When I first started trading in 15 years ago, I was dead set on short-term trading, with an emphasis on options. The reason was simple. I had a small account ($5k) and big dreams. At 21 years of age, I was also young and the long run was so far off that I ignored it in favor of the here and now.
Given my mindset, it was difficult to embrace the virtues of dollar-cost averaging and long-term investing. Buying a diversified portfolio of stocks felt like watching paint dry.
With time, however, I wised up.
Now, I can’t imagine not owning stocks and buying more at every opportunity.
Is the reason for my reversal of affection due to circumstance? Is it just because the market has climbed so much over during my adult life? Not at all. In fact, we’ve seen two of the worst bear markets in history in the time frame. The first (2008) was the largest decline since the Great Depression. The second (2020) was the fastest ever. If anything, my love of stock ownership came not in spite of both crashes but because of them. Or, more specifically, because of what came after them.
It’s one thing to read about how resilient the stocks are. It’s another to live through it. Watching the market recover following 2008 and 2020 has cemented in my brain the reality that the declines are temporary, and the advance is permanent. As such, every crisis brings opportunity for those willing to turn off the T.V. and ignore the pessimists.
Ten Reasons to Own Stock
Here are ten reasons why I love owning stock.
Reason #1
The larger your account grows, the more of a chore it becomes to keep redeploying your capital. It’s one thing when you’re managing a few trades in a sub-$25k account. It’s quite another when you’re wrestling a bucketful of positions in a six-figure account. When you own stocks for the long run, you don’t have to keep finding new trades. Your exposure is everlasting.
Reason #2
Maximizing gains on a stock requires continual redeployment when using options. That is, you have to enter new trades again and again and again. In contrast, when you own stock, all you have to do to maximize gains is nothing.
Reason #3
If I have more long-term core stock positions, I don’t have to make many decisions. Fewer decisions mean less opportunity for the twin demons of Fear and Greed to screw with my head.
Reason #4
The odds of making money rise in lock-step with your hold time. The easiest way to increase the chance of making money is to hold stocks longer. Whether they use stock or options, short-term traders live in a coin-flip world.
Reason #5
Another reason to lengthen your hold time is that you’ll capture more dividends. The more dividends pocketed, the lower your cost basis goes. The lower your cost basis goes, the higher your probability of profit.
Reason #6
Buying a diversified stock portfolio requires little skill or knowledge of market timing. Being a successful active trader requires a ton of both. If you’d like to learn how to build a portfolio, read this.
Reason #7
Options traders often twist themselves into knots by building convoluted positions. There’s something beautiful in the simplicity of buying shares to acquire the exact amount of desired exposure.
Reason #8
Long-term positions carry a lower tax burden. In a day where talk of sharp increases in capital gains tax is making the rounds, this is an advantage that demands highlighting.
Reason #9
Owning stocks has been the most effective way to fight inflation over the past century. I believe it will continue to do so.
Reason #10
You get to piggyback off of others’ success by acquiring equity in the most well-run companies on the planet.
Read more Tales of a Technician [FREE Content]
Financial freedom is a journey
Sign up now and gain unfettered access to all of the quality content and powerful Scouting Reports that our Pro Members enjoy for 15-days absolutely free with no strings attached and let us show you what your trading has been missing.
Legal Disclaimer
Tackle Trading LLC (“Tackle Trading”) is providing this website and any related materials, including newsletters, blog posts, videos, social media postings and any other communications (collectively, the “Materials”) on an “as-is” basis. This means that although Tackle Trading strives to make the information accurate, thorough and current, neither Tackle Trading nor the author(s) of the Materials or the moderators guarantee or warrant the Materials or accept liability for any damage, loss or expense arising from the use of the Materials, whether based in tort, contract, or otherwise. Tackle Trading is providing the Materials for educational purposes only. We are not providing legal, accounting, or financial advisory services, and this is not a solicitation or recommendation to buy or sell any stocks, options, or other financial instruments or investments. Examples that address specific assets, stocks, options or other financial instrument transactions are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to represent specific trades or transactions that we have conducted. In fact, for the purpose of illustration, we may use examples that are different from or contrary to transactions we have conducted or positions we hold. Furthermore, this website and any information or training herein are not intended as a solicitation for any future relationship, business or otherwise, between the users and the moderators. No express or implied warranties are being made with respect to these services and products. By using the Materials, each user agrees to indemnify and hold Tackle Trading harmless from all losses, expenses and costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of or resulting from user’s use of the Materials. In no event shall Tackle Trading or the author(s) or moderators be liable for any direct, special, consequential or incidental damages arising out of or related to the Materials. If this limitation on damages is not enforceable in some states, the total amount of Tackle Trading’s liability to the user or others shall not exceed the amount paid by the user for such Materials.
All investing and trading in the securities market involves a high degree of risk. Any decisions to place trades in the financial markets, including trading in stocks, options or other financial instruments, is a personal decision that should only be made after conducting thorough independent research, including a personal risk and financial assessment, and prior consultation with the user’s investment, legal, tax and accounting advisers, to determine whether such trading or investment is appropriate for that user.
One Reply to “Tales of a Technician: Ten Reasons Why I Love Owning Stock”
Great article, Tyler. I recently cam to the same realization 🙂
Comments are closed.