Investing Success

A process-driven approach to investment management that lets you achieve the same high gains as the most successful portfolio managers, but at half the cost What do you pay for when you hire a portfolio manager? Is it his or her unique experience and expertise, a set of specialized analytical skills possessed by only a few? The truth, according to industry insider Jacques Lussier, is that, despite their often grandiose claims, most successful investment managers, themselves, can't properly explain their successes. In this book Lussier argues convincingly that most of the gains achieved by professional portfolio managers can be accounted for not by special knowledge or arcane analytical methodologies, but proper portfolio management processes whether they are aware of this or not. More importantly, Lussier lays out a formal process-oriented approach proven to consistently garner most of the excess gains generated by traditional analysis-intensive approaches, but at a fraction of the cost since it could be fully implemented internally. Profit from more than a half-century's theoretical and empirical literature, as well as the author's own experiences as a top investment strategist Learn an approach, combining several formal management processes, that simplifies portfolio management and makes its underlying qualities more transparent, while lowering costs significantly Discover proven methods for exploiting the inefficiencies of traditional benchmarks, as well as the behavioral biases of investors and corporate management, for consistently high returns Learn to use highly-efficient portfolio management and rebalancing methodologies and an approach to diversification that yields returns far greater than traditional investment programs

Foreword By Morgan Housel Psychology and the Secret to Investing Success In The Laws of Wealth, psychologist and behavioral finance expert Daniel Crosby offers an accessible and applied take on a discipline that has long tended toward theory at the expense of the practical. Readers are treated to real, actionable guidance as the promise of behavioral finance is realized and practical applications for everyday investors are delivered. Crosby presents a framework of timeless principles for managing your behavior and your investing process. He begins by outlining 10 rules that are the hallmarks of good investor behavior, including ‘Forecasting is for Weathermen’ and ‘If You’re Excited, It’s Probably a Bad Idea’. He then goes on to introduce a unique new classification of behavioral investment risk that will enable investors and academics alike to understand behavioral risk in a coherent and comprehensive manner. The Laws of Wealth is a finance classic and a must-read for those interested in deepening their understanding of how psychology impacts financial decision-making. “Should be read by all those new to investing.” JIM O'SHAUGHNESSY, International Bestselling Author “Don’t let your mind ruin your investing outcomes.” LOUANN LOFTON, The Motley Fool “Step away from CNBC and into financial therapy!” MEREDITH A. JONES, Author, Women of The Street

The definitive guide to investing in today's market! Especially after the wild ride that began in the fall of 2008, individual stock investing has become far more challenging. Think of a golf swing - hit it right and it goes long and straight, hit it wrong and you'll end up far off in the weeds. But - like much else in life - golf swings become habits when done right. Investing should be no different. What works should become habit, and each and every investor should develop his or her own set of habits for success. Peter Sander in this book reveals a set of twenty five habits that lie behind his own personal investing success, habits loyal to the value investing principles of Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffett and others. These 25 habits - or your own version thereof - will help you hit your investments long and straight.

This insightful new book by a former Wall Street Journal reporter for CNBC challenges investors to take a hard look in the mirror to ask themselves whether they've fallen victim to their own investing errors.

"Winning the Loser's Game is considered by many to be a classic analysis of investing."­­Financial Planning The premise of the bestselling Winning the Loser's Game­­that individual investors can achieve far greater success working with financial markets than against them­­has grown increasingly popular in today's hard-to-predict markets. The latest edition of this concise yet comprehensive classic offers updated strategies to leverage the power of time and compounding, protect against down cycles, and more.

The author of Pioneering Portfolio Management shows individuals how to avoid the for-profit mutual fund industry and get better returns on their money. In Unconventional Success, investment legend and bestselling author David F. Swensen offers incontrovertible evidence that the for-profit mutual fund industry consistently fails the average investor. From excessive management fees to the frequent “churning” of portfolios, the relentless pursuit of profits by mutual fund management companies harms individual clients. Perhaps most destructive of all are the hidden schemes that limit investor choice and reduce returns, including pay-to-play product-placement fees, stale-price trading scams, soft-dollar kickbacks, and 12b-1 distribution charges. Even if investors manage to emerge unscathed from an encounter with the profit-seeking mutual fund industry, individuals face the likelihood of self-inflicted pain. The common practice of selling losers and buying winners (and doing both too often) damages portfolio returns and increases tax liabilities, delivering a one-two punch to investor aspirations. In short: Nearly insurmountable hurdles confront ordinary investors. Swensen’s solution: A contrarian investment alternative that promotes well-diversified, equity-oriented, market-mimicking portfolios that reward investors who exhibit the courage to stay the course. Swensen suggests implementing his nonconformist proposal with investor-friendly, not-for-profit investment companies such as Vanguard and TIAA-CREF. By avoiding actively managed funds and employing client-oriented mutual fund managers, investors create the preconditions for investment success. Bottom line? Unconventional Success provides the guidance and financial know-how for improving the personal investor’s financial future. “Reveals why the mutual fund industry as a whole does a disservice to the individual investor.” —Booklist “What he has to say is worth listening to.” —The New York Times

The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing "By resisting both the popular tendency to use gimmicks that oversimplify securities analysis and the academic tendency to use jargon that obfuscates common sense, Pat Dorsey has written a substantial and useful book. His methodology is sound, his examples clear, and his approach timeless." --Christopher C. Davis Portfolio Manager and Chairman, Davis Advisors Over the years, people from around the world have turned to Morningstar for strong, independent, and reliable advice. The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing provides the kind of savvy financial guidance only a company like Morningstar could offer. Based on the philosophy that "investing should be fun, but not a game," this comprehensive guide will put even the most cautious investors back on the right track by helping them pick the right stocks, find great companies, and understand the driving forces behind different industries--without paying too much for their investments. Written by Morningstar's Director of Stock Analysis, Pat Dorsey, The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing includes unparalleled stock research and investment strategies covering a wide range of stock-related topics. Investors will profit from such tips as: * How to dig into a financial statement and find hidden gold . . . and deception * How to find great companies that will create shareholder wealth * How to analyze every corner of the market, from banks to health care Informative and highly accessible, The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing should be required reading for anyone looking for the right investment opportunities in today's ever-changing market.

Updated with a new chapter that draws on behavioral finance, the field that studies the psychology of investment decisions, the bestselling guide to investing evaluates the full range of financial opportunities.