Fidelity - Stocks by the slice?

[JethroB]

I was a finance major in college 40 years ago. I still recall some things my professor said in an early investment course:

1. We little guys are the last to know what's going on.
2. In every trade there is a buyer and a seller, one thinks the price is going up, the other down.
3. You can do as well with the price going down as up (shorting a stock)

I tried bottom feeding several individual stocks over the years by buying at all time or ridiculous lows. Their bankruptcies wiped me out on a couple. I am much more conservative now in my retirement years. I follow Vanguards philosophy of diversification, long term, and low costs. It is boring but I sleep better.

Sorry to get off topic.

 

[two_bit_score]

Schwab stock trades have $0 fees & commissions.

What are the requirements to get those free trades?

.

 

[riptides]

Speaking of stocks.....Hertz.....the last few weeks have been stupid interesting. They go bankrupt and their price and offerings actually go up too. Then the SEC finally steps in.

One needs to be a waskely wabbit in this market.

 

[RickB]

What are the requirements to get those free trades?

.

I don’t know for certain. I’ve been with Schwab for over 25 years and have been above the threshold for annual account fees for most of that time. They have tons of no load/no sales charge funds of their own and from other companies and offer funds from other brokerages like Vanguard or Fidelity with a flat transaction fee. Stock trades used to be $9.95 per trade. A few years back they dropped to $4.95 and a year or so ago most stock trades became free. There are some penalties for sales within a couple months but that does not affect me. They have been great for our needs and I have consolidated most of our holdings to various accounts with them.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I tried bottom feeding several individual stocks over the years by buying at all time or ridiculous lows. Their bankruptcies wiped me out on a couple.

Been there too. Bought real cheap and then they went bankrupt. When they emerged from bankruptcy, their old stock is worth $0 and they have new stock going forward.

I now only buy stock in companies that are successful in their sectors. This has provided my portfolio with good growth over the years. I am a big fan of FAANG. Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google. In 2019 they returned 44% compared to the S&P500’s 25%. You can buy their individual stock or buy a FAANG mutual fund. That said, Momma always told me never put all your eggs in one basket.

 

[tallyho8]

Investing in stocks is no different than gambling at casinos except you have better odds. The riskier the deal, the higher profits or losses. If a stock has a low risk like one of the perennial standards like ATT there is not much risk but not much to gain either. For the lowest risk possible just buy a CD at the bank with 1% interest. When investing, never invest more than you can afford to lose.

Most of my savings are in low risk savings but I also have been buying some high risk stocks for years and have done very well. Well enough that at times I wished that I had invested all of my savings in these stocks because I would be rich right now if I had. But I refuse to ever invest more than 20% of my savings in stocks and if I lose that, no more stocks.

 

[RickB]

Stocks with solid dividend histories have better odds than a trip to the casino.

 

[tallyho8]

That's why I said you have better odds with stocks than you do at the casino. At the casino the odds are ALWAYS in the casino's favor. Not so with stocks.

 

[RickB]

But some casinos now have drive up service. They meet you at the curb, you give them cash then go home.

 

[Jstpssng]

But some casinos now have drive up service. They meet you at the curb, you give them cash then go home.

:rotfl::shocked: