Fundamental Investing Institute

Not everything on an income statement comes from a company’s day-to-day operations.

Interest expense, interest income, and gains or losses on asset sales are all considered non-operating items. Understanding the difference helps you better analyze a company’s true financial performance.

Follow for more beginner-friendly accounting and investing lessons.

Where do investors actually find a company’s financial statements?

There are plenty of websites that make financial data easy to access—but if you really want to understand a business, you need to know where that information comes from.

In this episode of Hey Matt, we explain the difference between financial data websites like Yahoo Finance and a company’s official SEC filings, including why experienced investors spend time reading the 10-K, 10-Q, and the footnotes.

Learning where to find reliable information is one of the first steps toward becoming a more confident investor.

One question. One lesson. One step closer to becoming a better investor.

📚 Learn more at FiiLearn.com

What’s the biggest mistake new investors make?
It isn’t picking the wrong stock.

It’s thinking they’re investing... when they’re actually speculating.

That one misunderstanding changes everything.

In this episode of Hey Matt, we explain the difference between investing and speculation, why Benjamin Graham’s philosophy still matters today, and how long-term investors decide whether a stock is actually worth buying.

If you want to become a better investor, understanding this distinction is one of the best places to start.

One question. One lesson. One step closer to becoming a better investor.

Learn more at FiiLearn.com

How do you figure out what a company is really worth?

Most people look at the stock price.

Long-term investors look at the business.

One of the best ways to estimate a company’s value is by understanding the cash it can generate over time—not just what the market says it’s worth today.

In this episode of Hey Matt, we explain why free cash flow is one of the most important concepts in business valuation and how it helps investors estimate a company’s intrinsic value.

Understanding valuation isn’t about predicting the future perfectly. It’s about making better decisions and avoiding overpaying for great businesses.

One question. One lesson. One step closer to becoming a better investor. Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Learn more at FiiLearn.com

Revenue is more than just sales—it’s the starting point of every income statement.

Understanding what revenue represents is one of the first steps toward analyzing businesses and financial statements with confidence.

Learn more at FiiLearn.com Follow Financial Accounting for Beginners Playlist on our YouTube channel and watch the full lesson!

“What exactly is value investing?”

It’s one of those investing terms that gets used all the time, but not everyone means the same thing.

Some people define value investing using ratios like P/E or price-to-book. I look at it a little differently.

To me, every investment should begin with one question:

What is this business actually worth?

If you can estimate its value and compare that to today’s price, you’re thinking like a long-term investor.

That’s why I often prefer the term fundamental investing—because it puts the focus where I think it belongs: understanding the business.

What’s an investing concept you’ve always wanted explained?

What exactly is value investing?

It's a term that's used constantly, but depending on who you ask, you'll get different answers.

In this first Hey Matt discussion, I explain the traditional definition, why I prefer Warren Buffett's broader view, and why I often use the term fundamental investing instead.

If you've ever been confused by investing terminology, leave your question in the comments. It might become a future Hey Matt episode.