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Many threads on SI seem to focus more on rumor, today's news, hot tips, and short-term trading than on the discipline of fundamental stock analysis, careful and realistic study of a company and its prospects, and a long-term approach to investing that seeks to build wealth over time rather than to view the stock market as an alternative to the casino or the lottery.
After about twenty years of hit-and-miss investing, relying mostly on tips from friends, magazines, and brokers and pure guesswork, I decided that if I was going to rely on my investments in significant part for a comfortable retirement I should get at least semi-serious about investing. After considerable reading, I concluded that the way to true wealth for me was a long-term focus on solid stocks that I studied and understood. I also discovered the NAIC and the SSG. I found a few friends in the same basic position I was and we started an NAIC club. (Although I am still a beginning learner myself, on the principle that the best way to learn a subject is to teach it I got recruited to teach a beginning investing class on the SSG for our local community college.)
I searched SI for a thread where disciplined long-term investors were exchanging ideas on stock analysis and individual stocks of interest, and perhaps even discussing NAIC principles. Finding no such thread, but after exchanging messages with another NAIC club member on SI who was interested, I decided to start this thread.
I invite discussion of investing topics and principles, of both the growth and value approaches. (For example: What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the price-sales ratio and PEG? What are the best sources and methods for estimating growth potential in a company? What are the limitations of book value accounting, and how can one value such assets as patents, trade names, and the like? What are some accounting problems or concerns to look out for or footnotes which should raise red flags? And on and on...)
I also invite discussion of the NAIC SSG approach to evaluating stocks, including its value and weaknesses in evaluating high tech companies such as Intel and Microsoft which seem seldom to fall into a "buy" range but have been good investments for quite significant periods of time.
I also invite the exchange of information on individual stocks which you have studied and want discussion about.
Please, however, do NOT use this thread for hot stock tips, news of the latest IPO, etc. There are plenty of threads where such "only good today" information is welcomed, but this is not one.
I emphasize that this is NOT a thread only for "experts." The more I learn the more I understand the importance of keeping well grounded in basic principles. Questions from people who know little about fundamental analysis but are serious about learning can often be the most useful questions and start the most interesting discussions. So please don't be intimidated if you think your question is "dumb"; as long as you are serious about learning, there can be no dumb question, because if you have it you can be sure that many others do, too.
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