How to Buy Stocks

Purchasing stocks allows individual investors to buy fractional ownership shares in public companies and potentially profit through dividends and appreciation. Learning key steps like choosing brokerages, analyzing companies, placing trade orders and minimizing fees enables stock market participation.

Stock Trading Accounts

To trade stocks, open a brokerage account that facilitates buy and sell orders:

Full-Service Brokers – Assisted account management through dedicated registered representatives providing advice and trade execution often for commissions and account minimums.

Discount Brokers – Execute self-directed trades through website and mobile apps discounted from traditional brokers. Many offer low or zero trade commissions. Popular examples include Fidelity, Charles Schwab, E*TRADE and TD Ameritrade.

Robo-Advisors – Automated portfolio management using algorithms and monthly fees, not commissions. Allow hands-off passive investing like Wealthfront, Betterment and Ellevest.

Apps – Mobile app interfaces modernizing stock trading, often with zero commissions. Feature easy sign-ups and fractional share investing options. Leading choices are Robinhood and Webull.

Steps to Open a Brokerage Account

Opening a brokerage account follows similar steps as a standard bank account:

• Select your preferred broker among full-service, discount and app options.
• Apply online providing personal identification and employment information for verification.
• Fund your account through linked bank transfers or checks to have capital available to trade.
• Place your first trade for a stock you’ve researched or fund a robo-account.

The online application process generally takes under 10 minutes after selecting a brokerage.

Choosing an Ideal Broker

Compare stock brokerages across factors like:

• Account minimums and maintenance fees
• Trading commissions per transaction
• Tools, research, and educational resources
• Available securities products beyond just stocks
• Technology platforms and mobility offerings
• Customer service reputation and ratings
• Any promotional incentives for new accounts

Weigh needs to determine the optimal value balancing costs, functionality and support.

Conducting Stock Research

Before purchasing shares, analyze potential companies to invest in through:

Fundamental Analysis – Researching financial metrics like revenue growth, debt levels, management pedigree and competitive positioning to gauge quality and valuation.

Technical Analysis – Studying pricing charts and volume patterns to identify trends and inform buy and sell timing.

Qualitative Analysis – Evaluating less tangible attributes like industry leadership, brand reputation and analyst outlooks.

Thorough diligence across fundamentals, technicals and qualitative aspects provides a well-rounded perspective on investment potential.

Fundamental Stock Research Metrics

Key fundamental metrics assessed include:

• Price/Earnings Ratio – Share price relative to profits indicating valuation
• Earnings Growth – Increasing profits over time signal strong execution
• Debt/Equity Ratio – Balance sheet leverage and risk indicators
• Current Ratio – Company liquidity position and working capital
• Management Track Record – Leadership success and tenure stability
• Dividend History – Cash payments to shareholders signaling earnings power

Evaluate trends across many years versus just the latest year snapshots.

Technical Stock Analysis Strategies

Common technical analysis approaches involve:

• Price Chart Patterns – Trends, support/resistance levels, breakouts, reversals
• Indicators – Moving averages, momentum oscillators like RSI and MACD
• Trading Volume – Surges in volume confirm price movement conviction
• Technical Events – Breakouts, pullbacks, gap ups/downs signaling trading opportunities

No single indicator universally works. Seek converging signals across multiple technical measures.

Qualitative Stock Research Factors

Qualitative attributes supplementing financial metrics:

• Industry Position – Category leadership, niche power, platforms and scale
• Competitive Advantages – Brand, cost structure, patents, network effects
• Analyst Sentiment – Rating trends signaling rising or fading optimism
• Recent News – Product launches, deals, management changes
• Societal Trends – Favorable secular shifts related to offerings
• Disruptor Threats – New innovations pressuring status quo businesses

Softer factors provide great insight contextualizing the numbers.

Due Diligence Research Sources

Resources aiding stock research include:

• Financial websites and apps – Yahoo Finance, SeekingAlpha, TipRanks
• Research reports from investment banks and ratings agencies
• Stock screeners finding stocks meeting criteria – Finviz, TradingView
• SEC website Edgar filings database with official company documents
• Macroeconomic data detailing economic health – St. Louis Federal Reserve

Cast a wide net sourcing both company-specific and big picture inputs.

Order Types for Trading Stocks

Common stock order types to specify buy/sell instructions:

Market Order – Executes immediately at current market prices. Fast and simple but no control over final price.

Limit Order – Sets a floor or ceiling price to transact avoiding unfavorable price movements. May not execute if limit conditions never met.

Stop Order – Converts to a market order once stock hits predefined stop price. Useful for locking in gains or limiting downside.

Trailing Stop Order – Like a Stop Order but stop price adjusts as stock price fluctuates according to specified trail amount.

Discuss best order strategies for situations with your broker. Use different order types for entries versus exits.

Minimizing Trading Commissions

Keep stock trade costs low through:

• Zero commission brokers like Robinhood and Webull
• Low cost brokers like Charles Schwab and Fidelity
• Promotional offers compensating account transfers
• Trading during promotional periods with reduced commissions
• Using commission-free ETFs versus individual stocks
• Investing long-term to amortize commission costs over more years

Lower friction costs allow allocating more dollars into investments versus overhead fees.

Avoiding Common Stock Investment Mistakes

Steer clear of these stock investing missteps:

• No strategy or goals – Invest aimlessly without a guiding investment thesis.
• Impulse trades – Make emotion driven buys during market euphoria without research or valuation discipline.
• Excessive trading – Chase quick profits trading in and out speculatively generating unnecessary commissions and taxes.
• Lack of diversification – Concentrate portfolio in too few stocks or sectors creating amplified risk.
• Following crowd manias – Buy into unsustainable rallies and internet chat room stock tips when valuations get detached from reality.

Stick to rational, research-backed investing with a long-term perspective.

Managing a Stock Portfolio

Once owning stocks, continuously:

• Rebalance portfolio asset weightings drifting from targets
• Harvest tax losses offsetting realized capital gains
• Minimize taxes through savvy loss harvesting and gain timing strategies
• Stay on top of company and industry developments relevant to holdings
• Review fundamentals ensuring investment theses remain intact
• Sell deteriorating stocks with changing outlooks

Ongoing maintenance ensures a portfolio aligned with goals delivering appropriate risk-adjusted returns.

Closing Thoughts

Owning stocks allows participating in corporate upside over time. But research diligently, trade prudently using low cost brokers, and manage holdings actively. With patience accumulating companies with bright futures across diverse sectors, portfolios can steadily grow through consistent investing rooted in rationality versus mania. Keep perspective through inevitable volatile periods. Stick to sound principles and stocks provide a path to long-term wealth.