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How backward-looking ESG ratings can distort valuations

Third party ESG rating providers can be slow to react to changes taking place at a company, and often put undue emphasis on a single issue

How backward-looking ESG ratings can distort valuations
Photo: Getty Images

In his book The Most Important Thing, the legendary value investor Howard Marks wrote: “Large amounts of money aren’t made by buying what everybody likes. They’re made by buying what everybody underestimates.”

Key to investment is not just trying to work out how over or undervalued a company’s share price might be, but also identify why this mispricing might be occurring. In other words, ask: What is the market missing?

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