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  • A Unique List Of Fully Defensive Graham Stocks [View article]
    Makes sense, PDR!

    But since Serenity strictly follows Graham's principles, all the terms too are used exactly as defined by him.
    Oct 14 03:10 PM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • A Unique List Of Fully Defensive Graham Stocks [View article]
    Couldn't agree with you more, CaptainJJack!

    Apparently index funds did not exist at the time Graham wrote his books.
    But his first recommendation for Defensive investment was:

    "In setting up this diversified list he has a choice of two approaches, the DJIA-type of portfolio and the quantitatively- tested portfolio. In the first he acquires a true cross-section sample of the leading issues....[shortened]... This could be done, most simply perhaps, by buying the same amounts of all thirty of the issues in the Dow-Jones Industrial Average."

    Which amounts to buying index funds today!
    In fact, he even noted elsewhere how:

    "what seemed like a miscellaneous assortment of all sorts of common stocks would definitely outperform the aristocratic “thirty tyrants” of the Dow"

    about the S&P500.
    If index funds had been available at the time, it's quite likely he would have recommended one based on the S&P500.
    Oct 14 03:07 PM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • A Unique List Of Fully Defensive Graham Stocks [View article]
    Thank you, Norman Tweed!
    Appreciation from such a seasoned investor is truly very encouraging.

    Graham's whole philosophy was of safety - that stocks are intrinsically profitable so you can make more money simply by ensuring that you lose as less as possible.
    It sounds counter intuitive but is true nonetheless, as demonstrated so well by his students such as Warren Buffett.

    Hope you do find the screeners useful!

    And yes, if you need more stocks for investment, do use Graham's Enterprising and NCAV grade stocks instead of partially Defensive ones.
    They are simply different combinations of stability and profitability, and according to Graham, a stock is best suited for investment only if it completely meet one of the sets of criteria.
    Oct 14 01:18 AM | 1 Like Like |Link to Comment
  • A Unique List Of Fully Defensive Graham Stocks [View article]
    And that's probably what Graham meant by Defensive too, PDR!

    "of high financial strength and able to withstand a financial/economic crisis".

    And of course, offerring good returns.

    As you can see, that's exactly what his seven Defensive criteria check for too. The six Enterprising criteria and two NCAV criteria simply offer other combinations of stability and profit.

    Btw, Serenity means the word "Defensive" only as defined by Graham.
    Oct 14 12:54 AM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • A Unique List Of Fully Defensive Graham Stocks [View article]
    Very well said, Amerlafrance!

    Risk is truly a very misunderstood idea.

    Graham said “An investment operation is one which, upon thorough analysis promises safety of principal and an adequate return. Operations not meeting these requirements are speculative.”

    The first priority is safety. Stocks are intrinsically very profitable. In the long term, you can make more money simply by ensuring that you lose as less as possible. Counter intuitive but true.

    But all common trading is based on the idea that you have to make riskier bets to make more profits.
    Oct 14 12:46 AM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • A Unique List Of Fully Defensive Graham Stocks [View article]
    Thank you Vorgriff!

    If you need more stocks , please use Graham's Enterprising and NCAV grade stocks instead of partially Defensive stocks.
    Link: http://bit.ly/QYCMaj

    A stock should completely meet one of the sets of Graham's criteria to be eligible for investment.
    Oct 14 12:33 AM | 2 Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • Using The Graham Number Correctly [View article]
    Philip Mause,

    The reply to your comment is given below.

    Thank you.
    Oct 5 04:29 PM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • Using The Graham Number Correctly [View article]
    Thank you, Joe Ontario!

    If you require, Serenity already has a screener for finding stocks that meet the Graham Number and other individual Defensive criteria - completely or partially.
    Link: http://bit.ly/PFBPiL

    But Serenity's recommended screener is the "Comprehensive Graham" screener, which shows you all stocks meeting all of Graham's criteria - Defensive, Enterprising and NCAV!
    Link: http://bit.ly/QYCMaj
    Oct 5 04:27 PM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • Using The Graham Number Correctly [View article]
    Graham is never wrong but his principles are rarely applied correctly (as demonstrated in this article itself).
    The market is rarely right!

    Quoting from Buffett's preface to Graham's book:

    "Whether you achieve outstanding results will depend on the effort and intellect you apply to your investments, as well as on the amplitudes of stock-market folly that prevail during your investing career. The sillier the market’s behavior, the greater the opportunity for the business-like investor. Follow Graham and you will profit from folly rather than participate in it."

    And from Buffett's remembrance about Graham:

    "In an area where much looks foolish within weeks or months after publication, Ben’s principles have remained sound—their value often enhanced and better understood in the wake of financial storms that demolished flimsier intellectual structures. His counsel of soundness brought unfailing rewards to his followers"
    Oct 5 12:20 AM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • Ben Graham's Stock Valuing Formula: It Really Works [View article]
    In his book, Graham uses this formula to replicate other forecasting methods, while retrospectively showing how stocks never behave according to any such forecasts.
    In fact, he gives multiple warnings to never use any such formula.

    So if it's working for you, that's actually surprising.
    Sep 6 09:48 AM | 2 Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • Ben Graham's Stock Valuing Formula: It Really Works [View article]
    Graham never intended this growth formula to actually be used to evaluate stocks. This is a very common but dangerous misconception.
    Sep 6 03:00 AM | 2 Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • Would Ben Graham Buy These REITs? [View article]
    Still looking forward to see how you'd quantitatively screen REITs, Brad.

    Graham had 14 very specific calculations that he applied to each stock, 20 years of dividends being one of them.
    Aug 27 10:07 AM | 1 Like Like |Link to Comment
  • Why The Benjamin Graham Formula Is Misunderstood [View article]
    The possibility of splits/recent changes is mentioned in the disclaimer, as well as on the website.

    Please keep the language professional.
    Especially since you're a competitor.

    Thank you!
    Aug 23 01:37 AM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • 4 Large-Caps Undervalued By Earnings Growth And The Graham Number [View article]
    Annual sales should come to around $500 Million once adjusted based on the difference in CPI from 1970.
    Aug 22 02:02 PM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
  • 4 Large-Caps Undervalued By Earnings Growth And The Graham Number [View article]
    Use of the Graham Number requires the stock to first meet the following conditions, in Graham's own words:

    "1. Adequate Size of the Enterprise
    Not less than $100 million of annual sales for an industrial company.
    Serenity: Adjusted based on difference in CPI from 1970.

    2. A Sufficiently Strong Financial Condition
    For industrial companies current assets should be at least twice current liabilities—a so-called two-to-one current ratio. Also, long-term debt should not exceed the net current assets (or “working capital”).

    3. Earnings Stability
    Some earnings for the common stock in each of the past ten years.

    4. Dividend Record
    Uninterrupted payments for at least the past 20 years.

    5. Earnings Growth
    A minimum increase of at least one-third in per-share earnings in the past ten years using three-year averages at the beginning and end."
    Aug 22 02:01 PM | Likes Like |Link to Comment
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