Proven expertise in all these areas has enabled us to respond to investor demand by delivering a multi-factor solution that adheres to strict ESG criteria and has all the benefits you would expect from our ETF structure.’” End quote. Additionally, Mr. Buxton says, again quoting him, that, “Eligible stocks are screened for compliance with the fund’s ESG Criteria, and then scored based on their attractiveness with respect to three investment factors: Quality, Value and Momentum.” End quote. Most ESG ETFs simply hold a group of stocks screened for only their ESG characteristics according to that ETFs objective – such as only renewable energy stocks, for instance. Whereas a multi-factor approach also includes further screens that might include the stocks perceived quality, value – say its relatively low price-earnings ratio, and momentum, that is the rate of acceleration of a stock’s price or volume of trading. Anyhow, it’s a unique approach and it’ll be interesting to see how well it works.  ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, The Motley Fool ran a story that I thought I’d like to pass on. The story title is  3 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now. There are three contributors, and each recommends one stock. sine qua non The first contributor is Rich Smith who favours, Livent (LTHM.N), which is a major lithium producer. Though he admits the immediate future might be difficult for the company, he looks beyond that, saying, and I quote, “If you believe, as I do, that lithium is a SIN + AY + KWAA + NOHN for storing energy generated from renewable sources like wind and solar, it makes sense to believe that Livent –  one of the top three players in lithium – will outlive its present difficulties, and become much more profitable as time goes by.” End quote. The second recommendation comes from John Bromels who likes Brookfield Asset Management (BAMa.TO). This is a Canadian asset manager that holds a diverse group of renewable power assets. Mr. Bromels says, and I quote, that, “About 75% of Brookfield's assets are in good-old, reliable hydroelectric power, which helps the company generate steady cash flow and pay a hefty distribution that currently yields 5.6%... [An] MLP ownership isn't for everyone, but if you're looking to add a renewable energy company to your portfolio, Brookfield Renewable Partners is about as solid a bet as you'll find in this sector.” End quote. Now on this editions podcast page, I have a link to a good article describing MLPs for US investors. (See understanding MLPs.) Finally, Travis Hoium suggests Sunpower (SPWR.OQ). Mr. Hoium likes Sunpower because he says, “Not only are high-efficiency solar panels improving in cost-effectiveness, SunPower is adding energy storage to more projects. One-third of its commercial solar power systems now include energy storage, and the company says it will introduce a residential solar solution later this year. These new products combined with improving market conditions in the residential solar industry may make SunPower one of the biggest winners in energy in 2019.” End quote. So, check them out and see what you think.  ------------------------------------------------------------- For a few podcasts now, I’ve been writing about investments relating to veganism or vegetarianism. Well, finally it appears that the first vegan-friendly ETF called the US Vegan Climate Exchange Traded ETF (VGN ETF) is planned for listing on the NYSE on September 10. However, I would deem it quite controversial – even for vegans – as it’s not what it might appear. Garry White in The Telegraph newspaper in the UK writes that “The fund is not currently investing in vegan food producers, but aims to avoid companies whose activities directly contribute to animal exploitation or environmental damage… Its largest holdings will include companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Mastercard. This means the ETF will look pretty similar to other, lower-cost alternatives… although Facebook is included in the vegan ETF because it meets its criteria, the company’s shares were thrown out of the S&amp;P ESG Index in June because of weak oversight in the sale of its user data to advertisers.” End quote. So, see what I mean about it not being what ethical and sustainable investors might infer from its title! Garry White’s article is titled,  Is vegan investing a marketing fad or a real investment trend? It’s a good read for anyone interested in the rapidly growing market of plant-based food investing. Another useful write-up on the Vegan Climate Fund can be found under the title,  World’s First Vegan-Friendly Fund Opens for Trading, appearing on the VegWorld Magazine website. And, further insight can be found in this post Ethical Stock Investment To Launch On New York Stock Exchange by Liam Gilliver writing in Plant Based News. Incidentally, Beyond Meat Inc. (BYND.O) (Nasdaq) was still trading at multiples of its initial public offering price as of compiling this podcast. However, given current market dynamics and the history of stocks that go ballistic, it wouldn’t be surprising to see its share price retreat somewhat in the near future.  ------------------------------------------------------------- Now for some wonderful news concerning ESG corporate bonds. For the first time, a study finds that adding ESG criterion to selecting corporate bonds boosts outcomes for investors. In an article titled,  ESG overlay 'boosts outcomes for corporate bond investors': report, Susanna Rust, in IPE, writes that "[JP Morgan Asset Management] found that ESG scores could enhance portfolio outcomes via lower drawdowns, reduced portfolio volatility and, in some cases, marginally increased risk-adjusted returns. Although its study showed that using ESG scores improved gross portfolio returns for all categories of corporate bonds, this only held true for investment grade corporate debt once transaction costs were accounted for." Close quote. These are important new findings by JP Morgan. It had been found that screening sovereign bonds using ESG criteria provided better risk-adjusted returns – but corporate issues hadn't been explored much. Of course, though I trust JP Morgan to do excellent research, I'd really like to see this, and similar investment industry research, published in appropriate peer-reviewed journals. That would help ensure such research can be relied upon and is not just some investment firm 'pushing a product.'  ------------------------------------------------------------- So, these are my top news stories and tips for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks. Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down for this edition. And be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in  iTunes/Apple Podcasts or wherever you download or listen to this podcast and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. That way you can help promote not only this podcast but ethical and sustainable investing globally and help create a better world for us all. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the content of this podcast or anything else related. Now, a big thank you for listening. Come again! And my next podcast is scheduled for August 30. See you then. Bye for now.

Amazon dissed as a sustainability investment compared to eBay. Livent, Brookfield Asset Management, and Sunpower, as renewable stock investments suggested by analysts. US Vegan Climate Exchange Traded ETF appears to finally arrive. Not what it seems though. ESG overlay for corporate bonds enhances portfolio performance says J P Morgan study. Unique ESG Factor ETF. More PODCAST: Amazon vs. eBay, First Vegan Fund, and more… Transcript &amp; Links August 16, 2019 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical &amp; Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! for August 16, 2019—presented by Investing for the Soul. <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com</a> is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources. Investment ideas in these podcasts are generally gleaned from market participants in the US, Canadian, UK, European, Asian and Australasian investment markets. And, Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. Also, you can find a full transcript, live links and often bonus material to these podcasts at their editions’ podcast page located at <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com/podcasts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com/podcasts</a>. Now to this podcast! ------------------------------------------------------------- Tim Nash at Corporate Knights has another insightful <a href="https://www.corporateknights.com/channels/responsible-investing/sustainable-stock-showdown-amazon-vs-ebay-15645771/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Sustainable Stock Showdown</a>. This time comparing <a href="https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview/AMZN.OQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon (AMZN.OQ)</a> vs. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview/EBAY.OQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eBay (EBAY.OQ)</a>! He begins his analysis with the following critical statement, saying that, “Amazon may be primed for growth but amidst worker protests, climate concerns and military links, is eBay a better bet?” End quote. Additionally, Mr. Nash writes about Amazon’s poor sustainability record. You probably know that Amazon is a top holding in many ESG and sustainable funds. But should it be, given the previously mentioned issues! Do you feel comfortable investing in Amazon when it is heavily criticized on such issues? Writing about some of these concerns Mr. Nash says, again quoting him that, “A petition with 270,000 signatures was delivered to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos calling for better worker rights and for the company to cut ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency responsible for rounding up and deporting undocumented immigrants. Although these protests didn’t amount to much action, they certainly shone a light on Amazon’s many problems.” End quote. By contrast, on eBay, Mr. Nash writes that, and I quote, “eBay is the next largest online retail company and is a much better performer when it comes to sustainability metrics. With a focus on selling pre-owned products, about 16% of eBay’s revenues are estimated as green…eBay publishes a detailed <a href="https://static.ebayinc.com/assets/Uploads/Documents/eBay-Impact-2018-Progress-Update.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Impact Progress Report</a> that charts its progress on sustainability goals such as growth of sellers in ‘less-advantaged communities’ and a 50% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.” Close quote. In summary, Mr. Nash concludes, that, “Sustainable investors will want to consider the financial trade-offs involved in walking away from a stock with Amazonian growth, but they’ll sleep better at night owning eBay and knowing its carbon footprint won’t swallow the planet at the click of a button.” Close quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Next item is about a unique new ESG ETF called the IQS ESG Global Equity Multi-Factor UCITS ETF – now that’s a mouthful! We have this information from an article titled, <a href="https://www.ifamagazine.com/etf/invesco-launches-multi-factor-etf-with-strict-esg-criteria/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Invesco launches multi-factor ETF with strict ESG criteria</a> written by Gary Buxton in IFA Magazine. Talking about his new ESG ETF, fund manager Gary Buxton, Head of EMEA ETFs at Invesco, says, ‘Three of the biggest trends we have seen over the past decade are growing demand for multi-factor strategies, ESG investments and ETFs more generally. Proven expertise in all these areas has enabled us to respond to investor demand by delivering a multi-factor solution that adheres to strict ESG criteria and has all the benefits you would expect from our ETF structure.’” End quote. Additionally, Mr. Buxton says, again quoting him, that, “Eligible stocks are screened for compliance with the fund’s ESG Criteria, and then scored based on their attractiveness with respect to three investment factors: Quality, Value and Momentum.” End quote. Most ESG ETFs simply hold a group of stocks screened for only their ESG characteristics according to that ETFs objective – such as only renewable energy stocks, for instance. Whereas a multi-factor approach also includes further screens that might include the stocks perceived quality, value – say its relatively low price-earnings ratio, and momentum, that is the rate of acceleration of a stock’s price or volume of trading. Anyhow, it’s a unique approach and it’ll be interesting to see how well it works. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, The Motley Fool ran a story that I thought I’d like to pass on. The story title is <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/07/31/3-top-renewable-energy-stocks-to-buy-right-now.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 3 Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now</a>. There are three contributors, and each recommends one stock. sine qua non The first contributor is <a href="https://www.fool.com/author/1297/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rich Smith</a> who favours, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview/LTHM.N" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Livent (LTHM.N)</a>, which is a major lithium producer. Though he admits the immediate future might be difficult for the company, he looks beyond that, saying, and I quote, “If you believe, as I do, that lithium is a SIN + AY + KWAA + NOHN for storing energy generated from renewable sources like wind and solar, it makes sense to believe that Livent – <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/02/27/time-to-buy-livent-stock-1-analyst-thinks-so.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> one of the top three players in lithium</a> – will outlive its present difficulties, and become much more profitable as time goes by.” End quote. The second recommendation comes from <a href="https://www.fool.com/author/2866/index.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">John Bromels</a> who likes <a href="https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview/BAMa.TO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brookfield Asset Management (BAMa.TO)</a>. This is a Canadian asset manager that holds a diverse group of renewable power assets. Mr. Bromels says, and I quote, that, “About 75% of Brookfield's assets are in good-old, reliable hydroelectric power, which helps the company generate steady cash flow and pay a hefty distribution that currently yields 5.6%... [An] MLP ownership isn't for everyone, but if you're looking to add a renewable energy company to your portfolio, Brookfield Renewable Partners is about as solid a bet as you'll find in this sector.” End quote. Now on this editions podcast page, I have a link to a good article describing MLPs for US investors. (<a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/what-is-a-master-limited-partnership.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">See understanding MLPs</a>.) Finally, <a href="https://www.fool.com/author/1787/index.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Travis Hoium</a> suggests <a href="https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview/SPWR.OQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sunpower (SPWR.OQ)</a>. Mr. Hoium likes Sunpower because he says, “Not only are high-efficiency solar panels improving in cost-effectiveness, SunPower is adding energy storage to more projects. One-third of its commercial solar power systems now include energy storage, and the company says it will introduce a residential solar solution later this year. These new products combined with improving market conditions in the residential solar industry may make SunPower one of the biggest winners in energy in 2019.” End quote. So, check them out and see what you think. ------------------------------------------------------------- For a few podcasts now, I’ve been writing about investments relating to veganism or vegetarianism. Well, finally it appears that the first vegan-friendly ETF called the <a></a><a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1540305/000089418919004854/usveganclimateetf485b081doc.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">US Vegan Climate Exchange Traded ET</a><a></a><a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1540305/000089418919004854/usveganclimateetf485b081doc.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">F (VGN ETF)</a> is planned for listing on the NYSE on September 10. However, I would deem it quite controversial – even for vegans – as it’s not what it might appear. Garry White in The Telegraph newspaper in the UK writes that “The fund is not currently investing in vegan food producers, but aims to avoid companies whose activities directly contribute to animal exploitation or environmental damage… Its largest holdings will include companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Mastercard. This means the ETF will look pretty similar to other, lower-cost alternatives… although Facebook is included in the vegan ETF because it meets its criteria, the company’s shares were thrown out of the S&amp;P ESG Index in June because of weak oversight in the sale of its user data to advertisers.” End quote. So, see what I mean about it not being what ethical and sustainable investors might infer from its title! Garry White’s article is titled, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/08/09/vegan-investing-marketing-fad-real-investment-trend/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Is vegan investing a marketing fad or a real investment trend?</a> It’s a good read for anyone interested in the rapidly growing market of plant-based food investing. Another useful write-up on the Vegan Climate Fund can be found under the title, <a href="https://www.vegworldmag.com/news/world-s-first-vegan-friendly-fund-opens-for-trading" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> World’s First Vegan-Friendly Fund Opens for Trading</a>, appearing on the VegWorld Magazine website. And, further insight can be found in this post <a href="https://www.plantbasednews.org/news/ethical-stock-investment" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ethical Stock Investment To Launch On New York Stock Exchange</a> by Liam Gilliver writing in Plant Based News. Incidentally, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview/BYND.O" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beyond Meat Inc. (BYND.O)</a> (Nasdaq) was still trading at multiples of its initial public offering price as of compiling this podcast. However, given current market dynamics and the history of stocks that go ballistic, it wouldn’t be surprising to see its share price retreat somewhat in the near future. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now for some wonderful news concerning ESG corporate bonds. For the first time, a study finds that adding ESG criterion to selecting corporate bonds boosts outcomes for investors. In an article titled, <a href="https://www.ipe.com/news/esg/esg-overlay-boosts-outcomes-for-corporate-bond-investors-report/www.ipe.com/news/esg/esg-overlay-boosts-outcomes-for-corporate-bond-investors-report/10032667.fullarticle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> ESG overlay 'boosts outcomes for corporate bond investors': report,</a> Susanna Rust, in IPE, writes that "[JP Morgan Asset Management] found that ESG scores could enhance portfolio outcomes via lower drawdowns, reduced portfolio volatility and, in some cases, marginally increased risk-adjusted returns. Although its study showed that using ESG scores improved gross portfolio returns for all categories of corporate bonds, this only held true for investment grade corporate debt once transaction costs were accounted for." Close quote. These are important new findings by JP Morgan. It had been found that screening sovereign bonds using ESG criteria provided better risk-adjusted returns – but corporate issues hadn't been explored much. Of course, though I trust JP Morgan to do excellent research, I'd really like to see this, and similar investment industry research, published in appropriate peer-reviewed journals. That would help ensure such research can be relied upon and is not just some investment firm 'pushing a product.' ------------------------------------------------------------- So, these are my top news stories and tips for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks. Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to <a href="http://investingforthesoul.com/podcasts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">investingforthesoul.com/podcasts</a> and scroll down for this edition. And be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ethical-sustainable-investing-news-to-profit-by/id1455160925" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> iTunes/Apple Podcasts</a> or wherever you download or listen to this podcast and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. That way you can help promote not only this podcast but ethical and sustainable investing globally and help create a better world for us all. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the content of this podcast or anything else related. Now, a big thank you for listening. Come again! And my next podcast is scheduled for August 30. See you then. Bye for now.