📖 Overview
Joel Greenblatt is an American investor, hedge fund manager, and professor at Columbia Business School. He founded Gotham Capital, an investment firm that achieved returns of 40% annualized over 20 years, and is known for developing the "Magic Formula" investing strategy.
His most influential works include "The Little Book That Beats the Market" and "You Can Be a Stock Market Genius," which detail value investing approaches for both individual and professional investors. The Magic Formula strategy, which combines rankings of companies based on earnings yield and return on capital, has gained significant attention in investment circles.
Greenblatt served as chairman of the board of Alliant Techsystems and has been a special advisor to the Chairman at Pzena Investment Management. His investment philosophy emphasizes buying good companies at bargain prices, focusing on fundamental analysis and a disciplined, systematic approach to stock selection.
Beyond his investment career, Greenblatt has dedicated time to education reform, founding the Success Academy Charter Schools network in New York City. He continues to teach value investing at Columbia Business School, where he received his MBA, sharing his investment principles with new generations of investors.
👀 Reviews
Readers consistently praise Greenblatt's ability to explain complex investing concepts in simple terms. His books receive high ratings across platforms - 4.5/5 on Amazon and 4.2/5 on Goodreads.
What readers liked:
- Clear explanations of value investing principles
- Practical, actionable strategies
- Humor and accessible writing style
- Real examples and case studies
- Focus on long-term approach
What readers disliked:
- Some found "Magic Formula" too simplistic
- Dated examples in older editions
- Limited discussion of risk management
- Repetitive content across books
- Some strategies harder to implement in current market conditions
One Amazon reviewer noted: "He strips away the complexity and gives you a straightforward framework." A Goodreads critic countered: "The formula needs updating for today's market dynamics."
His most popular book "The Little Book That Beats the Market" has over 50,000 ratings on Goodreads and maintains a 4.3/5 average. "You Can Be a Stock Market Genius" shows similar ratings but fewer reviews.
📚 Books by Joel Greenblatt
You Can Be a Stock Market Genius (1997)
A guide to special situation investing, including spinoffs, restructurings, and merger securities, with case studies and practical examples.
The Little Book That Beats the Market (2005) An explanation of Greenblatt's "Magic Formula" investment strategy, which combines earnings yield and return on capital to select stocks.
The Big Secret for the Small Investor (2011) A discussion of value-weighted indexing and how individual investors can implement professional investment strategies.
The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (2010) An updated version of the 2005 book, with new data and commentary on the Magic Formula's performance during the 2008 financial crisis.
Common Sense: The Investor's Guide to Equality, Opportunity, and Growth (2020) An analysis of economic policies and their effects on investment opportunities, education, and social mobility in the United States.
The Little Book That Beats the Market (2005) An explanation of Greenblatt's "Magic Formula" investment strategy, which combines earnings yield and return on capital to select stocks.
The Big Secret for the Small Investor (2011) A discussion of value-weighted indexing and how individual investors can implement professional investment strategies.
The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (2010) An updated version of the 2005 book, with new data and commentary on the Magic Formula's performance during the 2008 financial crisis.
Common Sense: The Investor's Guide to Equality, Opportunity, and Growth (2020) An analysis of economic policies and their effects on investment opportunities, education, and social mobility in the United States.
👥 Similar authors
Benjamin Graham writes about value investing principles and fundamental analysis. His book "The Intelligent Investor" influenced Warren Buffett and established core concepts that Greenblatt builds upon.
Peter Lynch shares investment strategies from his experience managing Fidelity's Magellan Fund. His books focus on identifying undervalued companies and using common sense approaches to stock selection.
Seth Klarman provides insights on value investing and risk management through his investment firm Baupost Group. His book "Margin of Safety" explores contrarian investing and capital preservation strategies.
Michael Burry applies value investing principles to find mispriced securities through deep fundamental research. His investment approach involves analyzing company financial statements and identifying market inefficiencies.
Howard Marks writes about market cycles and investment psychology based on his experience at Oaktree Capital. His memos and books focus on risk assessment and finding opportunities in market dislocations.
Peter Lynch shares investment strategies from his experience managing Fidelity's Magellan Fund. His books focus on identifying undervalued companies and using common sense approaches to stock selection.
Seth Klarman provides insights on value investing and risk management through his investment firm Baupost Group. His book "Margin of Safety" explores contrarian investing and capital preservation strategies.
Michael Burry applies value investing principles to find mispriced securities through deep fundamental research. His investment approach involves analyzing company financial statements and identifying market inefficiencies.
Howard Marks writes about market cycles and investment psychology based on his experience at Oaktree Capital. His memos and books focus on risk assessment and finding opportunities in market dislocations.