Look, if you’ve been paying attention to the markets lately, you know things feel off—stocks keep grinding higher, but inflation’s still biting at 2.9% year-over-year, bankruptcies are piling up (446 in the U.S. through July, worst pace since 2010), and insiders are dumping shares like it’s 1929 all over again.
That’s the setup for Stansberry Research’s latest webinar, dropped in October 2025, where analyst Mike DiBiase lays out a case for why this disconnect is about to blow up into a “Fire Sale”—institutions forced to dump top-shelf assets cheap because of rules they can’t dodge. And right in the middle of it?
Stansberry’s Credit Opportunities, their bond-focused service that’s basically a roadmap to grabbing those deals before the big boys do. DiBiase’s been at Stansberry over a decade, nailed calls like the COVID drop and the inflation hangover, so when he talks, it’s worth a listen.
At $1,500 for a full year (that’s 82% off the usual $5,000), plus extras like a step-by-step guide and some immediate picks, is this the real deal or just another newsletter hustle? I’ve dug in, and yeah—it’s legit, with a smart angle that could actually pay off if the storm hits.
Let me walk you through why I’m sold, and why you might want to jump in before the window closes.
The Setup: Why a “Fire Sale” Could Be Your Big Break
DiBiase doesn’t sugarcoat it: Markets look golden on the surface, but dig a little, and you see the stress—delinquencies doubling, companies folding left and right, and executives bailing on their own stocks (198 sells out of 200 top trades in one recent week).
The kicker? Regulations like Section 18 of the Investment Company Act or Basel III rules that tie institutions’ hands. One bad ratings call from Moody’s, and boom—their balance sheets tip, forcing sales of good stuff just to stay legal.
We’re already seeing it play out: New York City’s pension dumped $5 billion back in May at a steep cut; Harvard and Yale offloaded billions in private equity; Starwood Capital let go of $1.6 billion; UBS cleared out a $2 billion fund; Kaiser Permanente shed $3.5 billion in stakes; CDPQ took a 59% hit on real estate; Sony Life’s lining up tens of billions in bonds. Add it up, and that’s over $112 billion already gone—early signs of a flood that could hit private credit, real estate, and public bonds, a market way bigger than stocks.
The Fed’s 2025 report spells it out: “Financial institutions may need to sell assets at ‘fire sale’ prices.” The IMF’s talking waves of forced selling; the Bank of England’s eyeing a multibillion-dollar wave. Hedge funds get it too—Apollo, Oaktree, and others are sitting on $230 billion ready to pounce.
But here’s where it gets good for folks like us: These rules don’t care about timing, so when the selling starts, you can snag premium assets through your regular brokerage app. No fancy credentials needed.
Stansberry’s Credit Opportunities is built for exactly that—alerts with the exact bond IDs (CUSIPs) and how-to-buy steps, so you’re not fumbling when the deals drop. If you’ve ever felt locked out of Wall Street’s best plays, this is the equalizer.
How It Works: Convertible Bonds Done Smart, Not Flashy
Forget the stock frenzy; DiBiase’s play is convertible bonds—basically loans to companies that pay steady interest (legally required, SEC-enforced) and let you swap for shares if things go up. They’re safer than stocks because of that bond backbone—you get paid back at $1,000 face value at maturity, plus coupons along the way—and in a fire sale, discounts can turn a normal 8.5% payer into a 27% yielder if you buy at 69% off.
He keeps it simple with two rules that make sense if you’ve ever shopped a clearance rack:
- Chase the deep cuts (40-60% off) from forced sales, not panicky ones—the bond market’s thin, so prices tank fast and hard.
- Only pull the trigger if the math checks out: His team (lawyer, ex-CPA, the works) crunches filings to confirm the company can cover payments, even in a slump, and what you’d get in a worst-case bankruptcy (hint: often a lot, thanks to assets like stores or brands). It’s not gambling; it’s calculated.
Take the Rite Aid bond from 2015—Moody’s downgraded it, institutions panicked-sold, and subscribers grabbed $1,000 bonds for $315. That meant 27% effective yield, $8,160 in payments on $5,000 invested over six years, plus $16,000 back at maturity for 380% total.
But convert to stock during the run-up? You’re looking at $43,600—a 770% return. Rite Aid tanked later, but they were out way ahead, and even in bankruptcy, those pharmacy assets would’ve covered bondholders.
Or the quick Iconix hit in 2017: 24% off, four months to maturity, full payout for 90% annualized. Stuff like this has happened dozens of times, with an 83% win rate and 11.5% average annual return across the board. It’s not every pick turning you into a billionaire (though guys like Ken Griffin started small with similar moves), but it’s the kind of edge that adds up—steady income with real pop when chaos hits.
The Proof: Track Record You Can Actually Trust
Stansberry’s no newbie—they’ve been at this since ’99, with a huge subscriber base and disclosures that hold up to scrutiny.
DiBiase’s hits go beyond bonds: DocuSign up 368%, American Express 440%, GEO Group 380%.
For Credit Opportunities, it’s audited quarterly—83% winners, 11.5% average annualized, with standouts like 140% or 355% on safer plays.
Sure, the big numbers (770%, 840%, even a back-tested 1,511% bonus in the signup packet) come from crisis windows like 2008, not every month, and they say upfront: No guarantees, risks apply. But in a year like 2025, with private markets creaking and the Fed waving red flags, this feels timely, not tinfoil-hat stuff.
Longtime subscribers stick around for 10 years because it works—they’re not chasing memes; they’re building quietly.
Easy to Jump In, and the Deal’s Too Good to Ignore
Buying these? Dead simple now—log into Fidelity or Schwab, go to fixed income, plug in the CUSIP from the alert, pick your quantity (discounts mean you get more for your money), and done in two days.
The service scans 6,000 bonds a month for the best yields and setups, giving you monthly recs plus those fire-sale pings.
At $1,500, you get the full year, a model portfolio, the Ultimate Fire Sale Playbook (breaks it all down), a Pre-Fire Sale Briefing with three picks for right now (smart for this weird high-low market), and that bonus opportunity. It’s ~$125 a month—way cheaper than handing cash to a hedge fund charging 2% plus 20% of wins. 90-day guarantee? Prorated credit to other Stansberry stuff, no cash back, but fair enough if you’re testing the waters.
This fits if you’re sitting on $5,000 or so, want something less wild than stocks but better than 4% Treasuries—maybe diversifying a retirement pot or parking dry powder for trouble. If you’re all-in on crypto flips, skip it; bonds tie up money for a bit. But for the rest? It’s a no-brainer add.
Bottom Line: Yeah, It’s the Real Thing—Grab It While It’s Hot
Stansberry’s Credit Opportunities checks every box for legit: Solid research, real results, and a strategy that turns Wall Street’s headaches into your wins.
DiBiase isn’t peddling fairy tales—he’s handing you the tools to play like the pros did in past messes, with protections built in. In 2025’s shaky setup, $1,500 gets you ahead of the curve, not chasing it. I’ve seen enough pitches to spot the fluff, and this one’s got meat on the bones. Click over, snag the playbook and those first picks— the fire might start any day, and you don’t want to be the one watching from the sidelines.
