Tech alpha: why adoption and R&D matter more than P/E
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Tech investing can feel daunting, even for seasoned investors. One minute a company is the market’s darling, the next it looks obsolete, and sometimes it swings back again. AI, blockchain, crypto, Big Tech, software, even semiconductors, none have been spared the rollercoaster. For most investors, the real challenge is not spotting the next big thing, but figuring out which stories have substance and which are just very expensive noise.
In this episode of Money Hacks from The Business Times, Howie Lim tackles that question with Igor Pejic, author of Tech Money. The conversation starts with a familiar frustration that the usual yardsticks do not always work in tech. Price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios can look absurd, profits may be thin or non-existent, and yet these companies still go on to reshape entire industries. So what should investors look at instead?
Why listen
- Tech alpha is not just about hype The episode looks at what can really drive outsized returns in tech, beyond the usual buzzwords and excitement.
- Why adoption matters more than a slick story A brilliant idea is not enough if customers are not showing up, staying on or paying for it.
- What R&D can tell you about tomorrow Research spending may be one of the clearest signs of which companies are serious about staying ahead.
- The overlooked role of “boring” tech Not every winner is flashy. Some of the steadier names are the enablers doing the infrastructure work in the background.
- The risks are real too From regulation and lobbying pressure to geopolitics and energy constraints, tech investing comes with plenty of tripwires.
What makes this episode useful is that it does not pretend tech investing is easy because it isn’t. Listen now.
Money Hacks is the flagship personal finance podcast from The Business Times. Catch past episodes at bt.sg/podcasts. Have a burning question or episode idea? Email the team at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.
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Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg)
With Igor Pejic, author of Tech Money
Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro
Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh
A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media
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