We thank our agent, Bob Mecoy, for his steady hand, unfailing confidence, and sense of humor and our sponsoring editor Stephanie Frerich at McGraw-Hill, for taking us on and being enthusiastic, patient, and good-humored. We couldn’t be more fortunate with agent and editor. We also thank The Motley Fool for giving us both our starts and the freedom to grow, and for encouraging all viewpoints and strategies—never a party line. And thanks to Motley Fool colleagues and friends—analyst Alex Pape and senior analyst Michael Olsen, CFA—for taking scarce time available after their demanding jobs to provide comments and corrections on parts of the manuscript. And to technical writer, graphic artist, and fine artist Martha Hughes for manuscript preparation.
JDV: I would like to thank my parents Barbara, John, and Allen for all their love and support over the years. Special thanks to my business partner Brad Lamensdorf. Without him, The Active Bear ETF (HDGE) would not be possible. Thanks to Dean Somes, Jeff Williams, and Tom Sprunger for all their hard work on market timing. Jeff Middleswart for allowing us to use my work as case studies in this book. Tom because this book would not be possible without him. And finally to The Motley Fool where Tom and I first met and a place that spawned many opportunities for us in the ensuing years.
TJ: I would like to thank John for introducing me to the field of earnings quality early in my value investing career, asking me to do this book with him, and being a great collaborator and friend. To The Motley Fool for giving me my first and many opportunities as an investment analyst and to make lasting friendships there. To my late father, who bought me two shares of Ford Motor in 1968 to start my investing life, and taught me economics lessons (some of which I remembered and others only through mistakes). And foremost to my partner, Vilis Inde, for his many years of love, support, good humor, and patience.