Product Description

Customer Reviews (60)

Not boring. Worthwhile, but not the only investing book to own
Not boring unlike most books on investing.Reading this inspired me and fortified me, to take a fresh look at my overall financial situation.Worth reading, but it should not be the only investment book you own.

Good theory, but lacks clear instruction for specific techniques she suggests
I really really loved this book, until I tried to follow her instructions on picking stocks and etfs. Her stock report card is confusing - uses a lot of financial lingo, and she says doing the research will be simple and quick. However, much of the information is difficult and seemingly impossible to find, and she gives no good advice on where to find some of these numbers.

In some cases her definitions aren't true. For example, she says that operating margins are "the difference between the cost of goods (net income) and the price of the company is able to charge for the product or service (net sales)." I'm not a financial wiz, but I do know that a margin is a percentage, not a difference (found through subtracting one thing from another). Additionally, I also know that the cost of goods is not the net income, but relate to expenses.

I spent a couple of additional hours researching, trying to decipher what she's referring to in this, and other definitions. Then I spent some time trying to find those numbers, which she says "is all available from your favorite financial website," or from her own website. In the end, after 3 + hours of trying to follow this process, which she says will take "a small amount of time," I'm no better off than I was 3 hours ago.

Additionally, while she bemoans mutual funds and extols the virtues of etfs, she gives absolutely no instructions or advice on how to analyze them to find good ones.

I'm sure Natalie Pace knows what she's talking about, yet I just don't think she knows how to teach it, at least not through a book.

Casual, intuitive way to think about investing, but will it be successful?
This book contains many of conventional wisdom about investing, and written in rather accessible way to lay people. Perhaps as a price for this, the material is rather diluted and scattered. In between conventional wisdom is the author's "three part investment recipe," and unique suggestions like "pur your money where your heart is" as in the title of the book. It adds some new dimension to investing, but not the material previously unknown. I also think there is not enough emphasis on analyzing the corporation through balance sheet and determining which stock is cheap or expensive. This book is more to do with a particular way of presenting a part of conventional knowledge to her targeted audience. I think it may be an interesting read, although I think the content can be summarized in 30 pages or less, but I am not sure if it is advisable for an amateur to read this book and start trading in this uncertain market situation.

Natalie sets the pace
Natalie Pace is nothing short of amazing.She understands money as it is meant to be understood.She realizes that money is a means to an end and that end is enjoying one's life and making a positive difference in the world.Toward that purpose she teaches the reader how to make one's money work for oneself.She also demonstrates quite convincingly that one cannot trust companies that operate immorally.Why would management that cheats its customers treat its investors fairly?Enron certainly did not.She teaches the reader how to create a report card for companies in which one might potentially invest and how to compare them to other companies in the same line of work.

She keenly notes the possible effects that can result from the asymmetrical knowledge that is held by various investors and how one should be cautious when buying a stock from somebody who knows significantly more about a company that one does oneself.She observes that the stock market is not usually a positive sum game.One investor wins and one loses.One sells high and the other buys high.One sells low and the other buys low.This does not mean that either will lose money, but it does mean that one of them PROBABLY bought at the wrong time and the other PROBABLY sold at the wrong time, or vice versa.If one knows significantly more about the company in question than you do, you should always suspect that they will be on the winning side of the equation, ergo, maximizing knowledge of a company is critical, always.

This is just a tiny sliver of what Ms. Pace goes over in her book.It is loaded with information that is critical for any investor to have.Whether you are new to the game or an old hand, this book will bestow some great insights upon you, should you opt to read it carefully.Not only that, unlike most investment books, it's a page turner!

Well done Natalie Pace!

Just what some readers may need to find themselves exponentially richer in the coming years
Wealth is the state of being set for life and not panicking for your next paycheck. "Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is: Investment Strategies for Lifetime Wealth" is a collection of simple and easy tips to follow in the world of investment. Calling her methods the 'Buy My Own Island' plan, the author's ambitious nature fueled her transformation from indigent to millionaire, and she became one of the most trusted stock brokers on Wall Street. Here, she hopes to help others who were in her situation claim their own piece of the wealth that America has to offer. "Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is" is just what some readers may need to find themselves exponentially richer in the coming years.
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Hidden opportunities: how to find great stocks that the analysts aren't covering.

Customer Reviews (1)

A superficial pamphlet
Clever article, NOT A BOOK. Perhaps five pages typewritten. A waste of five dollars. worth a dime. ... Read more

Product Description
Becoming An Investor: Building Wealth By Investing In Stocks, Bonds, And Mutual Funds gives you practical knowledge and insight that will help you protect and grow your investment portfolio.

By reading Becoming An Investor you will learn:
* The Difference Between Active and Passive Portfolio Management
* The Power of Compounding and How It Applies To Building Wealth
* The Concept of Margin of Safety
* The Importance of Diversification
* Ratio Analysis
* Professional Company Valuation Using Dividend Discount Calculations
* How To Measure Rates of Return And Know How Your Investments Are Really Doing
* How To Preserve Principal
* How To Avoid Making Bad Investment Decisions That Lose Money
* How To Select Mutual Funds
* How To Select And Invest In Turnaround Companies
* How To Select And Invest In Growth Companies
* How To Evaluate Company Risk
* How To Invest For Income
* How To Know If You're Saving Enough For Your Retirement ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A good place to begin learning how to manage your money
Hupalo gives you simple (good) advice to manage your money.

The book is very balanced and it is aimed mainly to the educated general public. You will need only some simple algebra to understand his few valuation formulas.

He writes basically about common stocks and has a chapter discussing bonds. But do not expect market timing methods. It is more directed to Investing than to Trading.

Conclusion: A good place to begin learning how to manage your money. To good sense people.

Proven Way to Sound, Successful, Long-Term Investing
This excellent book is highly commended to anyone who is truly serious about investing. Peter Hupalo is a consultant and frequent columnist on money and entrepreneurship matters. With clear and convincing data to support him, Mr. Hupalo debunks many of the myths Wall Street pushes on the investing public. Author demonstrates the futility of trying to "beat the market", whether through stock picking and market timing or by following mutual funds that have shown high levels of performance in the past. After he makes a convincing case for trying to meet, rather than beat the market. Thus, Mr. Hupalo advocates investing in a diversified basket of mutual funds. The chapter on investing during retirement is particularly insightful.

Whether or not one ultimately agrees with Mr. Hupalo's point of view, "Becoming An Investor: Building Wealth By Investing In Stocks, Bonds, And Mutual Funds" is a book, which deserves attention. Anyone wishing to base his/her investment decisions on solid methodology needs to read this book. You will have a much clearer understanding of markets, and your investment decisions will be firmly rooted in proven soil.

I highly recommend this book for everyone.

Alexander Petrochenkov

A diamond in the rough!
Only available in paperback, no fancy artwork on the cover, no glowing reviews by a big time newspaper publisher, no forward by a prestigious luminary, even the editing is second rate.In a word, this is a rough book.

However, when it comes to content, this book is loaded as the author does not include a lot of fluff or selfish stories about himself.However, the author is obviously very well read, because he includes numerous references to plently of other investing books.Some may conclude it's a value investing book, but growth investing is covered as well.

So, what this book presents is a careful and comprehensive distillation of just about everything commonly available on the subject of investing.Also included are numerous clever stories which illustrate important investment truths and strategies and a recognition that a lot of what the mass media presents is almost worthless for somebody wishing to become an investor.

Make the most of risk-calculated investment
Becoming An Investor: Building Wealth By Investing In Stocks, Bonds, And Mutual Funds is a straightforward primer to the basics of conservative financial investment specifically written for the novice investor seeking to establish a profitable portfolio. From evaluating risks and ratios to diversifying to improve one's margin of safety, just about everything a beginning investor must know is included. For anyone considering putting their money to work for them, Becoming An Investor is urgently recommended, essential reading for participants in today's volatile stock and bond markets in order to help them to make the most of their risk-calculated investment activities. ... Read more

Product Description
Explains what affects share prices, how to avoid unnecessary risks and how to trade on the stock market. ... Read more

Product Description
New investors can fall into some dangerous traps.If you are new to the stock market, if you need a refresher course in investing basics, or if you are an employee of a corporation that manages its own profit sharing stock plan, thiseasy-to-use reference guide on everything from research to mutual funds can help you.It provides a basic education on stocks, investing, and the way the market works. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

good idea - bad book
I bought this book yesterday and I am taking it back today. I am pretty new to investing (maybe 10 trades in all) and even I found errors and misleading statements right from the start. For example, this book describes both bonds and blue chip stocks as investments that will never lose value, which is absolutely not true.

Here are some other misleading quotes:

"Stocks by default provide higher returns than mutual funds since management fees are not levied on stock owners." In reality, many mutual funds actually exceed the returns of particular stocks, even when the management fees are taken into consideration.

"If your stock is worth more now than what you paid for it, then you have realized a capital gain." In fact, you have not realized anything until you actually sell the stock at its increased value.

In both of these examples, I think I understand what the author was getting at, but the statements are so misleading or vague that they seem dangerous, especially for beginners. And the book is chock-full of these statements. A book if this kind seems like such a great idea, it's too bad this one tried but failed to deliver what the beginner probably really needs.

Not bad.
The best part of this book is it's simplicity.The author was able to put aside enough of the technical jargon that most brokers love to repeat after each other to intimidate us artistically inclined creatures.

Another aspect I love is how concise and to the point everything is in this book.It was capable of clearing away the mystery of investing.My attitude has changed from a Las Vegas casino view of the stock market to one of respect for the market.

I went ahead and opened an account with an online broker, followed some basic principles and am doing okay.No, I'm not a tycoon.I just invest a little at a time for the long haul.

In a word, this book provides enough horse sense to get you started on the road to understanding investments.

Easy to read, user friendly, great for beginners.
This book has all the basics you need to know about the stock market, from options to IPOs.It is indeed a great book for beginners, especially if you don't know much about all the investmentterms.However, if you lookfor actual stockplays and case studies, look for another book.

great primer!
I am not a big fan of nonfiction reading, but this book was quick and easy to read. It has information on just about everything to answer all of your stock questions. I would definitely recommend it to any novice who wants toget started in the stock market.

I knew nothing and now I'm encouraged to go on learning.
As a true beginner, I knew NOTHING of P/E ratios, stop orders, NAV, and all of the terms that intimidated me when trying an online brokerage for the first time.This book gave me enough info to convince me that I can dothis.More reading will be required, though. ... Read more

Product Description
An accessible introduction to the proven method of value investing

An ardent follower of Warren Buffett-the most high-profile value investor today-author Charles Mizrahi has long believed in the power of this proven approach. Now, with Getting Started in Value Investing, Mizrahi breaks down this successful strategy so that anyone can learn how to use it in his or her own investment endeavors. Written in a straightforward and accessible style, this book helps readers gain an overall understanding of the value approach to investing and presents statistics that reveal the overwhelming success of this approach through a variety of markets. Engaging and informative, Getting Started in Value Investing skillfully shows readers how to look for undervalued companies and provides them with the tools they need to succeed in today's markets.

Charles S. Mizrahi (Brooklyn, NY) is Managing Partner of CGM Partners Fund LP. He is also editor of Hidden Values Alert, a monthly newsletter focused on value investing. Mizrahi has more than 25 years of investment experience and is frequently quoted in the press. Many of his articles appear online at gurufocus.com as well as on other financial sites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Greatest Investing Book Ever Written
This is without a doubt the greatest book on investing ever written, and I have read all the books out there.This is up there with the Intelligent Investor, One Up on Wall Street, Value Investing, and the Little Book that Beats the Market.Charles Mizrahi has just given free advice that could be worth billions.All you have to do is listen to his advice, do your homework, and have the emotional discipline to hold on for the ride.Charles Mizrahi is an experienced investor, student of value investing, and now he is in my opinion one of the greatest teachers of the value investing strategy for long term success.I highly recommend you join his investing newsletter at HiddenValueAlerts.com.Thank you, Mr. Mizrahi.

Great book!
This is a book that everyone can understand and enjoy. It lays out the basics of value investing, but with enough meat (quotes, case studies, etc.) to keep already educated value investors happy.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about value investing.

Value investing in a nutshell
Value investing is so simple, yet so few people follow it. The author says that if milk normally sells for $1.49, no one would buy it if it sold for $4.99, but people would double up if it sold for $0.79. That's all value investing is about. But with milk, people understand value.

The author recommends an investment strategy followed by Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger. Buy good companies that are run by intelligent managers and that are selling at reasonable prices. To assess whether a company is good, investors need to look for companies that earn high returns on equity and possess competitive advantages. The management has to be good at allocating capital because simply placing earnings at the bank will not produce sufficient returns for shareholders. And finally, the stock of the company must be trading below its intrinsic value. Overpaying for a company is one of the fastest ways to lose money even if the company is great. This book educates readers about the most logical investment philosophy there is.

- Mariusz Skonieczny, author of Why Are We So Clueless about the Stock Market? Learn how to invest your money, how to pick stocks, and how to make money in the stock market

Getting Started in Value Investing
Great beginners book to value investing. It gives goodexamples of why value investing is the most logical way to invest.

Perhaps a 5-star for the right reader
It is hard for me to rate this book. Most of the material was a review for me from my previous readings. Much of it was too basic to be of any use. However,I strongly recommend it for beginner investors or for investors with little familiarity with value investing. Mizrahi's writing is clear and is a nice combination of qualitative and quantitative factors that investors must consider. If you enjoy Peter Lynch's books, you will like this one even more.

If you are a more advanced investor, I strongly recommend Greenwald's Value Investing, which is probably the best book I have read on investing so far.
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Product Description
Green stocks present unprecedented money-making opportunities. But in this emerging field you've got to know what you're doing. In this revised and updated edition of his essential guide to environmental stocks, financial consultant and contributor to The Motley Fool Jack Uldrich provides a roadmap to socially responsible riches. Profiling 100 leading green companies, he also zeroes in on the newest investment options in renewables--from solar and wind power to green building and fuel cells.

Green technology is more than just a passing fad--it's the next big thing for the U.S. energy industry. Don't be left behind as environmental stocks surge forward. With Jack Uldrich's help, plant the seeds of your green portfolio today and watch your bottom line grow! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Waste
Where is Rachel Carson now that we need her? The book is little more than a laundry list of public companies offering green products or services. There is absolutely nothing unique or incisive here. Don't waste your green. Reread Silent Spring.

Not just for green!
This book on investing is so different from others I've read - in the best of ways.The author gives valuable information on how to select companies that are applicable to investments of any kind - not just green companies.I got more than I looked for when I bought this.

Starting point for investment ideas
I wanted to read this book because President Obama is making significant changes to our energy policy, and I thought that it would be beneficial to read a book on green investing. I really like the structure of the book. The author writes about the "green" industry, which includes subfields such as solar, biofuels, or wind power. He makes his case of why he thinks that there are growth opportunities and then lists companies within that industry. Each company listed gets a short description, reasons to be bullish, and reasons to be bearish. I absolutely love this book because it gives me a starting point for investment ideas. But, it is only a starting point.I would never recommend anyone buying stocks based just on the information in this book without doing more research.

- Mariusz Skonieczny, author of Why Are We So Clueless about the Stock Market? Learn how to invest your money, how to pick stocks, and how to make money in the stock market

Good company information
I just read this for the solar chapter, but found the company information quite good. Thank you.

Great introductory to green investment
I'm an experienced investor and found this book useful as an overview of the state of green investing. The advice seems objective and fair.
SW ... Read more

Product Description
The Guide for Penny Stock Investing is a book dedicated to the experienced and novice investor who wants to invest in penny stocks. The book offers the investment and trading strategies used by the author and other experienced penny stock traders. The book uncovers the rules that investors and traders need to learn before they can hope to capitalize on the opportunities offered by penny stocks. And since the book is written as a practical educational manual you will have the opportunity to learn concrete investment and trading strategies. You will be given real life examples explaining and supporting the various strategies in this useful book. You will read about stocks that delivered returns of over 1000% in less than a year. You will be given forward-looking strategies to help you find stocks with the potential to increase upwards of 500% in a given period.

Penny stock investing by nature has the potential to produce outstanding returns for those who take the time to study and practice. This book contains all the information you will need to succeed in one of the most challenging and rewarding fields in the investment arena. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

Poorly Written and Edited
I don't know how you can trust this book if you are looking to invest in penny stocks. It is very poorly written and edited. There are incomplete sentences and statements that make NO sense in just the first ten pages! How on earth does this author manage to sell this when it is full of obvious errors?

Penny Stock Book
The book was very interesting....yes, you have to put up with a some grammar and spelling errors, but, the information within is great. It is more like he is having a one sided conversation with you. I liked it.

It definately helped me understand socks better and will help me with researching and buying both penny and regular stocks.

Good Information, but poor editing
I appreciate the information that this book provides.Lowy provides a number of good strategies for how to invest in penny stocks that will allow a diligent reader to invest wisely.I especially appreciate his warnings about the pump and dump strategies used by others to take advantage of new penny stock investors.I would rate the book higher if the book was not full of editing errors.There a many typos and misspelled words, especially at the end of the book.Nevertheless, I am glad I read it.

Amazon's No Joke!
Just lettin anyone out there who may be a little skeptical about ordering things online that there nothing to be concernedabout with Amazon.com.I ordered a book and it was here in just a couple days and I will no doubt in the future order form them again!Jason and Ginger

OK
This is an okey book that I would not put much faith into.Tells other points of view, but nothing I would 100% follow. ... Read more

Product Description

“To buy when others are despondently selling and to sell when others are avidlybuying requires the greatest fortitude and pays the greatest ultimate rewards.”-Sir John Templeton

Called the “greatest stock picker of the century” by Money magazine, legendary fund manager Sir John Templeton is revered as one of the world's premiere value investors, widely known for pioneering global investing and out-performing the stock market over a five-decade span. Investing the Templeton Way provides a never-before-seen glimpse into Sir John's timeless principles and methods.

Beginning with a review of the methods behind Sir John's proven investment selection process, Investing the Templeton Way provides historical examples of his most successful trades and explains how today's investors can apply Sir John's winning approaches to their own portfolios. Detailing his most well-known principle investing at the point of maximum pessimism- this book outlines the techniques Sir John has used throughout his career to identify such points and capitalize on them.

Among the lessons to be learned:

• Discover how to keep a cool head when other investors overreact to bad news
• Become a bargain stock hunter like Sir John-buy the stocks emotional sellers wish to unload and sell them what they are desperate to buy
• Search worldwide to expand your bargain inventory
• Protect your portfolio from yourself through diversification
• Rely on quantitative versus qualitative reasoning when it comes to selecting stocks
• Adopt a virtuous investment strategy that will endure in all market conditions

Customer Reviews (14)

Great value
This book is easy read on one of the world's best stock pickers. Readers gain insight from Sir John Templeton's background.I really like the chapter on how he shorted the techonolgy bubble using an IPO lock up strategy.

An Expert's Account of a Successful Investing Career
"I'm approaching my 95th birthday," Sir John Templeton, the great old investor writes in the foreword to the new book about his methods put together by his great-niece (Investing the Templeton Way). The short foreword has some words of advice. One that stuck with me: "Throughout history, people have focused too little on the opportunities that problems present in investing and in life in general."

I find that the stories of great investors are like wells of inspiration. Anytime I'm feeling down or defeated, I read over the wisdom and experience of some great investor and my spirits lift. It works as well as two pints of beer.

If anyone knows about the relationship between trouble and profits, it's Templeton.

Templeton spent in his young adult years in the Great Depression, which surely left its marks on his psyche - as it did on many others'. Templeton, for instance, paid cash for his first house. He never had a mortgage and never borrowed money to buy a car. These thrifty attitudes carried over to his investing style. He gravitated toward cheap stocks. As a result, he was a buyer during the Great Depression, when most people wanted nothing to do with stocks.

Templeton picked up many steals. For instance, he bought shares of Missouri Pacific Railroad for 12.5 cents per share, selling them some years later for $5 per share. He had many other successes.

But out of all that, Templeton's fame may rest more on the fact that he was something of a pioneer when it came to investing overseas. The early success of his Templeton Growth Fund in the 1950s and later was, in part, due to his early identification of overseas opportunities.

Among those was Japan, a market he rode to great riches - and which he got out of before it all fell apart in the late 1980s. He first invested there after World War II.

Templeton liked to invest when there were few interested buyers, during times of "maximum pessimism," as he liked to say.

In his foreword, Templeton wrote, "The 21st century offers great hope and glorious promise, perhaps a new golden age of opportunity." He can say that because where he sees problems, he also sees opportunity. I see lots of problems today, too... and many opportunities. Japan's small-cap market is just one interesting possibility."

Review by a writer for Agora Financial, publisher of economic and financial analysis including Financial Reckoning Day Fallout: Surviving Today's Global Depression, The New Empire of Debt: The Rise and Fall of an Epic Financial Bubble, and I.O.U.S.A.: One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt.

How to stay in the will
This is the most vacuuous investment book I have read. The authors manage to pack about 4 pages of content into 240 pages of text. The remainder is tedious padding that reads as a ploy by the authors to curry favour with the book's subject. The constant reference to 'Uncle John' is but one, albeit the most egregious, example of the authors' desire to genuflect in front of the great man rather than analyse him. Advice such as when Uncle John recommends a stock you should buy it is hardly illuminating.

This is a great shame as his track-record is extraordinary and some attempt at insight would have been powerful. Templeton's core investment themes include being analytical, distancing yourself from emotion and seeking out value - apply those to the buy/don't-buy decision for this book and steer clear.

Had to work very hard to get through the writing
Good information about the forces which shaped a great investing mind, but I'll hazard a guess the writers could've shortened the book by 20% if they had tried using "him", "his" or "he" instead of "Uncle John". I had to grit my teeth through whole chapters to finish - seriously - read the first several pages and understand this style of tedium persists throughout the text.

The Investment Book for Our Time
The Money Magazine has called the late Sir John Templeton "the greatest stock picker of the century". Indeed, this is the investment book for our time, for 2009 and 2010 or possibly beyond just as long as we are in deep recession. Sir John's most well-known principle is "investing at the point of maximum pessimism", which is now. Sir John has had the most success when purchasing stocks priced far too low in relation to their intrinsic worth. As Sir John put it, "To buy when others are despondently selling and to sell when others are avidly buying requires the greatest fortitude and pays the greatest ultimate reward". Sir John also said that the best time to "buy is when there's blood in the street". Sir John was once asked how to identify the point of maximumm pessimism . His answer is that the point was reached when there were no more buyers left in the market, and the sellers were about to take control. That point was reached on 10 March 2000, when the NASDAC hits its all-time high of 5,132. In addition, throughout his career in investment, Sir John had searched the world over for the best bargain stocks available. Research shows that a stock portfolio with investments around the world is likely to yield, in the long run,a higher return at lower level of volatility than will a simple, diversified single-nation portfolio. Diversification should be the cornerstone of any investment program. In short, Sir John's approach is threefold: (1). Be price conscious - buy bargain; (2). Focus on the long term outlook and (3). Don't pay attention to the short term outlook knowing that most bargains are created when the near term outlookis poor to clouded. Digest this book and you will never again be afraid of recession. ... Read more

Product Description

“A guide that will turn readers into smart and savvy investors.  Appel, author of several successful books on investing and editor of the leading technical analysis publication Systems and Forecasts, offers readers even more hot investment tips in his latest offering. Here, he shows readers how to read and recognize the economic climate, and demonstrates how to invest accordingly. After teaching how to understand the character of the market, Appel offers tried-and-true strategies that will help you make high-return, low-risk investments using mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and real investment trusts. He also provides solid advice on how to invest in foreign markets, taking advantage of often overlooked investment opportunities abroad. Investments in real estate, precious metals and other commodities also receive coverage, and Appel offers useful web resources for further research. The author has more than 40 years of experience, and his love of teaching the trade is conveyed through his enthusiasm and thorough explanations.  Both amateurs and experienced investors who are looking for a competitive edge will appreciate this information-packed guide to making wise investments in any economic climate.”  --Kirkus Reports

In Opportunity Investing, you are shown which investments provide the best returns in varying economic climates, how to recognize and take advantage of investment opportunities overseas as well as investment opportunities within the United States. Specific strategies for identifying the strongest mutual funds and stock market sectors are provided, as well as strategies for periods when interest rates either rise or fall. Tools are provided to identify periods when stocks and/or other investment options are likely to advance, periods when market outlooks are more cloudy, and strategies that suggest changes in portfolio allocation that may be made accordingly. Other areas discussed include real estate, precious metals and other commodities, and investments that bring in high and steady levels of income.

Customer Reviews (5)

Shows there is always a bull market somewhere
This book does an outstanding job explaining how to use different investment vehicles at the right time to find opportunities and achieve results. The author advises to only take on appropriate risk for your situation, diversify, buy your investments for a good value, and stick with your winners. He explains the proper use of open and close ended mutual funds, REITs, ETFs, commodity mutual funds, gold, stocks and bonds. High inflation? Invest in commodity and natural resource mutual funds. Moderate inflation? Stay in the stock market. Deflation? Go to investment grade intermediate and long-term bonds. This book is packed with strategies so you can become your own investment advisor by seeing opportunities no matter what the economic environment. I highly recommend.

A Step beyond Asset Allocation and Annual Rebalancing
For all of us that are interested in taking a more active role in our investments, the processes in this book are a good next step.There is a rare balance of acceptance of risk and potential gain in the author's suggested quarterly re-allocation method.The method is not a "read the market" approach, which virtually no one can do consistently, if at all.It is rather a method to use recent fund performance as a purchase / reallocation guideline for short periods of time (as in quarterly).It is definitely not for everyone, because of the quarterly attention required.A very good incremental step in a maturing investor's education.

Important Investment Guide for the Novice and Expert alike
Being a financial advisor, I've come across books that range from the very basic to the ridiculous.

Appel's book, although more conventional then his previous titles, lays out a comprehensive, although extremely practical and relevant strategy for 1) understanding how the markets both stocks and bonds work and 2) giving the investor various options to use that although do involve time and some monitoring, provide a solid blue-print step by step guide that will allow them to more intelligently invest with their hard-earned assets while reducing risk where possible.

Moreover, the combination of fundamental and technical analysis in security selection allows the investor to capitalize on both areas of the market that are affected by emotional factors (external events) but also takes advantage of proven technical and analytical strategies that in the long-haul will give the investor above market gains.

Highly recommended.

Practical Investing Guide for Self-directed Investors
Gerald Appel is a well-known author, technical analyst (and developer of the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator) who has written a practical guide to investing while dispelling a number of Wall Street myths on along the way.His book's purpose is to help readers who have limited time on their hands become active intelligent investors, as well as to help those individuals who are willing to put in more time and effort.

In the book, Appel covers specifically which vehicles to invest in, the timing of the buys and sells, and how to construct a portfolio that is diversified and balanced based on the individual's age and financial situation.Throughout the book, he stresses the importance of active, informed, self-directed investing instead of the out-of-date and risky buy and hold approach which "may or may not service investors purposes in the future."

The author suggests that investors focus not only on the U.S. stock market, but also on the overseas markets. He recommends investing in U.S. stocks, bonds, and money market instruments, as well as the more unfamiliar foreign bonds and stocks, real estate, and investments in foreign countries.

Appel kicks off the book covering the myth of why buy and hold is not a risk-free investment strategy compared to active management. He shows that by using a few indicators such as the NASDAQ/NYSE ratio, direction of interest rates, public sentiment, and the Best Six Months Strategy (buy at end of October and sell in May and go into cash until next October) that investors can reduce their risk and obtain decent investment performance. For example, by using the NASDAQ/NYSE relative strength ratio with a 10 dma crossover signal, according to Appel it is possible to beat the market's performance with about half the risk.

In another chapter, the author compares three diversified mutual fund portfolios showing how different market segments work well together to reduce risk and improve returns.He covers the basics of how to select the best mutual funds by providing the most important characteristics to consider for the long run.Furthermore, he illustrates how to pick funds that are in the top decile of performance.

Appel devotes a separate chapter to income investing suggesting short-term bonds with high credit ratings, and current interest flow.In a section on maximizing safety he mentions T-bills, money market accounts, and setting up a bond ladder with wide diversification.He also reviews what to focus on for maximum potential returns, as well as balancing risk and return.A follow-on chapter reviews the keys to securing junk bond yields at Treasury bond risk levels.Another chapter reviews investing in REITs while another covers investing abroad using open-end and closed-end funds as well asETFs.

Appel favors ETFs as a new way to invest replacing the typical mutual funds.He contrasts the pros and cons of ETFs, the different ETF categories, and how to create and maintain a diversified portfolio.He provides three specific sample portfolios for different types of investors.

The author's market timing approach encompasses both fundamental and technical analysis.On the fundamental side he reviews the P/E ratio, bond yields, earnings yields and provides guidance on how to interpret the readings. On the technical side, he discusses the four year and presidential election market cycles, advance decline line, and new high new low breadth indicator.

Overall, Appel provides readers with a time-tested practical approach to take control of their investments.For those readers that prefer investing using their own skills this book will provide and excellent plan for moving ahead and succeeding.

Good book
Really like this book. Covers sector rotation, etf's, how to position yourself to profit regardless of the market. Good, usable information. Yes it is backtested info. Use at your own risk. I like it! ... Read more

Product Description

More than one million hardcovers sold
Now available for the first time in paperback!

The Classic Text Annotated to Update Graham's Timeless Wisdom for Today's Market Conditions

The greatest investment advisor of the twentieth century, Benjamin Graham taught and inspired people worldwide. Graham's philosophy of "value investing" -- which shields investors from substantial error and teaches them to develop long-term strategies -- has made The Intelligent Investor the stock market bible ever since its original publication in 1949.

Over the years, market developments have proven the wisdom of Graham's strategies. While preserving the integrity of Graham's original text, this revised edition includes updated commentary by noted financial journalist Jason Zweig, whose perspective incorporates the realities of today's market, draws parallels between Graham's examples and today's financial headlines, and gives readers a more thorough understanding of how to apply Graham's principles.

Vital and indispensable, this HarperBusiness Essentials edition of The Intelligent Investor is the most important book you will ever read on how to reach your financial goals.

Since it was first published in 1949, Graham's investment guide has sold over a million copies and has been praised by such luminaries as Warren E. Buffet as "the best book on investing ever written." These accolades are well deserved. In its new form--with commentary on each chapter and extensive footnotes prepared by senior Money editor, Jason Zweig--the classic is now updated in light of changes in investment vehicles and market activities since 1972. What remains is a better book. Graham's sage advice, analytical guides, and cautionary tales are still valid for the contemporary investor, and Zweig's commentaries demonstrate the relevance of Graham's principles in light of 1990s and early twenty-first century market trends. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (182)

Timeless Investing Advice
This book is timeless. It's the one title that Warren Buffett continuously holds up as the guidepost for his success as an investor. I personally found the updated notes and interpretations a little more accessible. Ben Graham is from a different era and decidedly speaks/writes with the style of bygone days. Far from being quaint, in the context of investing, that actually makes him a little hard to follow. That's not to say his advice is any less useful. Which is where the updates come in. Jason Zweig does an excellent job of taking Graham's timeless wisdom and interpreting it for us.

what else do you need to invest?
If you are into investing you only need 2 books. This and common stocks and uncommon profits.

the intelligent investor
Well worth the read. Well written, easy to understand and still very relevant in today's investment climate.

great tutorial
Excellent book full of really helpful info,especially for the beginner. I would recomment this book to anyone wanting to learn
about investing in the stock market.

What a treasure of knowledge
One of my favorite books on investing. I actually enjoy the commentary at the end of every chapter. It shows how the previous chapter pertains to the current times. ... Read more

Product Description
An up-to-date guide to the complex world of equities

Getting Started in Stock Investing and Trading walks investors and traders through the essential information they need to know before they decide what kind of participant they want to be in equities. The book is filled with the key strategies and tools and offers a comprehensive guide for those entering this marketplace. The author does not argue that one method is better or more appropriate than another. Rather, he reveals the various methods and lets investors decide for themselves. The book covers investment risks, value investing, market strategies, trading methods such as day and swing trading, technical indicators, and diversifying your portfolio, and

• Offers a thorough overview of strategies and tools that investors need to profit from the volatile equities markets
• Provides examples, charts, and timely additions that reflect recent changes in the equities markets

Other titles by Thomsett: Getting Started in Bonds and eight editions of Getting Started in Options. This book is another title in The Getting Started series, which makes complex issues easy to understand. ... Read more

Product Description
Why bother giving a kid a book they won t read? I'm A Shareholder is totally different. Awarded the NAPPA Honors in the Parent Resource category, it's colorful (full vivid colors), it's fun, and it's the ONLY kids book/kit meant to be coupled with owning stock. The kit includes a coupon for $10 OFF their 1st share of stock.Whether it is a single share of stock from GiveAshare.com or stock held in a brokerage account, this award-winning book along with the experiences that come with true stock ownership breaks through the clutter to teach kids about the stock market and managing money. Each mailing from THEIR company becomes a learning opportunity: a dividend check, an annual report, a gift to shareholders, or an invitation to a company's shareholder meeting. I'm A Shareholderguides the reader through the whole experience in an entertaining way that teaches skills that will benefit for a lifetime. The innovative book was made possible by a collaboration between subject matter experts, educators, illustrators, and of course, KIDS. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great resource for teaching kids about financial literacy
Written very well and in language that anyone can understand.

I initially bought this book for my 13 year old daughter, but after reading it, I passed it on to my 16 year old daughter too.She will be heading off to college in a year and a half and its recently struck me that she has a lot to learn about living on her own, not the least of which is how to manage her money responsibly. Although she balked at reading it at first (since it was recommended by her mom), once she got started she found it interesting and we had some great dinner discussions!She hasn't purchased a stock yet, but I've told her we can use the coupon that came with the book and pick out something she's interested in to get her started.

Great way to teach kids about money and stocks!
This kit is a fun way to teach kids about money and stocks. The book is very colorful and easy to read, definitely not your ordinary paperback boring book that you can't get your kids to read.The book not only explains what it means to be a shareholder, but shows you! Because of this kit my son is so excited about the stock market and to "own" more companies (the kit came with a coupon for $10 off his next share of stock!)I would highly recommend the "I'm A Shareholder Kit" to anyone (young and old) to learn about the stock market, economics, managing money and investing. ... Read more

Product Description
There are many ways to make money in today’s market, but the one strategy that has truly proven itself over the years is value investing. Now, with The Little Book of Value Investing, Christopher Browne shows you how to use this wealth-building strategy to successfully buy bargain stocks around the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

Basic Thoughts and Ideas for Big Results
Christopher Browne of Tweedy, Browne fame just published a book called The Little Book of Value Investing. In it, he lays out some basic thoughts and ideas on how the aspiring investor may add to his financial breadbasket.

The book is in the Graham and Dodd tradition - espousing simple verities about the virtues of buying cheap stocks. It's like a little country store. But instead of polished apples and sweet corn, the shelves hold bags of polished wisdom and sweet dollops of moneymaking advice.

But what struck me, buried among the homespun maxims, was his emphasis on global investing.

Browne gleefully tells readers of his exploits kicking around in faraway markets. Like an eager traveler returning from his first look at the pyramids of Egypt or gazing up at the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, Browne talks about the glories of picking up cheap stocks in Japan, South Korea and Switzerland.

In the late 1990s, free-spirited investors could find Japanese homebuilders, media companies and textile mills selling for less than the cash on their books. In 2003, Browne uncovered a Swiss conglomerate loaded with valuable assets - real estate, a sheet metal business, a sporting goods division and more. The stock traded for only one-half of an understated book value. In two years, the stock doubled. He writes about Dae Han Flour Mills of South Korea, which he picked up for one-third of book value.

This is merely a small sample of Browne's profit-laden travelogue. A globe-trotting treasure hunter, Browne spends considerable ink on the rationale behind global investing, understanding foreign accounting, what to make of foreign currencies and more.

But for all the convoluted reasons others often offer up for investing in foreign stocks, Browne offers one that's crystal clear: "If you expand your horizons to all the developed countries of the world," he writes, "you can double your chances of finding cheap stocks."

To dispel any fears of putting one's hard-earned dough in some flighty company glued together with matchsticks, Browne offers another basic, yet compelling, observation.

When you rank the top 20 companies in the world by sales, you find 12 of them maintain headquarters in Europe or Asia. "The world's largest oil company is based in the United Kingdom [BP]," Browne writes. "And three of the five largest auto manufacturers are found in Germany and Japan."

Browne is a man who follows his own recipes. Today, his firm, Tweedy, Browne, is finding bargains overseas. Of the $14 billion in assets it manages, about 70% of the pile is in international stocks. And about a third of that is in small companies with market caps of $5 billion or less. Among his current favorite spots are South Korea, Japan and Mexico.

Review by a writer for Agora Financial, publisher of economic and financial analysis including Financial Reckoning Day Fallout: Surviving Today's Global Depression, The New Empire of Debt: The Rise and Fall of an Epic Financial Bubble, and I.O.U.S.A.: One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt.

An Excellent Primer on Value Investing
This book provides a distilled education in value investing from one of the more accomplished practioners of the art. Browne argues that value investing consists of few a solid principles that can be implemented by anyone with an average IQ. He breaks value investing down into a few quantitative and qualitative steps.This consists of searching for companies where you can in essence buy a dollar for sixty cents while buying earnings on the cheap. Once you find these companies he explains how to evaluate their balance sheets and P&Ls. Following this quantitative filtering he provides a series of qualitative questions to further evaluate potential investment opportunities. He goes on to explain the benefits of looking beyond the US for investment opportunities and then imparts a dose of investing wisdom and some contrarian thoughts on portfolio management which I found highly refreshing. I think this book might serve as a good adjoining text to Joes Greenblatt's ROIC-earnings yield strategy, if you're otherwise sensibly uncomfortable with picking stocks from a screen without any further due diligence, which by the way, Browne strongly counsels against, and which he describes as a recipe for disaster.

The only reason I'm not giving this book five stars is because to date I have followed a successful passive indexed based investment strategy with a focus on asset allocation, ala William Bernstein.However, I've been thinking of devoting a small portion of my portfolio to individual stocks which is why I decided to read Browne's excellent little book.

Valueless investing
This little book might possibly be of some value to someone but I found it to be very superficial treatment of an important topic.One of the few investment books I would gladly loan without expectation of a return.

Value Investing in Simple English
Value investing, in my opinion, is the most logical way of investing. This investment style is very simple to understand yet so few investors and professional money managers follow it. Value investing boils down to these principles:

* Buy stocks when they are on sale
* Know the value to determine if the stock is on sale
* Invest long-term because it's a marathon, not a sprint

The authors did an excellent job of describing this style of investing to readers. Some of the most successful investors, such as Warren Buffett, practiced value investing for decades. If it worked for them, it should at least be considered by other investors.

- Mariusz Skonieczny, author of Why Are We So Clueless about the Stock Market? Learn how to invest your money, how to pick stocks, and how to make money in the stock market

Good Introduction to Investing
This book was an easy read that introduced the concepts of value investing very well.It will open up a lot of possibilities for those who take notes.If the reader does not know a single thing about stocks this book will have some concepts that will take some time and practice before fully understanding them. That is why I would recommend getting another book that defines stock market terms and concepts in a beginner's format in conjunction with this one.There are some websites online, such as ABOUT.COM that offers a helpful "class" on stocks that will be most beneficial.

I thought this was an outstanding book for the beginner investor to help them establish good trading habits early on, but will leave them wanting more.To become truly successful at trading, more care and education will be necessary.In no way was this a magic book of knowledge that will leave the reader capable of making millions overnight, which, by the way, isn't what this book is about.

This book is HIGHLY recommended for the beginner investor, and recommended for the intermediate investor. ... Read more

Product Description

THE BUSINESSWEEK, USA TODAY, AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BUSINESS BESTSELLER!

The bestselling guide to buying stocks, from the founder of Investor's Business Daily­­now completely revised and updated

When it was first published, How to Make Money in Stocks hit the investing world like a jolt, providing readers with the first in-depth explanation of William J. O'Neil's innovative CAN SLIM investing method. Five years later, O'Neil, founder for the industry icon Investor's Business Daily, revised his classic text and provided readers with a newer glimpse on how the average investor can make money in the equities market.

This third edition of How to Make Money in Stocks has been revised and updated with new chapters designed to help investors increase their performance.

Like his international bestselling 24 Essential Lessons for Investment Success, which stayed on international business bestseller lists for close to 6 months in 2000, How to Make Money in Stocks is the best reference for the individual investor in how to stay afloat and ahead in the rocky and volatile equities markets of the 21st century.

Those new to investing would do well to read this book beforeembarking, and even more seasoned traders may find How to MakeMoney in Stocks a refreshing return to basics. Markets may swingbull and bear, but O'Neil promises to stand firm. --DemianMcLean ... Read more

Customer Reviews (226)

So So
I found this book misleading and mostly unhelpful. I felt compelled to write a review that balances out the bogus 5 star reviews planted by the author or publisher.

It's not all bad, but essentially, it comes down to:
1) Buy only newer innovating growth stocks where earnings have been increasing 50% each quarter (Well gee that is so easy to find)
2) Avoid solid blue-chip companies paying dividends.
3) Use chart formations to figure out when to buy. He provides examples of chart formations but does not provide any interpretation as to why they work. Also, looking at his example charts, the chart patterns he points out are not always clear cut and obvious. In fact, sometimes on the same chart there will be a similar formation and it makes me wonder, "Well why not buy over here instead? How are these two patterns fundamentally different?"
3) Sell all losers at 7% or 8%
4) Don't use limit orders.
5) Stay out of the market during bear markets.
6) Buy near the stock price high.

He goes through lists of stocks that increased hundreds of percents, but so what? Hindsight can always produce stock charts like this. The first 100 pages are stock charts of various companies from the 20's-80s that doubled or tripled in a few years. Supposedly we are supposed to study these to see how chart formations produce winners. And how often do these chart formations show up? He provides no answers, but it appears to be infrequently, especially when he shows a chart spanning 5 years.

Overall, his system seems to lead to stocks that are "Hot" at the time. Stocks that tend to have big swings up and down such as Apple (which he mentions in several places in this book).

Probably the only solid piece of advice is the stop loss, but these can be problematic at times, especially for volatile growth stocks that he recommends. Supposedly buying at the 'right time' with the right chart formation will virtually never hit your stop loss since almost always it runs up 20% from there, but it appears those lovely chart formations don't show up too often.

Oneil doesn't provide proof (brokerage statements, or trade confirmations) that he has actually made money using his own "system."

He loses credibility when he says to stay away from options because they are too risky. If used properly, options can be safer than buying the actual stock.

This book is like 450 pages and it could be condensed to about 200 if he would cut out a lot of the fluff.

He pushes the services of Investors Business Daily so much, I was thinking that I should have gotten the book for free for all the advertising I was exposed to.

Sound Advice
The book offers a clear system for stock selection and disposal.It is indeed a fascinating read.However, it contains too much information to allow the read to remember and apply all of it.

There are other successful investing systems.The key is to apply the appropriate system to a particular stock.

"How to Make Money in Stocks" does offer stellar warnings.One must be highly disciplined to succeed.One must let the market dictate when to buy and sell.One needs to ignore wishful thinking and sentimentality.These warnings apply to all systems of investing and trading, and therefore the prerequisite in implementing any system.

The book does not measure up to how professional traders trade
This book is really basic and it will help you get an understanding on how to buy and sell stocks. However, advanced or even mid-level subjects are not covered at all. Trading is not that simple. Don't let anybody fool you. So you need to study and learn from traders like Ed Seykota, Linda Raschke, Toby Crabel. These are professional traders. Check on EBAY if there is anything for sale from them. Buy it. Study them. They dont have time to write books because trading is their job. So yes, this book is ok primer, then move on to study the real traders

Outstanding.
This is my second reading (the other was the 2nd edition) of How to Make Money in Stocks within two weeks. What is different this time is that I made extensive notes from each chapter and typed them up. Now, I will begin studying the CAN SLIM system and start applying them to see if it works. The biggest improvement of this book from the 2nd edition is the introduction of Investor's Business Daily newspaper and website and how they work. I just recently enrolled myself for a free trial for both, and I like the website but haven't received a copy of the paper yet. So far, I really like the book, and I can see the wisdom contained within the book. I haven't yet begun buying stocks on a full-scale because I want to be a student of the market first in order to arm myself with necessary knowledge and tools. All in all, I am glad to have discovered How to Make Money in Stocks the first time around at a cheap price which was a buck and the more I read the book, the more informative it is.

A comprehensive (and demonstraby successful) investment approach - beyond mere stock screening
The CANSLIM stock investing methodology outlined in "How to Make Money in Stocks" is a time tested method that incorporates how the equity (stock) market(s) really work - for the passive, minority, outside investor. It is a 80/20 approach (with William O'Neil's approach, proprietary metrics and tools you can achieve 80% of the success with 20% of the effort) and explicitly rides the coattails of the market (read and react - don't fight/argue with the market). This system *IS* designed for the individual investor and small professional investor - I'm not sure it would scale for $250 million portfolios and above (but I'm not sure that it wouldn't either).

CANSLIM is part fundamental (here earnings growth is the primary focus), part structural, part timing/technical and part money/risk management (this part is **crucial** to investment success). The vast amount of other investing books will typically provide only a screening/selection approach, but "How to Make Money in Stocks" provides a comprehensive investment approach including stock selection, portfolio composition, selling criteria and money/risk management.

In short - buy stocks that have a reason to go up (a new product/management catalyst, a leading stock in one of the top 20% of the 196 IBD industry groups, strong earnings growth (>25%), solid Return on Equity (> 17%), reasonable leverage, etc.) when the stock is poised to breakout (strong and increasing institutional shareholder support, has outperformed at least 80% of the market over the previous 52 weeks, the stock is consolidating after a price run-up and breaks-out on trading volume that is significantly higher than the average trading volume over the last 50 days, etc.) and finally - and this is important - scale into your positions, pyramid up in the first 5% or price appreciation and cut you losses when the stock moves against you at 7-8% from your purchase price - NO QUESTIONS/NO EXCUSES/NO RATIONALIZATION.

Check out the independent and unbiased American Association of Individual Investors [...]) - they have tracked the monthly performance of 56 stock screens since January 1998 (now 11+ years) and the CANSLIM screen is consistently in the top 3 screens with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) over that time in excess of 25%. While the AAII "recipe" for CANSLIM (and other screens for that matter)is a simplified approach and does not implement a strict constructionist approach (and contains buy rules only - no sell rules, just monthly re-screening - and no money/risk management techniques), it is an OUTSTANDING educational tool to learn about the pros and cons of the various stock screens and provides a starting point for anyone considering CANSLIM for their portfolios.

I personally have used CANSLIM with tremendous success since the late 1980s and participate in our local Meetup [...]) where we utilize the CANSLIM approach. While most people assume this approach generates outstanding returns in the go-go bull markets (and it does), it really earns its keep in the down markets by utilizing the 7-8% stop loss on a stock by stock basis as part of a concentrated portfolio. It was a financial life safer in 1999/2000 and again in 2008/2009. Value investors (mutual funds), by contrast, were obliterated in 2008 - down some 50-60%! If that great "margin of safety" doesn't pay off in that environment - when does it?!

This growth/momentum approach differs substantially from a valuation driven approach (e.g., the Morningstar 5-star system based Morningstar's estimate of "fair value" of the stock compared to its current stock price). But if you trade based only on your (or a 3rd-party's) estimate of fair value, be prepared for some roller-coaster rides. In fact, check out Morningstar's own performance of their 5-star ranking system for the 2,000+ stocks that they cover and for their tortoise and hare portfolio - it pales in comparison to CANSLIM. The valuation only approach is for full-time professionals only - and even then - only the best of the best have been able to produce reasonable returns over time. Like the choice embedded in the title of Ned Davis's book "Being Right or Making Money", CANSLIM allows you to make money, while the purist value investors will argue about "being right" with *their8 discounted cash flow calculations (if only the market marched to that tune).

And finally, yes, the book discusses the Investors Business Daily (IBD) newspaper (and of course, CANSLIM) as the IBD newspaper and associated website ([...]) have the tools to easily implement the CANSLIM methodology (SmartSelect(TM) ratings and other proprietary metrics). And William O'Neil is not just another financial author - he is a very successful investor, entrepreneur and financial data services provider.

I wholeheartedly endorse this book and methodology - and recommend it to EVERYONE who is considering investing directly in common stocks. Even if they pursue another style of investing, there are many excellent lessons to embrace from "How to Make Money in Stocks". ... Read more

Product Description
Strategies to uncover tomorrow's stock price leaders­­before the market bids them out of sight

Today's stock market is filled with highpotential companies that, for one reason or another, have slipped beneath the radar screens of analysts and money managers. The Streetsmart Guide to Overlooked Stocks outlines a simple yet effective approach for uncovering these outstanding opportunities ahead of the pack. It shows readers how to find investment

gems through:

• Fundamental research and management analysis
• Understanding underlying market trends
• Quantitative analysis of stock price value

This latest addition to McGraw-Hill's popular Streetsmart series provides indepth analyses of 30 actual companies that have remained a secret­­but are destined to be discovered. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

These stocks can generate fabulous returns
Too many times, mutual fund managers, brokers, and financial advisors recommend only the large-cap stocks which are widely known by the investment community. The author states that investors can benefit from holding overlooked stocks because they provide better potential returns. Good overlooked companies are well-managed firms in the earlier stages of a corporate life cycle compared to large capitalization companies. These smaller companies usually have the ability to react more quickly to customer needs and market changes because they have flatter management organizations. In addition, they usually have more insider ownership, thus aligning management's interests with shareholders. Finally, they are not as closely followed by Wall Street.

This book teaches readers how to find and evaluate these small treasures. I highly recommend this book to investors.

- Mariusz Skonieczny, author of Why Are We So Clueless about the Stock Market? Learn how to invest your money, how to pick stocks, and how to make money in the stock market

George Fisher does it again
Fisher follows up his first book, All About DRIPs and DSPs with this also superior investing book. Who would think of the consolidation of the water industry when deciding on a company to invest in? As usual Fisher's easy writing style and refreshing wit make the daunting task of investing more accessible to the little guy. ... Read more

Product Description
Praise for The Magnet® Method of Investing

"Rather than encouraging the scatter shot approach of broad diversification, Jordan focuses on the rifle-shot Magnet® method of identifying a limited number of quality stocks to improve your chances of beating the market."
—Sam Stovall, Chief Investment Strategist, Standard & Poor's Equity Research

"Jordan Kimmel is one of the brightest market observers out there, and he is certainly a rising star that will be an important person to follow marketwise for many years."
—Michael Burke, Coeditor, Investors Intelligence, Inc.

"Jordan Kimmel's The Magnet® Method of Investing is an amazing, detailed, and intuitive book. I especially enjoyed Jordan's insights into diversification, the inefficient market, and identifying stocks that are in their 'sweet spot.' Jordan's writing style is also very straightforward and refreshing. He succeeds in taking complicated subjects and explaining them in an insightful way. This is simply an incredible book that is a must-read for both beginning and serious investors."
—Louis G. Navellier, Chairman and founder, Navellier & Associates, Inc.

"The Magnet® Method of Investing examines investing from a different perspective than many investors often see, offering a unique alternative to diversification. Jordan Kimmel has analyzed the methods of the best investors through time and introduces his robust stock selection process."
—David M. Darst, CFA, Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist, Morgan Stanley Global Wealth Management Group

"We welcome Jordan's book as a valuable perspective on investing. The Wall Street Transcript applauds money managers like Jordan who explain their philosophies clearly, support them with research, and back them up with performance data. This is a great addition to any investing reading list."
—Andrew Pickup, Publisher and CEO, The Wall Street Transcript

"The Magnet® Method of Investing takes on the important issue of diversification, which has been oversold to Main Street. This is yet another example of the need to 'go against conventional thinking' if you want to achieve superior results."
—Stan Weinstein, Editor and Publisher, Global Trend Alert ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A variant of O'Neil's useless CANSLIM
What a disappointment! I bought this book after reading several 5-star reviews, but was shocked by how naive and shallow it is. The author on page 33 says that he "learned a tremendous amount from [William O'Neil's] studies." Indeed, you can see that the Magnet method is just a variant of O'Neil's CANSLIM method. Not that O'Neil's method is a good one to begin with; I think both methods are naive and useless.

The book is too verbose and repetitive. The first 3 to 4 chapters tell you nothing other than "diversification is bad." The author keeps repeating it until the reader kills himself out of boredom!
The "Magnet Method" is not described until chapter 11! And even then, it is not really described; "The Magnet Stock Selection Process is a proprietary approach..." p132 of chapter 11. So, no details at all are given; just general useless statements like "buy companies with good management" or "buy companies with high earnings growth."

The only thing I liked about the book is chapter 8 on the Baby Boomer generation and its impact (or lack there of) on the economy and financial markets. The data and analysis given in this chapter is very interesting and useful. That is the only reason I gave the book 2 stars instead of 1!

A sensible book for serious investors
Let me start out by saying I believe that low-cost index mutual funds remain the best choice for most investors; and that the large majority of people who set out to do better, fail. However, I also believe that it is possible for disciplined, intelligent, serious investors to do a bit better; and that little bit can add up to a significant edge over extended periods of time.

This is one of the few investment books that will help you if you choose the latter path. It sets out a sensible strategy based on fundamental analysis with an eye toward price movements. Pure fundamental analysis works on a Warren Buffet time-scale, but attention to price can help you get the value companies at the right times, so you don't have to wait 20 years to be proven right. Pure price movements can also eke out profits, but only if you have institutional market access.

Most books of this type concentrate on blue chip value, great companies at a good price. Magnet investing is more ambitious, finding companies somewhat earlier than the usual advice, with more growth potential but less certainty. This has several advantages. It's more fun. It allows you to get a significant advantage with a smaller portion of your portfolio. It lets you concentrate more on things you know about, and where there is less institutional attention. However, that also makes it riskier if you allocate the same fraction of your portfolio; and it means your skill at implementing it makes more difference.

I like some other things about this book. It's well-written. It gives a complete system, which is important to show the author has thought everything through and so you won't neglect an essential part. But it also explains the system so you can test it against your own knowledge and beliefs before betting your retirement on it. It gives evidence of how the system worked in the past, backed up by a long period of actual application, not just a theoretical backtest. The method is complete enough to give you an idea of how well it is likely to work, which is almost as important as working. Your investing success is determined not just by rate of return, but whether your financial plan is realistic enough to succeed with that return. Finally, the method is intellectually satisfying, which is both a virtue in itself, and makes it easier to stick to during inevitable market reverses.

You don't need this book to invest, and it won't make you rich quickly. I do not use the method myself, but I employ similar principles and I learned some useful enhancements from reading it. If you're going to be an active investor, this is a good choice for a guide. If you follow the system, and watch your costs (including taxes and hidden transaction costs like bid/ask spreads), you have every chance of achieving reasonable financial goals.

Common Sense Prevails!
This book is an easy read that provides you with the basic knowledge you need to make a good investment decision.His common sense approach to investing is one that more people should follow.This book is perfect for all levels of investors and a must read.

Amazing Results with this Book...
As a forty year stock trading veteran, I found this book to be the ONE that puts it all together... Great Wisdom, Great Knowledge...

Written by an actual investment professional that lives and dies with his system, Jordan Kimmel has out done himself. This book is loaded with real world examples that prove his process.

Clearly, Kimmel will be known among the greats...Wyckoff, Gann, Buffet, Soros, Rogers...

This book is a top 5 must for your trading and investing library.

A nice change from the usual..
The Magnet Method of Investing is a window into the world of successful stock picking and investing.The author is straight and honest about the pitfalls of over diversification and makes it easy to understand why you should only focus on a few stocks.The book is full of examples of stocks that Mr. Kimmel looks for how he finds them.I recommended this book for anyone who wants a change from the regular `buy and hold' methodology of Wall St. ... Read more

Product Description
Worry Free Wealth Guide to Stock Market Investing and it's FREE BONUS AUDIOS is a plain language, clear, concise, and powerful approach to stocks and investment strategy that Warren Buffet himself describes as the best for most stock market investors. In this première edition, readers will learn one simple -- 10 minute a year -- strategy to beat the S&P 500 returns and the latest indexed ETF and indexed mutual fund products for this approach -- the foundations for single stock strategies known to quadruple average stock market returns--methods investors can use to avoid disasters such as Bernie Madoff and the stock market crash of 2007-2008 -- clear and easy to understand explanations of all complex principles hidden in the background of Wall Street, thoroughly updated reference lists, including new websites, new software, new brokers, and new publications.If you're building the foundation of your million-dollar stock market portfolio, The Worry Free Wealth Guide to Stock Market Investing is a resource that no serious investor can be without. The Worry Free Wealth Guide to Stock Market Investing is from bestselling Oxford Club expert and university finance professor Dr. Scott Brown.This book is recommended reading for anybody enrolled or enrolling in his landmark course, "How To Build A Million Dollar Portfolio From Scratch" at InvestmentU.com."---"Dr. Scott Brown is one of the sharpest guys I know.And "The Worry FreeWealth Guide to Stock Market Investing is essential reading.Highly recommended."--Alex Green, Oxford Club and Investment U Chairman--- ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent personal financial/stock advisor in a book
First - I have to say that I have read only a few chapters of this book that was recommended to me.And, I know so little about the stock market and have just not known much about investing.I decided I should finally learn.I have bought financial advice books in the past but never felt I could quickly grasp much from them.I am a virtual neophyte in the area of stock investing.However, I LOVE what I have read so far in this book because the information is so comprehensive, clearly written and offers examples of the average investor.What I especially appreciate about the book is that I just FEEL it's written from the heart from an individual who truly wants to help people - he's hasn't written the book to make a quick buck.In fact, when I read the book, I feel as if the author is right in my living room giving me personalized guidance from someone who cares. Thank you so much, Dr. Scott Brown!!!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez
Silver Spring, MD
[...].

The Worry Free Wealth Guide to Stock Market Investing
Greate. Dirrect and clear language. Teache you the true in a dirrectand clear way

Factual and No Nonsense Information
I have read many books on finance and investing. Many of them written by the "gurus" and some that were not and I can say without reservation that Dr. Browns book is the best at telling it like it REALLY is our there in the land of Wallstreet. This is from a man who DOES the research and doesnt just give opinions ( although he will let you know his view on the unsrupulous dealings of many Wallstreet insiders and how to profit by it). The fact that Dr Brown is an active and successful investor makes the things he tells you more credible. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to know not only how but why to invest the right way.

Awesome!!
I am a physician just out of training and I happened to pick up Dr.Brown's book after I ordered his home study course(which I am working on right now). This book is simply the best book I have read so far on finance!! Do not consider me a novice, I have read many books on money and finance so far! Dr.Brown's simple explanatory style and his gentle warnings strewn all over the book are awesome!! I think this book should form a part of the regular college curriculum so that people come out educated financially too! Everyone-novice or guru should read this one!! Great work Dr.Brown!!

Great Book For The Neophyte Investor - Or Just Folks Who Have Been Burned in the Markets Before
So I'm a baby investor.I know how to make money in my own business but when it comes to investing in the markets I'm just a babe in the woods. I knew I needed help, that's why I was so thankful to find this book.See, I'd tried investing the markets before - with dismal results - so the whole "worry free" thing had great appeal to me.Scott Brown breaks things so they understandable to an average guy like me.I also REALLY like the 7 hour bonus audio course.

I will say I was initially apprehensive to buy a book from an author with a PhD in finance.I thought everything thing would be WAY over my head.Here's what's so cool -- Brown was an in-the-trenches investor long before he got his PhD and he puts concepts and investing principles in such an easy to comprehend way.

I'm not wealthy yet but I know this book will help me get there.

Daniel Hall
Author,Speak On Cruise Ships: 8 Easy Steps To A Lifetime Of Free Luxury Cruises
Speakers Cruise Free: The Opportunity To Trade Your Talents For Free Luxury CruisesShowcasing Secrets Revealed For Cruise Ship Speakers
Prestigious Acknowledgments
How To Pick A Shopping Cart That Makes You Money
... Read more

Product Description
?Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate in it.? ?Warren Buffett

Investors shouldn?t hate the market because of its up and downs. They should capitalize on it?and give a middle finger to those brokers wasting their time (and money) buying and selling, viewing investing as just buying stocks and not taking ownership of a company. In this book, Joe Ponzio gives an ?f-you? to Wall Street and teaches you how to become a sharp value investor who uses economic downturns to your advantage. By buying into companies you believe in?but that may be selling for less than their intrinsic value, like high-end retailers in a weak market and discount retailers in a strong one?you will profit from their long-term performance. It?s the perfect guide for anyone fed up with Wall Street?s bull. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

This is mostly very good.
First, I should start off this review by stating something that is plainly obvious.The successful investor is a person who has the ability to think independently, and one who evaluates the merits of a potential investment from the facts and figures, coming up with an investment rationale that is logical and the product of his or her own original analysis.The investor succeeds based upon whether his or her individual reasoning and logic is valid, not whether he or she followed the correct steps, followed the crowd or used a specific formula to value what the stock is supposedly worth.

From reading F Wall Street, I get the sense that Joe is one of these rational, independent-minded investors (author's disclaimer: I also consider myself in this camp).He understands the standpoint of value investing in a modern sense, as advocated by Buffett and others such as Glenn Greenberg, meaning that he evaluates businesses for what they are worth "alive", as profit-producing engines that create long-term wealth.This was refreshing, because most of the literature out in the market today either comes from a Graham and Dodd "what is it worth dead on the table?"/liquidation value philosophy (which doesn't help those wanting to learn how to go about investing in good businesses at good prices), or from academics such as Bruce Greenwald or Joel Greenblatt who advocate methodologies that do not cut to understanding the buying and selling of equities as a business, but as statistical phenomena that produce profits through the evaluation of formula and ancillary criteria.Not that what they have to say is invalid, but it is as if they have all of the pieces here and there but do not put them together to build a complete understanding.There is too much sidetracked academic rambling, still paying a halfhearted due to the idea of an "efficient market", market risk premiums, betas, backtesting of various formulas in the search for the "God formula" and so on.Yet, all of it seems unproductive from an educational standpoint in really wanting to learn about how to value a business (remember Buffett's sage advice: "Beware of geeks bearing formulas.")

Joe looks at companies from an evaluative, bottom-up standpoint, starting with the income statement and going from there to calculate cash flow and owners earnings, and explains what these are and why they are important to the business owner.It is almost as though you can read this book alongside Buffett's annual reports, and come away with a very good understanding of how to evaluate companies.Once the reader and truly understand what Buffett and Joe are talking about, he or she can go about doing what Buffett advocates: go through the Moodys manual (or an online stock listing nowadays), starting with the A's and ending with the Z's.(Hey, no one said investing was supposed to be easy.)

A couple of caveats to this book however: while I feel that he is better equipped to write a book like this, there are points where it seems like he is saying so much at once that it doesn't come out right, and seems like he is rambling a bit.I presume that a later edition will be more concise and thoroughly edited in this regard.As well, I agree for the most part with his fundamentals, but he seems to sometimes take things a bit farther than they really should be used in an analytical sense.Case in point: his advocacy of using CROIC (an efficiency ratio that one can use to determine management's effectiveness) as a growth rate in valuing a company's cash flows.

Overall, though, it is a very good book for those who did not go to Columbia Business School and want to learn more about equity valuation.I would just take everything with a grain of salt, and like the analyst does in valuing a security, evaluate what is said on its own merits with respect to logic and reasonableness.This is where the "rubber meets the road," and this is also what separates the intelligent investor from the rest of the pack.

Game changer
This is a great read and changed my entire approach to the market.This well written book will cause you to sit back and evaluate your concepts and methodology of trading.

Good Stuff
Joe Ponzio's book covers the subjects pertinent to the intelligent, value, investor thoroughly.Very readable and informative.Worth every penny.

A good choice for good advice.
This book is a thorough and honest perspective on how to achieve your goals through investing in stocks and bonds.

A MUST READ
IF YOU'RE FED UP WITH THE MALARKY BEING PUT OUT BY THE MONEY MARKET MONKEYS, THIS IS A MUST READ FOR YOU. THIS BOOK PLAINLY TELL YOU HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN MONEY DECISIONS THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND NOT PAD SOME WALL STREET WANABE'S WALLET WITH COMMISSIONS.

YOU OWE YOURSELF THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE BOOK "F WALL STREET" GIVES TO YOU THAT DOES ALLOW YOU TO F WALL STREET.

THIS BOOK TELLS YOU HOW TO EVALUATE A STOCK THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING BUYING IN THE SENSE THAT YOU ARE BECOMING AN OWNER OF THE COMPANY INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE HERD OF PLAIN STOCKHOLDERS. ... Read more