• Discounts and special offers
  • Subscriber-only articles and interviews
  • Breaking news and trending topics

Already a subscriber?

By signing up, you accept Moneywise's Terms of Use, Subscription Agreement, and Privacy Policy.

Not interested ?

What is a buy and hold strategy?

A “buy and hold” approach to your investments works, as the name implies. Investors with this preference tend to buy stocks (or other investments) to hold for many years. Sometimes these investors will hold an investment for decades.

Buy and hold strategies are based on the premise that the markets tend to rise in the long term. If you buy a good portfolio of stocks or funds and just leave them alone, the value should steadily increase.

Research shows that timing the markets is very difficult, if possible at all. If investors do a proper fundamental analysis of each investment and the underlying business continues to perform well, it should be a slow and steady march to capital gains.

But you can't buy and hold just any stock and expect it to perform well. You should still make a point to do a good analysis on each investment and understand why you own it. No matter what strategy you use to invest, never invest in a stock or other investment that you don't understand.

Over any long period of time, the S&P 500 has offered around 10% annual returns. This is why Warren Buffett is an evangelist of this type of long-term investing. For evidence of how many people believe in this investment style, just look at the swelling values of large, low-fee index funds from providers like E*TRADEMerrill Edge, iShares and others.

Invest in real estate without the headache of being a landlord

Imagine owning a portfolio of thousands of well-managed single family rentals or a collection of cutting-edge industrial warehouses. You can now gain access to a $1B portfolio of income-producing real estate assets designed to deliver long-term growth from the comforts of your couch.

The best part? You don’t have to be a millionaire and can start investing in minutes.

Learn More

What is an active trading strategy?

But some people prefer more excitement in their portfolios. A large number of market participants are interested in capturing value from shorter-term changes in stock prices. These active investors look at company fundamentals but put a big emphasis on technical analysis.

Technical analysis is the use of charts and recent market volatility to find patterns. These patterns can be indications that a stock is about to go up or down. While some people find high levels of success in this area, it is considered quite risky by many investors.

In fact, Benjamin Graham, author of The Intelligent Investor, says that this is not actually investing. He says it's speculation. And his book is one of the most popular investment books of all time.

Active trading vs day trading

It is important to make a distinction between active trading and day trading. Active trading means buying and selling stocks to earn on short-term price changes. Day trading is doing this at a hyper-fast speed, typically buying a stock and selling again within just a few minutes or hours. Day trading is considered incredibly risky, even more so than other forms of active trading.

More: What is short selling stocks?

While active investing has many fans, the numbers say that even most professional active fund managers can't beat the markets consistently. If someone who gets paid to do it for a living can't beat the markets, can you?

If you're interested in active trading, you can do so through discount broker Public.com. You can buy and sell stocks without paying any commissions. Their platform is very easy to use, which makes it a great option if you're just getting started with active trading and find other platforms intimidating.

Invest commission-free in stocks with Public.Com app

Weighing the pros and cons

The numbers clearly favor a buy-and-hold approach over an active trading approach. Even if you have a finance education from one of the best universities in the U.S. and spend your entire workday analyzing stocks, you probably won't beat the market. Most of us don't have that education or that much time. That's why buy and hold is most often the best choice.

But in reality, most investors fall somewhere in the middle. I have purchased stocks with plans to keep them for years but based on changes in the markets or the underlying company — or even my own financial plans — have sold earlier. And in other cases, some stocks have been in my account for the better part of a decade, and I don't have any plans to sell.

But even passive investors need to keep tabs on their portfolio. If you decide to buy and sell individual stocks, take the time to read annual reports, follow quarterly earnings releases and stay in tune with your portfolio.

This 2 minute move could knock $500/year off your car insurance in 2024

Saving money on car insurance with BestMoney is a simple way to reduce your expenses. You’ll often get the same, or even better, insurance for less than what you’re paying right now.

There’s no reason not to at least try this free service. Check out BestMoney today, and take a turn in the right direction.

Get Started

Deciding on the best strategy for you

If you are risk-averse and your primary concern is capital preservation and long-term profits, a buy and hold strategy is probably your best choice. If you are okay with more risk and volatility and are willing to put in the time every day to manage your investments, an active trading strategy could work.

Most people are better off avoiding active trading, but it does work for some people. By understanding your goals, risk tolerance, abilities, and limitations, you can decide on the right mix for your finances. Are you ready to get into the stock market? read our guide.

Sponsored

Follow these steps if you want to retire early

Secure your financial future with a tailored plan to maximize investments, navigate taxes, and retire comfortably.

Advisor is an online platform that can match you with a network of vetted fiduciary advisors who are evaluated based on their credentials, education, experience, and pricing. The best part? - there is no fee to find an advisor.

Eric Rosenberg Freelance Contributor

Eric Rosenberg is a finance, travel and technology writer in Ventura, California. He is a former bank manager and corporate finance and accounting professional who left his day job in 2016 to take his online side hustle full time.

Disclaimer

The content provided on Moneywise is information to help users become financially literate. It is neither tax nor legal advice, is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, either express or implied, with respect to the data provided, the timeliness thereof, the results to be obtained by the use thereof or any other matter. Advertisers are not responsible for the content of this site, including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on any advertiser product, please visit their website.