Robert J. Haley, CFA®

Robert Haley, CFA®, is a Partner, Portfolio Manager, and Research Analyst covering the Large-Cap Technology sector. He has almost 20 years of experience as a technology-focused investor and seven years of experience as a hands-on technologist.

Prior to joining First Manhattan in 2010, Rob was a Research Analyst at Gabelli Asset Management covering the Technology sector. Previously, he was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs in its Technology division, where he developed custom software applications and managed system integration projects.

Rob holds an MBA from Columbia Business School. He also holds a BSE in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a Certificate in Markets and Management Studies from Duke University, where he graduated cum laude. Rob is a CFA® charterholder.

Portfolio construction and management

Rob developed an early passion for investing. He applies his engineering background to his analysis of businesses. Importantly, Rob strives to identify not only attractive businesses, but also those that are undervalued by "Mr. Market," Benjamin Graham's metaphor for the stock market.

The market may undervalue a stock for a variety of reasons. It may not fully appreciate the long-term resilience of a business or its barriers to entry. It may be unwilling or unable to look beyond the next few quarters to the growth and profitability that may come over the next few years. It may simply be reflecting human emotions, biases, and over-reactions. Rob believes that these dynamics can create opportunities to buy shares of good businesses at prices that provide a margin of safety.

Rob's investment process includes bottom-up, fundamental analysis of individual companies and the industries and regulatory environments in which they operate. His regular meetings with company senior management teams enable Rob to assess their strategy and capital allocation priorities firsthand.

When constructing client portfolios, Rob seeks to:

• Identify companies with sustainable, long-term growth prospects, high and steady margins, attractive returns on invested capital, high free cash flow relative to earnings, and managements that allocate capital in shareholder-oriented ways.
• Build portfolios that are diversified yet provide focus on the best investment opportunities.
• Manage the account for long-term wealth creation and tax efficiency with an eye toward capital preservation.