Investing for Growth

Some people love to make successful investing seem more complicated than it really is. In this anthology of essays and letters written between 2010–20, Terry Smith makes the case for simply buying the best companies in the world. These are businesses that generate large amounts of cash and know what to do with it in the form of sound capital allocation. The result is a powerful compounding of returns for the long term.

This book serves as a good reiteration of the thinking and principles underpinning Smith’s investing approach, including his three-step investment mantra: “Buy good companies. Don’t overpay. Do… show more.

This book is really a collection of previously published material -- shareholder letter, op-eds, etc. -- by Terry Smith who founded Fundsmith, a firm with an exceptional long-term track record. The book covers a lot of ideas, but it sets you in the right frame of mind for investing successfully. Smith also provides ample warning about what not to do (i.e., market timing).