Are you planning to establish an investment and among the various types, you have chosen stock investment? Then as a beginner you must learn how to invest in stock, this is the first step to take.
Let us understand what stock is
According to Collins Dictionary, Stocks are shares in the ownership of a company or investments on which a fixed amount of interest will be paid.
Let us elaborate on it further
What is stock?
Stocks are shares and they represent ownership in a company. When you purchase a stock from a specific company you become a shareholder and partake in the profit and decision-making of such corporation.
These stocks are liquid assets that can be easily converted to cash if the need arises. Companies or the stock market sell it to shareholders to expand business capital which contributes to the organization’s growth.
An Overview of How to Invest in Stock
Over the years stock investment has proven to be a great way of generating revenue. It has made history in the world and is the most popular way to build wealth.
The modern-day investment scheme seeks one significant procedure and that is gaining good knowledge about your investment type and stock investment is not left out.
This is because stocks are risky assets and any investor who commits funds the wrong way may in the same way lose everything.
Although there are some hidden means of making profit from stock, for instance, investors are mainly interested in stock for its capital appreciation. That is when the value of stock increases they hope to gain more from it.
Again the dividend, the interest income and they also utilize the option of long-term strategy as a result of this benefiting from compounding.
As a beginner, there are brokers, financial advisors, and websites to seek information and make other necessary preparations before you start.
However, not minding the risk and profits which is also associated with any other investments, the risk with stock mostly result from price Volatility. A fluctuation in price can guarantee a loss of profit which may affect the company adversely.
When this is the case the company may also record bankruptcy as shareholders also may lose their ownership. Stock is regarded as an income investment if you build a portfolio and effectively manage it. Then they will be low exposure to risk while investors and the company gain more.
In this article you will learn how to invest in stock if you follow the Step-by-step approach below.
1. A good knowledge in stock investment
According to Peter Lynch, in his quotes “Never invest in a company without understanding its finances. The biggest losses in stocks come from companies with poor balance sheets”.
The most important thing about stock investment is to have good knowledge about it. Various companies within your region, state, or country engage in stock trading. Therefore,you must do a complete research and findings on these companies and gather enough facts about how each one operates.
Find out their financial health, asses their management control, competitive level, and how they respond to market trends. A good knowledge of all these can give you the whole information you need about the company you intend to invest in.
Let us further explain:
- The method of operation
In terms of seeking to know the method of operation, find out the company’s history. When it started its operation, which other companies were in line with its function, and how it differ from others? How do they carry out production and how do customers respond to their products?
- The financial health
In your research and findings, seek to know the financial health of the company. This is important because the level of profitability can determine if the company has potential growth.
You can extend your research to a financial news website and get more information like the income and cash flow statement. Check out other details like its debt level, liquidity, and revenue trends.
- Access their management control
Find out what level of expertise the company is using as regards the employers and employees. Are they able to achieve goals that will give the company stable profitability? Find out the level of customer service, and if they are friendly in resolving product or service issues.
- Competitive level
You should also find out the level of awareness the company’s brand has created in the competitive market. What other companies are they competing with and how they started as the best? Finding out their competitive level also includes how good or bad customers talk about their product or services.
- Market trend
Change is part of growth and development therefore find out if the company is responding to the current development in the industry. Check out their products and services, and if they align with the current advancement in technology.
All these when carefully checked will contribute to your success as you start investing.
2. How do you want to invest?
If you have done enough research and findings about the company as regards what will enable a good stock investment, then it is time you get started. You may have a good knowledge of stock but you still unsure if you want to make purchases yourself. If this is the case then you may choose to hire an expert to do it for you.
If you would like to pick stocks on your own as a beginner, then you should start with individual stock. This means ownership in a single company but this is just for a start. As time goes you will be able to build various stocks and have a portfolio to diversify your investments.
However, if you would want to hire an investment advisor then you will also pay for the service. You can go for a Robo advisor whose service is relatively low compared to an expert. You can choose any of these options and proceed to the next step.
Note: Whether you are purchasing the stock yourself or engaging the service of an expert, you will need the attention of a stockbroker. You will relate to the broker how you intend to invest and the expert will guide you respectively.
3. Open an investment account
Since you are dealing with stock investment, a brokerage account is the best type of investment account to open. This account will enable you to purchase and sell stocks easily. You can do this through an online broker or brokerage firm. For a more detailed explanation learn it here: what is a brokerage account and how does it work?
Keep in mind that we have different types of brokerage accounts so before you get started in the account opening process choose between a cash and margin account. Your broker will be in place to enlighten you on the difference between the two. Also learn: 2 types of brokerage accounts best for investors.
The most important thing to note here is that both the investment and the money in your brokerage account all belong to you. You can make sales and purchases with it at any time.
4. Assess your risk tolerance
Most investors would rather invest right away without considering their risk appetite, then when losses occur, panic sets in. It is crucial to understand your risk tolerance level as a beginner to stock investment. This means a lot as it will help you understand how to handle losses when it occurs.
As a beginner in stock investment you may present a moderate level of risk tolerance at the initial stage. When this happens you may give up immediately if it turns out to be in time of market fluctuation.
This is because an investor with moderate level of risk tolerance is not willing to risk futher funds.
However, as time goes the investor may become aggressive towards risk, depending on the willingness and seriousness towards the investment.
According to Peter Lynch in his quotes, the trick is not to learn to trust your gut feelings but rather to discipline yourself to ignore them. Stand by your stocks as long as the fundamental story of the company has not changed.
As a beginner your level of risk tolerance may probably be low therefore to help you manage it, you should plan for a long-term investment. A long-term investment could help to cover every loss and increase your low level of risk tolerance.
5. Plan for a long-term strategy
Investing for a longer period could be the best to achieve success in stock investment. It will increase your money value by giving it more time to grow potentially.
Within the time frame, it will get rid of market volatility and correct all mistakes. According to Warren Buffett on his Quotes: if you are not thinking about owning a stock for ten years, don’t even think about owning it for ten minutes.
The period of investment could last longer to 5, or 6 years although there is no specific time but it usually takes years. The tricks in long-term investment are patience and consistency and in the cause of this also diversify your assets for maximum returns.
6. Plan for diversification
Just as said in the beginning of this article, stocks are profitable investments but can also be risky. Although as a beginner you may not be committing much fund but keep in mind that there will be a need for diversification as time goes on.
Spreading your investments across different asset classes is a way of managing stock investment risk. When one asset declines in value the other will be used to make up and gain over time.
This also calls for building portfolios around them and managing them effectively by making regular adjustments.
As a beginner to stock investing, plan to use a diversification strategy to not only avert losses but also increase revenue. You might decide to add more stocks in the second or third year of your investing. This is to give yourself the time to get familiar with the system and understand all that is involved.
7. Adhere to stock market rules
Do not be locked out or be consumed by the affairs surrounding you as you are planning to invest in stock. Everything has rules and you should also get familiar with the stock market rules during your research and findings episode.
One of such rules is that you should invest as much or as little as you can afford to lose. You can start with low volatility investment stock for instance preferred stock is regarded as a low-risk stock compared to common stock.
Do not predict that you can gain all from your investment, the stock market can overturn within time and you may lose. Do not also predict that you can lose everything but apply every solution to curtailing risk and keep your fingers crossed.
8. Stay Informed
Starting as a beginner in stock investment demands that you stay up-to-date with informations about the stock market. To do this you can subscribe or follow different companies, or news websites.
Track the company’s websites to keep you informed about the stock market and industry trends as well as new developments and technologies.
According to stock market eye – there are important factors to watch out for when dealing with the stock market. – Keep an eye on interest rates; look at commodity pricing, pay attention to the earnings reports, read news and podcasts, and more.
Bottom line
Learn to be your boss
When it comes to stock investment it’s important you be in charge and control your overall assets. It starts from independently making your own decision by assessing various company’s news, financial reports, and industry trends.
It also includes selecting your stocks and building your portfolio. That is why you have to begin by doing thorough research and findings, and gather as much information as you can to handle your investment.
Learn about the stock market, various companies’ stocks, and the strategies you can use to manipulate your investment. Be informed about risks and how to manage them effectively. Finally, you could always seek advice from experts to advance further in knowledge and experience.
The stock market is constantly expanding its scope and there is always a new trend. Therefore continually seek to expand your knowledge and skills on daily basis.
