When the market is in a free-fall, and everyone is selling stocks, you will find eToro Popular Investor Leonardo Mattioli looking to buy up stocks. Known as Leopharder on the eToro platform, Mattioli knows that to buy the dip, you need to do some serious research to ensure that the companies whose stocks you buy will eventually rebound. But he’s confident in his analysis and invites you to follow his investments and see for yourself. We thank Leonardo for chatting with us about his background and investment strategy.
Smart Portfolios are not exchange-traded funds or hedge funds and are not tailored to your specific objectives, financial situation and needs. Capital at risk. See PDS and TMD.
Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
Tell us a little about yourself!
I am Italian and hold an MSc in Automotive Engineering from Politecnico di Torino. I’ve always wanted to move abroad, so I first moved to Paris for an internship at the French Institute of Petroleum, which was the subject of my Master’s thesis. I then moved to Brighton in England for my dream job at an automotive consultancy, where I got to work on the development of a new engine for McLaren Automotive.
Eager to learn more, I finally moved to Oxford to work for a joint venture for a company in the oil and gas industry. I have been there for the past 5 years and I manage a portfolio of digital projects.
During my 5 years in Oxford, I started investing on the eToro platform and co-founded a tech start-up with two friends.
I like technology and during my free time, I like to keep fit and stay up to date with the latest market news and developments in technology. The work surrounding my eToro investment strategy and the start-up also take a substantial part of my free time. However, my greatest passions are motorcycles and classic cars.
What’s your background in finance?
When I was at university, I took a few courses in economics and business management, as I’ve always had an interest in them. I also like to read a lot (blogs, magazines, the WSJ and books) and study other investors’ strategies. Two investors I highly admire are Bill Ackman and Warren Buffett, and there’s definitely a hint to their strategies in mine.
What is your strategy and have you changed it recently to adapt to the volatile markets?
I invest for the medium to long term. I invest primarily in tech companies which, based on my market analysis, I believe, will return to high growth and outpace the market.
I also allocate around 20% of my portfolio to investments in undervalued companies. The pandemic has given me the opportunity to invest more in these than before.
Part of my strategy is exploiting volatile times and market pullbacks (as I learned from reading Warren Buffett’s letters to shareholders) by buying the dips (after having done a good amount of research). It takes some guts to invest when everyone is selling, but I’m confident that my homework is solid and that the strategy will pay off.
How has eToro impacted the way you trade?
The eToro platform is so easy to use, it has opened new worlds for me and given me new opportunities. One of these opportunities is allowing me to share my thoughts with other investors which has enabled me to become a Popular Investor.
Which assets or industries do you have your eye on now? Why?
Streaming services have been lagging behind. I believe both Netflix and Disney are great buys for the long term at the moment.
What was your favourite/least favourite trade over the past year? Why?
I was really happy to close my positions in Investec, a UK- and South Africa-based investment bank which was badly hit by the pandemic, at more than 160% profit. I invested in the midst of the first lockdown and held it until a month ago and managed to make a nice dividend return over that time as well.
My investment in Peloton has played out in a different way, but I believe the company has a strong brand and amazing products, so I expect a recovery.
What’s your long-term trading goal?
I want my portfolio to continue outpacing the market and reach a value that would potentially allow me to just focus on managing my investments.
Ideally, I hope to continue to grow the amount of copiers and AUC.
Any message to copiers or potential copiers?
I want to thank all of the copiers who have put their faith in me and my portfolio. I’m confident we’ll continue to do better than the market.
To all of my followers and potential copiers, this is the best time to copy as my strategy has produced great returns just after a volatile or red period.
Smart Portfolios are not exchange-traded funds or hedge funds and are not tailored to your specific objectives, financial situation and needs. Capital at risk. See PDS and TMD.