Jake Tuff 
Stocks offer long-term gains, but also present a considerable level of risk. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can employ to help reduce the impact of short-term market volatility on your portfolio.
Active traders or growth investors alike need to understand how to conduct stock market analysis and invest wisely. We’ll guide you through some of the most successful strategies that have helped investors maximize their gains over the years.
Fundamental Analysis
Fundamental analysis is a stock market strategy and investing approach that involves examining a company’s financial reports, balance sheets and cash flows to estimate its true worth. This type of analysis can be beneficial for investors searching for undervalued stocks with strong long-term growth potential.
Fundamental analysts evaluate a company’s financial performance, growth rates, industry, competitors and economic factors to gain insight into its health and future potential. Then they compare these numbers with other firms’ numbers as well as the economy at large to determine its fair value.
Fundamental analysts take into account not only quantitative metrics but also qualitative ones like a country’s media presence or the quality of management. Although these elements may be less tangible and harder to assess, they provide invaluable insights into a company’s potential success.
Fundamental analysis differs from technical analysis in that it relies on a stock’s intrinsic value, not just its current price. This runs contrary to the efficient market hypothesis which assumes all stocks are accurately valued at all times.
Technical Analysis
Technical analysis is one of the primary ways stock market investors can predict whether a particular security will perform well. It involves using charts and indicators to detect patterns in price and volume data.
Fundamental analysis, which relies on a company’s financial statements to determine its value, is different than technical analysis which looks for patterns in stock chart data that might predict future price movements. Therefore, stocks trading at high prices may have an opportunity to rise higher if technical analysis indicates they will.
Technical analysis is popular because it’s straightforward and easy to learn. But that doesn’t mean investors should become lazier when researching companies.
Market Timing
Market timing is the practice of making investment decisions based on current market movements. It involves actively moving funds between stocks, bonds and money markets.
Opponents of this strategy contend that it allows them to maximize profits and minimize losses by selling before prices drop or buying before prices rise. Furthermore, it reduces volatility.
Market timers employ predictive methods to forecast when markets will rise or fall and then make trades to turn those movements into profit. Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t always produce better returns than a buy-and-hold strategy.
Market timing strategies should only be employed when the conditions are right and with an exit strategy in place so you know what to do if you lose. They can still prove profitable if you possess the ability to accurately forecast stock price changes and fluctuations.
Value Investing
Value investing, also referred to as fundamental analysis, is an approach to stock market analysis and investment that seeks out stocks that appear undervalued. This can be an advantageous way to get into the stock market early and earn a healthy return over time.
When searching for a great value stock, take into account a company’s long-term cash flow and competitive position in the industry. If a firm has an advantage such as a moat, it could be worth more than one without one.
The stock market can be unpredictable, which can be both good and bad for value investors. If a stock you’ve been invested in for years begins to decrease in value, it’s essential to wait patiently and see if the price rises again.
Value investing requires patience and hard work to become proficient, but the rewards can be great. Once you have an objective in mind, you can begin creating a strategy for implementing it into your portfolio.
