Question

Find four separate health care organization''s net worth terms in published news sources such as The Wall Street Journal or Business Week.

Comment on whether the net worth term you have found appear to be referring to for-profit corporations; for-profit sole proprietors or partnerships, or not-for-profit companies. What led you to believe this?

Through research identify the mission/vision statements of the four organizations you have identified. Discuss the pros and cons of each organization's for profit and not for profit status

If you were the author of these articles, would you have been more specific? If so, why? If not, why not?

Answer 1

Mitchell's blog offers an opportunity to share some of the knowledge he's gathered over the years on this topic and encourage others to participate by sharing their thoughts.

For my first 15 or so years in the business I have only discussed with the few clients who bring it up. While it has been a passion of mine for years, I feel it is my role as an advisor to work with my clients on the things that are important to them and not have my values get in the way of what the client is trying to achieve.

This blog is not meant as a place to share hot stock tips or try to judge the market conditions at any particular moment in time. It is meant to share some of the knowledge I've gathered over the years on these topics and add food for thought to the reader's thoughts in this area. I'll try to keep you informed of any current trends or articles I find of interest. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Third party posts found on this profile do not reflect the views of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness.  

July 2, 2018
The Wall Street Journal posted a column last week entitled "IF YOU WANT TO DO GOOD, EXPECT TO DO BADLY" discussing reasons the author believes ESG investing is foolish. The response from US-SIF was not published from what I can tell, but feel it is important enough to share:

James Mackintosh’s June 28 article, “If You Want To Do Good, Expect To Do Badly: Investors need to choose between backing their beliefs with dollars, or being profit-minded capitalists” misses the mark and is out of touch with the latest studies, data and trends from Barclays, INVESTMENT GIANTS STEP UP GOVERNANCE OVERSIGHT" in Corporate Responsibility Magazine. The article goes on to say how some of the world's biggest investment firms such as Vanguard, Blackrock and State Street "are putting the thousands of companies in their portfolios on notice that their governance practices and strategies will be more closely monitored by the funds in the future. And they’re not looking just for traditional governance—that the social relevance of their operations and missions will be evaluated, too." The article goes into looking at some of the steps the companies are taking and how they think it will effect the long-term bottom line.

April 9, 2018
I'm often asked by clients how I think they should vote on various proxy issues. While I make it a point not to give direct advice, I try to help my clients look at the issues and try to figure out how they align. For my clients who are into ESG integration in their portfolio, I recommend reviewing As You Sow's "PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES" each year during proxy season. They have the most in-depth coverage I know about reviewing each proxy for ESG.

March 23, 2018
In addition to last month's quote in the Investment News on gun violence I was quoted in a much more in depth article in Financial Planning Magazine entitled "HOW ADVISORS ARE HELPING CLIENTS DUMP GUN STOCKS." It is more from an advisor prospective, but I think an interesting read for anyone looking to use their values to drive their investing.