| |
| |
|
|
Stocks & Mutual Funds Information |
|
|
|
Dividends
When is a dividend not a dividend? The latest thing "conservative" brokers are preaching these days is to buy stocks that pay dividends. Everyone likes dividends. I know I do, but when Wall Street tells me something I am automatically suspicious because they lie to me every day. Is this a new scam? Let's take a look. When you buy a bond or a CD at the bank it pays interest and is a real dividend. You might get a check every month, quarter or annually or receive a credit to your account. The amount of your principle (what you paid for it) remains the same. Yes, that is a true dividend. Companies make big splashes about raising their dividend. It was 50 cents per share, but we have raised it to $1.00. Big deal. Yes, you will receive a check and at least you know the company has cash available to pay you. That is an indication the company is in good financial condition, but there have been many of the big names on the NYSE that have continued dividends even when they have lost money. How can that be? Currently Microsoft has announced a dividend of $3.00 per share. The talking heads on CNBC-TV tell us they are loaded with cash and want to distribute it to their stockholders. Many people buy the stock in anticipation of the dividend as they think they will be getting an extra $3.00 per share. They are in for a big surprise. The day that dividend is paid Microsoft stock (symbol MSFT) will automatically drop $3.00 per share. Today $27.00; tomorrow $24.00. Folks, this is NOT a dividend. This is a distribution of capital. You are being paid in your own asset. The fool that believes the Wall Street mumbo-jumbo will not have one extra penny after the dividend than he did before. In fact he will have less. Why? The stockholder will now be allowed to pay income tax on the "dividend" distribution. To make that "dividend" seem even better the Bush administration has reduced dividend taxes from 38.6% to 15%. Thanks, Mr. Bush. Thanks for nothing. I can't blame him for more Maul Street smoke and mirrors. He has just made it cost less to get back your own money. Companies seldom pay large dividends and they are paid quarterly. A $30 stock that pays a 4% dividend ($1.20) on a quarterly basis shows a decrease in the stock price that day of 30 cents per share and is lost in the noise of trading. Few notice that part of the price change is due to the "dividend". When you own the stock of any company the most important criteria is to find one that is in a long term upward trend. Never buy a stock that is showing a decline no matter how "good" the company may be. Even sideways movements should be avoided. Keep in mind you are buying the stock to make money. Forget the dividends and all other "reasons" and remember if it isn't going up, don't buy it! Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know. Copyright 2005 al@mutualfundstrategy.com; 1-888-345-7870
MORE RESOURCES:
Stocks-Mutual-Funds - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
An Old Proverb for Investing "If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there."This very much applies to the your retirement plans especially if you are investing in the stock market. 8 Penny Stocks to Avoid There are many good penny stock investments available, which could turn a small amount of capital into a small fortune very quickly. However, to discover these you need to know what to look for and what to avoid. How to Short Stocks? How to Make Money when Your Stocks Go Down by Shorting The stock market can present you with a lot of hot stocks every day. Many of them are new technology stocks that come from the nanotech, biotech, voip, healthcare, homeland defense or internet sectors. Picking Mutual Funds to Outperform the Market With over 6,000 mutual funds available, it may be tempting to pick funds from a popular star or index rating system. Savvy investors, however, balance multiple factors in their selection process. Enron Cure Let's hope you did not have any of the Enron stock. Maybe you know someone who did and lost everything, but you certainly might know several people who owned stock that lost almost everything. Stocks: Understand What You Buy! "There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action!" Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)I don't really know how cars actually work. Not really! I know how to drive them, but if you asked me how they work, I would not really know how to definitely explain it. NASDAQ 800? In November of 2000 when the NASDAQ was trading at 3000 I wrote in this column that the NASDAQ Index would fall to 1500 and I got lots of heat for saying it. Microsoft had fallen from $129 to $60 per share. Why Is The Macedonian Stock Exchange Unsuccessful? The Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE) is not operating successfully. True, some of the parameters which we use to measure the success of a stock exchange have lately improved in the MSE. What Are You Waiting For? Do you own any mutual funds? In an IRA or 401K or wherever. Privately or at work. Dispelling Illusions of the Stock Market How can you dispel an illusion unless you look directly at it? The magician distracts the eye with one hand while he does his manipulation with the other. You are looking in the wrong place and not seeing what is actually happening. Alfred E. Newman What! Me worry?Many of you remember the cover of MAD magazine. It was one of my favorites. Overseas Investing: Going Against the Mainstream TOO OFTEN, INVESTORS SIMPLY CHOOSE TO follow the crowd. This strategy works in the short term, but can lead to difficulty in the longer haul. 401K-itis Are you one of those many people who dread reading their 401K statements? You have been watching it decline for about 2 years and are wondering if will ever stop. Just about everyone says the market will come back. Mutual Fund Commissions You have heard about a particular mutual fund from a friend, saw it advertised on TV or read about it in some publication thought it would be a good buy. Next you call your broker to get his advice before you buy because he is an expert and is there to help you make money. The Skinny on Mutual Fund Investing Mutual fund investing is a lot like Thai cooking. Everyone has heard of it, most know a little something about it, but very few actually know how to do it and do it well. How to Pick Winning Stocks There is nothing more exciting than finding an undervalued stock and seeing it explode out of nowhere rising in value 100% or more in a few weeks. Some stocks can move as much as 1000% in a year and?. Two for the Money Look back over the years and try to remember how many different stocks and mutual funds you have owned. Suppose you had owned only 2 different equities during that entire time. Chart Reading As an investor you will want to check out any equity before you buy it. Many investors go to Morningstar that is one of the largest providers of mutual fund information in the world. Red, Green, Yellow - or - Stop, Go, Go Very Fast: Which Describes Your Online Trading? Ever notice how behavior in one area of life can apply to behavior in other areas of life? For example, I've noticed a number of things while driving that apply to online trading. One of them is regarding how people behave toward traffic signals. One Way Street Ever turn down a street, get half way and suddenly realize it is one way and you are going the wrong way? Is that the way you feel when you look at your stock brokerage statement?In either case don't panic. You can get out of that one way street by carefully backing out.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |