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I received a couple of emails from readers yesterday, asking about my views on Hindustan Unilever (HUL) after the parent Unilever announced an open offer to buy an additional 22.5% stake in the former.
Email 1: I have 300 HUL bought at Rs 400. Given the confidence the parent has shown in the Indian business, do I buy more?
Email 2: Given an MNC’s confidence in the Indian consumption story, does it makes sense to buy other FMCG companies as well, despite their high valuations?
The fast bowling legend Merv Hughes made a casual prediction 20 years back in the Australian dressing room in Perth. This is what he told his captain Allan Border after the Australians failed to get an “18-year old kid” out after trying for an entire day – “This little prick is going to get more runs than you, AB.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Today, that “little prick”, also known as Sachin Tendulkar, is past his 40…and is celebrated as the God of Cricket (if not the Godzilla!).
The day Hughes made the above prediction, Sachin had just hit his third century in international cricket. Today, he has crossed the 100 centuries milestone…and has the hunger to take the count even higher.
[Read more…] about 8 Investing Lessons from the God of Cricket
I completed (well, almost) the 2013 edition of my Art of Investing Workshops last week.
The Workshops spanned 4 months and covered 7 cities, 11 sessions, 90 hours of discussions, and around 350 tribesmen (and a lot of tribeswomen).
There were intense debates on specific topics around investing, lot of questions answered, and yes, a lot of questions unanswered for the lack of time.
So, now, I have a proposal for you, whether you attended my Workshop or not.
If you and I sat down to have a coffee (or tea/water) and you could only ask me ONE question around money and investing, what would it be?
[Read more…] about Ask Me a Question
One of the oft-asked questions in my Art of Investing Workshops is – “How to identify the right equity mutual fund schemes from among the thousands available?”
Well, here’s an e-book that tries to answer the question – How to Identify Winning Mutual Funds.
This e-book explains the key attributes you need to identify the best equity mutual funds from among the thousands available. It also helps understand the pitfalls while selecting the right equity funds for your portfolio.
Let me know your feedback on the e-book in the Comments section below.
If you like it, I would be happy if you can share this with your friends and colleagues who might be interested in the subject.
Life is short!
That’s what was the unanimous answer of respondents (aged 70 to 100 and above) in a survey, when asked – “What are the most important lessons you have learned over your life?”
“Life is short,” a retired engineer told the researcher. “It passes in a nanosecond.” A 99-year-old woman said, “I don’t know what happened, but the next thing you know you are 100.”
Well, this research study was forwarded to me last night by a tribesman, Sudhir, and it led me to write this post, one not really on investing but on the more essential things in life – lessons on how to live life.
One of the oft-asked questions in my Art of Investing Workshops is…
“How can a small investor create his circle of competence?”
This is a very important question, because “circle of competence” is in itself one of the most important facets of successful investing.
[Read more…] about How to Create Your Circle of Incompetence
In the course of my Art of Investing Workshops over the past three months, I have met several tribesmen who are fearful of starting out as investors.
Plus, there are those who have been investors but are extremely fearful of taking their next step, especially given the uncertainty around.
It’s been exactly two years since I quit my job to start on my own. A lot of people I meet now think I am lucky to be living a life of my own choice – following my passion…doing what I love doing.
But it hasn’t been hunky dory all the way. Living without an “almost certain” paycheque has been a difficult transition for me. But then, it’s a choice that I made, and thus have no regrets.
In fact, I find myself blessed and very lucky to be able to see this day, when I am writing to you about how I have been living happily, prosperously, and without a paycheque.
Nah, it’s no secret! It’s just the way I have started to define prosperity.
[Read more…] about How to Live Prosperously Without the Paycheque (A Personal Experiment)
First thing, SAIL is outside my circle of competence, and I have already written on BHEL and Engineers India (EIL)…so I won’t talk about these businesses here.
Rather I have a few questions for you, in case you are competent to answer them.
Imagine two scenarios.
Scenario 1: You are looking to watch that latest Hollywood action flick you’ve been waiting for the past six weeks. Going by the pre-release popularity of the movie, you’ve had to pay Rs 500 per ticket, which is almost 3 times the normal price.
However, you are excited for the movie so the cost doesn’t pinch you that much. Now, just a day before your show, a couple of your friends who’ve already watched the movie tell you that it’s not worth watching at all. The hero’s acting is poor, and the story is very predictable and boring.
What do you do? You’ve already spent Rs 1,000 for a couple of tickets for you and your wife.
[Read more…] about That Sinking Feeling Can Destroy Your Wealth