Investments Admin
Confused you should Sell or Keep that Stock? Read this before it’s Too Late
The capacity to profit from stocks, in theory, requires two essential decisions: buying at the correct time and selling at the appropriate time. You must perfectly execute both of these decisions in order to generate a profit. The purchasing price determines the return on any investment first. One could argue that a profit or loss is created at the time the item is purchased; the buyer simply isn't aware of it until the item is sold. While buying at the correct price may decide the profit earned in the end, selling at the right price ensures the profit (if any). The advantages of buying at the appropriate moment vanish if you don't sell at the right time.
Knowing when to sell a stock is one of the issues that traders and investors encounter in UAE. After all, it's difficult to let go of a profitable asset. Some newcomers to the market may regret selling their stocks before they reach their peaks, missing out on significant gains; others may cling on to them for far too long, hoping that a failing firm would recover. How do you know when it's time to sell? For individuals who are new to the stock market, as well it’s seasoned players, it may come as a relief to learn that there are numerous indicators that indicate whether a stock should be sold or not. Here are some things to keep an eye out for, as well as some tools to help you decide whether to stay or sell in UAE. So without any further ado, let’s learn!
So when is the right time to sell your Stock?
Below mentioned are some of the scenarios as well as the tips from which you can take a reference as to when is the appropriate time to let go of the stock in UAE.
It meets your Price Objective
When purchasing stock, savvy investors set a price objective, or at the very least a price range, within which they would contemplate selling the stock. Each stock purchase should include an evaluation of the stock's value, with the present price ideally being far lower than the predicted value.
Selling out of a stock when it doubles in price, for example, is a good goal that signals an investor believes it is 50% undervalued. Even the most seasoned investor will struggle to come up with a single price target. Instead, a range, as well as selecting to sell off the position as it rises to lock in gains, is more practical. Thus the aforementioned approach should be followed in UAE.
A better opportunity presents itself
A benefit that could have been received by choosing an alternative is known as opportunity cost. Always compare the possible gains from holding one stock to the potential gains from owning another in UAE. If that alternative is preferable, selling the present position and purchasing the other makes sense in UAE. It's tough to accurately calculate opportunity cost; however it might include investing in a competitor with similar growth prospects and a cheaper valuation, such as a lower price to earnings ratio.
Following a Bankruptcy
This may seem self-evident, especially since a bankrupt corporation is useless to stockholders in the vast majority of circ*mstances in UAE. However, it is vital to sell or realize the loss for tax reasons so that it can be used to offset future capital gains and a small percentage of normal income each year. Selling a stock soon after bankruptcy will almost always result in a significant loss, but you may be able to recoup some money.
Fundamentals have deteriorated
Monitoring the performance of the underlying business is just as important as maintaining track of a company's stock price after setting a price goal. If the company's fundamentals deteriorate, it's a good idea to sell in UAE. In a perfect world, an investor would notice a drop in sales, profit margins, cash flow, or other essential operating metrics before the stock price drops. More seasoned analysts may go deeper into the financial statements, for example, filing footnotes that other investors are more likely to overlook.
Following a Merger
The typical takeover premium, or the amount at which a firm is purchased, is between 20 and 40% in UAE. If an investor is fortunate enough to own a stock that is acquired for a big premium, selling it may be the best course of action. There may be reasons to keep the stock after the merger is completed, such as if the merged company' competitive position has significantly improved. Mergers, on the other hand, have a poor track record of success in UAE. Furthermore, the completion of a transaction can take months. As a result, finding an alternate investment opportunity with greater upside potential may make sense from an opportunity cost standpoint.
Your investment philosophy has shifted
It's possible that the reasons you acquired a stock no longer apply. Examine why you purchased a stock in the first place and whether those reasons still viable in UAE. Other than the desire to make money, you should have a cause or an investment thesis for each of your stock investments. A good cause to sell is if something fundamental about the company or its stock changes. Consider the following scenario in UAE:
- Because a competitor is offering a superior product at a lower price, the company's market share is dwindling.
- The rate of increase in sales has slowed substantially.
- The company's leadership has changed, and the new executives are making risky moves including taking on too much debt.
Need of funds
It's generally a good idea to avoid investing in the stock market with money you'll need in the next several years. However, if you require the funds, selling is a viable option. Perhaps you want to buy a house and sell some stock to help pay for it. Alternatively, you may have children who will be attending college in a few years and want to transfer your stock holdings into safer investments like certificates of deposit in UAE (CDs).
You recognize areas where your money could be better invested
In an ideal world, you'd always have money set aside to invest whenever you come across a promising investment opportunity in UAE. Since this is unlikely, you may elect to sell stock and invest the proceeds in a different way. Let's say you see a fantastic purchasing opportunity for one of your favorite stocks and decide to commit 10% of your portfolio to this purchase.
If you don't have 10% of your portfolio in cash, you might be able to free up some cash by selling some shares of another company or exchange-traded fund (ETF) you own. Although there's probably nothing wrong with the other stock or ETF, seeing a great long-term opportunity elsewhere can be a good cause to sell in UAE.
Your portfolio needs to be rebalanced
A variety of factors can cause your financial portfolio to become unbalanced in UAE. That's why most investors need to rebalance their portfolios on a regular basis, which may entail selling some stocks. The following are two of the most prevalent scenarios that precede a stock sale in UAE:
- Owning a high-performing stock: If you own shares in a firm that has seen a considerable gain in price, your stake in the company could account for a significant amount of your portfolio's value. While this is a nice problem to have, you might not feel comfortable investing so much of your money in one firm and decide to sell some of your stock.
- Trying to cut your stock exposure: As you approach closer to retirement, it's a good idea to gradually reduce your stock holdings and replace them with safer investments like bonds. To determine the percentage of your portfolio that should be invested in equities, subtract your age from 110, according to one popular rule of thumb. Selling some stock to reallocate your resources can be a sensible move if your portfolio appears to be excessively stock-heavy.
Acquisition
If a company announces that it has agreed to be acquired, this could be another solid incentive to sell your stock in UAE. The stock price of the company being bought often climbs to a level close to the agreed-upon purchase price when an acquisition is disclosed. Because future upside potential may be restricted, it's a good idea to lock in your gains as soon as the transaction is announced.
Specifically, the manner in which the firm is acquired has an impact on whether or not selling your stock is a good idea. A business can be bought with cash, stock, or a mixture of both:
- The stock price often gravitates toward the acquisition price in all-cash acquisitions. However, if the purchase does not go through, the company's stock price might plummet. It's unusual that it's worthwhile to hold on to your stock after an all-cash deal is announced.
- Your decision to keep or sell stock or cash-and-stock deals should be based on whether you want to be a stakeholder in the acquiring business.
When you should not sell a Stock?
It's critical to understand when not to sell a stock. Here's a rundown of some of the reasons why selling your stock isn't a good idea in UAE:
- Don't sell a stock merely because it's become more expensive. Winning stocks rise in value for a reason, and they also tend to continue to do so.
- Don't sell a stock because the price has dropped. Every investor wishes to purchase at a low price and sell at a high price. Selling a stock solely because its price has dropped is essentially the polar opposite of what you should be doing.
- If you want to save money on taxes, don't sell your stock. While a tax approach known as tax loss harvesting might help you minimize your taxable capital gains by taking losses on underperforming stock positions, selling equities just to lower your taxes is a bad idea in UAE. Tax loss harvesting can be a good way to save money on taxes, but only if you're selling a losing stock for other reasons.
Types of Sell Orders
Limit Sell Order
Limit orders are used to sell a stock at a specific price.
Market Sell Order
This type of order entails selling a stock right away. Without the investor stating a price level to sell at, the transaction will be executed. Investors should be aware, however, that because share values are continually fluctuating, they may not receive the precise price displayed on their stock-data feed.
Stop Loss Sell Order
A stop-loss order is a point above which an automatic sell order is triggered. In other words, if the stock reaches a certain level, an investor selects a price at which the broker should begin selling. A "Sell Stop Order" is another name for this.
Stop Limit Sell Order
An order that is executed if the price of your stock falls to a given level, but only if the shares may be sold at or over the set limit price.
Conclusion
Selling a stock is an art and science mix. When assessing if stock gains have run their course or are likely to continue, there are a lot of factors to examine in UAE, such as those listed above. Selling as a stock rises to lock in profits over time and selling into losses to prevent losses from blowing out of control is a common-sense strategy. We hope this blog provided you with incite full information. For more information on other related aspects, feel free to check out our Website as well.
