vendredi 25 mars 2022

Why looking at new stocks constantly?

I don't understand those who are constantly looking for new exciting stocks.

My opinion is simple: When you select stocks, you should be looking for stocks of exception. Which means that these stocks are among the top 5% of what's available. 

For instance, most people think that Constellation Software is an exceptional company. 

Once you've selected 10 equivalent of Constellation Software in your portfolio (there's probably no equivalent to Constellation Software, but let's say some companies that look as great as this one) and you have analyzed 100 other stocks, you probably know that your stocks have better ROE, better margins, lower debt and better growth perspective than the other stocks. You may find something better, but you have way more chances to find something worse. 

I've liked Chuck Akre for some years now. And he's the kind of investor that sticks with what he selected many years ago. He simply increases or reduces his position because of valuation or perspectives. Which means that, if Mastercard looks to face some headwinds, he's not gonna sell his stake. He will simply rebalance his portfolio a bit, but he still acknolewdges that Mastercard is an exceptional company. 

I think that thinking like that reduces greatly improvisation. We all improvise. I'd like to say that I never do that, but the sad truth is that sometimes I buy too early, without measuring correctly what I'm doing. And sometimes, I buy a specific stock which doesn't respect my criterias, because I think that it may be an exception. Usually, it's not an exception. It's simply not a stock for me. 

That's the beauty of life. We spend such a big part of our lives doing nonsensical things and wasting time. Actually, there's probably something like 5-10% of our lives which is spent on rational things. 

Imagine the kind of Buffett you could have become if you had simply copy his portfolio instead of trying various investment approaches. Imagine the kind of Mozart you could have become if you had play piano all these hours instead of watching random people on Facebook. 

And that's why nobody will remember you when you're dead. 


2 commentaires:

  1. Investing is a journey unless if you're one of those who decided to just index from the beginning and never stray. Once my stocks recover I'm going to go 80% QQQ and 20% stocks.

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    1. Investing is just as linked as your personality as everything else you do. You may buy a new car every 2 years or keep your car for 10 years. You may also live like there's no tomorrow or making no excesses for all your life.

      Do the things that suit you the best, as long as it works!

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