Successful investing in stocks is never easy because of the many factors that affect a stock. In this article I outline the 10 factors that you need to go through before buying a stock.
1. Understanding the Services or Products the company sells.
Buy stocks of companies that you understand. If you cant figure out what the company sells it is impossible to understand the companies financial s.
2. Understand How to read a Companies Balance sheet and Income statements.
Drop by your local library and borrow a simple guide to accounts or economics and read pages on business finance. If you cant crack it on your own hire a tutor.
3. Understanding the Sector / Industry
Understand the number of players in the sector and the position of your target company. If the company is the market leader it has advantages.
4. Understand how the company will make you money.
Figure out why the company will outperform. How they launched new products that will do well? Are they expanding abroad or into new markets? These are the factors that keep a company stock rising.
5. Understanding that stocks go up and down.
Its important to know stock prices do not go up in a straight line. Stocks prices sometimes go down. When they they drop don’t panic and sell.
6. Take advantage of free online tools.
Free online tools such as Google finance and yahoo finance can help you a great deal in doing your stock purchase research.
7. Investing for dividends.
Some stocks are in mature industries. These stocks have few opportunities for price appreciation. But the good thing about them is that they pay annual dividends. Such industries are mining, oil and tobacco.
8. We All Mistakes.
Even after going through the best research mistakes will be made. When you realise you made a mistake the best thing to do is to cut your losses. Sell the stock and invest the money in a new stock.
9. Diversify You Stock Purchases
You have heard it since you were a kid “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Don’t put all your money in one stock, spread the money in different stocks. This will protect you from large losses.
10. Have an exit strategy.
Have a targeted share price you want to reach before selling all or part of your position? If you reach your target share price, stick to your initial plan and cash out at least some of your position.
While this stock investment guide is by no means exhaustive, it will certainly help you begin your thought process when making a decision to buy a specific stock or not.
written by Constantine Njeru
\\ tags: Balance Sheet, Business Finance, Buy Stocks, Buying Stocks, Company Stock, Dividends, Eggs In One Basket, Free Online Tools, Google, Income Statements, Investing In Stocks, Investment Guide, Line Stocks, Local Library, Market Leader, Mature Industries, Price Appreciation, Stock Prices, Stock Purchase, Stock Purchases, Straight Line, Target Company