There is no question that the tobacco industry has come under immense scrutiny over the past two decades as a result of their manufacturing of cigarettes. Furthermore, regulations have limited the availability of cigarette sales generally. However, Isaac Toussie, a tobacco investor, has commented that tobacco companies are extremely versatile entities. In particular, Toussie emphasized British American Tobacco’s ability to generate sales outside of the realm of cigarettes.

A recent article titled “Vaping Helps British American Tobacco Reach Over 20 million Cigarette-Free Customers,” accentuated the fact that British American Tobacco has generated immense sales from the vaping products. (Id.). Furthermore, the article states revenues from British American Tobacco’s vaping products have risen over 50%. (Id.). British American Tobacco continues to sell their traditional cigarette brands, such Lucky Strike (Id.).

Toussie pointed to the ability of companies like British American Tobacco to continue to produce products that sell. Adaptability is a critical tool that companies need to possess to ensure that their products and strategies continue to provide success. By shifting partially to the vaping industry, British American Tobacco is able to enter new markets and sell product.

British American Tobacco is able to continue to expand their vaping sector, given the enormous size of their corporation. With a market cap of around $91 billion (Yahoo Finance), British American Tobacco and afford to invest in their future. The combination of a drive to change coupled with large amounts of capital suggest, per Toussie, seems to poise the company on solid footing.

 This article is presented for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as financial or other advice.   

Exxon is one of the largest oil companies in the world. It’s market-cap is over 370 billion dollars and has over 63,000 employees worldwide. A well-known oil entrepreneur and deal organizer Isaac Toussie has made some critical analyses of an investment in Exxon. Toussie focused on two main benefits of Exxon that make it an appealing investment: a low debt to EBITDA ratio and extremely high replacement costs of its infrastrcuture.

Many modern-day companies are funded heavily by debt. A healthy company will have debt, but a level of debt that they can pay off over time. Over-leveraged corporations are riskier, as they have a higher likelihood of default and bankruptcy. Companies with the ability to pay off their debt are valuable. One metric in analyzing a company’s ability to pay off their debt is by looking at a company’s debt to EBITDA ratio. EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, is a calculation of a company’s bare-bones earnings. When compared to debt, a lower debt to EBITDA ratio shows a company’s ability to pay off debt.

Over the last 5 years, Exxon’s has remained at a very low level. At the close of each calendar year, Exxon’s debt to EBITDA ratio starting from 2017 has been 1.2, .8 (2018), 1.3 (2019), 3.5 (2020) and .9 (2021) (Finbox, Exxon Net Debt to EBITDA). Exxon’s debt to EBITDA ratio continues to drop considering the drastic rise in earnings that many oil companies have benefited from this past quarter. With a debt to EBITDA ratio below one, Toussie accentuated the viability of an investment in Exxon.

The second factor that Toussie mentioned was the high replacement costs of Exxon’s equipment. Oil companies require massively expensive equipment with the ability to extract, store and ship enormous amounts of natural gas (eliminate the line the equipment costs millions). If infrastructure is damaged, Exxon must spend vast amounts of money to do so. For a company as large and as experienced as Exxon, this does not pose a problem that they are not equipped to handle. However, for smaller competitors, the replacement cost of equipment can be a cost that forces a closure or bankruptcy. Exxon’s large size and its ability to cover such costs gives it an advantage in the field and helps it maintain its status in the industry.

This article is presented for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as financial or other advice.

Ensuring both the sustainability of our world and providing affordable energy to maintain healthy societies has become an extremely difficult endeavor. Fossil fuels have aided in revolutionizing the world we live in today for the better. Without fossil fuels, nearly every society present on the planet today would not be able to function at the same sustainable level that it currently enjoys. However, emissions from numerous energy sources, especially coal, has contributed heavily to the decay of the world’s ecosystems and habitats. Isaac Toussie, an oil investment specialist and deal structurer, has stated this is one of the most significant challenges that the oil industry is currently facing. Recognizing the need to navigate on the edge of finely edged line, BP has begun to invest in alternative forms of energy to supplement its production of fossil fuels.

A Reuters’s article titled “Special Report: BP Gambles Big on Fast Transition from Oil to Renewables” highlighted BP’s recent decisions to expand their investments into solar powered energy, a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. Although solar power currently doesn’t offer the same levels of power that fossil fuels do, BP investment in the growth of these business and technologies shows that they are willing to adapt to the trend of establishing cleaner energy. BP is currently losing millions a year on the investments, but expects to begin profiting from them sometime in the next decade. (Special Report: BP Gambles Big on Fast Transition from Oil to Renewables”).

In addition to the current holdings BP has made in the renewable energy sector, BP expects to continue making heftier investments in renewables. (Id.). The current loses sustained in renewables was predictable, given the youth of the industry and the capital requirements necessary to grow a new industry to a profitable scale. Toussie commented on the investments, stating that they are further evidence that BP is able to diversify its investments in various forms of energy, while maintaining its profit margins through its established fossil fuel business. He emphasized that abandoning its oil business is both economically unsustainable and unrealistic. However, he explained that integrating renewable energy into already existing oil companies is a step that BP has wisely taken.

This article is presented for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as financial or other advice.   

New York City has various thriving Jewish communities. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Isaac Toussie has always contributed to organizations that strengthened the Jewish community that he remains a part of. Toussie values his Judaism and all that it has provided him. Specially, Toussie always related to the Jewish laws pertaining to business that the Talmud, a Jewish legal text, discussed and analyzed. “Judaism has strict and rigorous ethical codes that not only govern interpersonal affairs but business affairs as well I strive to adhere to such ethical norms on a day-to-day basis,” he stated.

Toussie supports various Jewish causes. Toussie has donated to the local Chabad House in Canarsie. Chabad is an organization that seeks to empower Jews worldwide by giving them the tools to learn about their heritage and traditions. The organization utilizes technology to accomplish their goal and thousands use the resources available on their website. There are hundreds of Chabad houses worldwide, each offering programs, educational classes, and after-school programs.

Toussie’s commitment to the Jewish community expands beyond the borders of New York City. Toussie also contributed to the Jewish Braille Institute International, an organization that renders Jewish interest materials accessible to visually impaired individuals. Given that many Jews rely on books and written materials to educate themselves religiously, the organization is of vital importance. The organization also provides resources for students within a school setting to supplement their classroom experience, such as braille texts. The organization services over 35,000 Jews of all ages and across the globe, providing them with the tools necessary to integrate into their community.

Toussie’s desire to aid the Jewish community also took on an international perspective as Toussie recognized the importance of supporting the Jewish state, Israel. Toussie has made donations to multiple Israeli institutions, including the Friends of the IDF. The FIDF’s mission is “To offer educational, cultural, recreational, and social services programs and facilities that provide hope, purpose, and life-changing support for the soldiers who protect Israel and Jews worldwide.” The donations are used to ensure that soldiers are able to transition to civilian life, attain any supplemental medical care and receive necessary financial relief.

Toussie’s commitment to helping people has never been limited to his religion- in fact he has helped American Veterans of all religions, which earned him a Certificate of Recognition from the Paralyzed Veterans of America. He has also contributed to the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association to help fund the P.O. John Kelly Fund.

Toussie’s commitment to both Israel and promoting accessibility to education made Tel Aviv University another great charitable opportunity for him. One of Israel’s most innovative universities, Tel Aviv University enrolls over 30,000 students. The university is the first university in Israel to create a venture capital fund, laying the groundwork for future growth in Israel. 25% of entrepreneurs in Israel graduated from Tel Aviv University, a staggering statistic given the progressive nature of the country.

Toussie’s wide ranging charitable pursuits are a testimony to his ethical reach and constitution.

This article is presented for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as financial or other advice.

If there is one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught this country, it’s that hospitals are both necessary and underfunded. Millions sought medical treatment and many were simply not able to attain the necessary service to sustain their health. Systemically, America struggles to find a solution to the overwhelming health care problem. However, some individuals have taken the initiative to push for change and growth in the medical industry using their own finances. One such individual is Isaac Toussie. Carrying on his father’s legacy, Toussie has made a plethora of donations to hospitals throughout New York City and America as a whole.

Toussie’s desire to support stems partly from his desire to innovate. Toussie’s work includes being on the cutting edge of oil exploration strategies with hyper green technologies and minimal impact platforms (MIPS) and it’s these same innovative juices that propel his cutting-edge philanthropic works. His passion spurred contributions to Mount Sinai Medical Center, continuing a family legacy started by his father, Robert. Isaac’s donations to Mount Sinai Medical Center allowed the hospital to continue diversification of research, clinical studies, and treatment. Much like in his professional career, Toussie’s donations helped pushed the boundaries of science and innovation. Among other things, Toussie’s donations helped fund the immunobiology practice at the hospital, a field that has grown in significance given the rise of particular viruses.

Founded in 1852, Mount Sinai has grown to accommodate over 1,100 beds. The hospital is a teaching facility that trains the next generation of doctors with over a century of accumulated expertise. The hospital specializes in 11 fields, each with specific subspecialties. Toussie has donated to multiple specialties, with an eye toward innovating medical technologies. Toussie believes that by funding research projects, he could help millions by aiding the development of new technology that could target diseases such as HIV and certain cancers. In the hands of Mount Sinai specialists with recognitions in multiple rankings by U.S. News & World Report 2021-2022, the aid has immeasurable potential.

Toussie’s contributions to the hospitals of New York City expands beyond a singular entity. Impressed by the way in which NewYork-Presbyterian treated a family member of his, Toussie investigated the doctors and programs that the hospital housed. He elected to make substantial donations to the hospital, knowing that it would be put to good use. In particular, Toussie lauded the patient care the hospital provided. “The doctors were able to speak to the patients in a kind and pleasing manner that supplemented the experienced medical care provided by the hospital.” Like Mount Sinai, NewYork- Presbyterian is one of New York’s foremost acclaimed hospitals. Affiliated with two of New York’s most prestigious universities, Columbia and Cornell, NewYork-Presbyterian has been providing care to the area for over 20 years. The size of the hospital, around 2,600 beds, does not prevent the staff from providing top of the line care; the hospital was ranked #1 for NYC metropolitan hospitals by U.S. News and World Reports. Seeing over 2 million visits annually, Toussie’s donations helped one of the country’s leading hospitals continue to provide world renowned care.

Toussie’s commitment to teaching hospitals and training that they provide to the next generation led to a subsequent donation to NYU Langone Medical Center. The hospital has a strong commitment to developing their medical school and in 2018, eliminated tuition requirements for incoming students to attract the country’s most qualified students. In a letter of gratitude to Toussie, a representative of the institution stated that “NYU Langone has embraced an ambitious new vision: to become a world-class; integrated academic medical center that always puts patients first.” The message resonated with Toussie; that is vision that he has embraced for much of his life.

Toussie’s commitment to hospitals is admirable and his contributions to those entities are far reaching. Those contributions have the potential to spur innovation and growth with endless potential to advance medicine.

This article is presented for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as financial or other advice.