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Basic Training for Winning Investors

Do you want to improve your analysis skills? There is plenty of stock market information on the Web. But do you know how to use it to find the best stocks, ETFs and mutual funds?

Basic Training tutorials describe how professionals employ fundamental analysis strategies to pinpoint the best stocks and mutual funds. Each includes up-to-date links to the data you need to implement the described strategies. New tutorials are added every two weeks. 

Basic Training Contents

Stock Tips
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• Contrarian Strategy for This Market
  For the stock market, August and September are typically two of the weakest months, and this year is turning out to be no exception.  Here's a stock picking strategy that just might work in this market.

• Cheap Stocks That Won't Stay That Way
  More than 1,900 stocks recently traded below $10 per share. Alas, most are cheap for good reasons. Here's how to find the exceptions worth playing. .

• Fast Growing Energy Stocks
  Thanks to weak crude oil and natural gas market price action, most energy stocks are down year-to-date. But, if you pick the right companies, those that are rapidly growing production, you can make money even if energy prices stay flat.

• Six Tools For Picking Better Stocks
  Do You want to improve your stock picking skills? Here are six factors that you could use to qualify stocks that you’re considering. All are available free online.

• Four Safe Stocks to Hold While Waiting For a Safer Market
  Given the market’s uncertain outlook, holding a portfolio of high-dividend paying, but relatively low-risk stocks, might be a good way to wait for better times. Here’s how to find them.

• Two Stocks That Could Beat the Market in 2023: Part 2
  Most analysts are predicting a tough market next year. B     even in a bad market, some stocks go up. In this and my next column, I'll describe two stocks that could fit that bill. This week, I'll start with Blue Owl Capital.

• Two Stocks That Could Beat the Market in 2023: Part 1
  Most analysts are predicting a tough market next year. But even in a bad market, some stocks go up. In this and my next column, I'll describe two stocks that could fit that bill. This week, I'll start with Blue Owl Capital.

• Last Contrarian Article - Maybe?
  Here I will complete my contrarian theme (at least for a while) describing another variation that involves buying stocks that analysts are advising selling while other market players, arguably those in the best position to know, are loading up on those same stocks.

• How to Profit From Natural Gas Price Jumps
  Natural gas prices have already moved up big-time, but could be headed even higher. Here are three ways you can play natural gas, and for two of them, nat gas prices don't even have to go up for you to profit big time.

• Contrarian Stock Picking Strategy - Updated
  I’ve found that contrarian investing, which involves buying out-of-favor stocks, can be profitable, even in down markets.  I've recently done more research on the top. Here's my new Contrarian screen based on those findings.

• Contrarian Stock Picking Strategy
  I’ve found that contrarian investing, which involves buying out-of-favor stocks, can be profitable, even in down markets.  I've recently done more research on the top. Here's my new Contrarian screen based on those findings.

• Rising Interest Rates: Good News for Insurance Stocks
  Many analysts expect interest rates to continue rising for at least the balance of this year. Generally, rising interest rates are considered bad news for stocks. That said, insurance stocks genearrly do well when rates rise. Here are my three insurance picks.

• Testing My New Contrarian Strategy
  Here's a new contrarian stock picking strategy I’m testing that involves buying stocks that analysts are telling you to sell.    

Dividend Stocks 
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• Three Picks Likely To Raise Already High Dividend Payouts
  Here are three already high dividend paying REITs that are likely to raise those payouts even higher while you hold them. 

• Dividend Payers for a Rough Market
  Instead of trying to time the market, why not set up a portfolio of high-dividend paying stocks likely to continue paying those dividends under most foreseeable circumstances? 

• Boring Utilities: Rx For This Scary Market?
  Utilities are one of the few market sectors showing strength these days. Here's how to find the best utility plays.

• Collect Steady Income While Waiting for Market to Settle Down
  Given current market turbulence, this would be a good time to consider preferred stocks.

• Four Stocks For A Rough Market
  Given world events, the stock market is likely to experience a bumpy ride over the next few weeks. Here are my ideas for riding it out.

• Check Out Business Development Companies (BDCs)
  BDCs don’t pay income taxes as long as they distribute at least 90% of taxable income to shareholders in the form of dividends. That's why they're paying 7% to 9% dividends.

• REITs: Back from the Dead
  Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) got hit hard last year. But, now REITs are a hot category. Here's how to find REITs worth considering.

• ETFs Can Pay High-Dividends Too
  With banks still paying next to nothing, you’ll have to look elsewhere if you want to earn a decent return on your money. Here are four high-dividend paying ETFs worth considering.

• Market Too Exciting?
  If you think the market is getting too exciting, this might be a good time to slow things down and focus on generating steady income while minimizing risk. And it would be really nice if that income were federally tax-free!

• Unloved Stock Will Pay You to Wait
  Here's a currently unloved dividend payer that will pay you a 5.5% dividend while you wait for it to be discovered.

• Best Data Center REITs
  The fastest growing REITs own datacenters that house data storage devices along with supporting equipment that constitute the “cloud” that you hear so much about these days. Here’s what you need to  know.  

• No Debt - High Dividends
  Not satisfied with the bank account interest rates? Here's how to create a portfolio of high-dividend stocks that might serve as a higher-paying alternative to bank and money market accounts.

• Dividend Capture: A New Look
  The fact that you only need own a stock for one day to collect the dividend has inspired many investors to pursue a “dividend capture” strategy, which involves holding a stock just long enough to collect the dividend, selling at or above their purchase price, and then moving on.

• ETFs Can Pay High-Dividends Too
  You probably know about using exchange-traded-funds (ETFs) to hop on and off market sector swings. But you might be surprised to learn than many ETFs also pay high dividends as well.  

• Make More Money: Buy Sell-Rated Stocks
  How reliable are those buy/sell ratings? You'd make more money buying "sell-rated" stocks than you would buying "strong buys." Here are the details.

• When Sell Means Buy
  An analyst’s rating downgrade usually drives a stock price down. But if the reason for the rating change was solely valuation, the downgrade could be a buying opportunity.

• Follow Your Favorite Guru
  Here’s an idea. Instead of spending hours find and researching stocks on your own, why not simply mimic the trades of your favorite investing guru? Here’s how to find out what these proven winners are buying and selling.

• Pay Attention to Analysts - Just Don't Follow Their Advice
  Analysts' earnings forecasts contain important information that could help you make money. But ignore their ‘buy/sell’ ratings. Here are the details.

• Why Investors Can't Make Money Following the Analysts
  Can you make money following stock analysts’ advice? The answer depends on who you are.  For those with the big bucks such as hedge funds and other big players, the answer is yes. But it’s a different story for individual investors. Here’s why.

• These Web Sites Can Help You Make More Money   
  Staying on top of your stock’s industry news and trends will make you a better investor. Here's where to find that info.

• Long-Term Mutual Fund Plays
  So far this year he S&P 500 index, has gained around 5%. Not terrible, but here are three mutual funds that have chalked up 49% to 74% gains over the same timeframe. 

• Three Mutual Funds For This Market
  With the overall market down around 15%, this has been a rough year for most mutual fund investors. However, not all mutual funds are in the red. Here are three that have scored double-digit gains so far this year.

• Market Scary? Consider These Closed-End Funds
  Here are three Closed- End Funds (CEFs) paying 5.1% to 8.0% that should work in this volatile market. But, they're not necessarily long-term holds, so be prepared to sell when the market shifts.

• Electric Vehicles About to Take Off
  Next year we'll see at least a dozen new electric vehicle product lines introduced by established players plus another dozen or so brought out by new players. Here's how to use ETFs to play in this game.

• Favorite High-Dividend ETFs
  Here are five of my favorite high-dividend ETFs, with yields ranging from 6.6% to 11.1%. even better, four of the five are monthly payers. 

• ETFs For A Changing Market
  The market has changed and tech stocks, retail stocks, and stay-at-home plays are no longer ruling the roost. So, what’s working now? Here are four exchange-traded-funds (ETFs) that not only are currently outperforming the market, all have strong long-term outlooks.

• Five ETFs For Now & Next Year Too
  Many of today’s hot market sectors, especially technology-driven products, will still be strong after the pandemic becomes history. Based on that premise, here are five already hot ETFs that I expect to continue their winning ways for some time.

• Five ETFs Even Hotter Than This Market
  This is a hot market by anyone’s definition. If you want to jump on the bandwagon, here are five ETFs worth considering.

• Earn 8% to 10% While Waiting for Vaccine
  Eventually, a reliable vaccine will be developed, the coronavirus will be history. In the meantime here's how to earn 8% to 10% while you wait.

• Screening for Hot ETFs
  Are you looking for outperforming ETFs? Here's a relatively little-known screener that I've found useful for finding hot ETFs. Even better, it tells you which stocks drove that outperformance, in case you want to buy those instead of the ETF.

• Best ETFs For Long-Term Holds
  Do your ETFs fizzle right after you buy them? Here are five currently hot ETFs that are likely to continue their winning ways.

• Avoid Wisdom of Crowds When Picking ETFs
  You could substantially outperform most ETF investors by avoiding the most popular ETFs. Here are the details.

• Open Up To Closed-End Funds
   If you’re like many investors, you probably don’t pay much attention to closed-end funds—but you should. Here's why.

• Get Rich Slowly: Harness the Power of Compounding
  Probably the most important thing you need to know about building wealth is the power of making regular periodic investments and reinvesting rather than spending the profits. The results you’d get are astounding. Here are the details. 

• Which Works Best: Mutual Funds or ETFs?
  Are you better off owing conventional mutual funds or exchange-traded-funds (ETFs) focusing on the same sector?Here's what you need to know.

• Use ETFs to Spot What's Hot & What's Not
  Making money in the market is all about being in the right place at the right time. Here's how to use free ETF performance reports to spot "what's hot & what's not."  

• How to Pick the Best Mutual Funds
  The amount of mutual fund performance data can be overwhelming. Not to worry! Here are a few simple rules for picking the best funds.

• Screening For Mutual Funds
  Mutual funds offer advantages over owning individual stocks in this rough and tumble market. Here's how to use Morningstar's free mutual fund screener to find worthwhile mutual fund candidates.

How to Research & Analyze Stocks
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• Use These Four Factors to Find Winning Stocks
  I’ve found four factors that outperforming stocks often have in common. In theory, a portfolio of stocks containing all four should beat the market. We'll find out.

• Fastest Growers Equals Highest Returns
  All else equal (of course it never is), stock prices track earnings per share (EPS) more than any other single factor. Here's how to find them.

• Finding Hot Growth Stocks
  Stock prices track earnings per share more than any other single factor.
  Thus, all else equal, your best stocks will be those that grow EPS the most while you hold them. Here's how to find them.

• Play By Momentum Rules
  We’re in a momentum market. Stocks that have already moved up are your best bets for future gains. Here's how to play.

• Cheap Stocks Not!
  Cheap stocks get that way because most market players see them as “done for.” And in my experience, they’re usually right.

• Playing the Momentum Game
  Rather than picking stocks based on fundamentals, momentum players seek out stocks that have already outperformed the overall market. Here's how to play the momentum game.

• Growth Stock Scorecard
  Growth stocks should have fast growing sales and earnings. Here’s a scorecard for picking the best growth stock candidates.

• Time for Oil Refineries?
  Business is good, and analysts are forecasting even better times ahead for U.S. Oil Refineries. Here's how to find the best candidates.

• Finding Hot Tech Stocks
  Technology stocks are hot and likely to continue their winning streak for some time. Here's how to get in on the action.

• What Works & What Doesn't?
  You hear many theories about what works best for picking the best stocks. Here's what works, and what doesn't.

• The Market's in Rally Mode
  If you want to participate,  in-favor, large-cap growth stocks are your best bet. Here's how to find them.

• Finding Small Stocks Before They Get Big
  Since stock prices typically follow EPS, finding growth stocks, that is, stocks that grow EPS while you hold them, is the most popular investing strategy. Here's how.

• How to Pick Better Stocks
  Need to improve your stock picking skills? Here are six tips to help you pick better stocks.

• Avoid Big Losses By Checking Balance Sheet Red Flags
  Boston Beer Company shareholders lost 21% in two months. Here's how they could have avoided those losses by checking for balance sheet red flags.

• Seven Stock Investing Rules
  Don't make stock investing overly complicated. Here are seven simple rules that will help you make better investing decisions.

• Portfolio Management Tips
  Picking good stocks is only the start of your job. Then you must manage your investments. Here’s how.

• Eight Ideas for Improving Next Year's Returns
  Here are eight suggestions that could help you be a better investor in 2016.

• Just How Risky Are Your Stocks?
  Sure, you've heard that stock investing is risky business, but do you know how much risk is in your portfolio? Here's how to find out.

• Analyze Stocks Like a Pro
  Do you think analyzing stocks is too difficult? It doesn’t have to be. Here's how to analyze stocks like a pro.

• Watch Out for Pump & Dump
  If you’re like me, you probably receive frequent e-mails from people you don’t know alerting you to opportunities to get in on the ground floor of exciting new businesses. Unfortunately, in many cases, it’s more about making money from selling stock to unsophisticated investors than about starting a groundbreaking new business. 

• Guidance Moves Share Prices
  Until recently, when a firm reported earnings, its stock went up if earnings beat analysts’ forecasts and down if they didn’t’ But that was then. Now, the rules have changed. Here are the details.

• Growth Stock Evaluator
  Growth stocks usually outperform the market in a strengthening economy; such as we’re currently experiencing. However, not all growth stocks are created equal. Here are six tests to help you decide whether your candidates are potential winners.

• Six Questions to Ask Before Buying Any Stock
  Here are six questions that every investor, whether looking for high-flying growth stocks or beaten-down value plays, should ask before buying.

• Rules for Avoiding Catastrophic Losses
  Making money in the stock market is as much about avoiding big losses as it is about scoring big gains. Here are six rules that could help you to do that.

• Get a Second Opinion
  Even if you’re a great stock picker, it's worth getting a second opinion before you pull the trigger. Super Stock Screener, a site that I only recently discovered, looks like a good resource for getting second opinions, and potentially much more.

• Four Important Stock Picking Factors
  Want to pick better stocks? I recently did some research that unearthed four factors that should help growth investors pick better stocks. Here are the details. 

• Assessing Management Quality 
  Management quality is one of the most important factors you need to consider when evaluating a company’s outlook, and hence, whether you’ll make money owning the stock. Here's how to do that from the comfort of your easy chair.

• Ten Rules for Picking Better Stocks 
  Picking winning stocks is harder than it looks. Here are 10 rules that will improve your odds of success.

• When to Sell 
  You can find plenty of advice about when to buy stocks, but knowing when to sell is equally important. Here are three "red flags" telling you that it's time to sell.

• Moneymaking Research Tidbits
  Does January's market action really predict the whole year? How much can you make following Jim Cramer's advice? Are high unemployment numbers good or bad for stocks? Here's a compilation of recent research findings that can help you make better investing decisions.

• Corporate Tax Rates Move Earnings
  Corporate income tax rates play a big role in determining whether your stock will beat or fall short of forecasts at report time. Here’s how to figure out which way that wind is blowing.

• Using Margins to Pick the Best Stocks
  Sometimes picking the best stocks in an industry is as easy as looking at gross or operating profit margins. Here's how.

• Looking For Growth in All the Wrong Places
  Acquisition-fueled growth is like a Ponzi scheme. It works until something goes wrong. Here’s how to spot serial acquirers. 

• Finding Google
  Most investors are looking for the next Google: stocks with rapidly growing earnings that will send their share prices through the roof. Here are 6 important rules for spotting hot growth candidates.

• Death List = Risky Stocks
  With the Dow hitting new highs almost daily, the market has been fun lately. Unfortunately, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and pay too much for stocks that have already seen their best days. Here’s how to identify stocks in that category.

• Brushing Up On Basics
  Your mail tells me that new investors might not understand all of the terms that I use in these columns. So, here's an explanation of some of the stock market jargon I’ve been throwing at you. But experienced hands need not tune out. As usual, I’ve included enough of my own debatable opinions to make it interesting. 

• Selling Short Can Backfire
  I get a lot of mail asking me to describe a strategy for picking short-selling candidates. That mail has gone unanswered. Now I’m going to tell you why.

• Cramer Can Help You Make Money
  Watching Jim Cramer's "Mad Money" TV show is like a visit to the loony bin. But Cramer can teach you how to be a better investor. Here's the best news: you don't have to watch him on TV.

• Survival of the Fittest
  Survival of the fittest, the law of nature that says, "Only the strongest survive," is a principal that investors should apply to qualifying stock candidates. Here's how. 

• Get a Jump on the Big Players
  Institutional players move your stock’s share price big time when they buy or sell. Knowing how they think will help you predict which way your stocks are likely to move next.

• Easier Way to Spot Accounting Red Flags
  Stocks usually take a big hit when a company reports earnings below expectations. That’s why some investors go to great lengths to detect “red flags” warning of such events. But you don’t have to. Here’s an easier way. 

• Six Quick Growth Stock Checks
  Don’t spend time analyzing stupid stocks. Here are six items you can check in a minute (no kidding) that will help you rule out bad ideas so you can spend your time researching worthwhile candidates.

• Focus on ROE Instead of Earnings
  Investors would fare better by focusing on a firm's profitability rather than earnings per share when researching a stock. Why? Because as you'll soon see, one profitability measure, return on equity, can help you gauge a firm's earnings growth prospects. 

• New Rules for Valuing Stocks
  Investors typically rely on P/E ratios to value stocks. Now valuation is even more important, but in many cases P/E isn’t meaningful because recent earnings, the “E” in P/E, are either depressed or non-existent. Here’s how to get around that problem along with two more ideas to help you evaluate stocks in this market. 

• How to Analyze a Company's Business Model
  If you were buying a real business, you’d probably spend considerable time analyzing each prospect’s profit potential. Yet few investors spend much time analyzing the business models of the stocks that they purchase. They’d be better investors if they did. Here's how to get started. 

• How to Set Target Prices
  Setting target prices is something that professional money managers almost always do, but individual investors almost never do. Most are not aware of the importance of setting target prices, nor how to go about doing it, even if they want to. Here’s a simple procedure for estimating target prices.

• A New Look at Value Investing   
  I’ve recently had the occasion to talk to several value-style managers about their selection strategies. As a result, I have a new appreciation for the craft, and in fact, value investing makes a lot of sense to me. Here’s a rundown on what I’ve learned.

Finding Stocks to Analyze (Screening, Tips, etc.)
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• What's Working: Putting It All Together
  I’ve recently reported on research regarding ‘what’s working now’ in terms of picking winning stocks. Here's how to combine those findings into a screen pinpointing stocks meeting my “what’s working now” criteria.

• Spy on Fund Managers.
  That old adage about working smarter, not harder, is good advice when it comes to stock picking. After all, why waste time searching out good stocks when you can get mutual fund managers to do the work for you?

• Bulletproof Stocks
  Just the rumor that one of your stocks is teetering on bankruptcy could ruin your day. Thus, it’s best to stick with stocks unlikely to suffer that fate. Here’s how to find them.  

• How to Find the Best Biotech Stocks
  With Trump in charge, the outlook for pharmaceutical stocks has brightened, and within that group, biotechs have the most upside potential. Here's how to find them.

• Best Stocks for a Down Market.
  The market has been shaky recently and many gurus are forecasting further weakness ahead. Here's a stock screen for pinpointing the best prospects for producing positive returns in a downtrending market.

• A Low-Beta, High Growth Screen
  Whether you’re seeking fast growing tech stocks, or beaten down value plays, you could improve your returns by paying attention to “beta.”

• Cheap Growth Stocks (Under $10)
  With the market basically going nowhere these days, there should be plenty of bargains around. Unfortuneately, most cheap stocks got that way for a reason. Here’s how to find the good ones.

• When You Buy is Just as Important as What You Buy
  You could have returned an amazing 43% average annual return by holding Netflix for only 30-days in each of the last five years. Here are the details.

• Validea: Still Helping You Pick & Analyze Stocks
  It's time to revisit Validea, the site that enables you to emulate the strategies of famous investors such as Joel Greenblatt or Benjamin Graham to help you pick stocks? Here's what we found.

• New Way to Find Value Candidates
  With the market sputtering, this might a good time to consider value-priced stocks. Coincidentally, Zacks Research recently added a new tool to its free stock screener that could help us spot better value candidates.  Here's how to use it.

• Finding Hot Stocks in a Hot Market 
  Despite the bumps, the market keeps moving up. How long that lasts is anybody’s guess. Nevertheless, why not hop on some hot stocks and enjoy the ride. Just be prepared to get out quickly when the market turns.

• Time to Consider Private Equity
  Their main business is taking over major companies with problems, fixing them, and then taking the rehabilitated firms public again, often realizing a big profit. Here’s how to invest in three of the biggest players.

• Finding Stocks in the Value Bin
  Given the market’s big run-up so far this year, this might be a good time to consider relatively low-risk, value-priced stocks. Here's how to find value investing candidates.  

• With the Economy Picking Up: Consider Growth Stocks
  Share prices generally track earnings growth expectations for a stock. Thus, stocks with fast growing earnings usually outperform slower or no growth stocks. Here's how to find them.  

• Little Book Beats the Market
  The best selling stock market book these days is “The Little Book That Beats the Market.” The reason is no mystery. The book describes a simple formula that, according to its author, would have averaged a 31% annual return from 1988 through 2004. It’s worth a look.