If you are a beginner who is seeking to invest in the stock market but does not want to devote a lot of money, penny stocks can be a convincing option. However, the thought of investing in the stock market may baffle you because of the limited experience or the fear of losing money. If you are wondering where to start or which penny stock to invest in, this article will provide you with penny stocks tips and advice that will help you understand penny stock trading and what to expect of it.
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What Is a Penny Stock?
To put stock trading in simple terms, companies raise capital in the form of shares that represent ownership in the company; traders and investors buy the shares when they are sold at a low price with the anticipation of selling them at a higher price.
Penny stocks, also called micro-cap stocks, are shares of a small company that can be traded at a price as low as $1 or $2. According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any share that is traded for less than $5 is referred to as penny stocks. However, the actual definition of a penny stock may vary across countries. They are traded in major exchanges like NASDAQ and also over-the-counter (OTC) markets like OTC Pink and OTCQB.
4 Beginner Tips for Investing in Penny Stocks
As in any kind of investment, investing in penny stocks without due research can lead to adverse effects. It is important to understand the concept of penny stock trading and the associated risks before investing in it so that you avoid the risks while investing in it. These 4 penny stock trading tips can help you even if you are a beginner.
Look at the Number of Shares Outstanding
Investing in penny stocks involves a lot of research about the company you are considering investing in. The company must be legitimate and of high value. While ascertaining the company’s value, refrain from equating the stock price with the company’s value; what you should be looking at is its market capitalization value, which is the cost per share multiplied by the number of shares outstanding.
For example, let’s say there are two companies X and Y. The market capitalization for both the companies is $150,000.
- Company X trades at $15 and has 10,000 shares outstanding.
- Company Y trades at $150 and has 1000 shares outstanding.
Though both the companies have the same market capitalization, the shares are traded at different prices. Hence, instead of considering the share price as the only factor to determine the value of the company, look at the number of shares outstanding.
Be Wary of Share Dilution
Shares dilute when a company issues new shares to raise more capital. It is important to look out for signs of possible share dilution because it reduces the ownership of shareholders and also leads to a drop in the share price. To that end, do a thorough research on the strengths of the company:
- What is the company’s business structure?
- Is the company profitable and competitive in its sector?
- Will the company’s value increase over time?
- Does it need more capital for a new venture or partnership?
- How does the management plan to raise more capital? By issuing more stocks?
The bottom line is to find a high-quality company that is still trading at a low share price. This can help turn your small investment into a significant one.
Which Penny Stock Should I Invest In?
People are drawn to investing in penny stocks because of their low prices. This penny stock trading tip will help you approach it with the right mindset. As a beginner, it is important to have a realistic expectation and assess the outcome of choosing a penny stock.
As a share’s past performance is indicative of its future performance, look at the past performance to gauge how the share has grown over a period of months or years. This will give you a realistic idea of the returns you can expect. If you are going for highly volatile penny stocks that are characterized by rapid price fluctuations during a short span of time, assess the risk as well. Let’s suppose a penny stock worth $0.50 goes up by $0.25. Even though it may seem like a 50% profit, there are similar chances of losing a lot if it drops by $0.30.
Pick a penny stock that is more active than others because this kind of stocks will have more buyers and sellers. It doesn’t need reminding that you are buying penny stocks with the hope of selling it in future. A penny stock without buyers can easily sour your trading experience.
Join a Day Trading Chat Room
What you learn about penny stock trading by joining a day trading chat room is immense. You will be able to get penny stock trading tips and advice from experienced investors who are willing to share their knowledge about penny stock trading. The information you get from a penny stocks chat will help you be updated with the current trends, understand the terms that confuse you so that you have better chances of avoiding mistakes and minimizing losses.
At this day and age, investing in a business, real estate, stocks, or bonds is important not only to generate additional money but also to build wealth for your future. Of all the investment options, investing in shares and stocks is considered one of the superior options due to the investment returns it earns. Hopefully, the tips for investing in penny stocks covered in the article will help you start investing in penny stocks on the right foot.