Find stocks with at least two winning criteria — If you analyze long-term winning stock picks, you’ll find the same attributes come up again and again. Outsized profits come from companies that are: Profitable and growing Not burdened by excessive debt Relatively stable volatility Modestly undervalued Paying a healthy, growing, and sustainable dividend (only for dividend-paying stocks) These are…

3 big rules for small-cap investing — Are you afraid of small cap stocks? Many investors view small cap stocks as unproven or unstable companies that are too risky to invest in. Small cap stocks are not the same as penny stocks or OTC / pink sheet stocks. …

Your seven-point checklist for buying dividend stocks — How can you find the best dividend stocks? Research has shown that when looking for the top high-dividend stocks to buy, there are two major questions to ask: Is this a good dividend-paying stock? Ignoring the dividend for a moment, is this a good company to buy? In my experience…

How important are dividends for your long-term returns? — Put simply, a dividend is a cash payment from a company to its shareholders. Dividends are usually paid quarterly and companies strive to keep them relatively steady (or growing) over time. While it may seem like a strange concept to collect an income check from a company just for buying…

Classic investing books to boost your profits — I’ve gathered the outstanding books below based on my own reading experience, browsing Amazon reviews, and consulting popular lists. They’re organized based on their topic, such as value investing, psychology of investing, Wall Street history, etc. Some are focused on picking the best stocks, others cover stock investing history, and…

Newbie investors: Watch out for these common events — If you’re new to the stock market, there are some unexpected events that can create surprises in your portfolio. Let’s run through the most common scenarios so you’re never caught off guard. Analysts Estimates Can Move Your Stocks Many stocks are covered by Wall Street analysts. This means that investment banks like Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch…

Why timing the next crash is a dangerous game — Want market-beating growth stocks? Discover tomorrow’s big winners and multiply your wealth at Motley Fool (60% off + guarantee)(affiliate) “I just sold everything to avoid a stock market crash.” This is a refrain I’ve heard from time to time over the last few years. As the bull market continues to…

Learn how stocks are grouped by business type — Investor’s Handbook is reader-supported: Discover market-beating growth stocks at Motley Fool (60% off + 30-day guarantee)(affiliate) Sector and industry are ways of grouping companies based on what type of business they operate. For example, Amazon (AMZN) is grouped into the Consumer Discretionary sector. …

6 legal ways to lower taxes and boost returns — There’s a saying in the investment community, “It’s not what you make, it’s what you keep.” This is referring to the effect that taxes (and also various fees) can have on your returns. You see, earning strong profits from investing in stocks is great, but it means the tax man…