BetterInvesting, San Diego Chapter Fall Workshop October 25, 2008

Syllabi of Courses

Beginning Stock Selection Guide (SSG) using Tool Kit 5: The fundamental principals behind BetterInvesting’s popular SSG will be introduced and explained. Students will be shown how to access on-line data sources for automatically populating and updating the SSG database. Feature of the SSG including evaluation of management efficiency, reviewing historical price to earnings multiples, evaluation of share price reward vs risk ratio, and calculation of the projected total and average return will be presented. Basic concepts to aid the user in entering reasonable values for the five SSG “judgment factors” will be presented. The class will use the Investor’s Toolkit 5 software which is available on-line at http://www.betterinvesting.org/Public/Store/Software/default.htm. Instructors: Duke Argabright and Jim Landes

Value Line Data and Stock Analysis: The Value Line Investment Survey is a source of unique financial information designed to help investors make informed investment decisions that fit their individual goals and levels of risk.

The primary focus of the class will be to review and understand The Value Line Page. Each of the 29 categories of information on an individual stock will be discussed, providing comparisons of those items of reporting from similar companies. Discussion will focus on interpreting the array of statistical data presented, and then weighing the data and the accompanying comments against the needs of the typical investor. This information can help the investor make the five initial judgments on the Stock Selection Guide [SSG].

The class will also look at the other reporting functions of Value Line that help provide the investor with a comparison of companies across industries. The goal is to provide insight into addressing diversity in portfolio planning. Instructor: Tom Ilas

When to Sell: This class was developed by popular demand from the San Diego BetterInvesting club members. The class reviews generally accepted reasons to sell a stock. These are taught in sufficient depth that specific appropriate action can be taken when a sell is indicated.

In addition, some less commonly known sell indicators are discussed that tend to be leading indicators of when one should sell. Numerous examples are used to demonstrate the importance of selling a security when sell signals indicate it is appropriate. Instructors: Dale Davis, Nancy Davis



Afternoon Session 12:30 -3:30





Tool Kit 5 Portfolio Management: For the investor interested in learning more about portfolio management. Demonstration of the Toolkit 5 PERT reports to quickly identify the projected best and worst performing (by sales and earnings fundamentals) stocks in a portfolio on an ongoing basis. Instructor: Jim Landes

Mining Real Money from Financial Statements: The balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement provide a rich source of information about any company. Much of this information isn’t included in the SSG analysis but can be used to sharpen judgments used on the SSG. You will be shown how to use financial statements to identify strengths and weaknesses (and in some cases impending disaster) of companies you may be considering for investment. Instructors: Dale Davis, Nancy Davis

Morningstar Stock and Mutual Fund Screening: Stock screening allows the user to identify stocks and mutual funds that meet the financial conditions the user puts into the screening software. How to effectively screen stocks and mutual Stock and Mutual Fund Screening will be taught using the Library Edition of Morningstar, a web site that is free through the San Diego County Library System. Screening is a technique that allows an investor to input one or more parameters to search the Morningstar data base in order to narrow the number of companies (or mutual funds) to those that meet her/his investment criterion. Guidance will be given as to which selection criterion to use to minimize your search effort. Instructor: Betty Grubbs

Workshop Details

LUNCH:

There will be a one-hour lunch break between the morning and afternoon sessions.

PARKING:

Free parking is available adjacent to the Senior Center

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS:

These facilities are ADA compliant. If you require special accommodations to participate in this workshop, please call (760) 741-4137 by the enrollment due date, Saturday, October 20th.



EVENT SCHEDULE:




7:45–8:30 AM


Room assignments, coffee and light bites

8:30 am


Morning sessions begin

11:30 pm


Lunch Break

12:30 pm


Afternoon Sessions begin

3:30 pm


Workshop ends

Official Website: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/145972608