Recognizing stock value

Imagine that you like eggs, and you’re buying them at the grocery store. In this example, the eggs are like companies, and the prices represent the prices that you would pay for the companies’ stock. The grocery store is the stock market. What if two brands of eggs are similar, but one costs $2.99 a carton, and the other costs $3.99? Which would you choose? Odds are that you’d look at both brands, judge their quality, and, if they’re indeed similar, take the cheaper eggs. The eggs at $3.99 are overpriced. The same is true of stocks. What if you compare two companies that are similar in every respect but have different share prices? All things being equal, the cheaper price represents a better buy for the investor.

But the egg example has another side. What if the quality of the two brands of eggs is significantly different, but their prices are the same? If one brand of eggs is stale, of poor quality, and priced at $2.99 and the other brand is fresh, of superior quality, and also priced at $2.99, which would you get? I’d take the good brand because they’re better eggs. Perhaps the lesser eggs are an acceptable purchase at $1.99, but they’re overpriced at $2.99. The same example works with stocks. A poorly run company isn’t a good choice if you can buy a better company in the marketplace at the same — or a better — price.

Comparing the value of eggs may seem overly simplistic, but doing so does cut to the heart of stock investing. Eggs and egg prices can be as varied as companies and stock prices. As an investor, you must make it your job to find the best value for your investment dollars. (Otherwise, you get egg on your face. You saw that one coming, right?)

Understanding how market capitalization affects stock value

You can determine a company’s value (and thus the value of its stock) in many ways. The most basic way is to look at the company’s market value, also known as market capitalization (or market cap). Market capitalization is simply the value you get when you multiply all the outstanding shares of a stock by the price of a single share. Calculating the market cap is easy; for example, if a company has 1 million shares outstanding and its share price is $10, the market cap is $10 million.

Small cap, mid cap, and large cap aren’t references to headgear; they’re references to how large a company is as measured by its market value. Here are the five basic stock categories of market capitalization:

• Micro cap (less than $300 million): These stocks are the smallest, and hence the riskiest, available. (There’s even a subsection of micro cap called nano cap, which refers to stocks under $50 million, but they’re not appropriate for this book.)
• Small cap ($300 million to $2 billion): These stocks fare better than the micro caps and still have plenty of growth potential. The key word here is “potential.” Chapter 14 covers small caps and micro caps.
• Mid cap ($2 billion to $10 billion): For many investors, this category offers a good compromise between small caps and large caps. These stocks have some of the safety of large caps while retaining some of the growth potential of small caps.
• Large cap ($10 billion to $200 billion): This category is usually best reserved for conservative stock investors who want steady appreciation with greater safety. Stocks in this category are frequently referred to as blue chips.
• Ultra cap or mega cap (more than $200 billion): These stocks obviously refer to companies that are the biggest of the big. Stocks such as Google and Apple are examples.

From a safety point of view, a company’s size and market value do matter. All things being equal, large cap stocks are considered safer than small cap stocks. However, small cap stocks have greater potential for growth. Compare these stocks to trees: Which tree is sturdier, a giant California redwood or a small oak tree that’s just a year old? In a great storm, the redwood holds up well, whereas the smaller tree has a rough time. But you also have to ask yourself which tree has more opportunity for growth. The redwood may not have much growth left, but the small oak tree has plenty of growth to look forward to.

For beginning investors, comparing market cap to trees isn’t so far-fetched. You want your money to branch out without becoming a sap.

Although market capitalization is important to consider, don’t invest (or not invest) based solely on it. It’s just one measure of value. You need to look at numerous factors that can help you determine whether any given stock is a good investment. Keep reading — this book is full of information to help you decide.

Sharpening your investment skills

Investors who analyze a company can better judge the value of its stock and profit from buying and selling it. Your greatest asset in stock investing is knowledge (and a little common sense). To succeed in the world of stock investing, keep in mind these key success factors:

• Understand why you want to invest in stocks. Are you seeking appreciation (capital gains) or income (dividends)? Look at Chapters 8 and 9 for information on these topics.
• Timing your buys and sells does matter. Terms like overbought and oversold can give you an edge when you’re deciding whether to purchase or sell a stock. Technical analysis is a way to analyze securities through their market activity (past prices and volume) to find patterns that suggest where those investments may be headed in the short term. For more information, see Chapter 10.
• Do some research. Look at the company whose stock you’re considering to see whether it’s a profitable business worthy of your investment dollars. Chapters 11 and 12 help you scrutinize companies. If you’re considering small cap stocks, then be sure to read Chapter 14.
• Understand and identify what’s up with “the Big Picture.” It’s a small world after all, and you should be aware of how the world can affect your stock portfolio. Everyone from the bureaucrats in Europe to the politicians in the U.S. Capitol can affect a stock or industry like a match in a dry haystack. Chapters 13 and 15 give you lots of guidance on sector opportunities, megatrends, and, yes, the Big Picture (both economic and political). An excellent way to invest in stocks is through motifs, which I cover in Chapter 14.
• Use investing strategies like the pros do. Chapter 16 gives you the lowdown on stock-screening tools that many pros use, which will help you find great stocks very quickly. I’m very big on strategies such as trailing stops and limit orders, and fortunately, today’s technology gives you even more tools to help you grow or protect your money so head on over to Chapter 17 for insights on ways to transact stock.
• Look outside the U.S. stock market for opportunities. It is easier than ever before to profit from stocks offered across the globe! Find out more about investing in international stocks through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and international ETFs. Get the details in Chapter 18.
• Consider buying in smaller quantities. Buying stocks doesn’t always mean that you must buy through a broker and that it must be 100 shares. You can buy stock for as little as $25 using programs such as dividend reinvestment plans. Chapter 19 tells you more.
• Do as others do, not as they say. Sometimes, what people tell you to do with stocks is not as revealing as what people are actually doing. This is why I like to look at company insiders before I buy or sell a particular stock. I even touch on insider trading done by Congress. To find out more about insider buying and selling, read Chapter 20.
• Keep more of the money you earn. After all your great work in getting the right stocks and making the big bucks, you should know about keeping more of the fruits of your investing. I cover taxes in Chapter 21.

Every chapter in this book offers you valuable guidance on some essential aspect of the fantastic world of stocks. The knowledge you pick up and apply from these pages has been tested over nearly a century of stock-picking. The investment experience of the past — the good, the bad, and some of the ugly — is here for your benefit. Use this information to make a lot of money (and make me proud!). And don’t forget to check out the appendixes, where I provide a wide variety of investing resources and financial ratios.