My experience in buying good stocks but losing money

You know I've held the honour of holding great stocks like $Google (drop of $280 per share), $DBS (drop of $5 per share) and $OCBC ($1 per share). But alas, I've come to learn that even if you pick a good stock, I will still lose money? I've learnt that I've picked these stocks at the wrong time where I bought them at the peak.

I've come to learn that although Benjamin Graham says not to time the market and to buy a stock but ignore its price, he also mentions to watch for the cost. I am still learning to understand P/E ratios and to listen/read about the profitability of the company.

In my learning journey, I've also come to learn that one must observe the surrounding market conditions. As a naive newbie who bought $DBS GROUP HOLDINGS LTD(D05.SI)$ at it's peak, I feel that I should have anticipated and sold when I heard about the war and the recession. I often wonder, how do you time the market, without timing the market?

But I remind myself about investors who got in at $18-21 and I ask, surely they started from somewhere?

Then I realise that the next I need is time for the stock rise. I guess those who previously bought it at $18-21 in 2020 at its peak asked themselves the same questions then.

I am currently my savings so as to be able to have more time for the stock to eventually recover and hopefully reach new heights. This discipline of setting a fixed allocation each month is important and something I intend to adopt over the long run (I've been investing for 5 months now).

In the Intelligent Investor, Benjamin Graham highlights that the average investor held the stock for 3 years in 1970. In 2002, the holding time was reduced to 11.4 months.

For me, I am committed to test the theory that holding works. Will it work? I don't know but I'll let you know when it does (or doesn't).

That's my sharing for today!


@TigerStars@CaptainTiger

# My Investment Experience

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

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  • Serene70
    ·2022-05-18
    I don't invest much in stocks as I always believed that there's too much manipulation. I invest in short term alternative business assets with stability and security.
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    • Jo Tan
      thanks for sharing
      2022-05-18
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  • gme1xxx
    ·2022-05-18
    You would be surprised that in 2022 average holding time has already reduced to 3mths (Reuters calculations based on New York stock exchange data for U.S. shares)

    Try to keep up Buddy!Cheers! [Happy]

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    • Jo Tan
      lol I didn't know that
      2022-05-18
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    • gme1xxxReplying toJo Tan
      we're learning new things everyday buddy. it's something new for me too. I searched on it after reading your article. [Happy] [Like]
      2022-05-18
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  • BLsince2020
    ·2022-05-18
    Hold on to the good companies! As WB said, it's better to buy a good company at fair price than to buy a fair company at good price.
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    • Jo Tan
      nice I'll remember that
      2022-05-18
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  • Maky
    ·2022-05-18
    Investment is a journey. We all try to buy low sell high. Sometimes although we plan to hold certain shares for short term, we end up as long term investors.
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    • Jo Tan
      thanks for the advice
      2022-05-18
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  • Oldhead
    ·2022-05-18
    Good stocks would come back over time. Be patient and don't panic into selling.
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    • Jo Tan
      thank you for the advice
      2022-05-18
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  • CY Tan
    ·2022-05-18
    Buy at the peak is hard to revrrse fortune unless have the opportunity to do price averaging at the low and wait for a longer term.
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    • Jo Tan
      got it thanks!
      2022-05-18
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  • tradelaggard
    ·2022-05-19
    don't fret, time is on your side, learn from small wins and mistakes. better a small mistake now then a bigger one when you have more capital to invest in
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    • Jo Tan
      thanks
      2022-05-19
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  • zerolih
    ·2022-05-18
    I'm facing the same issue, didn't take profit when the market is good, and when the market and stocks plummet I still didn't cut loss, just holding them [Helpless]
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    • Jo Tan
      thanks for sharing
      2022-05-18
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  • Shawn287
    ·2022-05-18
    I believe consistent and small amount trading should be the way forward to prevent massive losses in your investment portfolio.
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    • Jo Tan
      agreed thanks.
      2022-05-18
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  • limnorth
    ·2022-05-18
    As long as you are not using leverage and investing prudently, just ignore the short term fluctuations
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    • Jo Tan
      thanks
      2022-05-18
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  • Terri1
    ·2022-05-18
    Thanks! Very in teresting👍
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    • TyroneTy
      [Smile]
      2022-05-18
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    • Jo Tan
      thanks for reading
      2022-05-18
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  • Ericdao
    ·2022-05-18
    There's always the up n down. This is how the market work
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    • Jo Tan
      thanks
      2022-05-18
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  • Sandyboy
    ·2022-05-18
    It all depends, by selectively choosing dates you can say you can hit it big in a few months or years
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    • Jo Tan
      thanks
      2022-05-18
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  • Barbarazhao
    ·2022-05-18
    Thanks for sharing. We all learn along the way.
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    • Jo Tan
      you are welcome
      2022-05-18
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  • Ni76
    ·2022-05-18
    Focus on long term and consistent dollar cost average. You will earn more so long they are good companies
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  • PatekP
    ·2022-05-18
    Bank stock at least dividend quite consistent. Even buy at peak is okay. Just hold, collect dividend, and average down if there’s a chance. Please like 👍🏻👍🏻
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  • taromilktea
    ·2022-05-18
    Kinda nv know wheres the peak, i guess a better time to enter would be during a market correction. Hv experienced catching falling knifes. I prefer good companies over speculative ones for gd bargains
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  • yeoldCK
    ·2022-05-18

    Nice sharing. Thank you. 

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  • rogerl
    ·2022-05-18
    thank for your sharing.
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  • yellowbunny
    ·2022-05-19
    I'm still learning too.. bag holding alot ofnstocks from last years peak.. who knows there will be war this year even Crathie wood doesnt.. just don't time the market.. a good company will survive!
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