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| # | Fund | Strategy | Style | Geography | AUM | Latest Letter |
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Palm Valley Capital Fund prioritizes capital preservation and absolute returns by refusing to compromise disciplined valuation standards in an environment characterized by speculative fervor and peak valuations. During the second quarter of 2026, the fund gained 1.80%, trailing small-cap equity benchmarks as the market was propelled by aggressive artificial intelligence momentum and massive data center investments. The fund maintains a defensive posture, holding 75% of net assets in Treasury bills due to a scarcity of small-cap opportunities offering adequate risk-adjusted return profiles. Core risks identified include extreme valuation multiples, fragile GAAP earnings growth distorted by index turnover, rising Treasury yields, and speculative bubbles across AI and unprofitable small caps. On an equity-only basis, the fund generated a 6.0% return during the quarter, deploying modest capital into beaten-down, high-cash-flow companies including Clorox, Molson Coors, and Vontier, while liquidating Heartland Express as it achieved valuation targets.
True capital preservation and long-term absolute returns require maintaining disciplined valuation standards, holding substantial cash when opportunities are scarce, and avoiding speculative market manias.
Palm Valley anticipates an impending change of market seasons as peak profit margins, historically elevated valuation multiples, and government intervention confront economic gravity. The managers intend to maintain their strict underwriting criteria, refusing to chase speculative momentum and keeping dry powder in Treasury bills until small-cap equities experience a genuine valuation correction.
As of Jul 1, 2026
The fund is managed by three seasoned CFA charterholders: Eric Cinnamond brings over 10 years of portfolio management experience and managed small-cap portfolios since 1998, implementing absolute return processes at Intrepid from 1998-2010. Jayme Wiggins continued the same absolute return strategy at Intrepid until 2018. Frank Martin founded Martin Capital Management in 1987, bringing decades of absolute return investing experience and has authored two investment books. All three managers united by their shared commitment to absolute return value investing to launch Palm Valley Capital Management in 2019.
Palm Valley Capital Management specializes in small-cap value investing with a disciplined approach focused on achieving attractive absolute returns over full market cycles. Their philosophy centers on buying great companies whose stocks are seriously mispriced, with a commitment to only assume risk when adequately compensated. They prioritize capital preservation by avoiding overpayment for securities, maintaining significant cash positions when opportunities are limited, and never forcing investments to maintain full portfolio deployment.
Lead Portfolio Manager
Jayme Wiggins, Eric Cinnamond
Managing Partner
Moderate Conviction Bullish
Market Conviction
Palm Valley operates with an exceptionally disciplined valuation strategy, evidenced by an unwavering willingness to hold 75% of assets in Treasury bills when equity risk-reward is unfavorable. However, the active equity portfolio itself remains modestly sized across individual names, with the largest single equity holding capped at 3.13%, preventing higher concentration scoring.
Growth Outlook
The managers view broader market conditions with intense skepticism, comparing market behavior to a casino fueled by the Fed put, peak profit margins, and AI exuberance. They caution that the S&P 500 trades at 28x P/E while long-term Treasury yields sit above the market earnings yield for the first time in two decades.
Risk Appetite
Capital positioning is exceptionally defensive, with 75% of net fund assets allocated to cash equivalents and short-term Treasury bills. The fund explicitly refuses to take speculative exposure to AI beneficiaries or compromise underwriting criteria to achieve higher invested status.
Capital Deployment
Net capital deployment was very low during the quarter, with additions in Clorox, Molson Coors, and Vontier offset by the full liquidation of Heartland Express and broad price rallies in existing positions. Cash balances remained firmly anchored at 75% of total fund assets.
Forward Guidance
The managers state that they are currently unable to find sufficient small-cap opportunities that satisfy their required return thresholds. While they remain poised to deploy capital rapidly if market conditions correct, their immediate bias is to maintain defensive cash holdings until valuations reset.
Language Signal
The letter is dominated by risk warnings, comparing the market to Groundhog Day, highlighting speculative excess, tokenmaxxing, uncompensated risk, and inflated forward earnings estimates. Positive language is strictly localized to a few deeply discounted idiosyncratic value investments.
Perceived Risk
Perceived market risk is elevated due to historically peak valuation multiples, unprecedented policy intervention, massive AI capital expenditure commitments with questionable returns, and 30-year Treasury yields exceeding stock market earnings yields.
Opportunity Density
Opportunity density is viewed as extremely scarce within the small-cap universe, with the managers stating explicitly that they cannot find enough compelling opportunities to populate the portfolio. Broad small-cap indices are described as hijacked by unprofitable constituents and misleading forward estimates.
Time Horizon
Palm Valley evaluates portfolio success over a full market cycle encompassing both bull and bear markets, operating without pressure to participate in speculative short-term rallies. Their thesis rests on a multi-year horizon anticipating an eventual return of market discipline and mean reversion.
Top Conviction Themes
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