Stewie Go, Author at Financial Adviser

Does the Philippines Really Have the Means to Defend the Peso?

Stewie Go — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:13:35 +0000

The Philippine peso has fallen to record lows against the US dollar, raising questions about whether the country has sufficient financial resources to prevent further depreciation. On October 27, the peso closed at ₱64.17 against the dollar, its weakest closing level on record. Although it recovered slightly to ₱64.025 the following day, the currency remains [...]

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Can a Housewife Be Financially Independent Without Earning a Salary?

Stewie Go — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:55:12 +0000

When broadcaster Karen Davila recently said that economic empowerment is part of women’s empowerment, she emphasized the importance of women having the ability to earn their own income, own property, build businesses and make financial decisions. Her argument is understandable. A woman who has her own financial resources may have greater freedom to make decisions [...]

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Why the Peso Could Reach ₱65 Sooner Than Expected

Stewie Go — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 01:24:34 +0000

The Philippine peso is moving closer to ₱65 against the US dollar, a level that seemed unlikely just a few months ago. With the exchange rate reaching a new record low of ₱63.52 on October 22, the currency needs to depreciate by only another 2.3 percent to reach that level. In May 2026, when the [...]

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Petron Was the GCash of Its Time. What Happened to Investors Who Bought Its IPO?

Stewie Go — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 03:17:10 +0000

In September 1994, the Philippine stock market witnessed an event so extraordinary that it became known as the “mother of all IPOs.” Petron Corporation, one of the country’s largest and most recognizable companies, was being privatized. For the first time, ordinary Filipinos had an opportunity to become part-owners of the oil company whose gasoline stations [...]

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How Long Must GCash Keep Its Competitive Advantage to Justify P6.60?

Stewie Go — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:28:56 +0000

GCash, through its parent company Mynt Inc., has priced its initial public offering at P6.60 per share, valuing the base offer at about P53 billion. The company is scheduled to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange on Oct. 20. At this price, GCash is entering the market with considerable expectations already built into its valuation. [...]

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Are Philippine Conglomerates Really as Cheap as They Look?

Stewie Go — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:38:09 +0000

A stock trading below book value can be difficult for value investors to ignore. If a company’s shares are worth only 50 centavos in the market for every peso of shareholders’ equity on its balance sheet, the immediate impression is that investors are buying assets at a substantial discount. For conglomerates, however, that discount may [...]

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GCash Has Strong Fundamentals. But How Much Should Investors Pay for Them?

Stewie Go — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:16:50 +0000

There is little doubt that GCash has built one of the strongest financial technology businesses in the Philippines. Its parent company, Mynt Inc., earned P17.25 billion in 2025, up from P11.13 billion in 2024 and P6.38 billion in 2023. By June 2026, GCash had 41.5 million monthly active users, while its trailing return on equity [...]

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What Are the Odds of Making Money From a Philippine IPO?

Stewie Go — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:30:52 +0000

Buying an initial public offering can feel different from buying an ordinary stock. There is usually considerable publicity before listing. Institutional investors may have already committed money. Public investors compete for allocations. If demand exceeds the shares available, investors who failed to receive their desired allocation may buy once trading begins, but what happens after [...]

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Why the Cheapest-Looking Bank Stock May Not Be the Best Buy

Stewie Go — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 03:39:30 +0000

Bank stocks can be confusing for investors. Some trade at less than half their book value, while others command prices equal to or even higher than the equity on their balance sheets. It is tempting to assume that the stocks with the biggest discounts offer the best opportunities. But there is another way to look [...]

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ASEAN Markets Are Rallying. What’s Holding Back the Philippines?

Stewie Go — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:40:28 +0000

Stock markets across Southeast Asia have delivered some impressive gains this year. Singapore’s Straits Times Index has reached record levels, while Thailand has posted one of the region’s strongest performances. Indonesia and Vietnam have also seen periods of strong market gains. The Philippine stock market, however, has struggled to keep pace. The PSEi remains around [...]

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