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Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Stick to the fundamentals

Although I tend to write here about the economy and markets in general, I must admit such opinions affect my investment process very little.

I don't buy and sell based on what the market is doing or might do. I don't buy and sell based on my assessment of the overall economy.

I buy when I find businesses selling significantly below assessed value and sell when the businesses I've bought are selling significantly above assessed value.

I pay attention to secular trends, such as energy prices and the expansion of cable into phone and broadband Internet, but I don't use such trends as a starting point in my investment process.

I spend my days researching individual companies. I look for businesses with good economics--with sustainable competitive advantages. I look for businesses with great management, who are competent and rational, act as trustees for shareholders, and hold a significant stake in their company. Then, and only then, do I assess business value.

When the market is tanking or roaring ahead, it's important to keep this in mind.

The best way to succeed in investing is to buy good businesses below their assessed business value and sell only if price exceeds valuation. To do this, you must stick to the fundamentals--you must primarily focus on business economics, management and valuation.

When the market is diving, it may be an opportunity to buy, but only if prices go below assessed value. When the market is rising, it may be an opportunity to sell, but only if prices go above assessed value.

The focus is always on the business fundamentals primarily, and only secondarily on prices. What the market and economy are doing should take a distant, and almost completely unimportant, third.

Nothing in this blog should be considered investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. The opinions, estimates and projections contained herein are subject to change without notice. Information throughout this blog has been obtained from sources believed to be accurate and reliable, but such accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

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