Howard's Story
Before Stockopedia, how did you go about finding investments?
"I used to focus on investing using trusts (Unit Trusts & Investment Trusts). Using these to create a diversified portfolio across global markets and themes. I then followed ‘The Dividend Letter’, in order to diversify into income bearing investments as well as evolve beyond trusts, directly investing in equities. Throughout these years I’ve widely read the financial press and investment books."
In what way has Stockopedia changed your approach to investing?
"It has transformed my approach. Factor analysis with investing was a delightful discovery for me. I was already reflecting on how I could utilise the factor analysis work I had done in my doctorate to enhance my own investing approach. Stockopedia informed me about all the different investing styles, which I sensed from my readings but could not appreciate the distinctions between them.
I’ve also gained a way of buying, selling and monitoring the investments with confidence.
The comprehensive Stockopedia environment offered me complete support to enhance my education about investing while at the same time offering me a fantastic array of tools and techniques to actually execute trades. Through this support I have now got a portfolio which is diversified across market cap sizes and sectors. I’ve also gained a way of buying, selling and monitoring the investments with confidence. I am now extending my activities into non-UK equities and enjoying this experience."
Howard uses Stockopedia to consistently beat the FTSE 100.
Has this impacted your investment results and/or quality of life?
"Being an Stockopedia subscriber has unquestionably impacted my investment results for the better, and significantly so. I am currently obtaining a double-digit annualised return and expect to improve this further. As a result I am also consistently beating the FTSE 100, which is satisfying. With regard to quality of life, I believe Stockopedia has become a foundation stone of it.
I have moved to a truly portfolio lifestyle faster than I had perceived I would be doing so.
I now run my portfolio with confidence, that is to say I understand how I ought to select stocks, as well as sell them. I can see where I make mistakes and can therefore adjust my behaviours and I can see persistent performance improvements. As a consequence I have moved to a truly portfolio lifestyle faster than I had perceived I would be doing so."
What's your advice for investors that are just starting out?
"Be very patient with yourself, investing is a lifelong process. Begin gradually and reasonably safely, but be prepared to see investments go down. Read incessantly, think a lot but act (buy/sell) in very small bursts. Always diversify. Do your own spreadsheet to experiment with what compounding actually means, start by doing manual calculations and then transfer these ideas onto a spreadsheet. This will help you to appreciate a fundamental tenet of investing.
For me, I think less about an individual investment, rather, I always think about the portfolio. This helps me to truly seek out diversity across different types of investments and to accept they might perform differently in different market conditions. That is to say, some might be flying while others lag, but later they reverse roles as circumstances change."
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