Penny Stocks For Dummies - The Simplified Version

Before you become slighted by the title, this penny stock for dummies article is simply a basic guide for beginners about these non-marketable securities. Keep in mind that, when it comes to your money, it is always best to know everything possible about the investments being made. The main goal is to make informed decisions based on objective research that will maximize the profits earned while minimizing the losses incurred from trading penny shares.

Indeed, it is easy to click on the icons to buy or sell microcap shares on the stock brokerage's site. You can tell the stockbroker to purchase the shares that you like and then tell him to sell the shares that you don't fancy anymore for any random reason. It's easy.

But it will not be easy to take either when you start to suffer substantial losses from your haphazard way of trading on microcap shares. You simply must start reading resources like this penny stock for dummies if you want to avoid losing too much and too often.

Let's start with the definition of penny stocks. These are shares of stock in companies whose shareholders' equity did not meet the stringent requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the so-called Big Boards. This explains the fact that penny shares are traded in venues like the OTC Bulletin Board, the Nasdaq Small Cap Market and the Pink Sheets.

Microcap shares also trade at prices below $5 per share although other industry pundits assert that it should be $1 and below. No matter the threshold amount, we can agree that microcap shares are the most affordable securities in the market but are also the highest risk. Such risk comes from many factors including the fact that microcap companies are still fledgling organizations in a competitive industry; these organizations are involved in high-risk revolutionary products that may or may not pay off; and many of these companies are frauds.

All resources on penny stock for dummies strongly recommend beginners to undertake thorough research on the microcap shares before purchasing these securities. Said research should involve:

  • Fundamental analysis of the financial health of the issuing company and the overall outlook for its future directions. Computations related to financial statements like price per earnings ratio, return on investments and debt to equity ratio must be performed.
  • Technical analysis requires basic forecasting skills related to the possible price per share of the microcap stocks in the future. This time, you have to take into account the qualitative factors that can affect the company's growth including social changes and political actions.

You should take your time in analyzing the penny stocks in your shortlist. If the penny stock looks good on the first stage of analysis, look again for things can change in an instant. Again, high levels of volatility are always a concern with penny shares.

Now, when you have chosen the microcap shares that fit your requirements, you can then ask your stockbroker to buy the shares. Or sell these stocks, if and when necessary.

Indeed, if you take the time to read resources like this penny stock for dummies, you have higher chances to make a killing in the stock market. Now, contrast that with being killed by subsequent and significant losses and you have every reason to study and study well.