Norman Rothery

Norman Rothery is a finance columnist who builds and tests rules-based portfolios for value and dividend investors, using long-term performance data to turn academic-style factor research into practical tools for ordinary investors. His work at The Globe and Mail focuses on evidence-driven strategies that target income, value, and stability, often expressed as named model portfolios with clear selection criteria and documented track records. Alongside his newspaper work, he runs StingyInvestor.com and publishes investment newsletters, extending the same frugal, data-centric approach across multiple platforms.

Inside the Market portfolios for value and dividend investors

Rothery is a regular contributor to The Globe and Mail’s investing coverage, particularly the Inside the Market section, where he profiles portfolios designed for value and dividend-focused investors. Recent pieces present “portfolios for value and dividend investors to consider” and “portfolios for value investors to consider,” each outlining systematic approaches to stock selection rather than isolated stock picks. He typically defines a universe of stocks, applies fundamental screens such as value metrics or dividend characteristics, and then reports historical returns over multi-decade periods so readers can see how the strategy would have behaved through different market cycles. This portfolio-centric format makes his coverage notably structured: each article offers a specific methodology, a rationale grounded in value investing principles, and performance data rather than anecdotal narratives. The effect is that his columns function as an ongoing laboratory of model portfolios, giving investors a menu of tested approaches instead of broad market commentary.

Dividend strategies, high-yield income and ‘monster’ payouts

A defining strand of Rothery’s work is his focus on dividend strategies, especially those that blend high yield with attention to risk and longevity. In articles such as “Behold, a new high-yield portfolio for dividend fans” and “Two dividend strategies that doubled the market’s growth,” he builds portfolios aimed at investors seeking income that also keeps pace with – or exceeds – market returns. He often reports long-run performance figures, such as average annual returns over 20-plus years, to show how disciplined dividend investing can compound over time. In “Tinkering with a strategy for finding monster dividends,” he describes a “Dividend Monster” portfolio that starts with the largest companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange, filters for the highest-yielding half, and then applies a momentum screen to select a final list of stocks. Earlier work like “A recipe for a better dividend portfolio” in Globe Investor’s Strategy Lab reinforces this theme, offering step-by-step guidance on how to improve dividend portfolios using straightforward rules. Taken together, his dividend coverage goes beyond lists of income stocks; it dissects how to systematically find, test, and maintain dividend strategies with clear, repeatable criteria.

Testing concentrated, cash flow and factor-based portfolios

Rothery also explores how different portfolio constructions and factors affect risk and return, often by running experiments on historical data. In “I tested seven single-stock portfolios. The results confounded me,” he examines the outcomes of extremely concentrated portfolios, using backtests to compare focused single-stock holdings against more diversified approaches. His takeaway emphasizes thoughtful concentration over excessive diversification, framed through data rather than opinion. In “Looking for bargain stocks with cash flow? Consider this strategy,” he shifts to cash flow as the key metric, outlining a rules-based process for finding companies with strong cash generation and value characteristics. Across his Globe portfolios – catalogued on his own site – he tests a variety of factors, including dividends, value measures, quality metrics, and momentum, always in the form of mechanical selection rules applied to large universes of stocks. This pattern of designing and evaluating factor-based portfolios makes his beat distinctly quantitative, with an emphasis on how specific screening choices translate into real-world performance over time.

Stingy investing, newsletters and long-term value focus

Beyond his newspaper columns, Rothery’s identity as a value investor shapes his broader body of work. He founded StingyInvestor.com and has been catering to value investors since the mid-1990s, building a reputation for frugal, low-cost investing strategies. On that platform, he maintains tools such as a “periodic table” of investment returns, further underscoring his focus on long-range performance data and disciplined asset allocation. Professional profiles note that he holds a Ph.D. and the CFA designation, publishes the Rothery Report, and runs a suite of investment newsletters that extend his portfolio work to subscribers. His writing also appears in outlets such as MoneySense, where he has discussed alternatives to traditional passive asset mixes in pieces like “A spicy alternative to the Couch Potato portfolio,” again using simple model portfolios to illustrate his points. Other commentary cites him as a frequent contributor to investment publications, including Canadian MoneySaver and Report on Business Magazine, reinforcing that his voice is recognized across multiple channels in the investing community. Across these activities, the through-line remains consistent: he applies value investing principles, quantitative testing, and an emphasis on thrift to craft realistic strategies that individual investors can implement and follow over the long term.