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.
professional maid services Winnetka ...You have heard about a particular mutual fund from a... Read More
I often hear from people, "I don't trade. I invest.... Read More
Since I can remember, and that's a long time ago,... Read More
What can I expect to make my first year of... Read More
The Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE) is not operating successfully. True,... Read More
There is nothing more exciting than finding an undervalued stock... Read More
In November of 2000 when the NASDAQ was trading at... Read More
Having lived aboard a sailboat for 2 years I was... Read More
After some forty years of banking and investments, I retired... Read More
You probably know the story of Sherlock Holmes and the... Read More
If you don't know what a Roth IRA is then... Read More
In today's volatile and confusing stock markets everyone is searching... Read More
If you're a normal human being, your need to feel... Read More
Stocks breakout from properly formed bases everyday but many investors... Read More
There is so much involved in developing peak performance, that... Read More
It looks like the market is ready to start up... Read More
Over the past few months, several investment professionals have brought... Read More
Everyone who invests in the stock market wants to be... Read More
This article describes the model of a natural relationship between... Read More
Well maybe that's overstating it a little, but it's certainly... Read More
I am hearing predictions by brokers, financial planners, talk show... Read More
Being wrong is OK, but let's not carry it to... Read More
On the 40 year journey through the turmoil of a... Read More
When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund... Read More
How is it possible that trash Companies are posting less... Read More
full-service cleaning Glenview ...I was recently interviewed for a press release through a... Read More
It's about time someone spoke the truth concerning outsourcing. The... Read More
The stock market has not been very kind to your... Read More
The Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE) is not operating successfully. True,... Read More
To begin, you might look at playing the stock market... Read More
If you have talked to a stock broker or financial... Read More
What the heck am I talking about?It is often said... Read More
If you are fed up with early redemption charges and... Read More
Options trading can increase the profits you make when trading... Read More
As an investor you will want to check out any... Read More
The stock market can present you with a lot of... Read More
Wall Street has been preaching for years and years to... Read More
The stock market has been going up for more than... Read More
Quick, look out the window. It's raining. No, the sun's... Read More
I don't know what kind it is, but I saw... Read More
It depends on your level of understanding of the market... Read More
"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action!" Johann... Read More
Money management starts with protecting your capital, realizing profits and... Read More
As one of my regular readers you know I have... Read More
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program... Read More
Suppose your position has made a big move and you... Read More
During the day I watch CNBC-TV, the stock market channel.... Read More
Both the stock market and oil prices rallied recently, which... Read More
Who are the successful investors?There are those who follow the... Read More
If you were to find that you had some severe... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |