Stock FAQs

what percent profit should i sell a stock at

by Trisha Aufderhar Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Here's a specific rule to help boost your prospects for long-term stock investing success: Once your stock has broken out, take most of your profits when they reach 20% to 25%. If market conditions are choppy and decent gains are hard to come by, then you could exit the entire position.Apr 6, 2022

Full Answer

How much profit should you take when a stock goes up?

If the stock then goes up 20%-25% from the ideal buy point, your profit would be 18% to 23%. See the chart below for an example of how this works. View the chart markups below to see how — and why — you want to take most profits once a stock is up 20%-25% from its most recent buy point.

When should you sell a stock you own?

When you buy a stock, you should put a price target on it. Then you know that when the stock hits that target, you need to sell and move on to the next opportunity. The only exception to that is when the stock still looks like a bargain even after you’ve made a profit. Most stocks will become more expensive as the price rises.

What percentage of your portfolio should be invested in stocks?

One popular rule of thumb is to subtract your age from 110 to determine the percentage of your portfolio that should be invested in stocks. If your portfolio seems too stock-heavy, then selling some stock to reallocate your resources can be a good decision.

When should you sell profitable investments?

If you’re a more aggressive investor, however, you’ll want to sell profitable investments in one of two situations: The key is to not become blinded by paper gains and forget to cash in your winnings when it makes sense to.

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What is a good percentage gain to sell a stock?

20%-25%You don't need to hit home runs to win the investing game. Focus on getting base hits. To grow your portfolio substantially, take most gains in the 20%-25% range. Though contrary to human nature, the best way to sell a stock is while it's on the way up, still advancing and looking strong to everyone.

At what percentage drop should you sell a stock?

7%-8%To make money in stocks, you must protect the money you have. Live to invest another day by following this simple rule: Always sell a stock it if falls 7%-8% below what you paid for it. No questions asked.

When should I sell my shares for profit?

When to Sell Stocks -- for Profit or LossYour investment thesis has changed. The reasons why you bought a stock may no longer apply. ... The company is being acquired. ... You need the money or soon will. ... You need to rebalance your portfolio. ... You identify opportunities to better invest your money elsewhere.

What is the 10% rule in investing?

A: If you're buying individual stocks — and don't know about the 10% rule — you're asking for trouble. It's the one rough adage investors who survive bear markets know about. The rule is very simple. If you own an individual stock that falls 10% or more from what you paid, you sell.

Should I sell stock at 30% loss?

Your stock is losing value. You want to sell, but you can't decide in favor of selling now, before further losses, or later when losses may or may not be larger....Addressing the Breakeven Fallacy.Percentage LossPercent Rise To Break Even15%18%20%25%25%33%30%43%5 more rows

How long should you hold a stock before selling?

In most cases, profits should be taken when a stock rises 20% to 25% past a proper buy point. Then there are times to hold out longer, like when a stock jumps more than 20% from a breakout point in three weeks or less. These fast movers should be held for at least eight weeks.

Do you pay taxes if you sell stocks at a loss?

Stock market gains or losses do not have an impact on your taxes as long as you own the shares. It's when you sell the stock that you realize a capital gain or loss. The amount of gain or loss is equal to the net proceeds of the sale minus the cost basis.

What is the best time of day to sell stock?

Regular trading begins at 9:30 a.m. EST, so the hour ending at 10:30 a.m. EST is often the best trading time of the day. It offers the biggest moves in the shortest amount of time. Many professional day traders stop trading around 11:30 a.m., because that's when volatility and volume tend to taper off.

How much do growth stocks advance?

Typically, growth stocks tend to advance 20% to 25% after breaking out of a proper base, then decline and set up new bases, and in some cases resume their advances. So in most cases (see the 8-week hold-rule exception), you're better off locking in your gains to avoid watching your profits disappear as the stock corrects.

How to double your money?

Here's how it works: Take the percentage gain you have in a stock. Divide 72 by that number. The answer tells you how many times you have to compound that gain to double your money. If you get three 24% gains — and re-invest your profits each time — you will nearly double your money. It's much easier to get three 20%-25% gains out ...

What happens if a stock jumps 20% in two weeks?

If the stock jumps 20% in two weeks and then drops sharply, sell it before it turns into a loss. Most of the stocks you buy are not going to be elite stocks. Even when they are, they won't always act like it. Sometimes a choppy market will keep all stocks on a short leash.

How long should I hold a stock after a breakout?

After you buy the stock, the price action will give you additional clues. If the stock advances 20% in the first two or three weeks after the breakout, you should hold the stock until the eight-week mark. Then you can re-evaluate it. The best stocks often show a quick 20% gain after the breakout. Use common sense.

What happens if the market isn't giving sizable gains?

If selection isn' t the problem, it could be that the market isn't giving sizable gains. In that situation, you might take profits at 10% to 15% while holding losses at 3% to 5%. If 10% gains aren't doable, you need to wait for a stronger market. A bull market's life cycle also affects profit-taking.

When buying a stock, should you put a price target on it?

When you buy a stock, you should put a price target on it. Then you know that when the stock hits that target, you need to sell and move on to the next opportunity. The only exception to that is when the stock still looks like a bargain even after you’ve made a profit. Most stocks will become more expensive as the price rises.

What happens when an investment is no longer sound?

The investment is no longer sound or has become too expensive (exceeded your price target) You want to liquidate the investment to invest elsewhere, rebalance your portfolio, or use the cash. The key is to not become blinded by paper gains and forget to cash in your winnings when it makes sense to.

Do you have to sell before hitting the price target?

Sometimes you need to sell before you hit the price target you’ve determined. That may be the case if overall market conditions start to change. If you start seeing negative reports and overall declines, you may want to cash out early and wait on the sidelines until you see bargains emerge again.

Can you lose money by selling a stock?

Nobody can lose money by selling a stock at a price that’s more than the price at which they bought. I’m not saying you need to sell the moment you turn a profit. If the same reasons you bought the investment to begin with are still true and you would buy it even after you’ve made money, then you shouldn’t sell.

Do bulls make money?

There’s a common saying on Wall Street, “bulls make money, bears make money, and pigs get slaughtered.”. Basically, don’t be too greedy. Sound advice, but it’s much easier to say than to do in real life.

Is profit real once you realize it?

The stocks you want to sell are your losers, cutting losses and reinvesting them back into your winners. Here’s the catch: profits are only real once you realize them. A profit on paper doesn’t mean anything if you never actually sell the stock or fund.

Why should I not sell stocks for profit?

But don't sell a stock for profit just because the price increased.

What are the reasons to sell a stock?

If something fundamental about the company or its stock changes, that can be a good reason to sell. For example: 1 The company's market share is falling, perhaps because a competitor is offering a superior product for a lower price. 2 Sales growth has noticeably slowed. 3 The company's management has changed, and the new managers are making reckless decisions such as assuming too much debt.

Why should I sell my company?

2. The company is being acquired. Another potentially good reason to sell is if a company announces it has agreed to be acquired.

Is it bad to sell stocks at a loss?

When to sell stocks at a loss. Similarly, it's usually a bad idea to sell a stock only because its price decreased. At the same time, though, sometimes you just have to cut your losses on a stock position. It's important to not let a drop in a stock's price prevent you from selling.

Is it a bad idea to sell stocks?

While a tax strategy known as tax loss harvesting can reduce your taxable capital gains by incurring losses on unprofitable stock positions, it's nonetheless a bad idea to sell stocks just to lower your taxes.

Can a company be acquired in cash?

A company can be acquired in cash, stock, or a combination of the two: For all-cash acquisitions, the stock price typically quickly gravitates toward the acquisition price. But if the deal is not completed, then the company's share price could come crashing back down.

Is it worth holding on to shares after an all cash acquisition?

It's rarely worth holding on to your shares long after the announcement of an all-cash acquisition. For stock or cash-and-stock deals, your decision to hold or sell should be based on whether you have any desire to be a shareholder in the acquiring company.

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Credit card is just like a beehive. If you know how to extract the honey from it correctly, you will benefit from it. If you don’t handle it carefully, it’s a death trap of debt.

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Why do investors buy more stock?

In fact, the investor might actually purchase more stock because it is undervalued and selling at a discount. With any other situation, such as high P/E and low earnings growth, the investor is likely to sell the stock, hopefully minimizing losses. This approach works with any investing style.

Why doesn't a value investor sell?

The value investor, however, doesn't sell simply because of a drop in price, but because of a fundamental change in the characteristics that made the stock attractive. The value investor knows that it takes research to determine if a low P/E ratio and high earnings still exist.

What is the axiom of investing in stocks?

The classic axiom of investing in stocks is to look for quality companies at the right price. Following this principle makes it easy to understand why there are no simple rules for selling and buying; it rarely comes down to something as easy as a change in price. Investors must also consider the characteristics of the company itself. There are also many different types of investors, such as value or growth on the fundamental analysis side.

What is value investing?

Let's demonstrate how a value investor would use this approach. Simply put, value investing is buying high-quality companies at a discount. The strategy requires extensive research into a company's fundamentals.

Is there a hard and fast selling rule for investing?

All investors are different, so there is no hard-and-fast selling rule which all investors should follow.

Can a stock ever come back?

First of all, there is absolutely no guarantee that a stock will ever come back. Second of all, waiting to breakeven —the point at which profit equals losses—can seriously erode your returns. Of course, we understand the temptation to be "made whole.". But cutting your losses can be more important.

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