Is now the time to buy stocks/shares??

moneylover

gadgetmind wrote: »

I have mine in a spreadsheet that automatically downloads prices from Yahoo, and projected dividends from Digital Look, and then works out forwards yield. I also have another watchlist on yahoo finance that lets me see price, 52-week high/low and 52-week rolling average. For p/e, divi cover, and xd dates, I use Digital Look, but it does sometimes have missing data and errors.

You obviously are not called gadgetmind for nothing!
I think that this might be totally beyond me although I obviously know the sites you mention. But knowing its possible I will have a look at Yahoo and see what I can get from it as I would like to see price, high and low of day and 52 week high and low.
What is forward yield is this based on what you paid for the shares and the next projected dividend? Thank you

Sealed_Egg

Now is the time to buy prices are on the up, a couple of house round here went for above the asking price. Mind you they were on for next to nothing.

gadgetmind

moneylover wrote: »

You obviously are not called gadgetmind for nothing!

If you think I'm handy with a spreadsheet, you should see me with a spanner or a soldering iron!

What is forward yield is this based on what you paid for the shares and the next projected dividend? Thank you

Yes, what analysts are guessing (they'd say "projecting"!) for future dividends and the current share price. Also of great interest is dividend cover, which is earnings per share divided by dividends per share. If cover is low, any hit to earnings could see dividends being cut. Ideally look for cover of over two as this would suggest that the company has the scope to increase dividends in future years.

You also want companies with a decent market cap (I mainly stick to FTSE 100 but will roam the 350 if everything else looks good), low gearing, wide moats, and all those other good things. Of course, this would make the company perfect, and thus a high share price to go with it, so you need to accept compromise, look for "our of fashion" sectors, and be prepared to buy on the dips. Last week was "sale time" for income oriented investors!

Note that I am very much a beginner, and being on the youthful side of 50, haven't seen as many cycles as the old hands. I'm also putting in "new money" so don't have quite so many agonising decisions regards asset allocation as I don't have to sell something to buy something else.

gadgetmind

Sealed_Egg wrote: »

Now is the time to buy prices are on the up, a couple of house round here went for above the asking price. Mind you they were on for next to nothing.

Sounds like they were priced correctly. Oh so many people "chase the market down", refusing reasonable offers as they don't match their cherished view of their property's "true value", only to then drop asking even lower than said offer a few months later. Rinse and repeat.

They will keep claiming, "it's on at the right price, but it's just not selling!" - err, no, stick it on at £1000 and it will sell within minutes so THE PRICE IS WRONG!

Rant over, back to stocks and shares. :-)

moneylover

My daughter lives in Cambridge and almost everything for a first time buyer and up to £300000 goes for above the asking price. The first w/e a house is on the market is usual an 'open day' as so many people looking!

gadgetmind

moneylover wrote: »

My daughter lives in Cambridge and almost everything for a first time buyer and up to £300000 goes for above the asking price. The first w/e a house is on the market is usual an 'open day' as so many people looking!

Despite being in the "grim North", we're in a local hot spot, and have been for decades. I'm sure we'll appreciate it come down-sizing time, but other than that, it doesn't favour anyone other than the banks (who get to lend people secured money) and the government, who get to extract up to 4% stamp duty from every sale.

I liked houses when people could afford them.

gadgetmind

moneylover wrote: »

I think that this might be totally beyond me although I obviously know the sites you mention.

Motley Fool is also well worth a look, particularly the "HYP" boards.

However, it's worth noting that this is a semi-mechanical stock picking activity aimed at picking consistent dividend payers who are most likely to remain consistent in the future. Some would disagree as to whether the focus on dividends at the expense of growth is wise, and the gold bugs and mattress stuffers would go further and claim equities make no sense. Make your own mind up.

However, if you do decide on the long-term dividend oriented approach. here is a master deliberating which stocks he'd choose right now.

http://boards.fool.co.uk/quotlump-sum-all-at-oncequot-hyp-constructio-12338601.aspx?sort=whole#12338601

moneylover

gadgetmind wrote: »

Motley Fool is also well worth a look, particularly the "HYP" boards.

yes, I do use Motley Fool occasionally and I get the daily newsletter but there are some quite intense people on the boards plus I dont much like the threaded, unthreaded arrangement. I guess that MSE feels more like family - I use a lot of the boards.
Having said that there is obviously a lot of detailed and useful postings on the Fool and I need to get into it more - which boards do you read or do you just follow certain knowledgeable posters?
I read the suggested posting for shares - very good.

gadgetmind

moneylover wrote: »

yes, I do use Motley Fool occasionally and I get the daily newsletter but there are some quite intense people on the boards

Too true, but I just ignore them.

I dont much like the threaded, unthreaded arrangement.

I *hate* their forum software.

which boards do you read or do you just follow certain knowledgeable posters?

I tend to read the HYP and IT/UT boards. I also dip into the banking sector ones, and some company ones, but they aren't a patch on the others.

sabretoothtigger

Better or worse then iii ? I much prefer MSE type layout