Investing megathread extravaganza

[DaFace]

A place to talk about investing stuff.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Today was a good day to own PMD. I bought it a couple of years ago and it immediately lost 20% and stayed there. But today's gain of 31.39% is the largest single-day increase I've ever had in a stock. I'm now in the black on it for the first time ever.

Cha-Ching!

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

I threw $3000 back at it right after and it's currently up to about $7000. I'm on pins and needles because I'm afraid the investors are going to take their profits and crash it. I still think this company has long term success, they are making bullet proof vests out of spider silk. They genetically crossed the Golden Orb spider with silk worms and the product is stronger than Kevlar or steel. They just opened up production in Vietnam and opened a facility in Indiana to increase production.

http://www.kraiglabs.com/

(KBLB)

I'd take the profits out of that and keep the original $3k only in there to grow. Invest the $4k you made in something less risky or sit in cash for a good time to buy. But that's just me.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by lewdog

I'd take the profits out of that and keep the original $3k only in there to grow. Invest the $4k you made in something less risky or sit in cash for a good time to buy. But that's just me.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

I threw $3000 back at it right after and it's currently up to about $7000. I'm on pins and needles because I'm afraid the investors are going to take their profits and crash it. I still think this company has long term success, they are making bullet proof vests out of spider silk. They genetically crossed the Golden Orb spider with silk worms and the product is stronger than Kevlar or steel. They just opened up production in Vietnam and opened a facility in Indiana to increase production.

http://www.kraiglabs.com/

(KBLB)

Originally Posted by lewdog

I'd take the profits out of that and keep the original $3k only in there to grow. Invest the $4k you made in something less risky or sit in cash for a good time to buy. But that's just me.

I came here to post exactly what Lew posted.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

I know , I know. That would be the right thing to do ! And in the back of my mind there's this little devil telling me it could go to $10 and you'll be rich. And I think this company really has a future.

Just play with the house's money, bro. I did something similar with that NVDA stock you were asking about. I got into it when it went down to ~30. Sold half at ~56, despite the company's significant upside. The old saying is that pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Just play with the house's money, bro. I did something similar with that NVDA stock you were asking about. I got into it when it went down to ~30. Sold half at ~56, despite the company's significant upside. The old saying is that pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered.

In one of my accounts, I set a policy that I would buy a stock, and then when it went up 20% I would sell off the original money, keep the profit in it, and then use the original money to buy another stock. My theory is that I can take advantage of random variations in prices to increase my return, and in the long term I'm building my zero-fee mutual fund.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Well , now that I've heard it from a farmer I think i'll just have to do that.

Lots of smarts in this thread!

It lessens your risk while maintaining your profits, while still being able to profit from that company should it continue to rise. It's a risky sector though, which is why I would maintain a success where I doubled my profits.

Nice job by the way!

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

In one of my accounts, I set a policy that I would buy a stock, and then when it went up 20% I would sell off the original money, keep the profit in it, and then use the original money to buy another stock. My theory is that I can take advantage of random variations in prices to increase my return, and in the long term I'm building my zero-fee mutual fund.

My dad and I were kicking around a similar idea. Just cash out after a good pop and leave the remainder in the stock to build a diversified portfolio over time.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

My dad and I were kicking around a similar idea. Just cash out after a good pop and leave the remainder in the stock to build a diversified portfolio over time.

I've been doing it for quite a while in one account, but eventually switched to a different strategy. I think I was matching the market but not beating it. I adopted it for a new account and it's been doing quite well.

All in all, I like doing it because you minimize risk, keep some skin in the game if you happen to identify a stock rocket, and you don't get fleeced by mutual fund fees.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I've been doing it for quite a while in one account, but eventually switched to a different strategy. I think I was matching the market but not beating it. I adopted it for a new account and it's been doing quite well.

All in all, I like doing it because you minimize risk, keep some skin in the game if you happen to identify a stock rocket, and you don't get fleeced by mutual fund fees.

I think one of the major upsides is that you end up with a portfolio of companies you have researched and actually like/liked at one point or another.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

My dad and I were kicking around a similar idea. Just cash out after a good pop and leave the remainder in the stock to build a diversified portfolio over time.

So your strategy there is to cash out the original investment and leave the profits or cash out the profits and leave the original?

[Nightfyre]

Leave the profits.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Leave the profits.

So what's your marker for percentage of profits you need to make before doing it?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by lewdog

So what's your marker for percentage of profits you need to make before doing it?

I set a threshold at 20% because I'm lazy, but if I had a little more initiative I'd set up a system where I sold the original investment once I got to the point of a 25% annualized return. If you do that, you can take advantage of random small spikes early in the ownership period.

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by lewdog

So what's your marker for percentage of profits you need to make before doing it?

We were just kicking it around, talking pros and cons.

The big pro to me is developing a portfolio of company's you actually believe in.
Minimizing losses and removing the emotional factor is also important.

We talked about using the fixed percentage OR having a specific exit strateg.

IE If I buy NVDA because I know they are going to kill it in the second quarter because their new graphics card is redefining the market, I sell after the earnings announcement is digested. If I buy it because of their potential growth into the automated driving market, I may establish a long-term hold strategy - or just buy long-term call options. In the case of NVDA I did both. However, I got antsy on my long-term call position after it had basically gained 250% on the value of it. That option would now be worth over 6 times my initial investment. But I am happy just to have raked some gains, even if I gave some up because I am a nervous nelly.