In a world where mutual fund managers routinely fail to beat the market and stock-pickers repeatedly struggle to find consistent success, it’s easy to think “screw it, I’m just going to get myself an ETF and stop worrying about all this.”
However, some people have managed to buck those trends over the years. Some investors have proven that, rare as it may be, long-term success picking stocks is not impossible. And these are people whose names are whispered with reverence among investors, the sort of people that make us all think it’s possible to do better.
So, while most of us are probably well aware that we’re never going to manage to be the next Warren Buffett, that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a lot from him. Here’s a look at what Equities.com has exploring the work of some of the investing greats and what lessons they might have for us all.
Warren Buffett
Perhaps no name resonates more in this day and age than that of the Oracle of Omaha. Here’s a look at some of his best quotes over the years.
Benjamin Graham
The man Warren Buffett cites as one of his biggest influences as an investor remains a relevant voice decades after he retired from the game. A source of many of his own great quotes, Graham also developed the Graham Number to assess the value of a stock and developed investing guidelines for more defensive investors as well.
Peter Lynch
Peter Lynch was the most successful fund manager of the 1980s, leveraging his personal insights into big returns. Here’s a look at what investments he might like in today’s market, and whether or not his concept of GARP investing still holds water.
Jim Cramer
The loud, brash, controversial CNBC personality is rarely at a loss for words.
William O’Neil
The founder of Investor’s Business Daily, O’Neil developed his CAN SLIM strategy to seek out stocks poised to take off.
James P. O’Shaugnessy
Micro-cap king James O’Shaugnessy developed his “tiny titans” screen to identify smaller, potentially overlooked companies that had a real chance to explode.
Walter Schloss
Another Benjamin Graham disciple, Schloss believed in buying cheap stocks and getting his money’s worth, developing the Schloss Screen to identify companies he liked.
Joseph Piotrowski
An accounting professor at the University of Chicago, Piotrowski developed his Piotrowski Score in 2000 based on past market performance.
Michael B. O’Higgins
In 1991, O’Higgins detailed a method for picking blue-chip stocks in his book Beating the Dow.
Charles Ponzi
Anyone interested in how NOT to invest, here’s a look at the original Ponzi scheme and the infamous Charles Ponzi.
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