Investment Philosophy

Our Approach

At J.W. Burns & Company Investment Counsel, one of Syracuse’s premiere and oldest fiduciary financial advisors, we focus on offering exceptional investment management services at a fair price. We adhere to a disciplined, time tested philosophy centered around owning high-quality individual companies and low-cost index funds. We seek to purchase for our clients great companies, with great managements, selling at attractive prices. Our investment management firm conducts intensive, top-to-bottom fundamental research to find quality businesses that can generate powerful, long-term wealth for our valued clients. Specifically, the kinds of companies we invest in for our clients have the following attributes:

• Easy to understand products/business models with dominant and defensible positions within their market.
• Consistent, above-average earnings power.
• Consistent, above-average rising dividend streams.
• A high return on equity (ROE).
• A low debt, strong balance sheet.
• A management team with a clear record of integrity and meeting stated goals and earnings assets.

We also complement our individual equity holdings with low-cost, core index funds across areas of the stock market. We strive to craft a portfolio that our clients can understand and feel confident in.

If you presently work with a large bank, Wall Street brokerage firm, or insurance company, you know it’s hard to tell how much you are being charged—and that’s just how they want it.

*Please note, at this time our minimum account value is $150,000.

Client Communication

J.W. Burns & Company is committed to building personal, long-term relationships with our clients. We grew to be one of the largest investment advisory firms in the Syracuse area by guiding our clients in reviewing their individual investment goals, and determining the appropriate asset allocation framework for their unique situation. Every portfolio is managed according to the specific needs of the client. We maintain consistent communication with our clients, including quarterly newsletters, notes about important market and holding-specific events, and periodic portfolio updates.

We offer clients in and around Syracuse investment management services that include the following:

• Quarterly portfolio statements are sent to each client for each account. Unlike most brokerage firm statements, our customized “bottom-line” statements will tell you the total return on your investment, as well as the exact value of assets under management.
• Monthly transactions and position statements are provided for every account.
• We provide clients with year-end investment-related tax data upon request.
• J.W. Burns & Company writes economic and market commentaries for our clients. Our fiduciary financial advisors believe in the value of communication and educating our clients as to the benefits of our investment philosophy.
• We encourage periodic meetings to discuss your financial situation and make adjustments to your portfolio based on your changing needs and objectives.