Check Capital Management

CCM Overview

Founded by Steven Check in 1987, Check Capital Management is an award-winning asset management firm that’s based in Southern California and serves clients throughout the U.S.  CCM has developed long-term, productive relationships with these investors by helping them to protect and grow their assets.

Never forgetting that the firm handles other people’s money (as well as its own), Check Capital has a culture of avoiding losses.  Therefore, its investment philosophy centers around owning shares of exceptional businesses — but only when we believe that those companies are selling at bargain prices.

 Profit-Based Fee

Often investors say, “Find me a money manager that only makes money when I make money.” Check Capital offers a management fee choice that addresses this statement. Our fee is 10% of the account profits, with no minimum fee. This arrangement is available only to “Qualified Clients” (see the FAQ section).

The vast majority of our clients have elected to pay us a profit-based fee rather than a fee based simply on account size.

 Client Testimonials

Customer satisfaction is a primary goal for our company. To that end, we are passionate about meeting and surpassing the expectations of our varied clientele. But don’t take our word for it, read what our customers have to say.

Check looks to invest in companies with solid fundamentals, valuing them, buying and selling them, according to their worth rather than day to day dynamics of the markets. Read More

After 25 years of hard work, prudence, and the creation of my wealth, I decided to share the responsibility of protecting and nurturing my investments. I found Steve Check. Read More

What attracted me to Check Capital five years ago was its strategy of finding and investing for the long term in a manageable number of well run, well established companies available at attractive share prices.Read More

In my eight years with Check Capital, I have enjoyed financial peace of mind. I feel confident my accounts are being managed with professional expertise and personal attention. Read More

My experience with Check Capital has been very positive in all respects. I like the investment philosophy, one that concentrates on a select number of stocks picking leading companiesRead More

Check Capital are the guardians of our financial wellbeing. Their goals, as I see them, are to deliver their clients the best possible return on investment with the slightest amount of risk.Read More

Having self-managed my portfolio for over 30 years, as it grew, I realized that I should diversify the managers of the portfolio, just as it’s well-known that everyone should diversify the investments themselves. Read More

Please note:  The testimonials above are from actual CCM clients.  No compensation was paid or offered by CCM to the client.  Keeping in mind that no two clients’ situations or experiences are exactly alike, the testimonials should not be construed as an endorsement of CCM by any of its other past or current clients, nor any assurance that CCM may be able to help any client achieve the same satisfactory results.  To the contrary, there can be no assurance that a client or prospective client will experience a certain level of results or satisfaction if CCM is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services.

 Frequently Asked Questions

How long have you been in business?

Check Capital Management (CCM) has been an SEC-registered investment advisor since 1987.

How much money do you manage and how many clients do you have?

As of March 31, 2023, CCM managed approximately $1.5 billion for 1104 clients.

Has your investment philosophy changed over the years?

While we continue to refine our methodology, CCM’s basic investment principles have never changed: We seek to buy the stocks of remarkable businesses at attractive prices. Most holdings in the Quality Growth Program are multinational companies with long operating histories. Furthermore, many of the stocks we own pay a dividend that has been raised consistently over a period of decades.

How many people work at Check Capital and what are their responsibilities?

Check Capital Management has 10 full-time employees. Steven Check and Ryan Kinney conduct research on companies being considered for investment. The eight other employees include a compliance officer/trader, five relationship officers, and two staff members who assist clients with a variety of administrative needs. For more about the people who comprise CCM, see “OUR TEAM” earlier in this section of the website.

How do you determine the proper allocation for my needs?

We begin by talking to you about your financial circumstances and preferences. Once those have been determined, we can create a complimentary retirement plan based on your specific needs and goals. CCM recommends you place the money that you wish to invest over the longer term in stocks. For near-term needs such as living expenses, bonds usually prove to be the best choice. As per our Two-Bucket Approach (see the “Investment Strategy” section of this website), we advise that you be careful in estimating your more immediate money requirements so as to avoid making stock investments that you’re forced to sell prematurely.

How do you deal with volatile, irrational markets, like those of 2020, 2008-2009, 2000-2002 and 1987?

CCM strives to help clients avoid permanent loss of capital. This is done by: 1) owning stocks of well-established, high-quality growth firms (“blue chips”), and 2) buying these stocks at a sensible time, i.e., when we believe they’re considerably underpriced. Although prices may fluctuate greatly during volatile markets, stocks eventually reflect the business prospects of the underlying companies. CCM maintains a consistent and logical approach during all phases of the investment cycle. Thus, regardless of “the state of the economy”, we only buy in response to diligent analysis and never sell in panic.

Where will my account be held and will I have online access?

Check Capital doesn’t serve as a custodian of client funds. Accounts are held at a major, independent stockbrokerage firm. (We can recommend one or you can specify the firm you prefer.) You retain full and immediate online access to your account(s).

If the profit-based fee requires being a “Qualified Client”, what is that?

The Securities and Exchange Commission defines Qualified Clients as a) those whose net worth is at least $2.2 million (exclusive of their equity in their primary residence), or b) clients who have at least $1.1 million with the investment manager.

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