So many of my entries are about individual stocks.  And yet for the casual reader I am sure the question is 'Why did you pick that stock?'

For me the answer is about profiling.

I borrowed this diagram from Leatherhead Food International:

Leatherhead is interested in evaluating new food products.

I am interested in evaluating new stocks.

So instead of "oily" or "buttery" or "bitterness", think about "earnings", "Morningstar", "Valuation", "chart", and other characteristics that we investigate.

I am a very strong believer that earnings drive stock prices.  I have seen this over and over and we can match downturns to financial results to downturns in the price of an equity.  And with reversals of those same fortunes, comes reversals of stock prices.

But I do not believe in any particular magic about any particular stock.  Good management drives results.  Of course a great stock should have a great product or service.  But it is the financial results, the growth in earnings, the increasing dividend, the stable shares, and solid balance sheet that provides the fuel for the engine of stock appreciation.

When I blog, I am very repetitious.  I hope I am not boring anyone.  But I am going through my own list of essential characteristics.  Much like a packing list on a voyage, I check-off each of the needed things I am searching for in an investment.

So as you read through my stocks, and there are many on this blog, keep thinking about the profiling effort that I am utilizing. 

Sometimes I talk about finding the next Fastenal (FAST), a local stock that is a favorite in this area.  But I don't know what shape or form the next great investment will take.  I am on a great search.  In fact, a never-ending exploration of investing that changes with each quarterly report and each session of trading. 

I hope that this helps all of you understand what I am doing.  I know it helps me.  Thanks to all of you readers who regularly stop by, and for those who are new--welcome and stay awhile.  There is a lot of content on this website and I believe that even if I am an amateur, there is good stuff in those webpages.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of my great friends on and off-line.

Bob Freedland