Andrew Hill Investment Advisors has released its third-quarter 2026 investor letter, reviewing a market pulled in competing directions. Rising oil prices, higher interest rates, and persistent inflation weighed on stocks and bonds, while resilient corporate earnings and continued investment in artificial intelligence supported the broader equity market.
The letter does not report an aggregate third-quarter return for client portfolios. For context, the S&P 500 gained 3.54% through September 22, while the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index declined 2.8%. Oil prices climbed sharply, and the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate to 3.75%–4.00%, which the letter describes as its first increase in more than three years.
Exposure to software, AI hardware, and selected strategic investments supported client account performance, although losses elsewhere and rising bond yields offset some gains. The letter highlights a pronounced divide between investment themes: an equal-weight basket of AI stocks returned an average of 13.0% during the quarter, compared with an 8.3% decline for a basket of traditional-economy stocks.
Looking ahead, the firm expects the AI investment cycle to continue but remains cautious about the broader stock market. Its concerns include higher rates, inflation, geopolitical tensions, constrained consumer spending, election uncertainty, and a potential slowdown in AI capital spending as additional computing capacity becomes available. Against that backdrop, Andrew Hill favors companies with solid earnings, higher cash balances, and a gradual increase in fixed-income exposure, noting that high-grade corporate bonds offer yields above 6%.
For more insight into the firm’s stock selections, explore its top five holdings in 2026.
Download Andrew Hill Investment Advisors’ Q3 2026 investor letter here.
