
Benjamin Graham recommended using Standard & Poor’s rating system and required companies to have an S&P Earnings and Dividend Rating of B or better. The S&P rating system ranges from D to A+. Stick to stocks with ratings of B+ or better, just to be on the safe side.
Full Answer
What is Benjamin Graham's recommendation for investing in stocks?
Benjamin Graham recommended using Standard & Poor’s rating system and required companies to have an S&P Earnings and Dividend Rating of B or better. The S&P rating system ranges from D to A+. Stick to stocks with ratings of B+ or better, just to be on the safe side.
How much would $10000 invested with Ben Graham grow to $380k?
At that rate $10,000 invested with Ben Graham would grow to more than $380,000. This return easily beats the 12.2% average return of the overall market in the same time. 20% versus 12.2% may not seem like a big difference at first but $10,000 invested in the overall market would have returned just under $100,000 in the same time.
What does Graham say about debt in a stock?
He specified that debt should not exceed twice the stock equity (at book value, not market value). Graham liked to look at the historical company performance over an extended period of time. He prefers companies that avoid losses during recessionary periods.
What did Graham recommend for a balanced portfolio?
Graham recommended distributing one's portfolio evenly between stocks and bonds as a way to preserve capital in market downturns while still achieving growth of capital through bond income. Remember, Graham's philosophy was first and foremost, to preserve capital, and then to try to make it grow.

How does Benjamin Graham choose stocks?
Explained: Benjamin Graham's Seven Criteria for Selecting Value StocksQuality Rating. When picking a stock, it's not necessary to find the best quality companies. ... Financial Leverage. ... Company's Liquidity. ... Positive Earnings Growth. ... Price to Earnings Ratio. ... Price to Book Ratio. ... Dividends.
What companies did Benjamin Graham invest in?
Stocks With the Highest Scores Using Our Benjamin Graham Quantitative StrategyTickerCompany NameValue InvestorCMCCOMMERCIAL METALS COMPANY100EBSEMERGENT BIOSOLUTIONS INC100EDUNEW ORIENTAL EDUCATION & TECH GRP (ADR)100GIIIG-III APPAREL GROUP, LTD.1006 more rows
What are the three key principles of investment According to Benjamin Graham?
Benjamin Graham's Timeless Investment PrinciplesPrinciple #1: Always Invest with a Margin of Safety.Principle #2: Expect Volatility and Profit from It.Principle #3: Know What Kind of Investor You Are.Speculator Versus Investor.
What are Graham stocks?
The Graham number (or Benjamin Graham's number) measures a stock's fundamental value by taking into account the company's earnings per share (EPS) and book value per share (BVPS). The Graham number is the upper bound of the price range that a defensive investor should pay for the stock.
Is Intelligent Investor outdated?
Answer: Outdated. Other than the concept of Intrinsic Value, Margin of Safety and Mr. Market , preciously little stays relevant today.
Which is the best edition of The Intelligent Investor?
The 1965 edition is the best edition of the book in my opinion. It contains the most practical advice for passive investors, and the most comprehensive advice for enterprising investors. The famous "Graham Formula" is present in this edition as well.
How do you use Benjamin Graham's formula?
Following is the Benjamin Graham formula:Intrinsic value = Earnings per share × [(8.5 + (2 × Expected annual growth rate, g)] ... Intrinsic value = [EPS × (8.5 + 2g) × 4.4]/Y. ... Tweaking the formula as per Indian markets. ... Intrinsic value = [EPS × (7 + g) × 8.5]/Y. ... Margin of safety. ... Word of caution.
What is Warren Buffett's problem with efficient market theory?
Buffett takes this value investing approach to another level. Many value investors do not support the efficient market hypothesis (EMH). This theory suggests that stocks always trade at their fair value, which makes it harder for investors to either buy stocks that are undervalued or sell them at inflated prices.
What does the Intelligent Investor cover?
An intelligent investor always analyzes the long-term evolution and management principles of a company before investing. They always protect themselves from losses by diversifying investments. Intelligent investors never look for crazy profits, but focus on safe and steady returns.
How reliable is Graham Number?
Only 11.6% of S&P 500 stocks pass the Graham Number screen. This is because the market is currently trading far above its historical average price-to-earnings ratio. Of the 58 stocks that do pass the Graham test, 34 are in the financial sector.
Is Benjamin Graham still relevant?
Yes, Benjamin Graham is still relevant. The reason why mostly comes from how timeless his principles are. Human nature hasn't changed.
What is Benjamin Graham value screener?
Stocks which have market cap over Rs. 500 crore, and have a Graham Ratio greater than 1 (Graham Ratio is the Graham Number/Current Price. Greater than 1 is a healthy ratio). This screener is a dynamic strategy that changes based on Benjamin Graham value investing principles.
How much growth does Graham recommend?
Earnings Growth. Graham recommended a minimum increase of at least one-third in per-share earnings in the past 10 years, which translates into about a 3% annual growth rate—a rate that roughly keeps pace with inflation over the long term.
Why did Graham prefer large companies?
This concern comes into play for Graham because he looked at stocks of firms that have become unpopular due to unsatisfactory developments of a temporary nature. Graham also felt that the market responds more quickly with a price increase when an improvement is shown for a large firm than with a small firm.
What is Graham's philosophy?
Graham’s investing philosophy focuses on finding larger companies with strong historical growth rates that are selling at a discount. Graham summarized his own philosophy by stating that intelligent investing consists of analyzing potential purchases according to sound business principles.
What is Graham's criteria?
Graham outlined a set of criteria that helps the investor obtain securities that offer a minimum level of quality in terms of past performance and current financial position, as well as a minimum level of quality in terms of earnings and assets per dollar of share price.
What was the book that Graham wrote?
In 1947, Graham published The Intelligent Investor, a book that outlined in detail his investment philosophy, and which he continued to update periodically. In the book, Graham felt that individual investors fell into two camps: “defensive” investors and “aggressive” or “enterprising” investors.
Who felt that the defensive investor should confine his holdings to the shares of important companies with a long record of profitable
American Association of Individual Investors. Graham felt that the defensive investor should confine his holdings to the shares of important companies with a long record of profitable operations and that are in strong financial condition.
Who is the Bible of value investing?
For more than 80 years, the works of Benjamin Graham have served as the bible for value investors. Successful money managers such as Warren Buffett and John Neff swear by the simple message put forth by Graham of looking for values with a significant margin of safety. Reviewing the philosophy of successful investors such as Graham can often prove ...
Is Synchrony Financial a conservative investment?
Synchrony Financial is suitable for the Enterprising Investor, but not the more conservative Defensive Investor. The Defensive Investor is concerned with the insufficient earnings stability over the last 10 years and the poor dividend history. The Enterprising Investor has no initial concerns. As a result, all Enterprising Investors should feel ...
Is Eastman Chemical a defensive investor?
Eastman Chemical qualifies for both the Defensive Investor and the Enterprising Investor. The Defensive Investor is only initially concerned with the low current ratio. The Enterprising Investor is only concerned with the level of debt relative to the net current assets.
Is Citizens Financial Group a conservative investor?
Citizens Financial Group is suitable for the Enterprising Investor, but not the more conservative Defensive Investor. The Defensive Investor is concerned with the insufficient earnings stability over the last 10 years and the poor dividend history. The Enterprising Investor has no initial concerns. As a result, all Enterprising Investors following the ModernGraham approach should feel comfortable proceeding with the analysis.
Companies Benjamin Graham Would Invest In Today: Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (AMP)
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. ( AMP) is suitable for the Enterprising Investor but not the more conservative Defensive Investor. The Defensive Investor is concerned with the insufficient earnings stability over the last ten years, and the poor dividend history. The Enterprising Investor has no initial concerns.
Companies Benjamin Graham Would Invest In Today: BorgWarner Inc. (BWA)
BorgWarner Inc. ( BWA) qualifies for the Enterprising Investor but not the more conservative Defensive Investor. The Defensive Investor is concerned with the insufficient earnings stability over the last ten years, and the inconsistent dividend history. The Enterprising Investor has no initial concerns.
Companies Benjamin Graham Would Invest In Today: Citigroup Inc (C)
Citigroup Inc ( C) qualifies for the Enterprising Investor but not the more conservative Defensive Investor. The Defensive Investor is concerned with the insufficient earnings growth or stability over the last ten years along with the inconsistent dividend history. The Enterprising Investor has no initial concerns.
Companies Benjamin Graham Would Invest In Today: Ford Motor Company (F)
Ford Motor Company ( F) qualifies for the Enterprising Investor but not the more conservative Defensive Investor. The Defensive Investor is concerned with the insufficient earnings growth or stability over the last ten years, and the inconsistent dividend history. The Enterprising Investor has no initial concerns.
Companies Benjamin Graham Would Invest In Today: Invesco Ltd. (IVZ)
Invesco Ltd. ( IVZ) qualifies for both the Enterprising Investor and the more conservative Defensive Investor.
Companies Benjamin Graham Would Invest In Today: LyondellBasell Industries NV (LYB)
LyondellBasell Industries NV ( LYB) is suitable for the Enterprising Investor but not the more conservative Defensive Investor. The Defensive Investor is concerned with the insufficient earnings stability or growth over the last ten years, the poor dividend history, and the high PB ratio.
Companies Benjamin Graham Would Invest In Today: Pfizer Inc. (PFE)
Pfizer Inc. ( PFE) qualifies for the Enterprising Investor but not the more conservative Defensive Investor. The Defensive Investor is concerned with the low current ratio as well as the insufficient earnings growth over the last ten years.
