Marvel: A Lazy-Ass Superman Chapter 644: Investment Prospects

Henry quickly denied it.

"How could that be?

"My relationship with that young master isn't nearly close enough for him to tell me about company strategy or upcoming business changes.

"Besides, what kind of information do you think you'd hear from him anyway?

"Isn't Obadiah Stane the one actually running Stark Industries?"

Tony Stark held the title of Chairman of the Board, while Obadiah Stane served as CEO.

To outside observers, the bald middle-aged executive was the one doing the real work.

The rich young heir simply collected the profits.

Henry had no intention of rehabilitating Tony Stark's image.

After all, he had been the one who originally advised Tony to hide behind a frivolous public persona.

Trying to suddenly convince everyone that Tony was a visionary genius would only undermine his own previous efforts.

"I see..."

The group sounded disappointed.

A few clearly didn't believe him.

"While I don't have insider information, I do have some opinions about the market.

"I can share those, at least.

"You can decide for yourselves whether they're worth listening to."

Everyone immediately brightened.

Heads bobbed enthusiastically.

That was one of the most absurd things about financial markets.

You didn't need a proven track record.

As long as a young man spoke confidently enough, people would treat his words like stock tips from heaven.

---

"First," Henry said, "stay away from internet stocks.

"If you're holding any, sell them all."

Someone immediately objected.

"Really?

"There have been rumors about a dot-com bubble for years.

"It feels more like wealthy investors trying to scare retail investors out of the market so they can keep the profits for themselves."

Henry shook his head.

"That's exactly what makes it dangerous.

"There are too many contradictory stories floating around for anyone to distinguish truth from fiction.

"But the fundamental issue is simple:

"Internet companies still haven't found sustainable ways to monetize their businesses."

He continued,

"The early investors aren't getting the returns they expected.

"And internet companies require enormous amounts of capital just to continue operating.

"They're bottomless pits that constantly consume money.

"So those early investors can only rely on the illusion of prosperity in the public markets.

"They sell their shares at inflated prices and walk away with profits.

"The people who buy those shares inherit the exact same problems.

"And if you've actually studied the financial reports and public disclosures of these companies, you'll notice something else.

"Their growth rates are already slowing down.

"Even when they pour in more money, the results aren't improving significantly."

One of the sharper listeners suddenly looked alarmed.

"That means market pressure is already appearing."

"Exactly."

Henry nodded.

Although some internet companies would survive and eventually flourish after the bubble burst, this wasn't the right moment to start discussing which ones.

Better to leave that part unsaid.

---

"Then what is worth investing in?"

Henry answered immediately.

"Apple."

The room fell silent.

"Apple?"

"Seriously?"

Henry continued.

"Apple's decline was obvious during the early 1990s, and its stock performance reflected that.

"But Steve Jobs returned three years ago.

"The company's share price has stabilized.

"They're restructuring.

"They're developing new products.

"If you're willing to hold long-term, Apple stock is an excellent investment."

From 2001 onward, Apple would begin releasing one successful product after another.

Then the iPhone would arrive in 2007 and launch the company into the stratosphere.

As far as Henry was concerned, there wasn't a better entry point than right now.

At least not for investors who intended to hold rather than speculate.

---

Someone else asked,

"What about medium-term opportunities?

"Something with a three-to-five-year horizon?"

Henry thought seriously.

Actually...

There was one.

A stock opportunity that didn't even exist in his previous life.

"Well, rather than a company, it's more accurate to say a person.

"Anything connected to him is worth investing in over the next few years."

The room immediately became noisy.

"Who?"

"Who is it?"

Henry answered:

"Victor von Doom."

The name wasn't unfamiliar.

Someone immediately spoke up.

"You mean that recent college graduate who's claiming he wants to build a space station?"

"That's the one."

Henry nodded.

"To support that space station project, he's actually founded a large number of companies.

"Many of them are already generating impressive profits.

"The strength of those businesses is precisely why multiple banks have formed a lending consortium to finance the project.

"From what I've heard, they're preparing to officially announce the launch schedule soon.

"The space station company itself is still at the angel-investment stage.

"But many of Victor von Doom's other companies are publicly traded.

"Those companies are excellent medium-term investment targets."

Victor von Doom's rise resembled that of another genius Henry remembered from his previous life:

Elon Musk.

Both built profitable companies and used them to fund grand dreams of space exploration.

Tesla fed SpaceX.

Von Doom's businesses fed his space station ambitions.

The difference, of course, was that Elon Musk had eventually achieved many of his goals.

Victor von Doom, on the other hand...

Would eventually encounter Marvel's greatest conceptual disaster generator:

Reed Richards.

And become Doctor Doom.

What a tragic fate.

---

Someone looked skeptical.

"But the International Space Station project officially began last year.

"The first module has already been launched.

"That's a joint effort led by the United States and Russia.

"How is this young man supposed to build his own space station?

"And even if he does, how exactly does he make money from it?"

Henry smiled.

"Many modern technologies originated from NASA's competition with the Soviet Union during the Space Race.

"But very few of those technologies were commercialized directly.

"Why?

"Because NASA is a government organization.

"Now imagine private companies controlling those technologies instead.

"Do you think they'd hesitate to commercialize them for profit?"

He took a sip of beer.

"Furthermore, the International Space Station is restricted primarily to scientific use.

"That makes no sense from a market perspective.

"Private companies don't face those same restrictions.

"Imagine how much profit they could generate."

The argument was persuasive.

Even so, some remained unconvinced.

"Can something like that really work?"

Henry chuckled.

"Legally speaking, there aren't many regulations preventing it.

"That's because until now, everyone assumed space programs were impossible without nation-level funding.

"So nobody felt the need to create additional restrictions."

He continued:

"National funding comes from taxpayers.

"Taxpayer money means government oversight.

"Government oversight means political negotiations.

"That's why NASA and the International Space Station operate under so many constraints.

"Everything becomes a matter of national interests."

"But if someone can step outside that framework..."

Henry spread his hands.

"Then almost no restrictions remain.

"He can pursue whatever objectives he wants.

"To put it bluntly, even the boundaries of human ethics become far less clear once you're operating in space."

The room grew noticeably quieter.

"At that point, the market becomes the only real regulator.

"If his space projects generate profit, investors will continue supporting him.

"If they don't..."

Henry shrugged.

"One major failure could bring everything crashing down."

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