Waterloo Capital

It’s the classic road trip question, and over the past few years has doubled as the soundtrack of investing. Every bump in the pavement has investors tightening their seatbelts in anticipation of hitting the brakes. We’ve faced blaring recession warnings, predictions that the Magnificent 7 would skid out, concerns that tariffs would stall out the consumer, mounting deficit worries, calls for an imminent AI bubble pop, and speculation that the Fed’s independence was slipping. Through all of it, the same behavioral chorus kept echoing: surely this must be the end of the road.

Yet, time after time, the car kept rolling. Earnings held up, the consumer refused to let off the gas, and the economy proved far more resilient than expected. The view through the windshield looked foggy more often than clear, but every time the mist lifted, the journey was still underway, and somehow ahead of schedule.
Adding to the collective unease, risk assets didn’t just survive this period, they thrived. Equity markets pushed to new highs, credit remained durable, and valuations stretched to levels that made investors refresh the GPS wondering if we’d outrun the road. When prices rise this far and this fast, the instinct to ask “Are we there yet?” becomes almost reflexive - whether “there” means the top of the AI boom, the peak of valuations, the turn in consumer spending, or the moment when fiscal sustainability begins to fracture.

This question is at the heart of the behavioral dynamic we see in markets today: investors aren’t asking “Are we there yet?” regarding a single topic, they’re asking it about everything. Some fear we’ve made it to our destination already. Others insist we’re miles past it and need to reroute. Most simply feel the pressure of a long, though scenic, ride and just want to know when a turn, any turn, is coming.

As we peer into 2026, the better question isn’t whether we’ve arrived, it’s which destinations are coming into view, and which remain further down the road. The trek ahead features shifting landmarks. These forces will shape the next phase of the journey, one where progress continues, but the scenery changes, and thoughtfully navigating the open road matters more than ever.

In our 2026 Market Outlook, we explore which concerns are genuinely approaching “there” status, which are still well down the road, and how investors can steer through a market that keeps moving forward even as the chants of “Are we there yet?” from the backseat grow ever louder. On behalf of Waterloo Capital, thank you for reading.

2026 Market Outlook - Are We There Yet? - Waterloo Capital Last year, markets and the economy defied gravity, climbing higher even as elevated interest rates generated heavy drag. Equities soared, duration suffered, and businesses remained remarkably healthy. Now, in 2025, we stand at Gravity’s Edge, a horizon where segments of the market will be tested t...

In the face of persistent calls for a material slowdown, economic growth in the United States has remained resilient, even as it has become increasingly uneven. Beneath the headline figures lies an economy no longer moving in unison, but instead diverging along lines of ownership, income, and exposure to assets. One in which prosperity and pressure coexist, where the factors that lift one end of the spectrum weigh on the other. US growth has endured not because it has been broadly shared, but because forces supporting one part of the economy have remained powerful enough to offset weakness elsewhere. This dynamic, reinforced by several tailwinds, will remain central to the momentum of the US economy in 2026.

Please enjoy the third theme release in our five-part series leading up to the release of Waterloo Capital's 2026 Annual Outlook.

Growth Across an Uneven Ground - Waterloo Capital Please enjoy the third theme release in our six-part series leading up to the release of Waterloo Capital's 2026 Annual Outlook.

It seems you can’t look at the market, skim headlines, or frankly enjoy your holiday dinner without one topic consistently bubbling up. Leaning into that very intentional pun, the question at the center of the conversation is whether we’re living through an AI bubble and, if so, how close it may be to bursting.

Please enjoy the second theme release in our five-part series leading up to the release of Waterloo Capital's 2026 Annual Outlook.

The AI Bubble: Closer to the Checkered Flag or the Starting Line? - Waterloo Capital Please enjoy the second theme release in our six-part series leading up to the release of Waterloo Capital's 2026 Annual Outlook.

Maybe it’s a word you remember from a college class, a CNBC segment, or from someone detailing why you shouldn’t put everything in one basket. Wherever you heard it, the last few years within equities made diversification feel more like a nice theory than a real-world advantage, mostly because the weather never seemed to change. When one pocket of the market enjoys endless clear skies, the instinct is to stay outside and enjoy the sunshine rather than carry around rain gear.

Please enjoy the first theme release in our six-part series leading up to the release of Waterloo Capital’s 2026 Annual Outlook.

A Market Changing Seasons - Waterloo Capital Please enjoy the first theme release in our six-part series leading up to the release of Waterloo Capital's 2026 Annual Outlook.

We’re honored to share that Waterloo Capital has been named to Newsweek’s America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms 2025.

This recognition reflects our team’s commitment to disciplined investing, thoughtful advice, and putting clients first.

Thank you to our clients and partners for your continued trust.

America's Top Financial Advisory Firms 2025 Newsweek is partnering with Plant-A Insights Group to honor America's Top Financial Advisory Firms 2025. These companies are being celebrated for their commitment to helping their clients grow their wealth with expertise, transparency and personalized attention.

Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate!🕎 Wishing you eight bright nights filled with love, family, and friends.

We are excited to announce that Waterloo Capital Family Office Services and Ironclad Strategies Consulting have integrated their service offerings under a unified platform headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Together, we will deliver a more comprehensive experience for families, entrepreneurs, and business owners seeking a single source for financial oversight, legacy planning, strategic advisory, and investment coordination.

This integration strengthens our ability to support clients with clarity, structure, and long term partnership.

Read the full announcement here:

Waterloo Capital Family Office Services and Ironclad Strategies Consulting Announce Integration of Service Offerings /PRNewswire/ -- Waterloo Capital Family Office Services, a provider of comprehensive family office reporting and fractional family office solutions, today...

Our CEO John Chatmas is a visionary leader redefining what it means to build a conflict-free, team-based wealth management firm! With offices across Texas, Georgia, and Florida, Waterloo Capital Management has been able to grow through reputation, integrity, and a simple philosophy: “No jerks.”

Be sure to check out this interview where John shares how his unique journey and people-first approach shaped Waterloo
Capital.

Watch the full conversation to learn more:

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Wow, 2025 has flown by! With 2026 around the corner, we’d love to connect with you for an end-of-year review. Let’s make sure your retirement plan is still aligned with your goals and continue building the retirement of your dreams.

Call us today at 512-777-5900.

Thankful today and every day. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Waterloo Capital.

Still feeling the F1 energy from this weekend! 🏁

We loved sponsoring Modern Luxury Austin Way’s event and meeting so many amazing people. Austin always knows how to bring the fun, and we cannot wait for next time.