The point is not stronger the longer you held. You simply need to determine if THQ is a good investment at $21 today. It might be, or it might not be - depends on what the company does from here.
If THQ earns $15/share in 2005, then $21 today is as good or better price now than $4 was 3 years ago. Likewise, if THQ struggles and doesn't grow and earns less or loses money, than $21 here will probably be overpaying.
I really don't know what getting in "Early" means. Of course you only want to get in when the price is below the value of the company. Hindsight is always good, but THQ could have went bust at $4 in 1996 if they had executed poorly, just as easily as they could falter here when the price is $21. The timing of your investment is only important in so far as you pay a lower price than the value of the investment, allowing for what you could earn elsewhere and the relative risks of those investments.
JGreg - I agree with much of what you say, but employees are not the owner of THQ - we are. Therefore we are the "farmer". This is the difference in viewing your investments as a owner rather than a trader. There is no business difference between a private company and a public one, other than the degree of control you may have if you own a majority of any company, be it public or private.
Let me pose you a question - if you were forced to own your stocks a minimum of 20 years, or even 5 years, what would you invest in? For me, it is hard to find many companies in this overpriced market that have good value, but that is what investing is really about.
Kory |
