As you glance through the long lists of our recent articles, have you ever wondered which ones grabbed the most readers' attention? Here's a list of 10 of our most-read recent articles. (Alas, my "The Poetry of Investing" article inexplicably didn't make the cut.)
Check out some of these articles for some thought-provoking stock possibilities. Your portfolio may thank you for it later. Better still, these articles might teach you a thing or two about investing. (If you'd like to review even more articles, bookmark this page.)
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"These Stocks Beat Your Stocks" by Dave Mock
Dave pats himself on the back for investments in his portfolio that beat the S&P 500 this year, but also notes how much better he might have done. Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD), for example, was up 45% in 2006, and Boeing (NYSE:BA) was up 28%. Dave then slaps his forehead harder, noting some much more phenomenal performers from around the globe -- before telling you how you might find such companies yourself.
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"Why You Shouldn't Sell" by Brian Richards and Tim Hanson
Brian and Tim recount various studies showing how irrational we investors can be, selling winners sooner than we sell losers. According to Brian and Tim, of the 810 stocks that rose more than 10% in January 2003, 450 have continued to beat the market, 384 have more than doubled, and 36, including Deckers Outdoor (NASDAQ:DECK) and GigaMedia (NASDAQ:GIGM), rose by 1,000% or more. As they put it, "You'd sure be shooting yourself today if you'd sold one of those to preserve a 10% gain."
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"How to Invest When You Hate Losing Money" by Shannon Zimmerman
Shannon explains that "the lion's share of my nest egg is invested in Grade-A mutual funds for a simple reason: I hate losing money."
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"One Stock to Buy Today?" By Tim Hanson and Brian Richards
Tim and Brian pull back the curtain a bit on our Hidden Gems newsletter research team's methodology, explaining how a certain stock was added to the newsletter's watch list, and why it was later removed. It's worth learning how the Hidden Gems team works, given their impressive results: average gains of 51%, vs. 22% for the S&P 500. (Free trial, anyone?)
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"The Dangers of Discarding Value" by Chuck Saletta
Chuck discusses the end of fund manager Bill Miller's 15-year winning streak, noting that "for the past year or so, I've been watching Miller's fund with a bit of bemusement, somewhat expecting this particular train to wreck." Given that Miller's fund sports the word "Value" in its title, Chuck questions whether holdings such as Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) and eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) are really value plays.
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"The Best Value Stocks" by Tim Beyers
Tim argues that looking for "growth" stocks isn't so irresponsible. For example: "Hansen Natural (NASDAQ:HANS) was trading for 28 times trailing earnings 10 years ago. A value investor simply looking for stocks with P/Es below the market average would have missed the 250-bagger to come." Check out the article to see what Tim recommends.
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"Be Afraid of These Stocks. Be Very Afraid" by Shannon Zimmerman
Which stocks are scaring Shannon? Those with expected earnings growth topping 20%. Despite his fears, he offers a way to invest in rapidly growing companies.
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"The Best Growth Stocks" by Richard Gibbons
Continuing what seems to be a recent theme for many Fool writers, Richard outlines some sensible ways of looking for growth stocks: "One of the biggest blind spots for most growth investors is focusing on the growth rate and ignoring the sustainability of the growth. This myopia was one of the main causes of the tech bubble."
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"Stocks to Fuel Your Retirement" by Todd Wenning
Todd points out what many fail to realize: "In order for your portfolio to withstand decades of withdrawals, it needs to keep growing throughout your retirement years." He then offers some easy ways to invest in companies that both grow and spit out significant dividends.
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"You Cost Too Much" by Chuck Saletta
Chuck discusses the phenomenon of outsourcing, and how even surgeries may now be performed remotely. This isn't an entirely bad development -- investors paying attention might profit handsomely from companies growing rapidly in foreign markets. Read the article to see what Chuck recommends.
Here's to a happier portfolio! And as you're firming up your own Foolish foundations, consider forwarding this article to anyone whose financial future you care about. Just click on the "Email this Page" link near the top or bottom of the page.
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Longtime Fool contributor Selena Maranjian's favorite discussion boards include Book Club, Eclectic Library, Television Banter, and Card & Board Games. For more about Selena, view her bio and her profile. The Motley Fool is Fools writing for Fools.
