Investing Information

Investing and Understanding What You Buy


"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action!" Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)

I don't really know how cars actually work. Not really! I know how to drive them, but if you asked me how they work, I would not really know how to definitely explain it.

That small technical limitation on my part doesn't stop me from knowing whether XYZ Autos is a quality company or not. I don't understand the cars they make, but I do understand XYZ Autos. Moreover, that understanding is critical to making a decision about the value of their stock.

There are many good and objective ways to value stocks and improve your finances. These involve looking at various financial ratios. However, one of my simplest rules for investing is that you always must understand what you are buying!

This is by no means original with me. It is a basic part of fundamental analysis!

How deeply you must research in order to understand a company before you invest in it is a rather personal decision!

Some investors feel fine with just a general understanding, while others want to know everything there is to know about the company. I think that somewhere in between is perfect.

But you must know what makes a company different from others and whether that difference adds any real value or not.

Sometimes being different is not good ...

Buy what you understand for a reasonable price and you will be well on your way towards successful investing!

Copyright 2005 © I.E.C. Haramis

haramis@greekshares.com

http://www.greekshares.com

Ioannis - Evangelos (Akis) C. Haramis was born in Athens, Greece in 1951. Studied Business Administration, Marketing and Economics in Athens, Greece, in Chicago, ILL and in Boulder, CO (USA), as well as in Leuven, Belgium. He has been active in the stock markets since 1972 as an investor, stockbroker and consultant to individual investors and various funds. He is New Business Development Managing Director at a leading Investment Bank and publisher of http://www.greekshares.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Telegraph.co.uk

CIC Head Wary of Investing in Western Banks
Wall Street Journal - Dec 2, 2008
Lou Jiwei, who head's China Investment Corp., said the uncertainty surrounding Western banks and the policy decisions that may determine their fate makes it ...
CIC weary of Western banks Thomson Merger News (registration)
China's sovereign wealth fund to avoid western financial firms: report AFP
CIC Now Very Wary of Investment in Foreign Financial Firms ChinaStakes.com
Reuters - In-Forum
all 269 news articles


Dividend Investing for Monthly Income
Seeking Alpha, NY - 4 hours ago
After you have selected the dividend growth stocks that fit your selection criteria, it is time to research their payment dates. Most dividend investors try ...


Is Real Estate Investing Our Best Shot at Wealth?
Seeking Alpha, NY - 9 hours ago
91 percent of homeowners surveyed by real-estate-services firm Realogy Corp. thought that owning a home was the best long-term investment they could make, ...


ETF Investing: 5 Pitfalls to Avoid
U.S. News & World Report, DC - 21 hours ago
By Kirk Shinkle Security, transparency, low costs: It's the mantra of the exchange-traded fund industry, and by and large, most ETFs do live up to the ...
Invesco PowerShares Announces Zero Capital Gains Distributions for ... MarketWatch
Managing a Portfolio in a Bear Market Seeking Alpha
Building a Portfolio Using ETFs U.S. News & World Report
all 16 news articles


Calgary Herald

Global Investing Roundups
Money Morning - 11 hours ago
The world’s biggest nuclear utility company, Electricité de France SA will offer as much as $6.5 billion for assets of Constellation Energy Group, ...
Delayed quote data MarketWatch
all 671 news articles


Criterion Investments Scoops Canadian Investment Marketing Award ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
The same applies to investing in long-term growth themes, and Criterion built the case for why now is time to get ahead of the curve by investing in water ...
Making a bet in a free-fall market BusinessWorld Online
all 10 news articles


Chinese Government to Stop Investing in Western Banks
Technocrat.net, MA - 17 hours ago
Saying there is too much uncertainty with failing banks and bailouts in the western world, the head of the Chinese Sovereign Investment fund has indicated ...


PureWave Networks Completes a $12 Million Series B Funding Round
MarketWatch - 1 hour ago
The firm consists of experienced individuals with extensive operating and investing experience, and takes an active role in helping its portfolio companies ...


Washington Post

Fidelity to Roll out New Home Page Providing Real-Time Financial ...
MarketWatch - 6 hours ago
"Investors today need timely and reliable financial information to make smart investing decisions, especially in times of market and economic uncertainty," ...
Online Money: Fidelity expands online news focus The Associated Press
all 104 news articles


Your Once-in-a-Lifetime Investing Opportunity
Motley Fool - Dec 3, 2008
But it was investment banks and financial institutions -- the largest and fiercest players on Wall Street -- that were literally ground zero for this ...

Investing - Google News

home | site map
© 2006