Ten Investment Lesson from Warren Buffett

Anyone who follows the business world, finance, and investing has heard of Warren Buffett. He is no doubt of the world’s greatest investment minds of all time. His company, Berkshire Hathaway, has an investing track record that is simply astounding. The compounded returns all the way from 1965 has averaged close to 21%. Buffett has offered a ton of advice during his investment career. I will touch into 10 important lessons anyone can learn from his vast wisdom and experience.

 

The first lesson is one of SIMPLICITY. Buffett says that you should understand the business you are investing in and how it actually makes money. That way, you can see when it is a good investment and when it is not by being able to analyze it better.

 

The second lesson is to START EARLY. Start investing in equities at a young age and with the power of compounding interest, you will be able to get rich over time. You will also be able to recover from market drops with a long-term investing horizon.

 

Next, know that CASH IS KING! Cash flow of companies is very important for their probability. Debt can be a killer. Also, if you have cash on hand to invest, then you are able to pick the best investments and buy when the time is right.

 

Fourth, FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS TRUMPS TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: understand the financial statements of a company and its intrinsic value, don’t just think you can look at a stock price chart and think it has all the information you need. Over the long turn, the price of an investment will reflect the fundamentals of a company.

 

From the fourth lesson, comes the fifth: BE CHEAP! Buy companies at reasonable valuations. Over time, companies reflect an average valuation. Buy a good company at a fair or even a cheap price. Don’t overpay for your investments.

 

Sixth, BE SELECTIVE when choosing your investments. Buffett once said that you should look at your stock buying like a punch card with a limited amount of punches you can take. Maybe even just 20 over your investing career.

 

Nest, if you are following lessons five and six, FOCUS ON THE LONG-TERM. There are always going to be short-term fluctuations in equity prices. These reflect emotions, bad news, good news, and whatever is the flavor at the moment. Unless the fundamental nature of the business changes, don’t panic and sell, or be in a rush to buy.

 

Seven, DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE A CONTRARIAN. A contrarian is someone who will go against the market consensus or the current investing environment. This could be selling when there is mania and stock prices are sky high and overpriced and then holding the cash to invest in a great company at a cheap price that may just be struggling for the short-term. Or it could be the brave act of buying when everyone is selling because you are getting once in a lifetime bargain pricing on great companies.

 

Next on the list is to BE UNEMOTIONAL WHEN CHOOSING INVESTMENTS. Don’t buy a stock because it is a popular company, or because everyone is buying it. Don’t sell because of the market downturn. Base your decisions on logic and good financial data.

 

Remember this next lesson: DON’T TRY TO TIME THE MARKET! Buffett says Mr. Market is always right. In the long run, prices will return to average valuations, while over the short-term anything can happen. Tune out all the “noise” and information overload you see from the financial press and focus on your plan to find great companies at fair to cheap prices.

 

Lastly, and number ten on the list is to AVOID PAYING HIGH FEES. Over an investor’s lifetime, fees can take a huge chunk out of your overall returns. Look for companies that charge less and take out less in fees. This is sometimes called the biggest secret in the investment world that the average investor doesn’t pay attention to at all. I would lump TAXES as a part of investment fees. Do things that reduce your tax liability which will, of course, boost your returns over time.

 

Buffett stuck to these principles and many more to get to where he is today, Although they may seem simple enough to follow, many of us will get off track. We can hurt our long-term investing track records by thinking we can always beat the market. Even Buffett has not beaten the market one hundred percent of the time. But he was able to whip the market during bad times by not losing big when times are tough. That’s why he is still around today and one of the greatest investors of all time.

 

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Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who focuses on personal finance and other money matters. She currently writes for Checkworks.com, where you can get personal checks and business checks.

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Mutual Funds 101

Mutual funds carry a unique set of risks and benefits in just the same way as other investments, despite marketing that may have led you to believe otherwise. A mutual fund is an investment in securities, including bonds, stocks and other vehicles, that is funded by a pooling of money from various investors. Before you decide to invest in a mutual fund, you need to know what you`re getting and what all your options are.

 

Stock, Bond and Money Market

 

Mutual funds usually come in three distinct types. Each type has inherent drawbacks and benefits, so weigh your financial goals and risk tolerance before making a final decision.

 

The stock mutual fund has the potential to pull a high return but poses more risk than the other available types. With stock funds, you must consider the purpose behind the stock selection. For example, some firms bundle together stocks in a particular industry, such as medical. Others use more general selection criteria to meet a goal, such as rapid growth.

 

Since stocks are known to fluctuate and are fully exposed to the volatility of the market, you can lose a significant portion of your investment if the fund stocks tank or the market itself dives. Get familiar with the fund manager`s aim behind the stock selection and evaluate current stock rates and histories for those securities included in the funds.

 

A bond fund is often less risky than a stock fund but carries more risk and a higher gain potential than a money market vehicle. Bond funds vary dramatically in type, from `junk bonds` issued by weakened or new companies to municipal bonds from local governments.

 

Junk bonds naturally carry a lot of risk but have a higher gain potential. A new company may take off unexpectedly, earning you a big return on your investment. On the other hand, if the business fails, your fund`s value will drop. Municipal bonds from a stable city will cost more but carry less risk than a bond from a city that is struggling. Since the risks and benefits vary greatly by bond type, you`ll need to consider all the angles before investing in a bond fund.

 

A money market mutual fund, not to be confused with a money market bank account, is normally the mutual fund type that carries the lowest risk and gain potentials. Federal regulations restrict money market funds to safe bets, such as short-term investments in high quality vehicles. While you won`t have the opportunity to gain as much as you could under a stock or bond fund, money market funds may be a good option for you if you`re testing the waters or have a low loss tolerance.

 

Know the Fees

 

Your mutual fund choice is subject to fees charged by the managing entity. Know what all the fees are associated with the funds you`re considering so you can compare rates across different providers.

 

You may have to pay a percentage fee upfront or when you sell. Some funds charge a management fee instead of an upfront or back end percentage. Other costs are deducted from the total investment pool itself, as found under the managing entity`s fee table in the prospectus. While you won`t pay an individual bill for those other costs, excessive fee taking from the entire pool can hurt the fund`s performance.

 

Selecting a managing entity can be almost as difficult as deciding the fund type. Price alone shouldn`t be the deciding factor, as you need a fund that is managed well to protect your investment and earn a return. Look at feedback from Finance Community about the fund managers you`re considering and review past performance before making a decision.