Investing megathread extravaganza

[DaFace]

A place to talk about investing stuff.

[Abba-Dabba]

Originally Posted by scho63

So did you sell? Now you're underwater if you held

Out at .50. I wanted more but I didn't want to get too greedy. Was afraid of that whipsaw as well. For the week I can't complain.

[Abba-Dabba]

Originally Posted by scho63

The bid-offer on my AMZN options are now 1.20 - 1.29 and running, looks like a short squeeze.

I should sell half the position

Get out. Take a gain when you see it. Don't try to be too greedy.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by RubberSponge

Get out. Take a gain when you see it. Don't try to be too greedy.

They plunged from $1.45-$1.57 all the way down to .23-.30 and now are climbing back over .70

This is the run I need to get out. I think they will make another new daily high and I can scoot out.

You have a screenshot of your sales side option trade?

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by RubberSponge

Get out. Take a gain when you see it. Don't try to be too greedy.

I did that recently on WRMT. I had spin-off dividend shares from PWCL, a solar energy company.

I had them at .00 cents due to the dividend and sold at almost $3.00. Here it is a year later and the last week the stock has shot to the moon- 30% daily gains-now sitting at $24.00 per share. Could have bought it 11 months ago for 9 cents a share.

At least PWCL has been moving upwards. Big gain today.

[Jewish Rabbi]

Originally Posted by Dunit35

My only question is.

I have three cards already. All with zero balances. One I haven't used since 2010 and only keep it because it is my oldest account. Should I cancel it? We will be upgrading houses in 4-5 years and I want a top notch score.

If you don't have an annual fee in a card, I would never cancel. It will shorten your average age of accounts and potentially negatively affect your score.

[Rain Man]

Here's a strange question. I have an older relative who doesn't trust banks or any financial institution. She got some stock 30 years ago from her employer, and it's actual stock certificates, not electronic at all. The company still exists, so I presume it's worth something. I've got the job of talking her into putting it into a brokerage instead of keeping it in a drawer. Anyone ever convert actual certificates? I presume maybe I take it to a brokerage in person?

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Here's a strange question. I have an older relative who doesn't trust banks or any financial institution. She got some stock 30 years ago from her employer, and it's actual stock certificates, not electronic at all. The company still exists, so I presume it's worth something. I've got the job of talking her into putting it into a brokerage instead of keeping it in a drawer. Anyone ever convert actual certificates? I presume maybe I take it to a brokerage in person?

Is this a public company or a private company?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

Is this a public company or a private company?

Public.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Public.

Then yes, just bring it to a broker. I imagine they take physical possession of the stock and then put it into your relative's name. Convert from physical, direct ownership to street name ownership.

That's my best guess, but they can do whatever needs doing. Or you could try to call the company's transfer agent. Computershare or whoever. Those services track who owns stock for each public company, and they may be able to help. I'd just call your broker, though, as a first step.

Given stock splits, etc. over the years she may own more or fewer shares than indicated on the stock certificate(s) itself, however. Will be interesting for you to find out.

Has she been getting proxies etc. in the mail all these years?

[scho63]

Originally Posted by RubberSponge

Get out. Take a gain when you see it. Don't try to be too greedy.

Of course I didn't and instead of making $2,090 on a $1,403 investment for a 148.96% DAILY gain, I hung on as sellers came in and LOST $1,187.

I do this all the time!

oh well, it's only money

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

Then yes, just bring it to a broker. I imagine they take physical possession of the stock and then put it into your relative's name. Convert from physical, direct ownership to street name ownership.

That's my best guess, but they can do whatever needs doing. Or you could try to call the company's transfer agent. Computershare or whoever. Those services track who owns stock for each public company, and they may be able to help. I'd just call your broker, though, as a first step.

Given stock splits, etc. over the years she may own more or fewer shares than indicated on the stock certificate(s) itself, however. Will be interesting for you to find out.

Has she been getting proxies etc. in the mail all these years?

I have no idea if she's been getting proxies or anything. She just showed me the certificates last year (and was having trouble finding some of them), which made cringe.

Thanks for the help! I don't know if I'll talk her into entering the late 20th century or not, but figure I should try. However, my nightmare is that I'll take it to some broker who's never even seen these things, and they'll get lost in the system.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I have no idea if she's been getting proxies or anything. She just showed me the certificates last year (and was having trouble finding some of them), which made cringe.

Thanks for the help! I don't know if I'll talk her into entering the late 20th century or not, but figure I should try. However, my nightmare is that I'll take it to some broker who's never even seen these things, and they'll get lost in the system.

So presumably she held the certificates directly in her own name, not in street name through a broker or otherwise, which should mean that she is listed by the company as a direct stockholder. That would mean she would be getting proxies, etc., assuming she kept the company up to date as to any change of address etc.

You can email whoever, attaching photos of them, to see if they can handle them. You should definitely get a receipt from whoever you give them to, and also make sure you understand how they intend to handle them (convert the ownership into street name or what).

Presumably she could also just cash them out if that is her preference.

[Amnorix]

Actually, do you mind saying which company it is?

[Discuss Thrower]

Call investor relations of said company.

[lewdog]

Ok Scho and RubberSpong, I'll admit it, I am lost on what you're doing. I do not know relatively anything about stock trading like you're doing. I think I don't understand all the terms and am confused by some of the numbers being thrown out. If one of you was willing, I'd take a detailed explanation and scenario, with numbers included, so I can see how this works. Would be nice to understand this whole concept even if it's an option that I will not use.

Some of my dumb questions are things such as, why did Scho put out multiple calls all at .60? What the **** does .60 even mean? Can he have set this to sell once his money doubled or does he have to check the price of the stock all day and sell once it's where he wants? What's your best chance at making even just some money instead of being greedy and risking it all?

I love all your smart bastards. Thanks for the lesson in this. Hopefully it helps other idiots like myself out.