Month: April 2020

Traders may be using technical analysis to help spot ideal entry and exit points. One idea behind technical analysis is that historical price movement trends have the ability to repeat themselves. Technical analysis involves the use of chart patterns to examine market movements and to help define trends. Trends in the stock market are not always easy to spot. Many chartists will strive to determine whether the trend is up, down, or sideways. After defining a trend, the technical analyst may look to see what type of timeframe the trend encompasses. Some traders will look to identify whether the trend is major or long-term, short-term, or intermediate. Being able to decipher what the data is saying may assist the trader with finding potential entry and exit points on a particular trade. There are many different indicators that can be employed when undertaking technical analysis. Many traders will do numerous chart studies to find out which indicator or indicators tend to project the most relevant trading assistance. Learning how to spot these trends might help the trader develop specific charting skills that will hopefully lead to future market success.

Investors may be taking a look at certain business aspects when attempting to research a stock. Investors often look to see if the stock’s specific industry is on the rise. There may be a greater chance of success when investing in an industry that is rapidly growing. Investors may then want to see how the company stacks up within the industry. Many investors will look for stocks that are proven industry leaders. Industry leaders have the ability to influence pricing and not necessarily be susceptible to what other companies are doing around them. Investors may also be taking note of how a company invests in research and development. Companies that are focused on the future may have a competitive advantage over those who are too focused on the near-term.

Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR), of the Financial sector recently touched $96.13 based on a recent trade, indicating movement of 0.18%. Analysts are predicting earnings per share growth of 3.90% for the current year. The earnings per share growth over the next five years are expected to be 6.00%. Extra Space Storage Inc. has had earnings per share growth of 16.10% over the past five years. 

Currently the return on equity is 17.00% and its debt to equity is 1.99. Extra Space Storage Inc. has a total market cap of $12437.30, a gross margin of 72.10% while the profit margin is 32.00% and the ROI is 8.20%.

Performance

The stats on Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR) are currently as follows. The weekly performance is 0.11%, and the quarterly performance is at -9.75%. The monthly performance is -13.05% and the yearly performance is -13.05%. The performance for Year to Date (YTD) is -8.99%.

Extra Space Storage Inc. has posted a trailing 12 months earnings per share of $3.24 and the earnings per share growth for this year is expected to be 3.90%. The ROI is 8.20% and the return on equity for Extra Space Storage Inc. stated earlier, is currently at 17.00% .The return on assets (ROA) for Extra Space Storage Inc. is 5.00%. 

Earnings per share (EPS) the amount of income that “belongs” to each share of common stock. This is a valuable tool that investors use to determine the value and projected value of a stock.  Earnings per share is generally reported in annualized form from the most recent fiscal year. To determine the value, the average number of shares outstanding is usually calculated by averaging the number of shares at the beginning of the fiscal period and the number of shares at the end of the period. 

Technicals

The technical stats for Extra Space Storage Inc. are as follows. Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR) is trading 32.23% away from the stock’s 52-week low and -22.76% off of the 52-week high. Current levels place the company 3.96% away from it’s 20-day simple moving average. The average volume stands around 1733362. Trading volume is a hugely important consideration for any investor.  By watching how many shares are trading hands and looking for any changes in that activity, trading opportunities can be spotted along with a deeper understanding of the reliability of other indicators on the stock.  A significant increase in trading volume means that more than double the average amount of stocks are moving.  When volume is decreased significantly, it may indicate there is an issue that shareholders should watch out for.  It’s also important to take into consideration how long the unusual volume sustains for.  If it’s only the one trading day, it can be dismissed as an anomaly.

The current stock levels place it -12.13% away from the 200 day moving average. Extra Space Storage Inc. has a beta of 0.33 and the weekly and monthly volatility stands at 4.86% and 7.72% respectively. The simple moving average is the most common method used to calculate the moving average of prices.  It takes the sum of all of the past closing prices over a specific time period and divides the result by the number of prices used in the calculation.  Increasing the number of time periods in the calculation is an effective way to ascertain the strength of the long-term trend and/or the likelihood that it might reverse.  Some argue that this type of average is not necessarily useful because each data point in the series has the exact same impact on the result no matter where it occurs in the sequence.

Beta is used to measure a stock’s price volatility relative to the market. A stock with a beta of “0” indicates that its price is not correlated with the market. A positive beta indicates that the stock follows the market. A negative beta means that the stock inversely follows the market, decreasing in value when the market goes up. 

Price Earnings Ratio

The price/earnings ratio (P/E) for Extra Space Storage Inc. is 29.63 and the forward P/E ratio stands at 28.78. The price to sales growth is 9.51. The price/earnings ratio (P/E) is a market prospect ratio which calculates the value of a stock relative to its earnings. On other words, the P/E ratio is and indicator of what investors are will to pay for a stock relative to its earnings.  A firm with a high P/E ratio typically indicates that investors are willing to pay a premium for the stock and higher performance in future quarters would be anticipated. Going a step further we can also look at the PEG ratio of a company.  A stock’s price/earnings ratio divided by its year-over-year earnings growth rate. In general, the lower the PEG, the better the value, because the investor would be paying less for each unit of earnings growth.

Figuring out when to sell a stock can be just as important as deciding what stocks to buy at the outset. Some investors may refuse to sell based on various factors. Investors may have become stubborn, too emotionally attached, or set too high of an expectation for a stock. Holding on to a stock for way too long in order to squeeze every last drop of profit out of a price move may leave the investor desperately searching for answers in the future. Investors may have different checklists for when it is time to sell a stock. Of course this depends largely on the individual and how much is at risk. Often times, investors will make a move to sell when the fundamentals drastically change, the dividend is cut, or a previous set target price has been hit. Getting out of a position at the right time is obviously not easy, but it may become a bit easier with time and rese arch.              

Disclaimer: The views of the author are in no way suggesting whether or not to buy a stock.  Data is provided by Yahoo Finance.

Shares of Sangamo Therapeutics Inc. (SGMO) recently touched $6.58, which places the stock above the Ichimoku cloud, indicating positive momentum and a potential buy signal for the equity.  Shares of Sangamo Therapeutics Inc. opened the last session at $6.50, touching a high of $6.58 and a low of $6.28 , yielding a change of -0.32.

Investors often conduct stock analysis to help figure out which ones are a good buy, and at what price should they get in. The two main types of stock research used by investors are fundamental and technical analysis. Some investors will only study the fundamentals while others will only follow the technicals. Many will choose to combine the two methods in order to get a more well-rounded view of the stock. Fundamental analysis entails following company data. This may include studying the balance sheet, profit and loss statements, and the overall competency of company management. Fundamental analysts often use financial ratios to help understand company information. Technical analysts often study charts in order to define trends. This research is typically not concerned with how the underlying financials of the company look, but how the stock has been trading.

Ichimoku Kinko Hyo is a technical trend trading charting system that has been used by Japanese commodity and stock market traders for decades and is gaining increasing popularity amongst western stock market traders, being commonly referred to as Ichimoku Cloud charts. Ichimoku Kinko Hyo, which translates to “equilibrium at a glance chart”, was developed to allow a trader to quickly and easily appraise the trend, momentum, and support and resistance levels of an asset, from a single chart.

Investors often have to make the decision of how aggressive they are going to invest. Some investors looking to make a quick dollar may jump in head first without a plan. This can be dangerous for the health of the portfolio in the long-term. Taking a chance on a risky stock may provide high returns, but investors often need to calculate whether the risk is worth the reward. Managing that risk in turbulent markets may help keep the average investor afloat when the markets inevitably turn sour for an extended period. Doing all the necessary stock research may include keeping a close tab on technicals, fundamentals, relevant economic data, and earnings reports. Investors may have to find a way to keep the rational side from being consumed by irrational behavior when studying the markets.       

Another popular indicator among technical analysts that can help to measure the strength of market momentum is the Average Directional Index or ADX. The ADX was created by J. Welles Wilder to help determine how strong a trend is. In general, a rising ADX line means that an existing trend is gaining strength. The opposite would be the case for a falling ADX line. At the time of writing, the 14-day ADX for Sangamo Therapeutics Inc. (SGMO) is standing at 24.10. Many chart analysts believe that an ADX reading over 25 would suggest a strong trend. A reading under 20 would suggest no trend, and a reading from 20-25 would suggest that there is no clear trend signal.

Sangamo Therapeutics Inc. (SGMO)’s Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R is sitting at -47.60. Typically, if the value heads above -20, the stock may be considered to be overbought. On the flip side, if the indicator goes under -80, this may signal that the stock is oversold. The RSI, or Relative Strength Index, is a commonly used technical momentum indicator that compares price movement over time. The RSI was created by J. Welles Wilder who was striving to measure whether or not a stock was overbought or oversold. The RSI may be useful for spotting abnormal price activity and volatility. The RSI oscillates on a scale from 0 to 100. The normal reading of a stock will fall in the range of 30 to 70. A reading over 70 would indicate that the stock is overbought, and possibly overvalued. A reading under 30 may indicate that the stock is oversold, and possibly undervalued. After a recent check, the 14-day RSI is currently at 45.55, the 7-day stands at 48.87, and the 3-day is sitting at 52.69.

Traders often employ unique systems when trying to beat the stock market. There are many different trading strategies or systems that can be used. New traders may find out very quickly that trading without a plan is a recipe for ruin. When starting out, it may require a lot of focus and dedication just to stay afloat. With more experience and hard work, traders may be able to eventually scoop up some of those profits that they were expecting when they started out. Some traders may have a few big wins right out of the gate. This may lead to overconfidence in the future if the proper precautions are not taken. Traders constantly need to be paying attention to everything that is going with the stock market. Moves can happen in the blink of an eye and without any notice. Being prepared to take a position at a moment’s notice can pay off big when the opportunity arises.

Taking a look at another technical level, Sangamo Therapeutics Inc. (SGMO) presently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 28.34. Typically, the CCI oscillates above and below a zero line. Normal oscillations tend to stay in the range of -100 to +100. A CCI reading of +100 may represent overbought conditions, while readings near -100 may indicate oversold territory. Although the CCI indicator was developed for commodities, it has become a popular tool for equity evaluation as well. Moving average indicators are used widely for stock analysis. Many traders will use a combination of moving averages with different time frames to help review stock trend direction. One of the more popular combinations is to use the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Investors may use the 200-day MA to help smooth out the data a get a clearer long-term picture. They may look to the 50-day or 20-day to get a better grasp of what is going on with the stock in the near-term. Presently, the 200-day moving average is at 9.36 and the 50-day is 7.27.

SCWorx Corp. (WORX) shares opened the last session at $2.90, touching a high of $3.62 and a low of $1.82 , yielding a change of -0.14.  The latest reading places the stock above the Ichimoku cloud which indicates positive momentum and a potential buy signal.
Many new traders will jump right into the market without any concrete plan. They may be highly optimistic, but will soon realize that it takes more than optimism to secure profits in the stock market. Successful traders are usually good at having a backup plan for every trade. This may seem unnecessary to some, but when the harsh reality of a losing trade comes into the picture, it can be hard to rebound after taking a big hit. Rushing into trades to try and cover recent losses may also leave the trader on the outside looking in. Taking a rationalized approach may help the trader ride out the bumpy patches when they inevitably come.  

The Ichimoku Cloud was originally called the ‘Ichimoku Kinko Hyo.’ Where Ichimoku means ‘one glance,’Kinko ‘balance’ and Hyo ‘chart.’ Thus the full translation could best be described as ‘one glance balanced chart.’ Originally developed by Goichi Hosada pre WWII, a newspaper journalist (published in 1969) who wanted to develop an Uber-indicator that could provide the trader with various levels of support/resistance, entry/exit points, direction of the trend, and strength of the signal.

The most basic theory of this indicator is that if the price is above the cloud, the overall trend is bullish while below the cloud is bearish, and in the cloud is non-biased or unclear. Lastly, when the price is above the cloud, then the top of the cloud will act as a general support level, and when price is below, the cloud base will act as resistance. But remember the cloud has thickness, and thus resistance does as well, which by making these thicker reduces the risk of a false breakout.

Another popular tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a specific period of time. Moving averages can be very useful for identifying peaks and troughs. They may also be used to help the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock. Currently, the 200-day MA is sitting at 3.13, and the 50-day is 2.34.

The 14-day ADX for SCWorx Corp. (WORX) is currently at 30.01. In general, and ADX value from 0-25 would represent an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would signify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would point to an extremely strong trend. Checking in on some other technical levels, the 14-day RSI is currently at 48.42, the 7-day stands at 50.03, and the 3-day is sitting at 45.99. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of stock price movements. The RSI was developed by J. Welles Wilder, and it oscillates between 0 and 100. Generally, the RSI is considered to be oversold when it falls below 30 and overbought when it heads above 70. RSI can be used to detect general trends as well as finding divergences and failure swings.

Investors may be looking at all the different factors that come into play when searching for those next stocks to add to the portfolio. Maybe there are some names that have been on the radar, but the timing hasn’t been right to add them into the mix. As we get closer to the end of the year, investors may be looking back at individual stock performance over the past year. They may discover some great opportunities that weren’t available during the last review. Investors may also be keeping an eye on which sectors were the big winners during the latest earnings season. Branching out into new areas may help give the investor some alternative ideas for the next few quarters.

At the time of writing, SCWorx Corp. (WORX) has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 118.98. Developed by Donald Lambert, the CCI is a versatile tool that may be used to help spot an emerging trend or provide warning of extreme conditions. CCI generally measures the current price relative to the average price level over a specific time period. CCI is relatively high when prices are much higher than average, and relatively low when prices are much lower than the average. Investors may be watching other technical indicators such as the Williams Percent Range or Williams %R. The Williams %R is a momentum indicator that helps measure oversold and overbought levels. This indicator compares the closing price of a stock in relation to the highs and lows over a certain time period. A common look back period is 14 days. SCWorx Corp. (WORX)’s Williams %R presently stands at -71.98. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would indicate an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would indicate an oversold situation.

II-VI Inc. (IIVI) shares opened the last session at $27.85, touching a high of $29.16 and a low of $27.13 , yielding a change of -1.22.  The latest reading places the stock above the Ichimoku cloud which indicates positive momentum and a potential buy signal.
Many new traders will jump right into the market without any concrete plan. They may be highly optimistic, but will soon realize that it takes more than optimism to secure profits in the stock market. Successful traders are usually good at having a backup plan for every trade. This may seem unnecessary to some, but when the harsh reality of a losing trade comes into the picture, it can be hard to rebound after taking a big hit. Rushing into trades to try and cover recent losses may also leave the trader on the outside looking in. Taking a rationalized approach may help the trader ride out the bumpy patches when they inevitably come.  

The Ichimoku Cloud was originally called the ‘Ichimoku Kinko Hyo.’ Where Ichimoku means ‘one glance,’Kinko ‘balance’ and Hyo ‘chart.’ Thus the full translation could best be described as ‘one glance balanced chart.’ Originally developed by Goichi Hosada pre WWII, a newspaper journalist (published in 1969) who wanted to develop an Uber-indicator that could provide the trader with various levels of support/resistance, entry/exit points, direction of the trend, and strength of the signal.

The most basic theory of this indicator is that if the price is above the cloud, the overall trend is bullish while below the cloud is bearish, and in the cloud is non-biased or unclear. Lastly, when the price is above the cloud, then the top of the cloud will act as a general support level, and when price is below, the cloud base will act as resistance. But remember the cloud has thickness, and thus resistance does as well, which by making these thicker reduces the risk of a false breakout.

Another popular tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a specific period of time. Moving averages can be very useful for identifying peaks and troughs. They may also be used to help the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock. Currently, the 200-day MA is sitting at 34.28, and the 50-day is 31.92.

The 14-day ADX for II-VI Inc. (IIVI) is currently at 20.57. In general, and ADX value from 0-25 would represent an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would signify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would point to an extremely strong trend. Checking in on some other technical levels, the 14-day RSI is currently at 49.24, the 7-day stands at 55.28, and the 3-day is sitting at 56.25. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of stock price movements. The RSI was developed by J. Welles Wilder, and it oscillates between 0 and 100. Generally, the RSI is considered to be oversold when it falls below 30 and overbought when it heads above 70. RSI can be used to detect general trends as well as finding divergences and failure swings.

Investors may be looking at all the different factors that come into play when searching for those next stocks to add to the portfolio. Maybe there are some names that have been on the radar, but the timing hasn’t been right to add them into the mix. As we get closer to the end of the year, investors may be looking back at individual stock performance over the past year. They may discover some great opportunities that weren’t available during the last review. Investors may also be keeping an eye on which sectors were the big winners during the latest earnings season. Branching out into new areas may help give the investor some alternative ideas for the next few quarters.

At the time of writing, II-VI Inc. (IIVI) has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 100.12. Developed by Donald Lambert, the CCI is a versatile tool that may be used to help spot an emerging trend or provide warning of extreme conditions. CCI generally measures the current price relative to the average price level over a specific time period. CCI is relatively high when prices are much higher than average, and relatively low when prices are much lower than the average. Investors may be watching other technical indicators such as the Williams Percent Range or Williams %R. The Williams %R is a momentum indicator that helps measure oversold and overbought levels. This indicator compares the closing price of a stock in relation to the highs and lows over a certain time period. A common look back period is 14 days. II-VI Inc. (IIVI)’s Williams %R presently stands at -15.87. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would indicate an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would indicate an oversold situation.

Amyris Inc. (AMRS) shares opened the last session at $2.11, touching a high of $2.43 and a low of $2.03 , yielding a change of 0.09.  The latest reading places the stock above the Ichimoku cloud which indicates positive momentum and a potential buy signal.
Many new traders will jump right into the market without any concrete plan. They may be highly optimistic, but will soon realize that it takes more than optimism to secure profits in the stock market. Successful traders are usually good at having a backup plan for every trade. This may seem unnecessary to some, but when the harsh reality of a losing trade comes into the picture, it can be hard to rebound after taking a big hit. Rushing into trades to try and cover recent losses may also leave the trader on the outside looking in. Taking a rationalized approach may help the trader ride out the bumpy patches when they inevitably come.  

The Ichimoku Cloud was originally called the ‘Ichimoku Kinko Hyo.’ Where Ichimoku means ‘one glance,’Kinko ‘balance’ and Hyo ‘chart.’ Thus the full translation could best be described as ‘one glance balanced chart.’ Originally developed by Goichi Hosada pre WWII, a newspaper journalist (published in 1969) who wanted to develop an Uber-indicator that could provide the trader with various levels of support/resistance, entry/exit points, direction of the trend, and strength of the signal.

The most basic theory of this indicator is that if the price is above the cloud, the overall trend is bullish while below the cloud is bearish, and in the cloud is non-biased or unclear. Lastly, when the price is above the cloud, then the top of the cloud will act as a general support level, and when price is below, the cloud base will act as resistance. But remember the cloud has thickness, and thus resistance does as well, which by making these thicker reduces the risk of a false breakout.

Another popular tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a specific period of time. Moving averages can be very useful for identifying peaks and troughs. They may also be used to help the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock. Currently, the 200-day MA is sitting at 3.48, and the 50-day is 2.91.

The 14-day ADX for Amyris Inc. (AMRS) is currently at 19.59. In general, and ADX value from 0-25 would represent an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would signify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would point to an extremely strong trend. Checking in on some other technical levels, the 14-day RSI is currently at 44.75, the 7-day stands at 48.82, and the 3-day is sitting at 65.07. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of stock price movements. The RSI was developed by J. Welles Wilder, and it oscillates between 0 and 100. Generally, the RSI is considered to be oversold when it falls below 30 and overbought when it heads above 70. RSI can be used to detect general trends as well as finding divergences and failure swings.

Investors may be looking at all the different factors that come into play when searching for those next stocks to add to the portfolio. Maybe there are some names that have been on the radar, but the timing hasn’t been right to add them into the mix. As we get closer to the end of the year, investors may be looking back at individual stock performance over the past year. They may discover some great opportunities that weren’t available during the last review. Investors may also be keeping an eye on which sectors were the big winners during the latest earnings season. Branching out into new areas may help give the investor some alternative ideas for the next few quarters.

At the time of writing, Amyris Inc. (AMRS) has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 0.8258. Developed by Donald Lambert, the CCI is a versatile tool that may be used to help spot an emerging trend or provide warning of extreme conditions. CCI generally measures the current price relative to the average price level over a specific time period. CCI is relatively high when prices are much higher than average, and relatively low when prices are much lower than the average. Investors may be watching other technical indicators such as the Williams Percent Range or Williams %R. The Williams %R is a momentum indicator that helps measure oversold and overbought levels. This indicator compares the closing price of a stock in relation to the highs and lows over a certain time period. A common look back period is 14 days. Amyris Inc. (AMRS)’s Williams %R presently stands at -53.19. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would indicate an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would indicate an oversold situation.

Coming up with a viable and solid stock investment plan might be on the minds of many individual investors. A solid plan might entail defining the overall objective and recognizing tangible restraints. Figuring out these details may help the investor focus on the most important aspects of investing in the stock market. Following strategies set forth by others may work, but they may also leave the investor in a quandary. What worked in the past for one person may not work in the future for another. Investors may need to craft the plan keeping in mind the long-term goals. Although some investors and traders focus on the short-term, many investors are more interested in making the grade over a number of years, and not a number of days or months. Plans may need to be set up so that they are flexible and have the ability to withstand unforeseen shifts and rapidly changing stock market scenarios. Flexibility may end up being the key to a successful plan down the road. Investors may also want to do regular check-ins on portfolio performance in order to keep tabs on how well the plan is working.

Investors may be taking a look at certain business aspects when attempting to research a stock. Investors often look to see if the stock’s specific industry is on the rise. There may be a greater chance of success when investing in an industry that is rapidly growing. Investors may then want to see how the company stacks up within the industry. Many investors will look for stocks that are proven industry leaders. Industry leaders have the ability to influence pricing and not necessarily be susceptible to what other companies are doing around them. Investors may also be taking note of how a company invests in research and development. Companies that are focused on the future may have a competitive advantage over those who are too focused on the near-term.

Apartment Investment and Management Company (NYSE:AIV), of the Financial sector recently touched $30.64 based on a recent trade, indicating movement of -1.86%. Analysts are predicting earnings per share growth of -27.40% for the current year. The earnings per share growth over the next five years are expected to be 7.10%. Apartment Investment and Management Company has had earnings per share growth of 8.20% over the past five years. 

Currently the return on equity is 26.60% and its debt to equity is 0.00. Apartment Investment and Management Company has a total market cap of $4649.62, a gross margin of 66.00% while the profit margin is 51.00% and the ROI is 2.50%.

Performance

The stats on Apartment Investment and Management Company (NYSE:AIV) are currently as follows. The weekly performance is -12.41%, and the quarterly performance is at -40.37%. The monthly performance is -39.22% and the yearly performance is -39.22%. The performance for Year to Date (YTD) is -40.68%.

Apartment Investment and Management Company has posted a trailing 12 months earnings per share of $3.19 and the earnings per share growth for this year is expected to be -27.40%. The ROI is 2.50% and the return on equity for Apartment Investment and Management Company stated earlier, is currently at 26.60% .The return on assets (ROA) for Apartment Investment and Management Company is 7.20%. 

Earnings per share (EPS) the amount of income that “belongs” to each share of common stock. This is a valuable tool that investors use to determine the value and projected value of a stock.  Earnings per share is generally reported in annualized form from the most recent fiscal year. To determine the value, the average number of shares outstanding is usually calculated by averaging the number of shares at the beginning of the fiscal period and the number of shares at the end of the period. 

Technicals

The technical stats for Apartment Investment and Management Company are as follows. Apartment Investment and Management Company (NYSE:AIV) is trading 24.91% away from the stock’s 52-week low and -44.97% off of the 52-week high. Current levels place the company -15.90% away from it’s 20-day simple moving average. The average volume stands around 1678732. Trading volume is a hugely important consideration for any investor.  By watching how many shares are trading hands and looking for any changes in that activity, trading opportunities can be spotted along with a deeper understanding of the reliability of other indicators on the stock.  A significant increase in trading volume means that more than double the average amount of stocks are moving.  When volume is decreased significantly, it may indicate there is an issue that shareholders should watch out for.  It’s also important to take into consideration how long the unusual volume sustains for.  If it’s only the one trading day, it can be dismissed as an anomaly.

The current stock levels place it -39.31% away from the 200 day moving average. Apartment Investment and Management Company has a beta of 0.95 and the weekly and monthly volatility stands at 7.83% and 10.94% respectively. The simple moving average is the most common method used to calculate the moving average of prices.  It takes the sum of all of the past closing prices over a specific time period and divides the result by the number of prices used in the calculation.  Increasing the number of time periods in the calculation is an effective way to ascertain the strength of the long-term trend and/or the likelihood that it might reverse.  Some argue that this type of average is not necessarily useful because each data point in the series has the exact same impact on the result no matter where it occurs in the sequence.

Beta is used to measure a stock’s price volatility relative to the market. A stock with a beta of “0” indicates that its price is not correlated with the market. A positive beta indicates that the stock follows the market. A negative beta means that the stock inversely follows the market, decreasing in value when the market goes up. 

Price Earnings Ratio

The price/earnings ratio (P/E) for Apartment Investment and Management Company is 9.61 and the forward P/E ratio stands at 103.16. The price to sales growth is 5.09. The price/earnings ratio (P/E) is a market prospect ratio which calculates the value of a stock relative to its earnings. On other words, the P/E ratio is and indicator of what investors are will to pay for a stock relative to its earnings.  A firm with a high P/E ratio typically indicates that investors are willing to pay a premium for the stock and higher performance in future quarters would be anticipated. Going a step further we can also look at the PEG ratio of a company.  A stock’s price/earnings ratio divided by its year-over-year earnings growth rate. In general, the lower the PEG, the better the value, because the investor would be paying less for each unit of earnings growth.

Figuring out when to sell a stock can be just as important as deciding what stocks to buy at the outset. Some investors may refuse to sell based on various factors. Investors may have become stubborn, too emotionally attached, or set too high of an expectation for a stock. Holding on to a stock for way too long in order to squeeze every last drop of profit out of a price move may leave the investor desperately searching for answers in the future. Investors may have different checklists for when it is time to sell a stock. Of course this depends largely on the individual and how much is at risk. Often times, investors will make a move to sell when the fundamentals drastically change, the dividend is cut, or a previous set target price has been hit. Getting out of a position at the right time is obviously not easy, but it may become a bit easier with time and rese arch.              

Disclaimer: The views of the author are in no way suggesting whether or not to buy a stock.  Data is provided by Yahoo Finance.

Rollins Inc. (ROL) shares opened the last session at $32.77, touching a high of $35.21 and a low of $32.77 , yielding a change of 0.57.  The latest reading places the stock above the Ichimoku cloud which indicates positive momentum and a potential buy signal.
Many new traders will jump right into the market without any concrete plan. They may be highly optimistic, but will soon realize that it takes more than optimism to secure profits in the stock market. Successful traders are usually good at having a backup plan for every trade. This may seem unnecessary to some, but when the harsh reality of a losing trade comes into the picture, it can be hard to rebound after taking a big hit. Rushing into trades to try and cover recent losses may also leave the trader on the outside looking in. Taking a rationalized approach may help the trader ride out the bumpy patches when they inevitably come.  

The Ichimoku Cloud was originally called the ‘Ichimoku Kinko Hyo.’ Where Ichimoku means ‘one glance,’Kinko ‘balance’ and Hyo ‘chart.’ Thus the full translation could best be described as ‘one glance balanced chart.’ Originally developed by Goichi Hosada pre WWII, a newspaper journalist (published in 1969) who wanted to develop an Uber-indicator that could provide the trader with various levels of support/resistance, entry/exit points, direction of the trend, and strength of the signal.

The most basic theory of this indicator is that if the price is above the cloud, the overall trend is bullish while below the cloud is bearish, and in the cloud is non-biased or unclear. Lastly, when the price is above the cloud, then the top of the cloud will act as a general support level, and when price is below, the cloud base will act as resistance. But remember the cloud has thickness, and thus resistance does as well, which by making these thicker reduces the risk of a false breakout.

Another popular tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a specific period of time. Moving averages can be very useful for identifying peaks and troughs. They may also be used to help the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock. Currently, the 200-day MA is sitting at 35.71, and the 50-day is 37.64.

The 14-day ADX for Rollins Inc. (ROL) is currently at 33.80. In general, and ADX value from 0-25 would represent an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would signify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would point to an extremely strong trend. Checking in on some other technical levels, the 14-day RSI is currently at 44.41, the 7-day stands at 45.39, and the 3-day is sitting at 56.97. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of stock price movements. The RSI was developed by J. Welles Wilder, and it oscillates between 0 and 100. Generally, the RSI is considered to be oversold when it falls below 30 and overbought when it heads above 70. RSI can be used to detect general trends as well as finding divergences and failure swings.

Investors may be looking at all the different factors that come into play when searching for those next stocks to add to the portfolio. Maybe there are some names that have been on the radar, but the timing hasn’t been right to add them into the mix. As we get closer to the end of the year, investors may be looking back at individual stock performance over the past year. They may discover some great opportunities that weren’t available during the last review. Investors may also be keeping an eye on which sectors were the big winners during the latest earnings season. Branching out into new areas may help give the investor some alternative ideas for the next few quarters.

At the time of writing, Rollins Inc. (ROL) has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of -54.03. Developed by Donald Lambert, the CCI is a versatile tool that may be used to help spot an emerging trend or provide warning of extreme conditions. CCI generally measures the current price relative to the average price level over a specific time period. CCI is relatively high when prices are much higher than average, and relatively low when prices are much lower than the average. Investors may be watching other technical indicators such as the Williams Percent Range or Williams %R. The Williams %R is a momentum indicator that helps measure oversold and overbought levels. This indicator compares the closing price of a stock in relation to the highs and lows over a certain time period. A common look back period is 14 days. Rollins Inc. (ROL)’s Williams %R presently stands at -63.32. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would indicate an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would indicate an oversold situation.

Motorola Solutions Inc. (MSI) shares opened the last session at $144.91, touching a high of $145.79 and a low of $133.58 , yielding a change of -13.92.  The latest reading places the stock above the Ichimoku cloud which indicates positive momentum and a potential buy signal.
Many new traders will jump right into the market without any concrete plan. They may be highly optimistic, but will soon realize that it takes more than optimism to secure profits in the stock market. Successful traders are usually good at having a backup plan for every trade. This may seem unnecessary to some, but when the harsh reality of a losing trade comes into the picture, it can be hard to rebound after taking a big hit. Rushing into trades to try and cover recent losses may also leave the trader on the outside looking in. Taking a rationalized approach may help the trader ride out the bumpy patches when they inevitably come.  

The Ichimoku Cloud was originally called the ‘Ichimoku Kinko Hyo.’ Where Ichimoku means ‘one glance,’Kinko ‘balance’ and Hyo ‘chart.’ Thus the full translation could best be described as ‘one glance balanced chart.’ Originally developed by Goichi Hosada pre WWII, a newspaper journalist (published in 1969) who wanted to develop an Uber-indicator that could provide the trader with various levels of support/resistance, entry/exit points, direction of the trend, and strength of the signal.

The most basic theory of this indicator is that if the price is above the cloud, the overall trend is bullish while below the cloud is bearish, and in the cloud is non-biased or unclear. Lastly, when the price is above the cloud, then the top of the cloud will act as a general support level, and when price is below, the cloud base will act as resistance. But remember the cloud has thickness, and thus resistance does as well, which by making these thicker reduces the risk of a false breakout.

Another popular tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a specific period of time. Moving averages can be very useful for identifying peaks and troughs. They may also be used to help the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock. Currently, the 200-day MA is sitting at 168.16, and the 50-day is 169.25.

The 14-day ADX for Motorola Solutions Inc. (MSI) is currently at 40.11. In general, and ADX value from 0-25 would represent an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would signify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would point to an extremely strong trend. Checking in on some other technical levels, the 14-day RSI is currently at 39.44, the 7-day stands at 41.00, and the 3-day is sitting at 42.65. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of stock price movements. The RSI was developed by J. Welles Wilder, and it oscillates between 0 and 100. Generally, the RSI is considered to be oversold when it falls below 30 and overbought when it heads above 70. RSI can be used to detect general trends as well as finding divergences and failure swings.

Investors may be looking at all the different factors that come into play when searching for those next stocks to add to the portfolio. Maybe there are some names that have been on the radar, but the timing hasn’t been right to add them into the mix. As we get closer to the end of the year, investors may be looking back at individual stock performance over the past year. They may discover some great opportunities that weren’t available during the last review. Investors may also be keeping an eye on which sectors were the big winners during the latest earnings season. Branching out into new areas may help give the investor some alternative ideas for the next few quarters.

At the time of writing, Motorola Solutions Inc. (MSI) has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of -56.42. Developed by Donald Lambert, the CCI is a versatile tool that may be used to help spot an emerging trend or provide warning of extreme conditions. CCI generally measures the current price relative to the average price level over a specific time period. CCI is relatively high when prices are much higher than average, and relatively low when prices are much lower than the average. Investors may be watching other technical indicators such as the Williams Percent Range or Williams %R. The Williams %R is a momentum indicator that helps measure oversold and overbought levels. This indicator compares the closing price of a stock in relation to the highs and lows over a certain time period. A common look back period is 14 days. Motorola Solutions Inc. (MSI)’s Williams %R presently stands at -71.41. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would indicate an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would indicate an oversold situation.

Free Cash Flow Growth (FCF Growth) is the free cash flow of the current year minus the free cash flow from the previous year, divided by last year’s free cash flow.  The FCF Growth of Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) is 0.590444.  Free cash flow (FCF) is the cash produced by the company minus capital expenditure.  This cash is what a company uses to meet its financial obligations, such as making payments on debt or to pay out dividends.  The Free Cash Flow Score (FCF Score) is a helpful tool in calculating the free cash flow growth with free cash flow stability – this gives investors the overall quality of the free cash flow.  The FCF Score of Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) is 1.193241.  Experts say the higher the value, the better, as it means that the free cash flow is high, or the variability of free cash flow is low or both.

Because there are so many stocks to choose from, it may not be feasible for investors to be able to research all of them. Investors may have many different preferred methods for screening stocks, and it can sometimes be easier to focus on a small number of stocks at first. There is no shortage of stock picking ideas that come from various outlets across the globe. Certain stocks tend to become household names simply because of the amount of coverage that they get from the media. There are many unglamorous stocks that might be a good fit for the portfolio. Taking the time to branch out into previously non-researched sectors may give the investor some new ideas for portfolio additions in the future.

Shifting gears, we can see that Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) has a Q.i. Value of 53. The Q.i. Value ranks companies using four ratios. These ratios consist of EBITDA Yield, FCF Yield, Liquidity, and Earnings Yield. The purpose of the Q.i. Value is to help identify companies that are the most undervalued. Typically, the lower the value, the more undervalued the company tends to be.

Checking in on some valuation rankings, Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) has a Value Composite score of 32. Developed by James O’Shaughnessy, the VC score uses five valuation ratios. These ratios are price to earnings, price to cash flow, EBITDA to EV, price to book value, and price to sales. The VC is displayed as a number between 1 and 100. In general, a company with a score closer to 0 would be seen as undervalued, and a score closer to 100 would indicate an overvalued company. Adding a sixth ratio, shareholder yield, we can view the Value Composite 2 score which is currently sitting at 34.

Watching some historical volatility numbers on shares of Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820), we can see that the 12 month volatility is presently 46.8094. The 6 month volatility is 54.3817, and the 3 month is spotted at 68.7005. Following volatility data can help measure how much the stock price has fluctuated over the specified time period. Although past volatility action may help project future stock volatility, it may also be vastly different when taking into account other factors that may be driving price action during the measured time period. 

The C-Score is a system developed by James Montier that helps determine whether a company is involved in falsifying their financial statements.  The C-Score is calculated by a variety of items, including a growing difference in net income verse cash flow, increasing days outstanding, growing days sales of inventory, increasing assets to sales, declines in depreciation, and high total asset growth.  The C-Score of Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) is 4.  The score ranges on a scale of -1 to 6.  If the score is -1, then there is not enough information to determine the C-Score.  If the number is at zero (0) then there is no evidence of fraudulent book cooking, whereas a number of 6 indicates a high likelihood of fraudulent activity. The C-Score assists investors in assessing the likelihood of a company cheating in the books.

The Piotroski F-Score is a scoring system between 1-9 that determines a firm’s financial strength.  The score helps determine if a company’s stock is valuable or not.  The Piotroski F-Score of Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) is 3.  A score of nine indicates a high value stock, while a score of one indicates a low value stock.  The score is calculated by the return on assets (ROA), Cash flow return on assets (CFROA), change in return of assets, and quality of earnings.  It is also calculated by a change in gearing or leverage, liquidity, and change in shares in issue.  The score is also determined by change in gross margin and change in asset turnover.

The MF Rank (aka the Magic Formula) is a formula that pinpoints a valuable company trading at a good price.  The formula is calculated by looking at companies that have a high earnings yield as well as a high return on invested capital.  The MF Rank of Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) is 9964.  A company with a low rank is considered a good company to invest in.  The Magic Formula was introduced in a book written by Joel Greenblatt, entitled, “The Little Book that Beats the Market”.

The Return on Invested Capital (aka ROIC) for Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) is 0.033407.  The Return on Invested Capital is a ratio that determines whether a company is profitable or not.  It tells investors how well a company is turning their capital into profits.  The ROIC is calculated by dividing the net operating profit (or EBIT) by the employed capital.  The employed capital is calculated by subrating current liabilities from total assets.  Similarly, the Return on Invested Capital Quality ratio is a tool in evaluating the quality of a company’s ROIC over the course of five years.  The ROIC Quality of Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) is 4.924606.  This is calculated by dividing the five year average ROIC by the Standard Deviation of the 5 year ROIC.  The ROIC 5 year average is calculated using the five year average EBIT, five year average (net working capital and net fixed assets).  The ROIC 5 year average of Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) is 0.026247.

Price Index 

The Price Index is a ratio that indicates the return of a share price over a past period. The price index of Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) for last month was 0.94245. This is calculated by taking the current share price and dividing by the share price one month ago. If the ratio is greater than 1, then that means there has been an increase in price over the month. If the ratio is less than 1, then we can determine that there has been a decrease in price. Similarly, investors look up the share price over 12 month periods. The Price Index 12m for Cosmax BTI, Inc. (KOSE:A044820) is 0.58832.

Once the individual investor has figured out a plan to analyze stocks, they can begin to start building a portfolio. Because not everyone has the same goals, time horizons, and risk appetites, it is hard to provide one answer to the question of how to construct the perfect winning stock portfolio. Although every investor’s goal is typically to beat the market and secure consistent profits, this is no easy accomplishment. Professionals have spent many years studying the ins and outs of the stock market. There are certain strategies that may work better during different market cycles, but it is hard to say with any certainty that they will continue to work in the future. Markets and economic landscapes are constantly changing, and being able to keep up with the changes might involve tweaking strategies that have previously been successful but no longer are.

The FCF Yield 5yr Average is calculated by taking the five year average free cash flow of a company, and dividing it by the current enterprise value.  Enterprise Value is calculated by taking the market capitalization plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents.  The average FCF of a company is determined by looking at the cash generated by operations of the company.  The Free Cash Flow Yield 5 Year Average of Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) is 0.022187. 

Often times, investors are faced with challenging portfolio decisions. Maybe there are a few stocks that have outperformed expectations by a large margin. Investors may be hesitant to exit a position with the fear that the stock may have much more room to run. Investors may have to decide if the time is right to cash in and take some profits, or hold out for further gains. On the other end, investors may have a few duds in the portfolio. Cutting ties with certain underperformers can be a tough decision. It may be hard for an investor to sell a position that they thought for sure was going to pan out and provide gains. Being able to detach from a certain position may help ease the possibility of even more frustration later down the line if the stock doesn’t bounce back.

The Piotroski F-Score is a scoring system between 1-9 that determines a firm’s financial strength.  The score helps determine if a company’s stock is valuable or not.  The Piotroski F-Score of Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) is 7.  A score of nine indicates a high value stock, while a score of one indicates a low value stock.  The score is calculated by the return on assets (ROA), Cash flow return on assets (CFROA), change in return of assets, and quality of earnings.  It is also calculated by a change in gearing or leverage, liquidity, and change in shares in issue.  The score is also determined by change in gross margin and change in asset turnover.

The MF Rank (aka the Magic Formula) is a formula that pinpoints a valuable company trading at a good price.  The formula is calculated by looking at companies that have a high earnings yield as well as a high return on invested capital.  The MF Rank of Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) is 670.  A company with a low rank is considered a good company to invest in.  The Magic Formula was introduced in a book written by Joel Greenblatt, entitled, “The Little Book that Beats the Market”.

Shifting gears, we can see that Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) has a Q.i. Value of 2. The Q.i. Value ranks companies using four ratios. These ratios consist of EBITDA Yield, FCF Yield, Liquidity, and Earnings Yield. The purpose of the Q.i. Value is to help identify companies that are the most undervalued. Typically, the lower the value, the more undervalued the company tends to be.

Checking in on some valuation rankings, Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) has a Value Composite score of 13. Developed by James O’Shaughnessy, the VC score uses five valuation ratios. These ratios are price to earnings, price to cash flow, EBITDA to EV, price to book value, and price to sales. The VC is displayed as a number between 1 and 100. In general, a company with a score closer to 0 would be seen as undervalued, and a score closer to 100 would indicate an overvalued company. Adding a sixth ratio, shareholder yield, we can view the Value Composite 2 score which is currently sitting at 10.

Watching some historical volatility numbers on shares of Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI), we can see that the 12 month volatility is presently 61.952. The 6 month volatility is 66.9818, and the 3 month is spotted at 68.6957. Following volatility data can help measure how much the stock price has fluctuated over the specified time period. Although past volatility action may help project future stock volatility, it may also be vastly different when taking into account other factors that may be driving price action during the measured time period. 

The C-Score is a system developed by James Montier that helps determine whether a company is involved in falsifying their financial statements.  The C-Score is calculated by a variety of items, including a growing difference in net income verse cash flow, increasing days outstanding, growing days sales of inventory, increasing assets to sales, declines in depreciation, and high total asset growth.  The C-Score of Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) is 2.  The score ranges on a scale of -1 to 6.  If the score is -1, then there is not enough information to determine the C-Score.  If the number is at zero (0) then there is no evidence of fraudulent book cooking, whereas a number of 6 indicates a high likelihood of fraudulent activity. The C-Score assists investors in assessing the likelihood of a company cheating in the books.

Shareholder Yield, Shareholder Yield (Mebane Faber)

The Shareholder Yield is a way that investors can see how much money shareholders are receiving from a company through a combination of dividends, share repurchases and debt reduction. The Shareholder Yield of Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) is 0.041409. This percentage is calculated by adding the dividend yield plus the percentage of shares repurchased. Dividends are a common way that companies distribute cash to their shareholders. Similarly, cash repurchases and a reduction of debt can increase the shareholder value, too. Another way to determine the effectiveness of a company’s distributions is by looking at the Shareholder yield (Mebane Faber). The Shareholder Yield (Mebane Faber) of Valhi, Inc. NYSE:VHI is 0.49266. This number is calculated by looking at the sum of the dividend yield plus percentage of sales repurchased and net debt repaid yield.

Valuation

The Price to book ratio is the current share price of a company divided by the book value per share. The Price to Book ratio for Valhi, Inc. NYSE:VHI is -37.839764. A lower price to book ratio indicates that the stock might be undervalued. Similarly, Price to cash flow ratio is another helpful ratio in determining a company’s value. The Price to Cash Flow for Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) is 2.655691. This ratio is calculated by dividing the market value of a company by cash from operating activities. Additionally, the price to earnings ratio is another popular way for analysts and investors to determine a company’s profitability. The price to earnings ratio for Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) is 1.7021. This ratio is found by taking the current share price and dividing by earnings per share.

Traders might be paying extra attention to the technicals as they look to spot buying opportunities in the stock market. Because there are so many different strategies that traders can use, it may be difficult to pinpoint the correct avenue. New traders might choose to focus on one or two main indicators when just starting out. With time and experience, many traders will use a combination of various indicators when setting up their persona charts. It may be wise for traders to remember that what has worked for someone else in the past may not work for them in the future.