The Memo by Howard Marks

In his latest memo, Howard Marks discusses the evolution of the sub-investment grade credit market from its beginnings in the 1970s to its present state. He focuses on the rise of direct lending following the Global Financial Crisis, identifying the reasons for its fast growth but also the issues created by rapid capital deployment. Looking ahead, he describes the entwined fates of direct lending and private equity, with the perfor...

In his latest memo – occasioned by massive changes he cites in just the 11 weeks since the last one – Howard Marks revisits the subject of AI, providing his observations on its essence and how it differs from previous technological innovations. He highlights AI’s immense power, speed, and autonomy; its limitations; and its potential implications for investing. He expresses conviction that AI is far from ...

In his latest memo, Howard Marks addresses the much-asked question, “Is there a bubble in AI?” He identifies the uncertainty associated with AI investments and the conspicuous parallels to previous bubbles, while also acknowledging why those comparisons could be inappropriate. Given AI’s vast potential but numerous unknowns, no one can say for certain whether investors’ current enthusiasm is merited or irrat...

In his latest memo, Howard Marks examines the recent string of well-publicized credit problems. He considers how they serve as a reminder that the yield premium offered by sub-investment grade credit isn’t a freebie, but rather compensation for bearing credit risk. While good times lead to complacency and elevated risk tolerance, bad times expose the results of that carelessness. Howard emphasizes that it’s essential to...

In his latest memo, Howard Marks offers observations based on his meeting with the board, consultant, and senior staff of a state pension fund. Howard explores the key topics covered during the session, including determining an appropriate risk posture, selecting an investment approach, and assessing performance. While these decisions are challenging, the board and its consultant applied the only reasonable method: asking the right...

In his latest memo, Howard Marks sets forth the essence of value and price, as well as the critical relationship between the two. He posits that value exerts a ‘‘magnetic’’ influence on price, meaning the relationship of price to value should be expected to strongly influence investment performance in the long run, with high valuations presaging low subsequent returns, and vice versa. In the contex...

In his latest memo, Howard Marks discusses the implications of governmental intervention in economies. Considering examples such as rent control, fire insurance, and tariffs, he emphasizes that while free markets don’t produce perfect solutions, efforts to control them often make things much worse. He argues that when allowed to function, the laws of economics create prosperity through incentivizing innovation and productivit...

In celebration of Oaktree’s 30th anniversary on April 10, 2025, cofounders Howard Marks (Co-Chairman), Bruce Karsh (Co-Chairman and Chief Investment Officer), and Sheldon Stone (Principal and Co-Portfolio Manager, High Yield Bonds) held a fireside chat for employees where they shared stories about Oaktree’s origins and the firm’s journey over the last three decades. We’re excited to share an excerpt from the...

In his latest memo, Howard discusses how the recent events surrounding tariffs can have a seismic but unpredictable impact on the global economy.  Seismic in that they reflect a fundamental undoing of longstanding norms, and unpredictable in that tariffs would bring untold second- and third-order consequences.  He emphasizes that there is no foreknowledge here, with forecasts even less likely to be accurate than usual.&nb...

In his latest memo, Howard addresses a common question he’s been receiving over the last few months: “What about credit spreads?” He explains that the key question should be whether today’s spread is sufficient to offset the credit losses that’ll occur, rather than whether it’s historically narrow or not. Further, he emphasizes that spread widening is a short-term phenomenon and expresses his bel...

On January 2, 2000, Howard Marks published his first memo to garner any reader response, bubble.com, calling attention to excesses he detected in the market for tech and internet stocks. His newest memo revisits the subject of bubbles. Howard expresses his view that they’re more a state of mind than a quantitative calculation and describes bubble thinking as irrational, often underlaid by a widespread belief that ‘&lsqu...

In his latest memo, Howard Marks outlines the need to base asset allocation decisions around an established risk target. He describes the fundamental differences between ownership and debt, as well as the importance of finding the combination of the two that gets an investor’s portfolio to the desired position on the risk/return continuum. Finally, he expands on the increased utility of debt investments in today&rsq...

In his latest memo, Howard Marks discusses the economic facts of life, as he examines the workings of free markets and what happens when they’re tampered with. He considers what “price-gouging” actually means and how rents should be set. He ultimately argues that the laws of economics shouldn’t be overridden — even when it’s politically advantageous to do so – because of the loss to society...

In this special episode of Behind the Memo, Howard Marks is joined by Morgan Housel, the bestselling author and partner at the Collaborative Fund. They discuss ideas from Howard’s recent memo “The Impact of Debt,” which was inspired by Morgan’s article “How I Think About Debt.” They explore the relationship between leverage and longevity, the nature of risk, and the eternal relevance of Voltaire&...

In his latest memo, Howard Marks discusses the reasons for the recent market volatility using one of finance’s classic metaphors: Mr. Market, the figure Benjamin Graham created in 1949 to explain the erratic nature of financial markets. Howard pulls together some of his best writing on investor psychology from the past three decades, adds some of his favorite investing cartoons, and offers a few new observations. He sugg...

In this episode of Behind the Memo, Howard Marks is joined by two special guests: Oaktree cofounder Bruce Karsh and the chess Grandmaster Maurice Ashley. In a wide-ranging conversation, they discuss Howard’s recent memo "The Indispensability of Risk" as well as the inspiration for that memo: Maurice’s Wall Street Journal article, "Chess Teaches the Power of Sacrifice." They consider the many parallels between ...