Having a dig through a company's financial statement can leave you a bit overwhelmed if you're not familiar with the terminology used. And none more so than a company's profit. There are a whole host of profits quoted. Let's take a closer look at one of them, net profit…
What is a company’s net profit?
You can look at a company’s net profit like your net salary. It means you’ve paid al... ››› more
Whether you read through a company's accounts or your read an article about a company's financial results, you might notice references to exceptional items. So what are exceptional items? And why should you pay attention to exceptional items? Let's take a closer look at what exceptional items are all about…
What are exceptional items?
The way accounting rules works means that companies can a... ››› more
When it comes to investing, it's important to have some broad principles to adhere to. For instance, ensuring you diversify your portfolio enough and keep your trading costs down. As important as these principles are, there are also some investor traps you need to avoid at all costs. If you don't, your portfolio is sure to suffer. Here's what to avoid…
Investor trap #1: Not investing in quali... ››› more
My friend Ryan felt untouchable.
His penny stock, Accentuate Limited, soared 64% just one week after he bought it!
The thing is, he's human.
He got greedy.
Even though the share reached his 50% take profit level - He held the share to let the profits keep rolling in.
After keeping the share for a few months his returns plummeted to -28%. This happened less than a year ago... And his... ››› more
The stock market has been in a sustained upward trend for some time now. As soon as anything starts to hit new highs, it brings out the market pessimists… The market is going to crash… Market gains are unsustainable… Just because the stock market is doing well, it doesn't mean it's going to come crashing down. But if it did, you need to be prepared. So as any savvy investor should, it's time... ››› more
As a South African investor, chances are you're making a big mistake with your portfolio. There's a high chance that you have all your investments in South Africa. And this means you don't have any exposure to overseas markets. This is risky for your portfolio. So why is it risky? And what can you do to overcome this? Let's take a look…
Are you guilty of home country bias?
If you have all yo... ››› more
Last week I read an article asking the question how people would afford new cars. You see, with this year's increase in the interest rate consumers are already feeling the pinch and new car sales in South Africa are now down 9.2%.
Standard Bank says it will increase the finance periods available to 84 months to help people afford new cars. But the bank also says another interest rate hike, and... ››› more
There are certain sectors of the stock market where carrying a lot of debt is common for companies. And different companies will carry varying amounts of debt. But when it comes to investing, how do you know if a company has got too much debt and that you might be better putting your money elsewhere? Here's how…
Calculate a company’s interest cover
If you’re looking for a way to check ou... ››› more
When it comes to investing, it can be too easy to pay over the odds for a particular asset. Many investors feel an urgency to commit and buy, instead of taking their time and buying at the right price. One of the most crucial things when you invest is to not pay over the odds for an asset, whatever it is. You'll live to regret it. Let's take a closer look at why this is the case…
Don’t pay ... ››› more
When you're looking to invest in a company, the normal route is to try buy shares that will rise in price and you can sell for a profit. But there can be another way to try and make a profit. You just need to dig deep into the assets the company has. Let's take a closer look at what this entails…
Look at a company’s assets
There is a way that you can make money from a terrible company if y... ››› more
Buying into a fantastic company has the potential to turn into a terrible investment if you buy at the wrong price. It's crucial you don't pay too much for any share. Read on to find out why…
The importance of not overpaying for shares
Let’s illustrate this with the help of an example…
Company ABC is a solid company. It comes with a great brand and great profit margins. The company’... ››› more
When you invest in the stock market, there are several factors that will determine if your investment is going to be successful or not. And one of the most crucial factors is the price you pay for a share. So what should you focus on when you're buying shares? Let's take a closer look…
Do not overpay for shares
When it comes to buying shares, you should approach it the same way as you would ... ››› more
A penny stock is a share trading on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange for less than R10. Generally speaking, this means you'll find these companies in the small-cap index or the AltX. They tend to be growing, up and coming businesses. But there are other companies that end up penny stocks for other reasons. Let's take a closer look at these…
What is a recovery share?
A recovery share is a comp... ››› more
The stock market is volatile. Share prices bob up and down from highs to lows. It's this volatility that makes the stock market risky. But it's also this risk you undertake when you invest that has the potential to make you money. So what's the best way to deal with stock market volatility? Read on to find out…
Strategy #1: Time
One of the best ways to cope with volatility is time in the mar... ››› more
Research proves that diversification does work. By spreading your investments, it reduces risk. Even a little diversification goes a long way in cutting your investment risk. But what should you aim for when it comes to diversifying your portfolio?
Diversification is all about lowering your investment risk
If you spread your investments across different shares, sectors, asset classes and even ... ››› more