Our 35 years | COTE 100

Guy Le Blanc, founder of COTE 100

1984

The origins

“It was in the fall of 1984, at the ripe old age of 39, that I retired. I'm sure many have questioned my decision to sell my shares in a successful family business and move on after 16 years of intense work. Even for me, the decision was not easy. Was I making a mistake and above all, would I have the financial means to live with my decision in the long term? But I also cherished a dream, unbeknownst to almost everyone: to devote myself entirely to a passion that dates back to my adolescent years – investing and, above all, succeeding on the stock market.”

—

Guy Le Blanc, extract from his book La Bourse ou la Vie

1987

The starting point:
the COTE 100 System

On October 19, the Dow Jones index of the American stock market fell 22.6% in a single day, the worst daily percentage drop in its history, dragging down the world stock markets.

Even more convinced by this historic event that he needed a method to concentrate his efforts to invest in the strongest companies, Guy Le Blanc accelerated the development of the COTE 100 System on which he had been working for a year.

What is the COTE 100 System?

It is an exclusive quantitative filter which is based on criteria grouped under three subject areas to evaluate companies: financial health, performance, and valuation. It allows the entire universe of investments to be pared down to a reduced number of securities which meet the fundamental criteria based on a weighted score: their COTE 100 rating.

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1988

From consultation to the launch of the COTE 100 Financial Bulletin

It was during this year that Guy Le Blanc turned his COTE 100 system into a business. Following the stock market crash of October 1987, brokerage firms reduced their staff in research. Mr. Le Blanc seizes the opportunity to fill this void and offer an external opinion, based on his system, to Québec portfolio managers. He obtained a first consulting mandate with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, quickly followed by Montrusco and Gentrust.

Guy Le Blanc launches the COTE 100 Financial Bulletin, aimed at independent investors

“In September 1988, I launched the COTE 100 Financial Bulletin, still today the only French-language financial letter in North America, which is based on a real portfolio of stocks held under management by members of the COTE 100 team and thousands of customers.”

—

Guy Le Blanc, founder of COTE 100 and author of La Bourse ou la Vie

1990

COTE 100 enters portfolio management

The opportunity to manage a small cap fund on behalf of the Société de transport de Montréal presents itself, thus putting an end to consulting activities to undertake active portfolio management, which is what really interested Guy Le Blanc. This shift made it possible to attest to the robustness of the COTE 100 System and to improve the investment process.

Credits : Alexcaban on Wikipedia

1992

The first COTE 100 funds, to meet subscribers demand

At the request of subscribers to the Financial Bulletin who expressed their interest in COTE 100 financial products, the firm launches its first mutual funds intended for individuals. As one of the rare Québec business funds managed in the province, they are also unique in Canada for their fee and distribution structures. It was also this year that COTE 100 became a family business, with the arrival of Philippe, eldest son of Guy Le Blanc, who joined the firm as an analyst.

1995

COTE 100 launches a stock savings fund that stands out

While the wave of funds is in full swing, COTE 100 is joining the effort to encourage Quebecers to invest in local companies that choose to list on the stock market by creating its REA-action fund. For the investor, the COTE 100 REA fund presents a clear advantage: it is administered to be limited to investments which will be 100% deductible for the investor.

Publication of the bestseller La Bourse ou la Vie

Over the years, Guy Le Blanc gives numerous conferences in Montréal and Québec City to explain his investment philosophy and how to succeed on the stock market, in addition to continuing to publish the Financial Bulletin. This desire to contribute to the financial literacy of investors paved the way for the authoring of La Bourse ou la Vie, where he shares, among other things, the investment experiences of the COTE 100 management team. Having sold more than 25,000 copies to date, the bestseller is in its sixth edition and still remains relevant for those who want to learn the basics of stock market investment.

2000

The success of the ClubFin platform

Three years after joining the family business, Sébastien LeBlanc, Guy's second son, innovates with the launch of ClubFin, a new trading platform specializing in mutual funds. This IT platform allows investors to trade mutual funds without entry and exit fees, with the only costs being trailing commissions and a low annual fee. The investor can also liquidate his investments at any time. It quickly enjoyed great success and paved the way for the next stages of COTE 100’s development.

Philippe Le Blanc appointed president

While remaining involved in the company, Guy Le Blanc hands over the presidency to his son Philippe, who had focused on investment since joining COTE 100. It is at this time that the decision to move towards private management is made and begins the shift that will allow to get there.

Philippe and Guy Le Blanc

2003

Launch of private management

With a jump of 21% in 2003, the rise of the loonie was the notable event of the year in the Canadian economy.

For COTE 100, 2003 marked the arrival of Marc L’Écuyer, who was given the mandate to set up private management services. From now on, the customer will no longer buy COTE 100 products, they will buy a service.

What is COTE 100’s private management offering?

Based on the same investment philosophy and distinctive long-term approach that have made the COTE 100 brand since its founding, the private management service offers clients personalized management of their assets, based on their needs and their objectives. This service today represents the heart of COTE 100’s activities.

2010

Guy Le Blanc, founder of COTE 100, retires

Sébastien LeBlanc, Marc L'Écuyer, Philippe Le Blanc and Guy Le Blanc

“I feel like the big tree within COTE 100 which is bowing out, but I believe I was able to leave the necessary space around it for the smaller ones to emerge from the shadows and progress quickly. With Philippe, Sébastien and Marc well in the saddle to take over, I know the company is in good hands. Armed with the same rigour and philosophy that has driven us since our beginnings, a solid team is in place to continue to manage the assets of our growing customer base.”

—

Guy Le Blanc, founder of COTE 100

Read

Memoirs of an ex-centric, in which Guy Le Blanc looks back on his career and offers his advice.

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2011

COTE 100 moves into its new offices in downtown Saint-Bruno

With private management services taking off and requiring a meeting place for clients, COTE 100 sets up on the street for the first time. Made of an all-wood structure, the COTE 100 head office is one of the first commercial buildings in Québec to obtain LEED Gold certification, attesting to the concern for sustainability of the founder and partners.

Better understand the markets through a novel set in the world of finance

Now retired, Guy Le Blanc remains active and still committed to this mission of helping investors better understand the markets. After having written La Bourse ou la Vie years earlier, this time it is in the form of a financial novel that he presents the functioning of a company listed on the stock exchange. Inspired by the journey of a well-known Québec company, Les règles du jeu shows the other side of investment by being at the heart of the realities of the entrepreneurial journey.

2012

Philippe Le Blanc shares his point of view in lesaffaires.com

Just like almost 25 years ago when the Financial Bulletin was launched and COTE 100 was founded, we are coming out of a year of difficult markets and investors are showing pessimism. The COTE 100 portfolio management team, however, remains convinced that the best way to enrich yourself in the long term is through the stock markets. It is in this context that Philippe Le Blanc signs his first blog on the lesaffaires.com website. Published weekly, he shares with readers his opinion on the markets and stocks, his advice, and a host of other perspectives of interest to investors.

“Writing is my way of thinking. The preparation of fairly detailed reports on companies, in particular, helps me a lot in my daily decision-making process, to make the best decisions in the management of our portfolios.”

—

Philippe Le Blanc, Executive Chairman and Chief Investment Officer, Partner

2013

The Financial Bulletin celebrates its 25th anniversary

The only French-speaking financial letter in North America is still as popular, both in paper and digital versions. It remains based on a real portfolio managed by COTE 100, which initially invested in Québec companies, before adding the Canadian market and then that of American companies.

2016

A foundation to give back

COTE 100 chooses to bring its philanthropy to life through the Fondation Famille Le Blanc. Its mission: to encourage young people from disadvantaged families in their studies as well as in the artistic and sporting spheres through donations to organizations that share its values.

2017

A first billion dollars in assets under management

Nearly 15 years after beginning the shift towards private management, COTE 100 reached its first billion dollars in assets under management, a milestone that few firms in its sector have reached in Québec. The success of this important objective confirms to the partners the growth potential of their offer now aimed at individuals. With personalized service and solid portfolio performance, this significant milestone in the firm's journey opens new horizons.

Sébastien LeBlanc named president and chief operating officer

“In my professional tennis career, I learned to work on my strengths to progress and surpass myself. I applied the same philosophy to reorganize the growing COTE 100 team so that everyone could leverage their strengths to even better meet the needs of our clients. Today, each person plays their role to serve our customers in the most personalized way.”

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Sébastien Le Blanc, president and chief operating officer, partner

2018

The launch of the COTE 100+ platform, a value-added feature

Version 2.0 of the Financial Bulletin migrated to an electronic-only version, the COTE 100+ platform was designed to offer added value to clients by providing more content and visibility on the investment approach of the firm's managers. The platform also offers the COTE 100 team the flexibility to publish information quickly for its clients and subscribers.

2019

Offices expanded to better serve customers

Since orienting its services towards private management in 2003, COTE 100 has seen its assets under management and its number of clients increase at a sustained rate from year to year. From 7 employees then, the firm has grown to 23 employees, justifying the need to expand the St-Bruno office set up 8 years ago. At the same time, it created an opportunity to provide flexible spaces allowing the organization of events for clients.

2020

A qualitative component is added to the COTE 100 System

“Many characteristics linked to our management philosophy were not reflected in the basic system, used for more than 30 years, which placed more emphasis on financial aspects. With the addition of the qualitative component, we add a systematic filter that allows us to include aspects such as the quality of the management team and the cycles of the company's sector of activity in a rational way, with the same objective of maximizing returns and reducing risk.”

—

Marc L’Écuyer, Senior Portfolio Manager and Chief Compliance Officer, Partner

2021

COTE 100 positions itself
among the majors

The year 2021 was marked by an economic recovery which followed the global crisis caused in 2020 by the pandemic. This year was also the year of the return to inflation, to heights not seen in 30 years.

It is through these economic turnarounds that COTE 100 reached $2 billion in assets under management.

Now two billion of dollars in assets under management

Just four years after reaching its first billion in assets under management, COTE 100 has accumulated one more to position itself among the largest independent private management firms in Québec. A level that allows it to diversify its offering by adding new asset classes, such as alternative investments, in addition to providing it with a springboard towards the growth of its clientele outside Québec.

2022

Avantage Bourse, a new book intended for investors

Authored by Philippe Le Blanc, Avantage Bourse presents investment in the stock market from an original perspective. In this popularized work, Philippe demonstrates that investing is not based solely on financial ratios, but just as much on psychological aspects which, just like in sports, influence the results obtained.

“Contributing to financial literacy has been part of our mission at COTE 100 for more than three decades, and this book continues that momentum, 25 years after the first publication of La Bourse ou la Vie.”

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Philippe Le Blanc, author of Avantage Bourse

2023

COTE 100 opens a new office in Québec

After sustained growth in assets under management of more than 28% per year over the last 10 years, the firm is moving closer to its growing clientele in the broader Capitale-Nationale region with a new office in the Sillery neighbourhood of Québec City.

35 years and still close to its customers

A proven investment process, good long-term returns and low portfolio volatility, frequent and transparent communications with its clients by committed managers and the COTE 100+ platform allow COTE 100 to celebrate its 35th anniversary with the firm conviction of supporting its clients towards financial peace of mind.