TIP729: Mastering the Capital Cycle

We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network

Stig Brodersen

Education, Investing, Business

4.6 • 3.6K Ratings

🗓️ 13 June 2025

⏱️ 69 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, Clay explores the core ideas behind Capital Returns by Edward Chancellor and Marathon Asset Management. Based on decades of investing experience, the book uncovers the capital cycle framework, which reveals how capital flows, supply dynamics, and managerial incentives drive long-term investment outcomes. Whether you're a value investor, a portfolio manager, or simply curious about market cycles, this episode offers guidance for understanding the boom and bust nature of cyclical industries. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 01:31 - How the capital cycle explains boom and bust industry dynamics. 07:03 - Why tracking supply is often more useful than forecasting demand. 16:20 - How capital discipline separates great managers from average ones. 05:07 - Why excess investment leads to lower future returns. 30:38 - Why cyclical industries can offer high-return opportunities. 41:50 - How incentives and ownership structures impact corporate decision-making. 49:10 - How low interest rates distort creative destruction and capital efficiency. 53:25 - Why mean reversion remains a powerful force in markets. 58:35 - How to spot red flags near capital cycle peaks. 01:03:55 - Why flexible thinking is essential for long-term investing success. And so much more! Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join the exclusive ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIP Mastermind Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Edward Chancellor’s book: Capital Returns. Gautam Baid’s book: The Joys Of Compounding. Related Episode: TIP505: The Price of Time w/ Edward Chancellor. Mentioned Episode: TIP727: 7 Powers by Hamilton Helmer. Follow Clay on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠X⁠⁠. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Premium Feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Intrinsic Value Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We Study Billionaires Starter Packs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow our official social media accounts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIP Finance Tool⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Enjoy exclusive perks from our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠favorite Apps and Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠best business podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: SimpleMining⁠ ⁠Hardblock⁠ ⁠AnchorWatch⁠ ⁠Unchained⁠ ⁠Vanta⁠ ⁠Human Rights Foundation⁠ ⁠Fundrise⁠ ⁠reMarkable⁠ ⁠Onramp⁠ ⁠Netsuite⁠ ⁠Shopify HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rating and review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://premium.theinvestorspodcast.com/ Support our show by becoming a premium member! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to TIP.
0:02.7	On today's episode, we're exploring a book that's become a classic among value investors and capital allocators,
0:09.0	and that's capital returns, investing through the capital cycle by Edward Chancellor.
0:13.8	If you've ever wondered why some industries enjoy years of prosperity,
0:17.7	while others seem to be locked in a cycle of boom and bust, the answer often lies
0:22.6	in how capital flows in and out of those industries, and how investors react to those capital
0:29.0	flows. Capital returns distills years of investment letters from Marathon Asset Management,
0:34.9	breaking down their capital cycle framework. In this episode, we'll break down
0:38.7	the capital cycle approach, while tracking capital expenditures, industry supply, and management
0:44.5	incentives can be just as important as analyzing financial statements or competitive modes,
0:49.3	and learn practical lessons for applying the capital cycle lens to your own investing process. Whether you're
0:55.0	a professional investor or just passionate about understanding how markets work, I think you'll find
0:59.6	these insights valuable and interesting. So with that, I hope you enjoy today's episode on
1:04.3	Capital Returns by Edward Chancellor. Since 2014 and through more than 180 million downloads,
1:13.6	we've studied the financial markets and read the books that influence self-made billionaires the most.
1:19.6	We keep you informed and prepared for the unexpected.
1:22.6	Now for your host, Clay Fink.
1:35.6	Welcome to The Investors Podcast.
1:37.4	I'm your host, Clay Fink.
1:41.1	On today's episode, I'll be chatting about what I learned from reading Capital Returns by Edward Chancellor.
1:43.6	Chancellor is the author of several investing
1:45.6	books, including the price of time and devil take the hindmost, and he put together capital
	...

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