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Written by: Charles M. O'Melia
First and foremost, an opportunistic strategy
for creating wealth in the stock market is needed. And
the opportunistic strategy for creating wealth in the
stock market must have two ingredients, a plan and a goal.
The plan must be a definite, concrete plan of investing
that would profit you and your family for the rest of
your lives. This opportunistic investment plan you begin
should not profit anyone else not a stockbroker, a mutual
fund or a financial advisor.
This means you have to have confidence
in yourself and in your own judgment as to whether the
investment plan you begin has merit. And this means that
the investment plan would and should have already been
proven to you!
This definite, concrete plan you begin
for creating wealth through opportunities in the stock
market must also have a goal. The goal should be clear
and specific, and once your have made up your mind to
achieve that goal, then go forward and make that goal
a reality.
What are the opportunistic traits of a
strategic investment plan built on concrete that would
actually allow the shareholder to profit through all the
turmoil of an up and down stock market? The secret for
creating wealth in the stock market; no matter what direction
the market is heading?
As in what appears to be the most difficult
investment question of all to answer, the answer lies
in simplicity itself investing in those companies that
have a historical record of raising their dividend every
year. Whether or not you can take this statement of fact
to heart is your own judgment call. But it is this opportunistic
trait that can and will create wealth for you and your
family for the rest of your lives.
A companys ability to raise its dividend
every year, coupled with stock appreciation is a very
powerful wealth creating formula!
I'm going to provide you with two examples, though
there are many more, some with even better results. The
two examples are from my book, soon to be published by
American Book Publishing The Stockopoly Plan (where an
investment plan and a goal are written in stone).
The first example would be a stock purchased
in 1990, Comerica (CMA). What led to the purchase of CMA?
In 1990 CMA had a 21 year history of raising their dividend
every year. Todays CMA has a 35 year history of raising
their dividend every year. This opportunistic trait in
CMA stock has garnished a little better than a 15 percent
return a year, compounded annually (just by having the
dividends reinvested back into the stock each quarter
through those years I prove this to you in The Stockopoly
Plan), for the past 14 plus years. Todays CMA stock just
recently touched a new high at $60 dollars a share, with
a dividend yield of around 3 percent. In April of 2003
the stock was selling around $37.50 a share, paying a
dividend yield of around 5% a year. Am I tempted to sell
my position in CMA? Do I care if the stock drops from
this lofty price back to $37 a share? Why should I? If
the stock drops back to $37 a share, my dividends being
reinvested back into the stock each quarter purchases
more shares, and my dividend income from CMA simply and
dramatically accelerates. I am also already prepared that
if a buy-out offer is ever made for the company to reap
the profits of owning the stock (as well as the possibility
of another stock split).
The second example is (unfortunately)
in my book, also. I say unfortunately because my book
is in the final copy edit stage, so no one has had a chance
to read and benefit from it, and since a buy-out offer
was made for the stock last week or so, the stock will
no longer exist (this means a rewrite for me, before publication).
The company in question is the Rouse Co. (RSE), which
was just purchased by General Growth Properties (GGP).
Oddly enough, youll find GGP in my book, also if you bother
to pick it up. Anyway, thats neither here nor there -
RSE, on the takeover bid jumped over $16.00 a share in
one day! Whew! Why couldnt they have waited a couple of
months until my book was released? RSE had the opportunistic
trait of raising their dividend every year since 1993
and I was quite content with its performance through the
years.
Well, that last paragraph blew my train
of thought on this article. All I can think about at the
moment is my rewrite.
I would like to take this time to explain
something to you. I have never considered myself a writer
nor am I a stock market professional. I am simply a man
with 39 years of experience and a passion for the stock
market, trying to share what wisdom those years have given
me. When I sit down to write an article, I seldom have
an idea on what Im going to say. It was the same way when
I sat down to write my book. I just meant to put down
a few words on paper for my 18-year old son so he would
have a sound, concrete plan for investing in those companies
that make up the stock market (quite frankly I didnt want
him to blow his inheritance). Whether you find merit in
what I say, I have no idea. What I do know is that life
is just too short to learn everything you need to learn
by yourself, without the help of others.
There, now I'm satisfied with that ending!
For more excerpts from the book The Stockopoly
Plan visit http://www.thestockopolyplan.com
Charles M. OMelia is an individual investor
with almost 40 years of experience and passion for the
stock market. Author of the book The Stockopoly Plan,
soon to be released by American Book Publishing.
You have permission to this article either
electronically or in print as long as the author bylines
are included, with a live link, and the article is not
changed in any way (typos, excluded). Please provide a
courtesy e-mail to charles@thestockopolyplan.com
telling where the article was published.
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