Let's say you are interested in this one company. You read its annual report, like what you see and your calculation indicates that the stock is trading way below its fair value. You are excited. It is time to buy! Hang on for a second. There are several techniques of buying stocks out there. Some are better than the other. Let me explore several useful ones.
Buy all at limit price. Assume that we have done our research and we want to invest $ 2000 to buy stock XYZ at $ 12/share. We can do this by setting a limit order of $ 12/share to buy 166 shares of XYZ. The advantage for this method is that we will not pay more than $ 12 for our XYZ share. If you use market order, instead of limit order, XYZ might run up to $ 13/share and execute your order at $ 12.50. Fifty cents may not sound a lot, but in this case, you just saves $ 83 for using limit order. Any better methods? Check out this next one.
Buying half at $12. Buying half when it drops. Stock market is volatile. It goes up and down due to various reasons. In this case, we set a limit order to buy $ 1000 worth of XYZ at $ 12/share. When XYZ drops lower, and if you think that the reason that you initially bought it is still valid, then you can buy more XYZ at a lower price. If XYZ drops by $ 1, you already save $ 83 off the bag. What else is there?
Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA). With DCA, investors normally buy a specified dollar of stock at regular intervals. In this case, you can decide to invest $ 500 monthly in XYZ stock. If the XYZ stock falls, you can buy more shares next month. If XYZ stock rises, you would buy less. But it is ok. You already made money on XYZ stocks that you bought at a lower price.
Which method is the best? There is no clear cut answer on this. Personally, I will never use market order when buying a stock. Commission for buying a limit order is not as expensive as it used to be. My favorite methods is by buying half position initially and then add half more when the share price drops. If you have done your research and you feel that $ 12 per share is a good buy, then why won't you buy some more if it goes down to $ 10? Just make sure that the fundamental remains the same when the stock drops.
While knowing how to initiate your position is important, I am more inclined in focusing on how to calculate fair value of a stock. This is where the bulk of your investment return comes from.
Curious about fair value calculation? At http://www.noviceinvesting.com, these analysis are shown for free. No String Attached. No fee to be paid. You just need to put some time and effort into it. Honest.
Hari wrote regular commentary about stock investing. He is always on the lookout for stocks that match his buying criteria. You can share your ideas or questions in our discussion board. He would be more than willing to assist.
Batchtown Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareEver notice how behavior in one area of life can... Read More
When it comes to mutual funds, there is a lot... Read More
One of the things people are always asking me is... Read More
Are you attracted to the idea of being in control... Read More
Analyzing growth stocks is an important focus for any investor.... Read More
I would like to share with the reader an article... Read More
Suppose your position has made a big move and you... Read More
How can you dispel an illusion unless you look directly... Read More
I read a comment by a forum member on another... Read More
There are red lights, green lights, blue lights and spot... Read More
On the 40 year journey through the turmoil of a... Read More
Everything you invest in has risk so you want to... Read More
Stock trading remains a very competitive field and the stock... Read More
Day trading is all about making buy and sell decisions.... Read More
After the publication of the first part of this two... Read More
There is so much involved in developing peak performance, that... Read More
The fight continues to rage among traders who use technical... Read More
A 'stock option' is a contract between two parties giving... Read More
All of the talking heads have been telling us that... Read More
The World Bank claims that some two billion of the... Read More
I feel that an investment strategy in the stock market... Read More
When most analysts, financial planners, fund specialists and investors try... Read More
This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders,... Read More
When it comes to stock market trading it PAYS to... Read More
Much like the middle child, mid-cap stocks have long struggled... Read More
shuttle from Midway Munster are ..Reach in your pocket and take out that big roll... Read More
Is really not as important as to how you invest... Read More
Much like the middle child, mid-cap stocks have long struggled... Read More
What can I expect to make my first year of... Read More
Recently I was invited to appear on a live CNNfn... Read More
A 'stock option' is a contract between two parties giving... Read More
Let's discuss commodities; with the latest Enron situation, it is... Read More
Spread trading is a technique that can be used to... Read More
Everything you invest in has risk so you want to... Read More
Since I can remember, and that's a long time ago,... Read More
Every Wall Street analyst, financial planner and broker will tell... Read More
On November 17 I bought 7 different mutual funds and... Read More
The big bad bear is stirring again. So far he... Read More
"Buy and hold" is one of the most heralded investment... Read More
Before they go over the cliff to their destruction these... Read More
Starbucks earnings are up again and so is their stock... Read More
Caught in a whirlpool and being sucked under. No life... Read More
Ever have one of those sample boxes of candy? Each... Read More
Buy high and sell low -- It's not a typo.Millions... Read More
If you've ever flipped on the television to CNN Financial... Read More
Financial markets provide their participants with the most favorable conditions... Read More
We all know that emotions control every decision that an... Read More
I go to the Money Show every year to visit... Read More
We learnt the following the hard way! If any of... Read More
Did you know you can make money (and a lot... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |