What is the stupidest reason you ever used to buy a stock?

3033 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by DuckConference, Oct 4, 2009

Berubeland

Discussion Starter · Oct 3, 2009

I showed an apartment for rent to a lady and as I was asking questions she was talking about her work this company called Tucows. I asked her what she thought about her work and she said it was great. Then I checked them out on the internet. I asked my husband and he's like yeah I know who they are they have been around forever.

So I bought them when they were .30 and they have doubled in the last year

Then I found out I'm their customer. They host my domain. So far I'm impressed with the company. They keep trying to buy back their shares. They make money. So it turned out well but not because of my excellent stock picking skills. Until then I had used my brain to pick stocks according to rational reasons but lost my money. I had only to buy a stock for it to go through the floor. I listened to CEO's lie their faces off about the imminent collapse of everything. I figured what the heck its just a good a reason as any.

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DuckConference

· #2 · Oct 3, 2009

If the companies you invested in using rational analysis went into bankruptcy shortly after, your analysis probably wasn't very rational. Can you give some examples of the strategies you used and the losing positions they put you in?

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Berubeland

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 3, 2009

I bought Bankers Petroleum before it split into BNK and BKX. I used research from Globe Investor and Etrade rating it as a Strong Buy. I wanted an Oil company because all the news was raving about OIL OIL OIL. It was also featured in Canadian Business as an up and coming company.

So I bought it and a week later they announced the split and went from over $6 to eventually less than $1

If you want me to show you any more skeletons in my closet.... what was your worst buy and or unrational decision

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OhGreatGuru

· #4 · Oct 3, 2009

What is the stupidest reason you ever used to buy a stock?

I'm not sufficiently knowledegable or risk tolerant to engage in trading. But I imagine the big two are:
1. "This stock has bottomed out. I'll make a killing if I buy now" (shortly before stock is delisted)
2. "This company has exponential growth rates. It can't lose. I better get on the gravy train." (Said about any high-tech stock, but especially Nortel, just before the meltdown.)

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DuckConference

· #5 · Oct 3, 2009

Berubeland said:
If you want me to show you any more skeletons in my closet.... what was your worst buy and or unrational decision

I'm young, so really my only mistake was not being more organized and motivated to setup my portfolio, I have a lump sum to invest and easily could have set it up in spring of 08 if I'd been more on top of it. Right now I'm not sure if my investments will include any individual stocks at all.

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PMREdmonton

· #6 · Oct 3, 2009

DuckConference said:
I'm young, so really my only mistake was not being more organized and motivated to setup my portfolio, I have a lump sum to invest and easily could have set it up in spring of 08 if I'd been more on top of it. Right now I'm not sure if my investments will include any individual stocks at all.

Most people are better off with low cost broadmarket index ETF or mutual funds and bond funds or GIC ladders.

You've actually kind of lucked out in a way - the rate of return on cash has been higher than just about any index or individual stock return over the period from Spring 2008 to present.

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DuckConference

· #7 · Oct 4, 2009

PMREdmonton said:
You've actually kind of lucked out in a way - the rate of return on cash has been higher than just about any index or individual stock return over the period from Spring 2008 to present.

I meant so say 09, not 08. I was focused on work/classes and thus missed getting in near the bottom.

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