There’s nothing quite like springtime in Maryland. As the temperature slowly rises, our community returns to the pursuits that we hold dear. Gardening plans are launched into action, outdoor grilling resumes, and, in keeping with local fashion etiquette, wardrobes that for months relied on royal purple abruptly shift in favor of orange and black.

Of course, we aren’t the only ones sporting a new outfit: Mother Nature, after a few weeks of chilly indecision, has at last decided to put on her Spring dress. Nowhere is that more apparent than from our office’s vantage over the Tufton Valley, which is becoming greener by the day.

As you may have heard, the view isn’t the only thing that has changed around here. On February 23rd, after months of careful deliberation, we officially changed our firm’s name to Tufton Capital Management. And as we settle into our new look, I want to assure you that while the lettering on the door may have changed, the values that define us have not. We remain, as a team, deeply committed to protecting your today, growing your tomorrow, and honoring the trust you have placed in us—and we believe our new name more accurately reflects the strength of that shared commitment.

With our new firm name comes the inaugural issue of Tufton Viewpoint, which begins with our outlook for the economy and financial markets. In this article, we remind our readers that equity investing is a long-term proposition, as evidenced by the recently completed first quarter. Timing the market earlier this year could have led to big losses (through early February) while missing the market’s impressive recovery through March.

Also included in Viewpoint is a timely discussion regarding active versus passive investing and the rise in popularity (and pitfalls!) of ETFs. As active investors, the financial professionals at Tufton Capital believe that “being average” is not enough. We seek to provide our clients with returns higher than the relevant benchmarks over a full market cycle without taking any undue risk.

This quarter’s Tufton Viewpoint analyzes one of our favorite stock ideas: onshore oil rig driller Helmerich & Payne (HP). Finally, Trusts as a Planning Strategy, discusses how a properly structured trust can help you transfer wealth in the most efficient way possible.

As we enter our third decade in business, we’re as optimistic and excited as ever about the outlook for our firm and our clients. We wish all of you a very happy spring, and thank you again for your continued support!