Jake Buckwalter

From powering artificial intelligence to enabling everyday digital services, data centers are transforming the U.S. economy. As capital investment surges and productivity accelerates across industries, these facilities are emerging as a major force behind GDP growth—and a key theme investors can’t afford to ignore.

Morningstar’s research leaders, Damian Conover and Dan Rohr, shared insights on the power of wide moat investing—focusing on companies with lasting competitive advantages and sustainable profitability. Their rigorous research process, independence, and long-term perspective align with investors seeking resilient portfolios. The VanEck Morningstar Wide MOAT ETF exemplifies this strategy, outperforming the S&P 500 in most five- and ten-year periods.

Peter Lynch once said, “If you spend more than 13 minutes analyzing forecasts, you’ve wasted 10.” His advice: ignore the noise and focus on your strategy. Mid-2025 returns show the S&P 500 up 8.1%, Nasdaq up 9.1%, Dow up 5%, Russell up 2.3%, and MSCI EAFE up 20%. Tech leaders like Nvidia and Microsoft boosted gains, while Apple and Tesla lagged. Diversification remains key. Stay the course—volatility is the cost of strong long-term returns.