"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

It caught my attention when I heard an analyst on... Read More
Pre-1933 Gold Outperforms Today's Gold Bullion...Since 1970, an investment strategy... Read More
Setting Up a Paper Trading AccountQuestion: I cannot trade with... Read More
The Light Crude Continuous Contract fell from $67.70 a barrel... Read More
The world of trading can get very complex because the... Read More
You've probably heard about people who keep their money offshore.... Read More
Mutual Funds are considered to be one of the best... Read More
Agonizing displays of poor theatrics failed to entertain my mind... Read More
If you are interested in stock investing and the stock... Read More
If there were one piece of advice that an investor... Read More
Let me tell you about some legal ways to avoid... Read More
Mutual fund managers use fake fund names to part you... Read More
Has your broker ever told you that a stock is... Read More
CATCHING A FALLING KNIFEOne of the most common mistakes made... Read More
First and foremost, an opportunistic strategy for creating wealth in... Read More
An option is a traded security that is a derivative... Read More
The financial characteristics of the automobile dealership are attractive:". .... Read More
Investors are always looking for the best investments that will... Read More
With visions of an ATM in every neighborhood in China,... Read More
Whether you're a novice investor or an experienced stock picker... Read More
If you've ever listened to Warren Buffett talk about investing,... Read More
First of all, I want to give everyone the disclaimer... Read More
Over the long term stocks have provided us with great... Read More
Everyone's talking about China. Don't miss the opportunities in the... Read More
RETIREMENT PLAN CONSIDERATIONS are something every small business person needs... Read More
The technology boom of the '90s romanticized the "rags-to-riches" ideal... Read More
Throughout the discussion of speculation and stability, we emphasized that... Read More
It is important to note that every smart investor wants... Read More
Market timing systems are based on patterns of activity in... Read More
In 1519, Hernando Cortes, beached on the shores of unexplored... Read More
While there is not a lack of information on annuities,... Read More
When it comes time to retire how many people would... Read More
I had the pleasure of being invited on a friend's... Read More
First, I need to explain about e-currencies or digital currencies.... Read More
"To drift is to be in hell, to be in... Read More
Gold Maple Leafs and Silver Maple Leafs are receiving packaging... Read More
Think carefully on how to invest your money because if... Read More
The last time you spoke with your broker did he... Read More
In April, the U.S. Mint revealed plans to strike in... Read More
When trying to analyze whether a promotional ad for an... Read More
Once upon a time, offshore investment strategies were spoken of... Read More
It caught my attention when I heard an analyst on... Read More
You have rowed a boat at some time haven't you?... Read More
While it is rather rare that value gurus sell stocks... Read More
Q. What is a basket?A basket is a group of... Read More
More and more workers are leaving their jobs and taking... Read More
Everyone knows T Rex was the most fearsome of all... Read More
Seniors on fixed incomes face a unique problem. Where do... Read More
Some lines from a movie never leave your mind; I... Read More
In this "special report", I want to pose a few... Read More
Answering Service ResourceAnswering Service Resource |