Investors are often skittish about foreign stocks. Places, names and languages are unfamiliar. Companies we know can be more comfortable, even during extreme price volatility. But adhering to the familiar may be costly.
Foreign stocks have offered wealth creation in accord with U.S. companies. And you don't need to travel or learn Italian to own them. Many international companies are traded on U.S. exchanges in U.S. dollars, so it's easy to compare their share price, history, and dividends with domestic stocks.
Successful investors know they can benefit from long term returns of a company without ever having heard of it. By comparing key financial data with one company against its competitors, important characteristics can be identified. Two differing characteristics are Growth vs. Value.
When identifying Growth and Value stocks we utilize a mathematical formula taking account of the price of the stock in relation to earnings, debt and other factors. Of primary importance is the stock price relative to book value (saleable assets the company owns).
While many investors chase stocks that have already been increasing in price, value investors look for those depressed in price relative to their peers. As one might guess, a stock that lags in price is generally of a company that carries some signs of distress.
Therein lay the defining difference between growth and value stocks. A growth stock, like Apple, has a high price relative to its book value. Apple’s price/book ratio (P/B) is 5.1. For every dollar invested you are buying about 20 cents worth of stuff the company could sell if it liquidated. A value stock, like General Electric, has a P/B of 1.2. Every dollar invested buys about a dollar of saleable assets, a difference of almost 80%.
But Value stocks differ in other ways. They are generally more volatile (risky), which explains a preferential price relative to growth companies. But, as the term “value” infers, they tend to have higher returns as a group – both domestically and abroad.
Recently we’ve heard a lot about Greece and the European Union. Many stock prices have been hammered in Europe over the debt issue, making them “Valuey.” When considering a broad base of companies to own, historically this is a good time to buy.
International Value stocks have produced excellent returns historically. Studies show that over a 35-year period these companies enjoyed 30% higher returns than their growth counterparts. “The Wiser Way” to own these stocks is through diversified Mutual and Exchange Traded Funds.
I welcome questions or comments about International Value Investing.
Warmly,
Marc Becker
To read past articles and view past videos, visit:
www.marcbecker.tv
Golf Tip of the Week Skip it Up There Occasionally you will have a problem that appears to have no solution: ball sitting on hardpan with a bunker looming between it and the green, and very little putting surface between the ball and the hole on which to stop the shot.
The tightness of the lie prohibits wedging the ball high enough or with sufficient spin to stop it quickly. The bunker lip makes rolling the ball through the sand with a choked long-iron or putter very chancy.
What to do? Although it certainly isn't risk-free, a skip shot probably offers the best option. The goal is to one-bounce the ball from a level spot toward the front of the bunker so that it pops over the lip and up onto the green. Use a medium-iron, hooding the face slightly to give the ball a little hook spin. Stroke firmly using your normal chipping action and look at the ball hard until it vanishes.
You might be surprised at how well this technique often works out.
Source: http://www.nicklaus.com/nicklaus_golftips/
Trivia Time This week's question: What year was the European Union established?
Do you know? E-mail your answer wendy@wiserfinancial.com and if you are correct, receive a free "Way to Go!", "You Rock!", or other congratulatory phrase. Then brag to all your friends about how smart you are.
The answer will be in next week's newsletter!
Last week's question: Where do you go to see the world's largest tulip (and other flowers) garden?
Answer: Keukenhof Park, also known as the Garden of Europe, in the Netherlands. Approximately 7 million bulbs are planted there each year!
Congratulations to Cindy S. and David R. for getting the correct answer!
Source: www.wikipedia.com
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