There is a difference between a good company and a company’s stock that makes a good investment. How do you choose and know when a good company may be a poor investment choice? How do you keep from falling in love with a company? These are some of the tricky questions that individual stock investors wrestle with.
Here are a few things to consider when trying to identify when a good company may be a bad investment.
The Right Stock Valuation
Classic finance theory states that the valuation of a stock price over the long-term is based on the current value of its future earnings (cash flows). So, what does that even mean? It means that a company’s individual popularity unfortunately does not always translate into higher share prices. Wildly popular companies can have next to no profits. Just look at the earnings of internet companies like Facebook, Yelp, Groupon, and the like. Far too often, they are more popular than profitable.