The Good Samaritans

[bar1080]

"Thank you, I'm still trying you wrap my head around the info." So is everyone else! That's from a database of 26,000 stocks that came out recently. All NYSE, Amex and NASDAQ since 1926!!!

Being a long time winner helps which is why EXXON/Standard Oil ranks first. I had relatives who owned GM years ago. It must have been one heck of a stock from 1926 thru the the 60s or 70s. Note that BRK didn't make the list despite the fact that it's leveraged. Buffett's success didn't come from owning those stocks, although he's owned some of them at times.

Key takeaway: Most stocks are junk. You only need to hold one of the top 86 winners in your portfolio to do great. The easiest way to do that is via an index fund. I own ALL of those winners!

I'm sure KO and CL are near the top. Dell had a few great years. That list takes dividends into account. Prior to the 1970s, dividends were considered more important than capital gains.

Consider this: Bonds and bank CDs have done much better than t-bills since 1926. Buying them hasn't been stupid.