| |
| |
|
Value Investing
By definition, value investing is the process of selecting stocks that trade for less than their intrinsic value. A value investor typically selects stocks with lower than average price-to-book or price-to-earning ratios. Of course, it is not nearly this simple. Value investing is the corner stone of long-term growth. Those who practice it survive the ups and downs of the market and are more likely to emerge wealthy than those who ride the market, in principle, due to the higher quality of the companies falling under the prerequisites of the value investor. Value investing is essentially concerned with getting the most profit at the lowest cost. The basis of value is profit. Value investing is an investment style which favors good stocks at great prices over great stocks at good prices. Value investor extraordinaire Warren Buffett has used this style to become a billionaire. It's important to keep in mind that value investing is not concerned with how much the price of a stock has risen or fallen necessarily, but rather what is the "intrinsic" or inherent value of the stock, and is it currently trading below that price, i.e. at a discount to it's intrinsic value. The important point here is that when looking at stocks that are trading at or above their intrinsic value, the only hope for gaining value is based on future events, since the stock price already represents what the company is worth. However, when dealing with stocks that are undervalued, or available at a discount, unforeseen events are unimportant in that without any new earnings or additional profits, the shares are already "poised" to return to that inherent value which they have. The question now, of course, is "why would stock prices not always reflect the true value of the company and the intrinsic value of its shares?" In short, value investors believe that share prices are frequently wrong as indicators of the underlying value of the company and its shares. The efficient market theory suggests that share prices always reflect all available information about a company, and value investors refute this with the idea that investment opportunities are created by disagreements between the actual stock prices, and the calculated intrinsic value of those stocks. Finding Value Stocks Value investing is based on the answers to two simple questions: 1. What is the actual value of this company? 2. Can its shares be purchased for less than the actual (intrinsic) value? Clearly, the important point here is, "how is the intrinsic value accurately determined?" An important point is that companies may be undervalued and overvalued regardless of what the overall markets are doing. Every investor should be aware of and prepared for the inherent market volatility, and the simple fact that stock prices will fluctuate, sometimes quite significantly. Benjamin Graham has often said that if investors cannot be prepared to accept a 50% decline in value without becoming riddled with panic, then investing may not be for them...or rather, successful investing, as it often takes significant losses in a particular security before gains are made, due to the idea that value investors do not try to time the market, and are focused on the underlying fundamentals of the companies. Furthermore, the quality of the companies targeted by the value investors' screening methods should be, over the long term, less volatile and susceptible to market "panic" than the average stock. This is also a two way road of sorts. On one hand, there is no sense in worrying about depressions, upturns, and recoveries due to the underlying quality of the value investments. On the other hand, investments should only be made in companies which can flourish and do well in any market environment. Doing solid investment research and making equally solid investment decisions will take investors much further than trying to forecast the markets. How Many Different Stocks? In terms of diversification, there are many discrepancies over exactly how many different stocks a solid portfolio should be made up of. My personal view is that there should not be as many stock as normally make up a mutual fund. Many will disagree with this, but what it's worth, I think that owning a portfolio of 100, 200, or even more companies not only serves to limit risk, but it really limits the possibility for reward as well. Also, as Warren Buffett has said many times, the more companies you own, the less you know about each one. As I write this, there are 42 stocks in our recommended portfolio. This number may very well grow in the coming months, as it may decrease in number, but one thing to keep in mind is, out of the thousands of companies available for purchase, only a very small percentage meet the stringent requirements of the diligent value investor. This is both a blessing and a curse. Very often, there is simply nothing to buy, and this is fine. The trap to avoid falling into is to lower your requirements for a stock when there simply isn't anything meeting the normal requirements. This is how many an investor has fallen into making poor investment decisions, putting money into companies not really adequate for their respective portfolio, and it will certainly have a long term effect on gains. David Pakman has been writing about politics and investing for years now, and runs the websites www.heartheissues.com and http://pakman.thevividedge.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Dreaded Direct Question (Please have a glass of water within reach before reading this article.)Your personal financial planning is the topic of discussion here today, but not quite yet. Tyranosaurus Rex Everyone knows T Rex was the most fearsome of all dinosaurs. He could and did kill everything in his path for food or maybe stupid meanness. Approaches to Investing Here is a small summary of the three major approaches to investing:1. Fundamental AnalysisTruly superior companies exist, are sometimes undervalued by markets, and can be identified by mostly financial research. Volatile Oil The Light Crude Continuous Contract fell from $67.70 a barrel on Monday to $62. Annuity Owner Mistakes Okay, so I can tell you I have sat in front of countless numbers of people who have made mistakes when purchasing and owning annuities. And I have visited people who wish they never got involved in an annuity. Rolling your 401k: Contributory IRA vs. Rollover IRA In an ideal world you would start your working career with a great company in your early 20s, steadily climb the corporate ladder, retire at age 65, and draw a sufficient income from your accumulated 401k account to live happily ever after.Unfortunately, that's not how the real world works. College Savings Plans - Are They The Best Choice For My Child? College Savings Plans - are they the best choice for my child?College Savings Plans, also called Section 529 plans, are one of the best ways to save for college because they offer:- Tax advantages- A variety of investment options- Flexible contribution options- Parental control- Little impact on eligibility for need-based financial aidTax advantagesInvestments in 529 plans are usually exempt from federal taxes. Earnings are tax-deferred and are not subject to capital gains taxes. For Entrepreneurs A SIMPLE Plan May Be Best Q: I own a small decorating business and I'll be the first to admit that I don't know anything about taxes or retirement plans. I'd like to set up a 401(k) or an IRA or some other kind of retirement plan for me and my three employees. Maniac Investment Let's first understand what maniac means. According to Webster a maniac is "mad; raging with madness; raging with disordered intellect". Gold and Silver Maple Leafs Get New Packaging Gold Maple Leafs and Silver Maple Leafs are receiving packaging makeovers, changes clearly mandated by investor disfavor with packaging that the Royal Canadian Mint has used since the coins were introduced. Gold Maple Leafs debuted in 1979, Silver Maple Leafs in 1988. DXPortfolio: A Great Passive Investment of 25% to $40% per month First, I need to explain about e-currencies or digital currencies. DXPortfolio are based and supported by the supply and demand of e-currency. Stock Market Retirement Investment Plan For a successful retirement investment plan to work in the stock market, some 'reasonably sure' assumptions would have to be made:The retirement investment plan must take into consideration the one prevailing constant in any stock market security - risk and uncertainty. Understanding that risk and uncertainty are the key factors that propels the return on investment in the stock market far beyond the returns of Passbook Savings Accounts, CD's or Bonds are a start. Getting Started Investing is Often the Hardest Part There are several reasons people give for not investing their money in things like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. One reason is that they feel that they don't have enough money to make a serious investment, but a more common reason that many people have absolutely no idea how to go about getting started investing. Keep Stock Market Investment Profits Have you had one of those huge investment winners - a stock that went from $2.00 to $80. Finding the Perfect Company The perfect company - it's the holy grail of the investment world. The company that will make its initial investment hundreds of times over. It Must Be Joe Cockers Market Agonizing displays of poor theatrics failed to entertain my mind one recent Saturday evening. I scrolled across several television channels hoping for an engaging program. Investing in Car Dealerships: Doing Your Homework This article attempts to help give the investor a broader basis upon which to decide whether a dealership merits their time, money and attention.Interviewing Factories and Financial InstitutionsLenders have an affirmative duty not to promiscuously disclose the financial condition of their debtors. Part II of Day Traders and Swing Traders and Options? Maybe! Before every protective put trade it is possible to calculate your anticipated maximum loss. Use the formula: (stock price minus strike price) plus option price. Have You Ever Seen A Map of the World Turned Upside Down? For those accustomed to viewing things a certain way, it is quite disconcerting. One almost expects the ocean to pour out. Investing & Online Stock & Share Trading: Money & Risk Management - Atkinson Portfolio Planner (1) This article was originally featured in Daryl Guppy's 'Tutorials in Applied Technical Analysis', voted no 1 trading newsletter in Australia by Shares magazine & no 4 in the world by US Stocks & Commodities magazine and is reprinted here with Daryl's permission.In addition to developing sound technical analysis skills, strong trading psychology coupled with well thought-out money and risk management are also vital key secrets for success when trading or investing in the market.
|
|
|
|
|
