How can you find low float stocks?

One way to find low float stocks is to look at the total number of shares that are available for the public to buy. You can find this number by taking a company’s total number of shares, and subtracting the number of shares already held by company insiders; the number you’re left with is the float.

Investing Archives | Page 77 of 222

Q: What Are Low Float Stocks?

A low float stock is a stock that has a limited number of shares available for public trading. The unavailable shares are being closely held by major stockholders, like company executives, or are restricted shares that have a lockup period. Generally, low float stocks are riskier than large float stocks because they have fewer buyers and sellers.

Q: What are the benefits of investing in low float stocks?

Low float stocks can garner huge profits for day traders when a particular industry, sector, or company is in high demand.

Sep

2023

Understanding Low-Float Stocks

By Ashley Kilroy | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

Table of Contents

Stock Float: Quick Recap
What Are Low-Float Stocks?
Floating Stock Example Calculation
Understanding Shares Outstanding
Benefits of Trading Low-Float Stocks
Importance of Low-Float Stocks
6 Reasons for Low-Floating Shares
Evaluating Low-Float Stocks
How to Trade Low-Float Stocks
FAQ

Low-float stocks are companies with a relatively small number of shares available for public trading. It doesn’t mean the company has very few shares in total.

A company’s float, or floating shares, are those available after subtracting closely held and restricted shares from all outstanding shares. In some cases, a company has a lower float, meaning there are relatively few shares for the public to trade.

low-float stocks are considered more volatile and have higher spreads. But a company’s float can change owing to various conditions.

Stock Float: Quick Recap

The float of a stock measures the number of shares of a particular stock. It indicates the number of shares of stock available for trading. The measure doesn’t include closely held shares, those owned by controlling investors, employees, or company owners.

Calculating floating stock requires looking at a company’s balance sheet and taking the total number of shares of a company and subtracting any restricted and closely held shares.

Stock indexes, such as the S&P 500, often use floating stock as the basis for figuring out the market cap (the total value of outstanding shares in dollars) of a company.

Recommended: Investing 101 Guide

What Are Low-Float Stocks?

A company’s float is the total number of shares outstanding, minus closely held and restricted shares.

Some larger corporations have very high floats in the billions, and investors typically consider a float of 10 to 20 million shares as a low-float. But there are companies with floats of less than one million, and you can find even lower-float stock trading on over-the-counter exchanges (OTC).

Companies with a low-float frequently have a large portion of their equity held by controlling investors such as directors and employees, which leaves only a small percentage of the stock available for public trading. That limited supply can cause dramatic price swings if demand changes quickly.

Because low-float stocks have fewer shares available, investors may have difficulty finding a buyer or seller for them. This may make the stocks more volatile, which appeals to day traders. The bid/ask spread of low-float stocks tends to be high as well.

💡 Quick Tip: When you’re actively investing in stocks, it’s important to ask what types of fees you might have to pay. For example, brokers may charge a flat fee for trading stocks, or require some commission for every trade. Taking the time to manage investment costs can be beneficial over the long term.

Floating Stock Example Calculation

If a trader looks at a company’s balance sheet, they can see how many outstanding shares the company has under the heading “Capital Stock.”

Looking at fictional Company A, the company’s balance sheet shows outstanding shares and floating stock shares:

• 50 million shares outstanding

• 45 million float shares

This is a high-float stock, with 90% of the stock available for trade. By contrast, Company B has:

• 2 million shares outstanding

• 475,000 float shares

This is a 23.75% float, and could serve as a signal for day traders to look at other factors to determine whether they want to invest in the stock.

Understanding Shares Outstanding

Another stock market term that helps explain low-float stocks is shares outstanding. Shares outstanding refers to the total number of shares issued by a company, including those that can’t be traded.

The float is the number of shares that’s the percentage of the shares outstanding available for public trade. This is known as the float percentage. Companies might have numerous shares outstanding, but only a small percentage of floating stock.

The amount of floating stock a company has typically changes over time, as companies might sell more stock to raise money, or company stakeholders might sell their holdings. If a stock goes through a stock split or reverse split, this will also increase or decrease floating shares.

Benefits of Trading Low-Float Stocks

Essentially, low-float stocks primarily benefit day traders who are interested in earning large profits in a short time.

By their nature, low-float stocks are volatile. There are relatively few low-float stocks in the marketplace, and their prices tend to go up and down easily and quickly. Moreover, every trade of a low-float stock issue can have a larger impact on the value of the stock than it would on a security with a higher float.

For example, when good news hits a security with a limited supply, it doesn’t take much for it to have a huge impact on the share price. A low-float stock can see big gains when demand skyrockets. Conversely, if bad news comes to the same security, its price can nosedive rapidly.

The dramatic volatility in investing in low-float companies, can lead to a greater level of risk. But an experienced and highly skilled day trader might be delighted to take on this volatility challenge in exchange for potential continuous gains in a short trading session.

Importance of Low-Float Stocks

If you’re interested in investing in a particular company, it’s important to understand its stock float. You don’t want to overlook this detail while performing your due diligence on an issuing company.

The size of a stock float can change over time, which would affect the stock’s liquidity and volatility. Stock buybacks, secondary share offerings, insider buying or selling shares, and stock splits (or reverse splits) can cause the number of shares outstanding to change, and thus the float.

6 Reasons for Low-Floating Shares

Low-float stocks tend to have higher spreads and higher volatility than a comparable higher-float stock. You may find it hard to enter or exit positions in stocks that have a low float. What are some specific instances that could account for low-floating shares?

1. Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)

Certain shares may be trading at a low float because the company that’s issuing the stock is part of a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). A SPAC is a corporation formed for the sole purpose of raising investment capital through an initial public offering (IPO).

Typically, experienced business executives in the same industry as the SPAC’s target acquisition become the founders of a SPAC. A SPAC could take as long as a number of years to complete. And, even when the new company does go public, there may be fewer shares available for public purchase because they’re held by founders of the SPAC or other officers and insiders close to the deal.

2. The Company Is Family Operated

Another reason for low-float shares could be that the company is family owned. In these cases, a family likely would own a significant share of the company’s shares and would influence important decisions, like electing a chairman and CEO. In particular, if a family-operated company is small to midsize, there may be few shares left for the public to buy.

In fact, family-owned or operated businesses are all around us — including well-known names like BMW, Samsung, and Wal-Mart Stores. About 35% of all companies in the S&P 500 index are family controlled, and 118 of the top family-owned companies in the world are based in the U.S., according to the 2023 Global Family Business Index.

3. Stock Buybacks

If a company buys back some of its shares, that may affect its float by reducing the number of shares available for trading; there’s even a name for it: float shrink.

Regular share buybacks, along with dividend payments, are two ways that a company may reward shareholders. Another reason for a share buyback could be for a company to gain better control of its strategic initiatives without needing to consult its shareholders.

4. Company Has Donated Shares to Its Charitable Foundation

If a company founder has donated a large percentage of its shares to an associated charitable foundation, this could result in a lower float, if the foundation has held onto the shares which are then excluded from the overall float count.

5. Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)

In another scenario, a company might be involved in an initial public offering (IPO), in which its shares are considered privately held until the IPO is complete. Once the new shares are made publicly available for trade, a stock could be considered low float because a high percentage of shares are still restricted for a period of time.

6. Stock-Based Compensation

Some companies have initiatives that reward their employees with company stock; either as part of an incentive program or combined with their regular pay. A company also could have an equity compensation program in place as a way of rewarding employees, executives, and directors of a company with equity in the business.

💡 Quick Tip: The best stock trading app? That’s a personal preference, of course. Generally speaking, though, a great app is one with an intuitive interface and powerful features to help make trades quickly and easily.

Evaluating Low-Float Stocks

Not every low-float stock represents a good buy, but it is a popular strategy for day traders. To evaluate a low-float stock, day traders often look at several other factors.

High Relative Volume

The relative volume shows a stock’s current volume in comparison to earlier periods in a company’s history. This is important to investors because it can affect a stock’s liquidity. If a stock has low liquidity, traders can potentially get stuck with shares they can’t sell.

They may also find themselves unable to take advantage of news catalysts with a significant buy or sell the move. If a stock’s price changes, but there isn’t a lot of trading volume, it may not be a good pick.

News Catalysts

Positive or negative news about a company frequently makes a low-float stock increase or decrease in a short amount of time.

Day traders keep a close eye on the stock market and corporate news to see which stocks likely would make moves. A news event can cause a low-float stock to move anywhere from 50% to 200% in a single day, as they are in low supply.

Float Percentage

This is the percentage of the total shares of stock available for trading. Each trader has their preferences, but most look for a percentage between 10% and 25%.

How to Trade Low-Float Stocks

When trading a low-float stock, a trader might buy and sell the same stock multiple times in a single day. Then, move on to a different low-float stock the next day in an extreme form of market timing.

Many traders will plan out their profit targets and support and resistance ahead of time and stop losses to reduce risk. As with any trade, traders can look at technical indicators like candlestick charts and moving averages to see whether a stock looks bullish or bearish.

A good strategy pays attention to technical analysis and rather than simply buying or selling based on rumors or news.

Finding low-float Stocks

Finding and evaluating stocks to trade requires some knowledge and experience. Several platforms offer the ability to trade low-float stocks. Some of these platforms allow traders to filter by criteria such as volume and float to find the best opportunities. Traders can look for stocks with a float of less than 50 million and a relatively high volume.

Penny stocks less than $5 are very popular with day traders. Traders can also look to watchlists for ideas about which low-float stocks to trade.

• Reuters’ Free Scanner: Free to register. Users can find low-float stocks by scanning with the filter “float.”

• Trade Ideas: This site has multiple low-float stocks lists for the U.S. market. It highlights stocks that are moving so that traders can capitalize on opportunities.

• Stock Screeners: There are many other stock-screening tools you can use to find low-float stocks — such as Benzinga Pro, which lets you “search and filter stocks by any attribute.”

Some Risks to Know

Every investment comes with risks, but low-float stocks present some particular challenges. Day trading is inherently very risky and can result in significant losses (as well as gains). So, other types of investments are often a better fit for those with a low appetite for risk.

Low-float stocks can have high volatility; their price can change within seconds or minutes. If an investor isn’t careful, knowledgeable, or always on top of it, this volatility could wipe out a large portion of their portfolio. Low-float stocks could also present substantial profit opportunities; traders might see gains of 50% to 200% in a single day.

Looking at both the news and technical indicators is crucial for trading success. Trading low-float stocks requires a daily look at market news, as the stocks that look like a promising trade one day may not be ideal the next.

The Takeaway

The term “low-float,” as it pertains to stocks, refers to the amount of shares available to trade in the public market after the appropriate number of shares are allocated to founders, officers of the company, and other inside investors.

It’s important for investors to be aware of the amount of a company’s low-floating stock, as it can reflect the stock’s liquidity. If a stock has relatively few available issues, it might be harder for traders to sell it.

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FAQ

Is a low-float stock good?

When a company’s stock is considered low float, there are fewer shares available for public trading. That can increase volatility for some investors, while others (like day traders) may be able to leverage changes in the share price.

How important is a stock’s float?

Understanding why a company may have a higher or lower float is an important factor for investors to take into consideration, because it can reveal (or be tied to) other aspects of the company’s management or status.

Are low-float stocks good for day trading?

Low-float stocks can garner huge profits for day traders when a particular industry, sector, or company is in high demand. But when demand shifts, low-float stocks can be risky.

What’s the difference between high- and low-float stocks?

You can find a company’s float by taking the total number of shares outstanding and subtracting the number of shares that are closely held or restricted. If the remainder is a high percentage of the outstanding shares, that’s considered a high-float stock — which can indicate the stock has a certain amount of liquidity.

If the remainder is a small percentage of the outstanding shares, that indicates a low-float stock, which generally has a higher spread, lower liquidity, and may be more volatile.

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Sep

2023

Guide to Morningstar Ratings

By Rebecca Lake | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

Morningstar is a highly regarded financial services firm whose mission revolves around providing investors with the research and tools, including Morningstar ratings, they need to make informed decisions in their portfolios.

Those tools, used by individual investors as well as institutional investors and financial advisors, include Morningstar fund ratings, which can help investors gauge how well various mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have performed over time.

What are Morningstar Ratings?

In simple terms, the Morningstar ratings system is a tool investors can use to compare financial securities such as mutual funds and ETFs. And if you’re wondering whether Morningstar ratings are legitimate, the answer is yes. Even FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, uses Morningstar ratings.

Morningstar reviews of mutual funds and ETFs reflect different metrics, depending on which ratings system is being applied. The main Morningstar ratings investors may turn to learn more about a particular investment are the Star Ratings and Analyst Ratings. (Morningstar also has a separate ratings system for individual stocks.)

These ratings can be helpful to investors for a variety of reasons — whether they’re trying to diversify their portfolio, or some research into socially responsible investing, and trying to find securities that fit their strategy.

How Morningstar Ratings Work

As Morningstar itself describes, the ratings system uses a methodology based on specific categories and risk-adjusted return measures. The company will only rate a fund that’s been around for more than three years. Morningstar also updates its ratings on a monthly basis.

You can use these ratings to select from the funds available in your 401(k), or to decide which funds to add to an IRA or a taxable brokerage account.

Recommended: Investing in Growth Funds

The “Star Rating” Explained

The Morningstar Star Rating system, more simply referred to as star rating, is a quantitative ranking of mutual funds and ETFs. Introduced in 1985, the star rating looks backward at a fund’s past performance, then assigns a rating from one to five stars based on that performance.

As mentioned, Morningstar reviews ETFs and mutual funds with a record of more than three years, so newer funds do not receive a star rating until they’re reached this milestone. The rating methodology utilizes an enhanced Morningstar risk-adjusted return measure. Specifically, the star ratings system looks at each fund’s three-, five-, and 10-year risk-adjusted returns.

Star ratings can serve as a report card of sorts for comparing different funds, based on how they’ve performed historically. The Morningstar ratings are not forward-looking, as past performance is not a foolproof indicator of future behavior. But investors can use the ratings system as a starting off point for conducting fund research when deciding where to invest.

If you’re looking for a tool to help you compare mutual funds or exchange-traded funds at a glance based on past performance, the star rating system can help.

The “Analyst Rating” Explained

The Morningstar Analyst Rating takes a different approach to ranking funds and ETFs. Instead of looking backward, the qualitative analyst rating looks forward to assess a fund’s ability to outperform similar funds or a market benchmark. Rather than using stars, funds receive a rating of Gold, Silver, Bronze, Neutral or Negative, based on the analyst’s outlook for performance.

The firm does not update analyst ratings as frequently as star ratings. Morningstar reviews for analyst ratings are reevaluated at least every 14 months. The firm typically assigns analyst ratings to funds with the most interest from investors or the most assets.

When ranking funds, analysts look at three specific metrics:

• People

• Process

• Parent

Performance is also taken into account within the People and Process pillars. In order to earn a Gold, Silver or Bronze rating, an analyst must determine that an active fund can beat its underlying benchmark when adjusted for risk.

Generally speaking, these Morningstar reviews go into more detail, in terms of the analysis, ranking, and comparison of funds. If you’re an active trader or a buy-and-hold investor you might use the Morningstar analyst ratings to get a feel for what a particular mutual fund might do next, which can be helpful when an investor is, for example, trying to pick an ETF.

How Morningstar Measures Volatility

Morningstar uses a few key volatility measurements as it aims to minimize risk and maximize returns through strategic diversification. Chief among those measurements are standard deviation, mean, and the Sharpe ratio.
It’s a somewhat complicated process, but using these three measurements in tandem helps Morningstar get a handle on volatility and make appropriate ratings decisions.

💡 Quick Tip: How do you decide if a certain trading platform or app is right for you? Ideally, the investment platform you choose offers the features that you need for your investment goals or strategy, e.g., an easy-to-use interface, data analysis, educational tools.

Example of a Morningstar Rating

Morningstar star ratings are free to access for investors on the company’s website, and it’s relatively easy to find plenty of examples of Morningstar ratings on the platform. For instance, to find a star rating for a particular fund or ETF you’d simply search for it using its name or ticker symbol. You can also view Morningstar ratings and picks for funds by category, such as small-cap funds or U.S. index funds.

Here’s an example of a Morningstar rating for the Calvert International Responsible Idx I fund (CDHIX). This fund, which is in the foreign large-blend category and is an index fund, has a four-star rating from Morningstar. You can see at a glance that the fund has an expense ratio of 0.29%, a minimum investment of $100,000 and just over $867 million in assets, as of August 2023.

Are Morningstar Ratings Accurate?

Morningstar fund ratings are designed to be a guide to use as you invest, rather than the absolute word on how well a fund is likely to perform. That’s to say that there’s always going to be risk involved when investing, so don’t expect any rating to be a sure-thing.

So, how well do Morningstar ratings perform over time and are they an accurate guide for investing?

According to Morningstar’s own analysis of its ratings system, the star ratings can be a useful jumping-off point for investors. That analysis resulted in three key findings:

• Funds with higher star ratings tend to have lower expense ratios and be cheaper for investors to own

• Higher rated funds tend to be less volatile and experience less dramatic downward swings when the market is in flux

• Funds that received higher star ratings tended to produce higher returns for investors compared to funds with lower ratings

The analysis didn’t look specifically at how star ratings and fund performance aligned through different bull and bear markets. But the ultimate conclusion Morningstar drew is that the Star Ratings tend to steer investors toward cheaper funds that are easier to own and stand a better chance of outperforming the market.

Use Expense Ratios

According to Morningstar, fees are one of the best predictors of future performance, at least for Star Ratings. For funds and ETFs, that means it’s important to consider the expense ratio, which represents the cost of owning a fund annually, calculated as a percentage of fund assets.

Actively managed funds typically carry higher expense ratios, as they require a fund manager to play an important role in selecting fund assets. Passively managed funds and ETFs, on the other hand, often have lower expense ratios.

So which one is better? The answer is that it all comes down to performance and returns over time. A fund with a higher expense ratio is not guaranteed to produce a level of returns that justify higher fees. Likewise, a fund that has a lower expense ratio doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a poor investment just because it’s cheaper to own. Morningstar’s research found that the average one-star fund cost significantly more than the average five-star fund.

As you do your own research in comparing funds and ETFs, consider both performance and cost. This can help you find the right balance when weighing returns against fees.

How Should Investors Use Morningstar Ratings?

How much do Morningstar ratings matter in the grand scheme of things? The answer is, it depends on what you need from investment research tools.

Morningstar reviews of mutual funds and ETFs can be helpful for comparing investments, especially if you’re just getting started with the markets. Morningstar is a respected and trusted institution and both the Star and Analyst Ratings are calculated using a systematic approach. The reviews aren’t just thrown together or based on a best guess.

They’re designed to be a guide and not a substitute for professional financial advice. So, for instance, you may use them to compare two index funds that track the same or a similar benchmark. Or you may use them to compare two ETFs that are representative of the same market sector.

Risks of Morningstar Ratings

Morningstar Ratings are not an absolute predictor of how a mutual fund or ETF will perform in the next five minutes, five days, or five years. After all, there’s no way to perfectly predict how any investment will perform as the market changes day to day or even minute-to-minute.

One risk to avoid with Morningstar ratings is relying on them solely as your only research tool and not doing your own independent research. Again, that means checking expense ratios as well as looking at the underlying assets of a particular fund and its investment strategy (i.e. active vs. passive) to determine how well it aligns with your goals and risk tolerance.

Looking only at Morningstar reviews without doing your own due diligence could cause you to invest in funds that aren’t the best fit for your portfolio. Or you may overestimate how well a fund will perform, only to be disappointed later. For those reasons, it’s important to look under the hood, so to speak, to ensure that you fully understand what you’re investing in before buying in.

Morningstar Ratings for Funds

As discussed, Morningstar’s rating system mostly focuses on funds, including index funds, mutual funds, and ETFs. The company also has a ratings system for individual stocks, but its bread and butter is its focus on funds. And, as a quick refresher, it uses a data-driven, quantitative methodology for determining those rankings.

Also, as it bears repeating, a good Morningstar rating does not mean that an investment is risk-free.

Other Investment Risk Rating Providers

Morningstar is just one of many companies that offers investment ratings. An internet search will likely yield many results. But it’s a list that includes many familiar names, such as Bloomberg, Nasdaq Market Data Feeds, S&P Global Market Intelligence, MarketWatch, Thomson Reuters, and others.

💡 Quick Tip: Are self-directed brokerage accounts cost efficient? They can be, because they offer the convenience of being able to buy stocks online without using a traditional full-service broker (and the typical broker fees).

Trading Stocks With SoFi

Having research tools can help you make educated decisions about where and how to invest. Morningstar Ratings are one tool you can use. When you’re ready to invest and apply the knowledge you’ve acquired, the next step is opening an online brokerage account. But keep in mind that there are many ratings services on the market, and that Morningstar’s ratings are far from the only research tool out there.

It’s also important for investors to keep in mind that all investments involve risk, whether they’re highly-rated or not. Be sure to do your due diligence before investing, but know there’s always a chance that things could turn sour on you.

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

FAQ

How reliable are Morningstar ratings?

Morningstar ratings are generally considered to be high-quality in the financial industry, but that doesn’t mean that its ratings are always spot-on. All investing involves risk, and even a high rating doesn’t guarantee that an investment will pan out.

Is a Morningstar rating of “5” good?

Morningstar uses a scale of one to five “stars” to rate investments, with five stars being the highest, or best-quality investment. So, yes, a five-star rating is generally considered good, although not risk-free.

Sep

2023

Guide to Investing in a Bear Market: 8 Investing Strategies

By Michael Flannelly | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

While it may seem counterintuitive to invest during a bear market — a prolonged market decline typically of 20% or more — in fact there are opportunities during downturns, if you know where to look and what strategies to use.

Market conditions during a bear market are unusual, and securities may behave in different ways. By knowing which bear market investing strategies might make sense, it’s possible to mitigate losses and possibly realize some gains.

Also, for investors with a long-term wealth-building goal, it’s important to remember that bear markets are often relatively short. So rather than panic, it can help to look for potential investment opportunities that may be beneficial.

How to Invest in a Bear Market: 8 Options

Some investors may be tempted to sell assets during a bear market, content to keep their money in cash while the markets seem to slide. However, there are some bear market investing strategies investors may want to consider.

1. Invest Defensively

The first of these bear market strategies involves buying assets that may increase in price when the overall financial markets decline. Many factors influence which investments perform well during a bear stock market.

Investors may shift their portfolios to defensive stocks, to bigger and more mature companies, and companies in sectors with constant demand such as utilities and food. These may be good assets to hold during bear markets because these stocks tend to hold steady, even in a downturn.

Defensive investments may provide consistent income through dividend payouts (more on that below) while experiencing less volatile share price action during market downturns. Buying assets like these at the beginning of a downturn can be beneficial.

2. Consider Dollar-Cost Averaging

Using a dollar-cost averaging strategy isn’t limited to bear markets; it’s a time-honored practice among many buy-and-hold investors.

Dollar-cost averaging is when you buy a set dollar amount of an investment at regular intervals (e.g. weekly, monthly, quarterly), regardless of whether the markets are up or down. That way, when prices are lower you buy more; when prices are higher you buy less. Otherwise, you might be tempted to buy less when prices drop, and buy more when prices are increasing, based on your emotions.

For example, if you invest $100 in Stock A at $20 per share, you get 5 shares. The following month, say, the price has dropped to $10 per share, but you stay the course and invest $100 in Stock A — and you get 10 shares. Now you own 15 shares of stock A at an average price of $13.33.

💡 Quick Tip: Look for an online brokerage with low trading commissions as well as no account minimum. Higher fees can cut into investment returns over time.

3. Use Short Strategies

One of the more sophisticated bear market trading strategies is placing bets that will rise in value when other investments lose value. This might involve, for example, purchasing put options contracts on stocks that may decline in value. A put option allows investors to benefit from falling share prices.

Shorting stocks to speculate on falling stock prices is another strategy investors can employ. When investors short a stock, they sell borrowed shares and hopefully repurchase them at a lower price. The investor profits when the price they pay to buy back the shares is lower than the price at which they sold the borrowed shares.

Alternatively, investors might consider inverse exchange-traded funds (ETF) as the overall market declines. An inverse ETF tracks a market index and, through complex trading strategies, looks to produce the opposite result of the index. For example, if the S&P 500 index declines, an inverse ETF that tracks the index will hopefully increase in value.

However, using put options, inverse ETFs, and other short strategies involves many nuances that may be complicated for some investors. They are very risky trading strategies that could compound losses if the bets do not work out. Interested investors ought to conduct additional research before considering this strategy.

4. Hold for the Long Haul

During a bear market, it’s not always necessary to do anything special. Investors with a long time horizon sometimes choose to hold on and stay the course, even when a portfolio declines in value. Taking a long-term perspective may pay off well over many years, as the market as a whole tends to trend upward over time.

For example, the bear market that began in December 2007 was over by March 2009, lasting about a year and a half. But the bull market that followed lasted almost eleven years; the S&P 500 index recouped its losses from the bear market by March 2013, and from March 2009 through February 2020, the S&P 500 increased just over 400%

💡 Quick Tip: Newbie investors may be tempted to buy into the market based on recent news headlines or other types of hype. That’s rarely a good idea. Making good choices shouldn’t stem from strong emotions, but a solid investment strategy.

5. Diversify Your Holdings

It also helps if investors have a well-diversified portfolio during any market. Diversifying typically ensures that all of an investor’s eggs are not in one basket, which can help mitigate the risk of loss, since you’re not overexposed in one sector or asset class.

One easy way to accomplish portfolio diversification might be to buy structured securities like ETFs or index funds.

6. Focus on Dividend Stocks

One way to invest during a bear market is to focus on stocks that provide income, i.e. dividend-paying stocks. Typically, these companies are bigger, more established, and growth oriented. And, clearly, they have the ability to give investors a regular payout.

A dividend is a portion of a company’s earnings that is paid to its shareholders, as approved by the board of directors. Companies usually pay dividends quarterly, but they may also be distributed annually or monthly.

Most dividends are paid in cash, on a per-share basis. For example, if the company pays a dividend of 50 cents per share, an investor with 100 shares of stock would receive $50.

Many investors who rely on dividend-paying stocks do so as part of an income investing strategy — which also serves investors during a downturn.

7. Look Toward Growth

While value stocks are generally considered undervalued relative to their actual worth, growth stocks are shares of companies that have the potential for higher earnings, often rising faster than the rest of the market. In addition, growth stocks have shown historic resilience in market downturns.

These companies tend to reinvest their earnings back into their business to continue their company’s growth spurt. Growth investors are betting that a company that’s growing fast now, will continue to grow quickly in the future.

To spot growth stocks, investors look for companies that are not only expanding rapidly but may be leaders in their industry. For example, a company may have developed a new technology that gives it a competitive edge over similar companies.

Recommended: Value vs. Growth Stocks

8. Consider Laying Low

If none of the above bear market strategies appeals to you, there is always the option of “playing dead,” as the saying goes. This derives from the advice given to those in the wilderness who might face a live bear: to not panic or do anything rash or risky.

In the same way, some investors believe the best way to handle a bear market is to stay calm, moving a portion of your portfolio into more secure and stable investments like Treasury bills, bonds, and money market funds.

What Causes a Bear Market and How Long Do They Last?

The causes of bear markets can vary. Sometimes a weak economy is the main cause — e.g. low employment, low productivity, disappointing corporate earnings. But a bear market might also be the result of a sudden shock, like the brief bear market that hit during the early days of the pandemic.

Other events that can spark a bear market might include geopolitical crises, a paradigm shift (e.g. the growth of the digital workforce), or government actions that impact taxes, interest rates, and so forth.

Bear Markets Run Short

As noted above, bull markets generally last far longer on average than bear markets — about 1,752 days for the average bull market versus 363 days for the average bear.

This is another factor to bear in mind if you’re thinking about investing in a bear market. Developing smart bear market investing strategies has to take into account the shorter time frames as well as the unusual market conditions.

Bear Market Investing vs Bull Market Investing

For those investing for the long term, the only real difference between a bear market and a bull market will be a temporary dip in the value of their portfolio. The main goal will be to stay the course. As mentioned, long-term investors often make regular, recurring purchases of financial assets.

During bull markets, a common investment strategy is to buy and hold. This tends to work because bull markets are characterized by most asset classes rising in unison.

However, investors may have to be a little more active with their portfolios during bear markets. Some investors choose to increase the amount of money they put into their investments during market downturns. Their overall strategy remains the same, but buying more assets at lower prices lets them acquire a larger number of assets overall.

For those with a higher risk tolerance looking to make short-term gains (often referred to as speculators), a mix of strategies might be employed. Speculators may look to short the market using puts or inverse ETFs, or research assets likely to increase in value due to current bear market trends.

Invest With SoFi

When the financial markets are in turmoil and your portfolio seems to be in the red, you may be tempted to panic. You may want to sell off your assets to mitigate further losses, content to pocket the cash. However, this sort of strategy may be short-sighted for most investors as it locks in your losses.

Also, you may be setting yourself up to miss a potential rally by getting out of the markets. After all, bear markets are often relatively short-lived and are followed by bull markets.

Invest with as little as $5 with a SoFi Active Investing account.

SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Investment Risk: Diversification can help reduce some investment risk. It cannot guarantee profit, or fully protect in a down market.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs): Investors should carefully consider the information contained in the prospectus, which contains the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other relevant information. You may obtain a prospectus from the Fund company’s website or by email customer service at [email protected]. Please read the prospectus carefully prior to investing.
Shares of ETFs must be bought and sold at market price, which can vary significantly from the Fund’s net asset value (NAV). Investment returns are subject to market volatility and shares may be worth more or less their original value when redeemed. The diversification of an ETF will not protect against loss. An ETF may not achieve its stated investment objective. Rebalancing and other activities within the fund may be subject to tax consequences.

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Sep

2023

Averaging Down Stocks: Meaning, Example, Pros & Cons

By AJ Smith | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

Averaging down stocks refers to a strategy of buying more shares of a stock you already own after that stock has lost value — effectively buying the same stock, but at a discount. In other words, it’s a way of lowering the average cost of a stock you already own.

It’s similar to dollar-cost averaging, where you invest the same amount of money in the same securities at steady intervals, regardless of whether the prices are rising or falling.

While this strategy has a potential upside — if the stock price then rises again — it does expose investors to greater risk.

Table of Contents

What Is Averaging Down?
Example of Averaging Down
Why Average Down on Stock
Pros and Cons of Averaging Down
Tips for Averaging Down on Stock
The Takeaway

What Is Averaging Down?

By using the strategy of averaging down and purchasing more of the same stock at a lower price, the investor lowers the average price (or cost basis) for all the shares of that stock in their portfolio.

So if you buy 100 shares at one price, and the price drops 10%, for example, and you decide to buy 100 more shares at the lower price, the average cost of all 200 shares is now lower.

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Example of Averaging Down

Consider this example: Imagine you’ve purchased 100 shares of stock for $70 per share ($7,000 total). Then, the value of the stock falls to $35 per share, a 50% drop.

To average down, you’d purchase 100 shares of the same stock at $35 per share ($3,500). Now, you’d own 200 shares for a total investment of $10,500. This creates an average purchase price of $52.50 per share.

Potential of Gain Averaging Down

If the stock price jumps to $80 per share, your position would be worth $16,000, a $5,500 gain on your initial investment of $10,500. In this case, averaging down helped boost your average return. If you’d simply bought 200 shares at the initial price of $70 ($14,000), you’d only see a gain of $2,000.

Potential Risk of Averaging Down

As with any strategy, there’s risk in averaging down. If, after averaging down, the price of the stock goes up, then your decision to buy more of that stock at a lower price would have been a good one. But the stock continues its downward price trajectory, it would mean you just doubled down on a losing investment.

While averaging down can be successful for long-term investors as part of a buy-and-hold strategy, it can be hard for inexperienced investors to discern the difference between a dip and a warning sign.

Why Average Down on Stock

Some investors may use averaging down stocks as part of other strategies.

1. Value Investing

Value investing is a style of investing that focuses on finding stocks that are trading at a “good value” — in other words, value stocks are typically underpriced. By averaging down, an investor buys more of a stock that they like, at a discount.

But in some cases, a stock may appear undervalued when it’s not. This can lead investors who may not understand how to value stocks into something called a value trap. A value trap is when a company has been trading at low valuation metrics (e.g. the P/E ratio or price-to-book value) for some time.

While it may seem like a bargain, if it’s not a true value proposition the price is likely to decline further.

2. Dollar-Cost Averaging

For some investors, averaging down can be a way to get more money into the market. This is a similar philosophy to the strategy known as dollar-cost averaging, as noted above, where the idea is to invest steadily regardless of whether the market is down or up, to reap the long-term average gains.

3. Loss Mitigation

Some investors turn to this strategy to help dig out of the very hole that the lower price has put them into. That’s because a stock that has lost value has to grow proportionally more than it fell in order to get back to where it started. Again, an example will help:

Let’s say you purchase 100 shares at $75 per share, and the stock drops to $50, that’s a 33% loss. In order to regain that lost value, however, the stock needs to increase by 50% (from $50 to $75) before you can see a profit.

Averaging down can change the math here. If the stock drops to $50 and you buy another 100 shares, the price only needs to increase by 25% to $62.50 for the position to be profitable.

Pros and Cons of Averaging Down

As you can see, averaging down stocks is not a black-and-white strategy; it requires some skill and the ability to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each situation.

Pros of Averaging Down

The primary benefit to averaging down is that an investor can buy more of a stock that they want to own anyway, at a better price than they paid previously — with the potential for gains.

Whether to average down should as much be a decision about the desire to own a stock over the long-term as it is about the recent price movement. After all, recent price changes are only one part of a stock’s analysis.

If the investor feels committed to the company’s growth and believes that its stock will continue to do well over longer periods, that could justify the purchase. And, if the stock in question ultimately turns positive and enjoys solid growth over time, then the strategy will have been a success.

Cons of Averaging Down

The averaging down strategy requires an investor to buy a stock that is, at the moment, losing value. And it is always possible that this fall is not temporary — and is actually the beginning of a larger decline in the company and/or its stock price. In this scenario, an investor who averages down may have just increased their holding in a losing investment.

Price change alone should not be an investor’s only indication to buy more of any stock. An investor with plans to average down should research the cause of the decline before buying — and even with careful research, projecting the trajectory of a stock can be difficult.

Another potential downside is that the averaging down strategy adds to one particular position, and therefore can affect your asset allocation. It’s always wise to consider the implications of any shift in your portfolio’s allocation, as being overweight in a certain asset class could expose you to greater risk of loss.

💡 Quick Tip: It’s smart to invest in a range of assets so that you’re not overly reliant on any one company or market to do well. For example, by investing in different sectors you can add diversification to your portfolio, which may help mitigate some risk factors over time.

Tips for Averaging Down on Stock

If you are going to average down on a stock you own, be sure to take a few preparatory steps.

• Have an exit strategy. While it may be to your benefit to buy the dip, you want to set a limit should the price continue to fall.

• Do your research. In order to understand whether a stock’s price drop is really an opportunity, you may need to understand more about the company’s fundamentals.

• Keep an eye on the market. Market conditions can impact stock price as well, so it’s wise to know what factors are at play here.

The Takeaway

To recap: What is averaging down in stocks? Simply put, averaging down is a strategy where an investor buys more of a stock they already own after the stock has lost value.

The idea is that by buying a stock you own (and like) at a discount, you lower the average purchase price of your position as a whole, and set yourself up for gains if the price should increase. Of course, the fly in the ointment here is that it can be quite tricky to predict whether a stock price has simply taken a dip or is on a downward trajectory — so there are risks to the averaging down strategy for this reason.

Invest with as little as $5 with a SoFi Active Investing account.

Sep

2023

How Often Are Dividends Paid?

By Pam O’Brien | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

Some companies make regular payments, called dividends, to investors who own shares of its stock. For investors, this may be considered an advantage of investing in a company — though they may wonder, when are dividends paid?

Not all companies pay dividends, so if steady dividend income is the goal, an investor would need to look specifically for dividend-paying investments.

How often do dividends pay? Dividends are typically paid quarterly, though there are cases where they are paid more or less frequently. But there’s more to it than simply investing in a stock and waiting for one’s dividend to roll in.

What Are Dividends?

Companies will sometimes share a portion of their profits with shareholders, and this is called a dividend. Dividends are typically distributed as cash, although it’s also possible to receive a dividend in the form of stock.

Typically, dividends work on a per-share basis. For example, if Company A pays a cash dividend of 50 cents per share, and an investor owns 50 shares, they would receive $25 in cash.

If a company pays a stock dividend, it’s usually a percentage increase in the number of shares an investor owns. So if Company A awards a 5% stock dividend and an investor owns 100 shares of Company A, they would have 105 shares after the dividend payout.

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How Often Are Dividends Paid Out?

In most cases in the U.S., dividends are paid quarterly, or four times a year, on the same schedule as they must report earnings (quarterly). If you’re wondering why companies generally pay quarterly vs. monthly dividends, logically, it makes sense that dividends would come only after a company has finalized its income statement and its board of directors has reviewed (and approved) the numbers.

Some investments pay dividends on other schedules, such as twice a year, once a year, or as monthly dividend stocks, or on no schedule at all (called “irregular” dividends), but this isn’t typical in the United States. Ultimately, the dividend payout schedule is up to a company’s board of directors.

It’s also possible for a company to pay a special one-time dividend. Usually a special dividend is paid out when a company has had a stronger-than-usual earnings period or has excess cash on hand — from the sale of a business, perhaps, or the liquidation of an investment, or a major litigation win. These special one-time dividends may be paid as cash, stock, or property dividends.

When it comes to mutual funds that invest in dividend-paying companies, they may pay dividends on a more frequent basis, such as monthly or even weekly.

Recommended: Do IPOs Offer Dividends?

Important Dividend Dates

Although the answer to the question “How often are dividends paid out?” may vary, there are four essential dates involved in the payment of dividends:

1. Declaration date: This is the day that a company’s board of directors states their intention to pay a dividend.

2. Date of record: This is the date on which a company will review its records to establish who its shareholders are. In order to receive a dividend, an investor must be a “holder of record,” which means they owned shares on or before the ex-dividend date.

3. Ex-dividend date: This is the date by which an investor must have purchased shares of a stock in order to receive an upcoming dividend. If an investor bought shares of Company A on or after the ex-dividend date, the dividend would go to the investor from whom they purchased the shares — they themselves would not receive a dividend.

4. Payment date: This is the date a dividend is paid to company shareholders.

IMPORTANT DIVIDEND DATES for 5 Companies in the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index
Company	Dividend Payout	Declaration Date	Ex-Dividend Date	Date of Record	Payment Date
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV)	$1.48	June 22, 2023	July 13, 2023	July 14, 2023	August 15, 2023
Atmos Energy Corp (ATO)	$0.74	May 3, 2023	May 19, 2023	May 22, 2023	June 5, 2023
Chevron Corp (CVX)	$1.51	July 28, 2023	August 17, 2023	August 18, 2023	September 11, 2023
General Dynamics (GD)	$1.32	August 1, 2023	October 5, 2023	October 6, 2023	November 10, 2023
Nucor Corp (NUE)	$0.51	June 8, 2023	June 29, 2023	June 30, 2023	August 11, 2023

Typically, investors wondering, when are dividends paid?, can get information about a company’s dividend dates by visiting its investor relations page. To find this, search for the company’s name and “investor relations” online. Or check a company’s dividend history online. Many investment websites, including Nasdaq.com, track this information.

When Are Dividends Paid?

Once a company’s board of directors approves a plan to pay out dividends, the company announces the dividend payment information, including: the amount to be paid out, the date it will be paid, the date of record, and the ex-dividend date.

On the payment date, the dividend is paid to investors who owned the stock before the ex-dividend date.

Example:

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) announced a dividend of $0.46 per share on February 16, 2023. The payment date for the dividend was April 3, 2023 to shareholders of record on March 17, and the ex-dividend date was March 16. That means, to receive the dividend that was paid on April 3, you would have had to buy or have already owned Coca-Cola shares before March 16. (The Coca-Cola Company was chosen as an example only; this is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold KO.)

Different Dividend Payout Methods

These are some of the ways dividends may be paid to investors.

Cash Dividends

Dividends are often paid in cash. Companies typically send cash dividends directly to an investor’s brokerage, where the money is deposited into their account. The company might also mail a check to stockholders.

Company Stock Dividends

In other cases, investors will be paid in company stocks. Some companies and mutual funds offer the option of a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) that will automatically buy additional shares for an investor with their dividends. This provides the advantages of both simplifying the process (since investors won’t have to receive the cash and buy more shares themselves) and potentially being more cost effective, since many DRIP programs don’t charge commissions.

Additionally, some DRIP programs discount the purchase of additional shares. For this and other reasons, some investors may specifically look to find dividend reinvestment stocks.

Property Dividends

More rarely, a company might award a property dividend instead of cash or stock payouts. This could include company products, shares of a subsidiary company, or physical assets the company owns.

💡 Quick Tip: How to manage potential risk factors in a self-directed investment account? Doing your research and employing strategies like dollar-cost averaging and diversification may help mitigate financial risk when trading stocks.

Are Dividends Taxable?

Dividend income is always taxable, but tax treatment will depend on how long an investor has held the investment and what kind of account they’re holding it in.

For instance, if an investor is holding the investment in a retirement account such as a 401(k) or IRA, the dividend isn’t taxable at the time of distribution. (Though depending on the account, the income may be taxed upon withdrawal during retirement.)

If the investment is held in a taxable account, then a dividend is considered income, and the tax rate will depend on whether it’s a qualified dividend or nonqualified (ordinary) dividend.

Tax Rate for Qualified Dividends

These are dividends paid by a U.S. corporation or a qualified foreign corporation on stock that an investor has held for a certain period of time—generally more than 60 days during the 121-day period that starts 60 days before the ex-dividend date.

For some preferred stock, the investor must have held it for 91 days out of the 181-day period starting 90 days before the ex-dividend date. Taxes on qualified dividends are paid at long-term capital gains rates, which range from 0% to 20% based on an individual’s modified adjusted gross income.

In other words, the taxes investors pay on qualified dividends are based on their overall income tax bracket, and they could pay 0%, depending on their income. Because the long-term capital gains tax rate is lower than ordinary income tax rate, qualified dividends are preferable to nonqualified dividends.

Tax Rates for Long-Term Capital Gains

Tax Rates for Long-Term Capital Gains
Filing Status	0% Rate	15% Rate	20% Rate
Single	Up to $44,675	$44,676 to $492,300	Over $492,300
Head of household	Up to $59,750	$59,751 to $523,050	Over $523,050
Married filing jointly	Up to $89,250	$89,251 to $553,850	Over $553,850
Married filing separately	Up to $44,675	$44,676 to $276,900	Over $276,900

Tax Rate for Nonqualified Dividends

The more common type of dividend is a nonqualified — or ordinary — dividend. When companies pay ordinary dividends, they’re considered ordinary income, so an investor will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates.

In general, investors should assume that any dividend they receive is an ordinary dividend unless told otherwise. (The payer of the dividend is required to identify the type of dividend when they report them on Form 1099-DIV at tax time.)

Can You Live on Dividends?

In general, retirees should plan to live off a combination of Social Security, interest income from bonds, and selling a small portion of their investments each year. The 4% retirement rule maintains that if one withdraws no more than 4% of their portfolio each year, they’ll be able to make their nest egg last — although some financial professionals believe this formula is too conservative.

Investments that pay regular dividends may shift an individual’s retirement equation by providing steady income over time that may allow them to sell fewer investments — or no investments at all. The amount of dividends a stock pays often grows over time as companies get larger and continue to increase their profits.

Investing with an eye toward dividend income may allow an investor to create an income stream that could successfully supplement their Social Security and other income in retirement.

Investing With SoFi

Dividends — cash or stock rewards from a company to its shareholders—are typically paid quarterly to qualifying shareholders. These financial “bonuses” can be attractive to investors, who may seek out dividend-paying companies specifically in hopes of boosting their bottom line. Some investors look specifically for investments that pay dividends as a way to generate income and savings for retirement.

Dividends may provide a source of consistent and predictable income, which may be a helpful addition to an individual’s portfolio, depending on their investing goals. Investors may choose to use dividend income to supplement other income or to reinvest in their portfolio.

Invest with as little as $5 with a SoFi Active Investing account.

FAQ

How long do you have to hold a stock to get a dividend?

In order to get a dividend, an investor needs to be a “holder of record.” That means they need to buy, or already own, shares of the stock before what’s known as the ex-dividend date, which is the business day before the date of record. The date of record is when the company reviews its records to determine who its shareholders are. The date of record is generally announced when the dividend is announced.

Are dividends taxed if they are reinvested?

Yes. Dividends that are reinvested are considered income, just like cash dividends, and must be reported on your tax return. The way you are taxed on dividends depends on whether your dividends are qualified or nonqualified. The more common type of dividend is nonqualified, and these dividends are taxed at ordinary income tax rates. Qualified dividends are taxed at long-term capital gains rates.

What happens if you take more dividends than profit?

Typically, a portion of a company’s earnings should go to paying out dividends. This is known as the dividend payout ratio. Investors typically look for payout ratios that are 80% or less — meaning that the company is not paying all of its earnings in dividends.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

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Understanding Low-Float Stocks

Stock Float: Quick Recap

What Are Low-Float Stocks?

Floating Stock Example Calculation

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Understanding Shares Outstanding

Benefits of Trading Low-Float Stocks

Importance of Low-Float Stocks

6 Reasons for Low-Floating Shares

1. Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)

2. The Company Is Family Operated

3. Stock Buybacks

4. Company Has Donated Shares to Its Charitable Foundation

5. Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)

6. Stock-Based Compensation

Evaluating Low-Float Stocks

High Relative Volume

News Catalysts

Float Percentage

How to Trade Low-Float Stocks

Finding low-float Stocks

Some Risks to Know

The Takeaway

FAQ

Is a low-float stock good?

How important is a stock’s float?

Are low-float stocks good for day trading?

What’s the difference between high- and low-float stocks?

Guide to Morningstar Ratings

What are Morningstar Ratings?

How Morningstar Ratings Work

The “Star Rating” Explained

The “Analyst Rating” Explained

How Morningstar Measures Volatility

Example of a Morningstar Rating

Are Morningstar Ratings Accurate?

Use Expense Ratios

How Should Investors Use Morningstar Ratings?

Risks of Morningstar Ratings

Morningstar Ratings for Funds

Other Investment Risk Rating Providers

Trading Stocks With SoFi

FAQ

How reliable are Morningstar ratings?

Is a Morningstar rating of “5” good?

Guide to Investing in a Bear Market: 8 Investing Strategies

How to Invest in a Bear Market: 8 Options

1. Invest Defensively

2. Consider Dollar-Cost Averaging

3. Use Short Strategies

4. Hold for the Long Haul

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5. Diversify Your Holdings

6. Focus on Dividend Stocks

7. Look Toward Growth

8. Consider Laying Low

What Causes a Bear Market and How Long Do They Last?

Bear Markets Run Short

Bear Market Investing vs Bull Market Investing

Invest With SoFi

Averaging Down Stocks: Meaning, Example, Pros & Cons

What Is Averaging Down?

Example of Averaging Down

Potential of Gain Averaging Down

Potential Risk of Averaging Down

Why Average Down on Stock

1. Value Investing

2. Dollar-Cost Averaging

3. Loss Mitigation

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Pros and Cons of Averaging Down

Pros of Averaging Down

Cons of Averaging Down

Tips for Averaging Down on Stock

The Takeaway

How Often Are Dividends Paid?

What Are Dividends?

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