You've already mentally seperated the two types of analysis and that is a good thing. Fundamental analysis is what you have been doing. In fundamental analysis you look at the underlying company, upcoming products, etc. In Technical analysis you focus more on the past actions of the stock price, resistance levels, support levels, etc. Like Ozzy said you really should use both aspects when trying to pick a stock. I generally tend to focus more on fundamental analysis when I'm picking a long-term(anything I will hold past 6 months) and I use technical analysis for short-term trades.
Ultimately, you can't have one without the other. The best investors these days take a hybrid approach and synthesize all the information into a trading plan.
I sleep better when the fundamentals are good.
[quote:17f1035af5="AfterHim_com"]Do you look only at stock info when buying a company, or do you look at the company itself as well? I am an amature, but I tend to look at the company, and what they can do in the future. What do you look at?[/quote:17f1035af5] Dig as deep as you can. Investigate the company's long and short term goals, its products and services, its competition, its financials and ratios, and go to the yahoo message board of that stock, and also use comps with whatever stock you research.
The best information really does come from people who work there. Call the company up and ask a bunch of questions.
[quote:f403b0e00f="HappyHarry"]The best information really does come from people who work there. Call the company up and ask a bunch of questions.[/quote:f403b0e00f] I've done that before with lots of microcaps and nanocaps, and more often than not, you'll get alot of biased opinions. Unless you are getting inside info from a friend, it will either be misleading, biased, slanted, or outright hogwash.
that is the good thing about it if u get different perspective of it u know that the employees are not happy or trying to hide something ... so pack ur bags and move on billions of other companies waiting... opportunities are everywhere why limit ourselves... misty is right insider info is sometimes make a crucial change in investing mentality... but can u rely on it all the time???that would be the question... don't forget this is business every1 is there to make money ur friend or urself... chahine