Take Stock: A roadmap to profiting from your first walk down Wall Street. [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Ellis Traub (Author) "First, let me tell you why I think I'm qualified to write this book and why I'm presumptuous enough to offer you advice about investing..." (more)
Key Phrases: Uncle Harry, Value Line, Peter Lynch (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Ellis Traub has NAIC's method of selecting stocks from a fundamental approach and explained it well." -- Kenneth S. Janke, President & CEO National Association of Investors Corporation

“...[Traub's] new book is greatly anticipated by all who have known and learned the fundamentals of stock investing from him.” -- Ann Molison, an individual investor from Fort Collins, Colorado

“A brilliantly written fascinating story of one man’s journey to a knowledge and successful use of investing methods that work.” -- Thomas E. O’Hara, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, NAIC

“Ellis Traub has written an investment guide that will interest all investors..." -- Stephen Sanborn, Director of Research, Value Line Publishing, Inc.

“Ellis Traub is a treasured resource for and among long-term investors." -- Candis King, a financial columnist from Wheaton, Illinois

Product Description
Beginning investors can invest in individual companies—profitably and wisely—using the interactive, step-by-step process outlined in Take Stock. Investor, author and software developer Ellis Traub elaborates on the elegantly simple methodology devised over nearly 50 years by the National Association of Investment Clubs (NAIC). He explains why and how to "Buy the company, not the stock!"

Most people would like to find a way to double their money every five years without risky investments, endless research, stock trading and taxes on the trades. Making investing fun and simple, Traub shows investors a proven system for acquiring wealth through the process of investing in companies. True investors view shares of stock as they were intended, part ownership of companies. And, over the long term, they expect their stock to grow in value, year after year, as their companies increase their earnings. A CD-ROM included with the book helps readers interactively apply what they've learned as they go along.

Investors who diligently and conservatively apply this simple technique:

*Typically pick four out of five companies that do as well or better than expected
*Are positioned to double their money every 5 years
*Simplify portfolio maintenance by taking a long-term buy-and-hold attitude
*Avoid tax on stock gains until they sell shares

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Kaplan Business (October 25, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793141494
• ISBN-13: 978-0793141494
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #876,743 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful "first investing book", January 23, 2001

By	Brian Lewis "brianle" (Bellevue, WA United States) - See all my reviews

Ellis Traub has gotten it *just* right: a beginning investing book that isn't so basic that it doesn't say anything (experienced investors can get a lot out of this), yet is very approachable and easy to read. The basic philosophy of "buy quality growth stocks at a reasonable price" is clearly illustrated - - - he doesn't just talk general philosophy, but instead shows you exactly how you can do your own stock analysis.

This approach to investing has long been a core part of the success of the "investment club" phenomenon, but with "Take Stock" Ellis makes it available to everyone. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in investing in the stock market.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Reading for More Successful Investing, November 18, 2000

By	Dan Hess (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews

Ellis Traub has reduced the complexity of stock market investing to simply how to identify good companies worthy of purchase and then how to buy them at an appropriate price. He explains in simple and easy to understand terms what constitutes a good company and good value. He starts very basically by listing mistakes he has made so others can avoid duplicating these and in short order how to become a more successful stock market investor. I wish Take Stock had been available to read before making my first investment.

I especially liked his new investing term "technamental" which applies technical graphic methods to fundamental analysis. Simply stated he uses the pictorial aspects of graphics to enable easily identifying how to recognize aspects of good companies and good value.

This is must reading for both the new investors as well as the investor who may wish to improve their investment batting average. His easy to understand step by step methods should enable all investors to improve their investing performance.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A TRULY UNIQUE BOOK ON INVESTING, November 29, 2000

By	JimBo (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews

When I say unique I genuinely mean unique. I challenge you to find another book on investing that gives you an entirely specific METHOD for evaluating growth companies for investment. You can find lots of investing books that tell you all sorts of good general principles about investing, but then they leave it up to you to apply these principles. "Take Stock" presents a completely specific method, step by step, and provides you with a CD containing software allowing you to apply this method on your computer. (Instructions for non-computer users are there too.) The method is essentially automated so you can use NO personal judgment at all or as much personal judgment as you wish.

The book is written in plain straight-forward sentences and is remarkably easy to understand.

The method it describes selects companies very, very conservatively too. This is extremely important because if the method were too "loose" it would encourage beginning investors to make too many mistakes. As Traub points out it is better to be overly conservative and be surprised at better than expected performance of your portfolio, than to be risky and lose money too often. His method will lead you to invest in only the most consistently performing growth companies.

So do yourelf a favor and buy a book on investing that really tells you how to do it!