Lyn Alden Premium Stock Research Service [Full Review]

Hi and welcome to my review of Lyn Alden’s Premium Stock Research Service.

I came across Lyn Alden through YouTube and Twitter over a year ago and quickly realized she was one of the smartest, most object analysts in the global macro space.

Her take on the market, across a range of asset classes, is refreshingly non-biased and well-articulated. I always seem to learn something from her, whether through a tweet, video, or blog post. So I recently decided to check out her Premium Research service.

The first thing I did was visit the page on Lyn Alden’s site dedicated to explaining what the service is about, which I’d normally refer to as a sales page. However, Lyn doesn’t really try to “sell” anything. Instead, she explains things in plain, non-guru-like language.

Anyway, after reading that page, I was convinced I needed to give the service a try. Since I’d already learned so much from Lyn for free, I figured why not pay $25 to access her premium insights and stock picks. So that’s exactly what I did.

And in this review, I’ll show you everything I learned to help you decide if this service is worth joining (hint: it is, but I’ll show you what to expect anyway).

Who Is Lyn Alden?

Lyn Alden Schwartzer (AKA Lyn Alden) is the founder of Lyn Alden Investment Strategy, an investment research service she started in 2016 to share her insights and recommendations with retail and institutional investors.

Lyn’s background is in engineering and finance. According to her Linkedin profile, she worked in the aviation industry for over a decade in various roles, including electronics engineering, project management, and engineering finance, before retiring in her 30s.

She also has a master’s degree in engineering management with a focus on engineering economics and financial modeling.

So, Lyn Alden has an impressive, engineering-focused background. And I believe this is what makes her insights unique and what sets her service apart from many others.

In short, I’ve found her analysis to be objective and systematic. Each newsletter summarizes her global macro analysis before delving into her more granular insights and investment ideas. So she approaches investing in a very engineer-like way.

I’ll go into more detail on how this approach is reflected in her Premium Research service shortly. But to sum it up, Lyn’s objectiveness is a huge benefit to her readers.

And the reason is that, as a self-directed investor, it’s critical to make sense of what’s going on in the market if you want to make informed decisions about where to place your chips. And that can be difficult to do if you’re listening to someone with tunnel vision.

So, Lyn Alden’s objective, logic-driven approach is valuable. She’s also one of the most intelligent, honest, and transparent people I’ve come across in the advisory space.

And it seems I’m not the only one that holds her work in high esteem. Lyn’s work has been featured in everything from small, niche finance podcasts to CNBC, Fox Business, and Wall Street Journal (among many others). She also contributes to Seeking Alpha and has an active Twitter account (@LynAldenContact) with over 350k followers.

If you want to learn more about Lyn, the video below is worth watching; it’s an in-depth interview between Natalie Brunell of the Coin Stories Podcast and Lyn Alden detailing her background and investment philosophy.

What Is the Premium Stock Research Service?

Lyn Alden’s Premium Stock Research Service is an investment advisory focused on fundamental investing with a global macroeconomic overlay.

Twice per month, subscribers of the service receive an article containing Lyn Alden’s latest macro analysis and a high-conviction stock idea. It also contains a detailed breakdown of her research, relevant charts, and updates on her existing recommendations.

If you’re unfamiliar with fundamental investing, this is an investment approach where fundamental analysis is used to determine a stock’s “real” value. This approach takes a range of factors into account, from the economy, business cycle, and industry to the company’s business model, revenue, and management.

It’s essentially a macro-to-micro analysis used to identify long-term, potentially undervalued investments, and it’s popular among value investors. However, what makes Lyn’s Premium service unique is that she does more than evaluate companies in one country (i.e., the U.S.); she scours the globe in search of where the best value is at any given time.

And she does so in a systematic, “layered” kind of way. As Lyn explains on the website, there are six layers to her process of identifying potential investments.

The first is the “Global Macro Layer,” where she analyzes over 30 countries to see what’s happening with their debt, currency reserves, trade deficits, population, etc.

The second layer is the Business Cycle Layer, where Lyn looks at the country’s business cycle (i.e., growth and decline of its economy). She primarily focuses on the U.S. but also tracks what’s happening abroad.

And layers three-to-six include the Revenue Layer, Profitability Layer, Dividend Layer, and Valuation Layer. These “layers” involve finding out how much revenue a company is generating, how profitable it is, whether or not it pays dividends, and how the company’s potential future valuation could change.

So, to sum it up, Lyn takes a comprehensive, systemized approach to identify the best potential opportunities for creating a strong portfolio. She starts with a comprehensive macro analysis and layers down to the finer details of the company or asset.

What types of investments does Lyn recommend?

Lyn mostly covers mid-cap U.S. equities ($2 billion to $10 billion market cap). However, the service covers global opportunities, and she’s not tied exclusively to any one sector, country, or even asset class. Instead, she goes where she believes the opportunity is.

For example, some of her picks include commodity and precious metals-related investments, some include growth stocks, and others include dividend-paying stocks. There are also some emerging market ETFs in the portfolio, and she has recommended bitcoin.

So, not only can Lyn’s strategy help you spot good long-term growth and income investments, but the portfolio is globally-diversified across multiple asset classes. And this, according to Lyn Alden, is one of the best defenses against risk.

“One of the best defenses against risk is to have a globally-diversified multi-asset portfolio. I generally prefer to keep all of my positions (except broad ETFs) at 5% or less of my portfolio to minimize risk associated with any one company. Preferably, I try to have my portfolios experience lower volatility than the S&P 500, even if some individual investments may be volatile.”

Source: lynalden.com/premium

Lyn’s approach of uncovering high-quality yet out-of-favor investments reminds me of another top service I’ve reviewed, Insider Newsletter.

Like Lyn Alden’s premium service, Insider Newsletter is about finding undervalued stocks in unloved, beaten-down sectors. However, Lyn’s service is more focused on dividend income than asymmetric stocks, and there’s less political commentary in her newsletters.

In any case, that sums up what Lyn Alden’s service is about.

In the next section, I’ll show you what you get if you join the Premium Stock Research Service and give you an overview of the member’s area.

What You Get If You Join Lyn Alden’s Premium Research Service (Member’s Area Overview)

To sign up for Lyn Alden’s Premium Research service, all you need to do is visit lynalden.com and click on the “Premium” tab. That will take you to the signup page, where Lyn Alden explains how the service works. And at the bottom of the page, there’s an option to join.

The cost of Lyn’s premium service is $25 per month, or you can join for $199 per year. And once you join, you are taken to the member’s area, which looks like this:

As you can see, the member’s area is essentially a page on the Lyn Alden Investment Strategy website, except you need to be logged in to access it.

Here’s an overview of what the member’s area page consists of:

• Model Portfolios and Top Stock Lists: This section of the member’s area contains a link to a shared Google Drive folder that contains the yearly Global Opportunities Investment Reports Lyn releases each year, the Top 12 Stocks list, and a spreadsheet containing the model portfolios (there are five in total).
• Portfolio Trades: This section contains an updated list of the latest changes Lyn Alden has made to each of the portfolios. This is also covered in the portfolio spreadhseets but is added to the main member’s area page for convenience.
• Premium Research Reports: The third section of the member’s area page contains a full list of the Premium Stock Research Service bi-weekly newsletters dating back to November 2019, which I’m assuming is when the service began.

So, as a subscriber, you get access to the model portfolios that show you Lyn Alden’s latest investment ideas, updates on each portfolio, and in-depth twice-monthly reports.

I can’t divulge Lyn’s stock picks, nor can I reveal the newsletters’ contents. However, to give you a better idea of what to expect, let’s look at how the model portfolios work, what’s included in each newsletter, and what the yearly report is about.

Top 12 Stocks List

As the name suggests, the Top 12 Stocks List is a list of Lyn Alden’s top 12 stock ideas, and it’s organized into three sections: conservative stocks, aggressive stocks, and high yield stocks (AKA dividend stocks).

This is located in a separate Google Sheet (spreadsheet) and shows you information, including the company name, ticker, price, yield, and a summary of Lyn’s comments on the company. And to me, it’s a good way to see her highest-conviction ideas in one place.

Real-Money Model Portfolios

The “Real-Money” model portfolios are the core three portfolios, and each covers different types of investments and asset classes. And, as a side note, Lyn Alden puts her own money into each of these portfolios (as well as the Newsletter Portfolio).

Here’s a quick overview of each model portfolio:

• Fortress Income Portfolio: This contains a list of individual stocks, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), and Closed-End Funds (CEFs) that are primarily income-focused and more defensive than some of the other portfolios. Lyn shows you what each investment is and what percentage she recommends each should have in the portfolio.
• ETF Portfolio: This is a portfolio purely focused on ETFs for those that prefer to avoid individual stocks. And Lyn recommends M1 Finance as the broker for this portfolio, as she does for the previous one.
• No Limits IB Portfolio: The No Limits portfolio contains a list of stocks and ETFs like the Fortress Income portfolio, but it’s not as income-focused and contains OTC (Over the Counter) stocks, meaning stocks not found on major exchanges. The “IB” stands for Interactive Brokers, Lyn’s suggested broker for this portfolio.

The structure of these portfolios makes it easy to follow her recommendations. And while Lyn recommends some global investments, all you need to do is open an Interactive Brokers account if you want to take advantage of those, so it’s pretty straightforward.

Other Portfolios

Aside from the top 12 stocks list and “real-money” portfolios, there are two other portfolios in the Google Drive Lyn shares with subscribers: the Newsletter and “Other” portfolios.

• Newsletter Portfolio: Lyn Alden runs a free service called the Strategic Investment Newsletter. I never joined this but from what I understand, it’s a monthly newsletter covering her current marco insights and the Newsletter Portfolio is part of this. This portfolio is quite broad in scope compared to the paid ones; it covers dividend stocks, growth stocks, ETFs, commodities, and more.
• Other Holdings: The “other holdings” tab contains a mix of individual stocks, ETFs, CEFs, precious metals, crypto, options plays, and more. And most of the investments don’t come with allocation recommendations; it’s more of a list of ideas.

Premium Research Report

Getting access to Lyn Alden’s stock picks is pretty cool, but what I find most valuable is the insight she shares in the Premium Research reports every couple of weeks.

Each issue covers her latest macro insights, which vary depending on what’s going on in the world and markets, and her latest high-conviction investment idea.

To give you an idea of the macro topics Lyn covers, the most recent issue covered the pandemic, inflation, gold, and an update on the U.S. business cycle.

It’s very informative for anyone that wants to keep updated on what’s going on because it cuts through a lot of the noise and focuses on what’s most relevant from an investment point of view, especially as it relates to the types of investments in the portfolios.

The other main aspect of the Premium Research Report is a featured analysis of Lyn Alden’s latest high-conviction stock idea. In this section, Lyn goes into detail on at least one company she’s interested in and why.

This includes a full background on the company, her valuation analysis, relevant charts, any potential risks she sees, and why she believes it’s a good opportunity.

Again, I can’t reveal Lyn Alden’s stock picks… but I will say that I’ve found her analysis to be exceptional. She gives you insight into high-quality stocks that are potentially undervalued. And this is the opposite of what many other advisories do (i.e., pump up overhyped stocks at the market peak). So I’m a huge fan of the newsletters.

Also, as a tip, if you want to see why Lyn has recommended something in the model portfolio, check out the archives on the member’s area home page. Because there’s normally an in-depth analysis of each recommendation within one of the newsletters.

The Global Opportunities Investment Report

Lyn releases the Global Opportunities Investment report each year, and I’m pretty sure it’s exclusive to her Premium Research subscribers.

These reports are super in-depth. The latest version is 139 pages long and gives you a comprehensive overview of the global macro landscape based on data from over 30 countries. And its goal is to help investors find global opportunities while also considering things like debt, currency, and political stability.

Other Resources

Aside from the newsletters, model portfolios, and updates, there are many useful resources on the website.

For example, there are articles covering investing basics for those just getting started, guides on more advanced topics like earning income from options, and pages walking you through various topics related to becoming a successful investor.

There are also two additional resources you can purchase if you want. You don’t have to buy anything else to use Lyn’s premium service, but these are helpful extras some might like.

The first is called StockDelver, a PDF and spreadsheet designed to help you find great stocks on your own. It comes with a fair value calculator and instructions on using it.

The second is called OptionWeaver. This is essentially a PDF that shows you how to sell options to generate income. It also includes a list of stocks and ETFs that Lyn believes make good targets for selling covered calls and cash-secured puts and a spreadsheet calculator to help you calculate the potential rates of return.

Both products cost around $15 each, which is incredibly cheap considering what’s included. And as mentioned, neither is required to use the premium research service.

Bottom Line

Lyn Alden’s Premium Research service is one of the best, most ethically run investment advisories I’ve ever come across. There’s a lot to like about this, but if I had to sum it up, I’d say there are five main things that make this service stand out.

• The first thing I like is how ethically run the service is. A lot of advisories use misleading marketing to sell their service and many scams in the space, so Lyn’s service is rare. Rather than using an overhyped presentation, Lyn explains what her service is about in plain language that prepares you for what to expect. And unlike many popular stock advisories, there are no upsells after you join or any annoying spam emails to contend with. This is a huge plus in my books.
• Second, Lyn Alden is one of the most objective, intelligent investment analysts I’ve ever come across. And I think anyone who spends more than five minutes learning from her would agree; she’s in a class of her own.
• Third, I like Lyn Alden’s investment approach. Her investment ideas aren’t tied to any sector, market, or asset class. The portfolio is well-diversified. And she shares valuable macro insights and fundamental analyses into the companies she recommends. All of which is aimed at helping you find quality, undervalued companies and build long-term wealth.
• Fourth, I like the way the portfolios are structured. As I explained earlier, Lyn organizes her picks into different model portfolios, so you have the option to choose what portfolios or individual investments are best suited to you. It’s all very simple and easy to follow along with.
• Lastly, the service is extremely affordable. In my opinion, Lyn Alden could easily charge double, triple, or even 10x what she is now, and it’d still be worth it. Instead, she charges $25 per month, or even less if you pay for a year in advance, allowing virtually anyone to benefit from her insight.

Is there anything I didn’t like?

Not really, no. I rarely review something without mentioning the drawbacks, but I am genuinely struggling to come up with anything I don’t like about this service… lol.

I guess some people mightn’t like how diversified the portfolios are or want shorter-term investment ideas, which isn’t exactly a drawback, but every investor is different.

Lyn Alden’s Premium Research service caters more to longer-term investors with a five-year-plus time horizon and those looking for a balance of growth and income. It’s also suited to more risk-averse investors, given how the portfolios are put together.

Of course, as with any service, there’s no guarantee you’ll make money following Lyn Alden’s investment ideas. But if you’re looking for a quality, ethical service run by one of the smartest people in the stock advisory space, I highly recommend checking this out. Lyn Alden’s Premium Stock Research Service is among the best advisories out there.

And in case you’re wondering, no, I’m not affiliated with Lyn Alden in any way. I’m just a member of her service and write about stock advisories on this blog. And after seeing the value her service provides firsthand, I was compelled to share what I found.

Anyway, that’s it from me. If you have any questions or want to share your experience with Lyn Alden’s advisory service, feel free to comment below.