As an avid investor, I have had the opportunity to invest in dozens of different stocks. Most have been winners, but some have been losers. If I had followed my 10 tips for investing in stocks more closely, I would definitely have come out on top more often. Read these 10 tips for investing in stocks to maximize your return while minimizing your risk.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #1
Invest in what you know. Through your everyday life, you have no doubt come into contact with companies and products your rave about. This is an excellent starting point as you start to think about what stocks to invest in. Investing in companies you are familiar with and enjoy gives you invaluable knowledge about your investment.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #2
Read the company's 10-K, the annual report. All public companies in the United States and many private ones file 10-K's with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These can be downloaded for free and are filled with invaluable information. Everything from a description of the industry and products, operations, marketing, financials, and litigation are discussed. Read the 10-K to become familiar with your potential investment.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #3
Read the company's most recent 10-Q, or quarterly report. Much shorter than the 10-K, the quarterly report details the most recent financials available for the company. A brief discussion of the financials, ongoing litigation, or important head- and tailwinds is also discussed. Reading the 10-Q will give you insight as to the most recent developments of the company.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #4
Know the company's management team. A company's management navigates the firm through crises, makes operational decisions, and has a huge impact on profitability. Look for a management team with significant experience in both good times and bad. A seasoned management team will almost always outperform a green management team when unexpected calamities arise.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #5
Read the company's most recent investor's presentation. Investor presentations are periodically given by most corporations, and are found on the company's website. The investor presentation outlines recent performance, investment opportunities, and gives the management's view of future profitability. This document is an excellent indicator of what the company believes future performance will be.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #6
Understand what makes a stock price move up and down. Theoretically, all of the future profits of a firm are combined to come up with today's stock market price. If you believe most investors are either over estimating or under estimating future profitability, then you believe the stock price is wrong. Invest in stocks where you believe most investors are underestimating profitability so you can capitalize on your projected upswing.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #7
Research any outstanding litigation. Litigation can have a positive or detrimental effect on stock price. Make sure you understand what court cases the company is involved in and any potential settlements or judgments than may affect profitability.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #8
Read and understand the company's financial statements. Knowing how much debt a company has, what the debt service obligation is, and when debt is due is vital to investment decisions. Make sure your projections of company profitability cover all debt obligations to ensure you do not buy an investment on the verge of default.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #9
Gather third party research. Read what others think about the company to help form your own opinion. Remember that third party research isn't necessarily right - but just an opinion as to what the potential stock investment is all about. Read what these researchers think and incorporate it into your thoughts on future profitability.
10 Tips for Investing in Stocks: Tip #10
Know the stock's investor base. The investor base is the list of all investors in a stock; a heavily concentrated investor base means a few investors wield undue influence over the stock's price. A heavily invested investor who sells the stock may cause the price to tumble, and vice versa.
The key to successful stock investing is researching and understanding your investments. Keep on top of company developments to know when to sell and to see if your investment will continue to perform.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION:The Contributor has no connection to nor was paid by the brand or product described in this content.
stock promoters
NBC <b>News</b> app now on Xbox Live | Joystiq
Microsoft has announced that the National Broadcasting Company (colloquially known as NBC) has released a news app on Microsoft's Xbox Live. The app features content from many of NBC's various news programs, ...
NBC <b>News</b> app now on Xbox Live | JoystiqAnonymous releases how-to instructions on fooling facial - RT
Here's a predicament: you don't want the government using high-tech face scanning technology to track every inch of your walk to the post office, but you also don't want to take a sledgehammer to your neighborhood ...
Anonymous releases how-to instructions on fooling facial - RTXbox Live Adds NBC <b>News</b>, Bringing Rachel Maddow, Hardball <b>...</b>
Microsoft continues to add content partners for Xbox, pushing the game console into the center of the living room as more of a digital entertainment hub. The latest update, which goes live today, will bring a lot more news ...
Xbox Live Adds NBC <b>News</b>, Bringing Rachel Maddow, Hardball <b>...</b>