Buying
Penny Stocks
Buying penny stocks is to invest in small up and
coming companies for potentially huge returns. The
investor must keep in mind that with high returns
comes high risks for these stocks priced below $5.
Many of these companies have been operating for less
than 5 years. They are still developing their products
and services, establishing their presence on the market
and building their operations. Many companies do not
make it beyond this stage. Given the failure rate,
the risks of buying a penny stock can be considerable.
The upside potential of penny stocks are exponential.
The investor who picks the right company can see the
returns be many times over their original purchase
price. Most of the major corporations had their beginnings
as a penny stock. These big money makers tend to have
high sales and profit growth, unique products and
services and strong management.
How To Buy Penny Stocks
The investor needs to open up a brokerage account
before penny stocks can be bought or sold. Given that
these stocks trade for modest amounts, transaction
costs can easily eat into any profits despite high
percentage returns. To be successful as a penny stock
investor, an online broker is favored. These stockbrokers
offer competitive commission pricing, up to date stock
market quotes and a reliable trading system to efficiently
execute transaction orders.
Where Do Penny Stocks Trade
Not all penny stocks are created equal. Depending
on which venue they trade, the companies are subjected
to different filing and listing requirements. The
more information the company is required to disclose,
the better the chances of the investor properly evaluating
their investment potential.
NASDQ Capital Market and American Stock Exchange
(AMEX)
For investors looking for emerging companies current
on SEC filings, meeting asset and revenue criteria,
respecting listing requirements and good trading liquidity,
they can be found on these exchanges. The investor
can extrapolate a valuation by using the latest audited
financial statements to determine whether the stock
is worth investing in. The majority of these companies
have operations generating sales and earnings. Penny
stocks trading on these exchanges range between $1
and $5. Information on these companies is readily
available to the investor.
Over The Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB)
The Over The Counter Bulletin Board is a regulated
quotation service that shows real-time quotes, last-sale
prices, and volume information in over-the-counter
(OTC) securities. OTC stocks do not trade on the NASDQ
or any national securities exchange.
For the stock to be eligible for quotation, issuers
must be up to date with their filings with the SEC
or an applicable regulatory authority. Unlike the
NASDQ and AMEX, companies are not subject to listing
standards and minimum asset and revenue standards.
Companies that went through financial difficulties
and fell below the NASDQ and AMEX asset and revenue
criteria end up on the OTCBB. Most stocks in this
environment trade under $1. Depending on the liquidity
of the stock and who the market maker is, the bid
offer spread can vary significantly. The Market Maker
is a designated stockbroker who acts as the market
for that particular stock. The investor should be
as informed as possible about the stock before buying.
Selling the stock could take time since there could
be very few buyers.
Pink Sheets
This is considered the most exciting of the securities
market. There are no applicable rules for companies
whose stocks trade in the Pink Sheets. They are not
required to file any financials, making it difficult
for the investor to put any meaningful valuations
on the company. Many companies do not have any real
operations to speak of. Stocks are usually priced
below $l. The spread between the buying price and
selling price is very wide to compensate for the low
trading liquidity. Stocks that do not meet OTCBB filing
requirements within the 30 days or 60 days grace period
are moved here. Once the company starts filing, their
shares will be moved back to the OTCBB.
Pink Sheets stocks carry the most risk but also the
potential for the highest returns. The challenge is
to find a company with real operations, competitive
products and assets. At this particular stage, the
company does not want to file any financial statements
so as not to reveal their intentions to their competitors.
For the investor, establishing a relationship with
the management of the company is important to getting
pertinent information. This includes the financial
standing of the business, the number of shares outstanding
and business developments.
Picking The Right Penny Stocks
Regardless of where the stock trades, the objective
is to find the one that makes you money. There are
thousands of companies that the investor can select
from. The challenge is to find the diamonds amongst
the pile of coal. These gems usually have certain
traits attached to them. They include a capable management
team, unique products or services, operations already
running and healthy finances. By focusing on picking
the right companies through diligent research, you
have boosted your odds of profitability.