The Forever Portfolio: How to Pick Stocks That You Can Hold for the Long Run

by James Altucher

Book Overview

Warren Buffet once said that his favourite period for a stock is forever'. Here, James Altucher shows how to find 'forever' stocks - ones that can be safely bought and held for at least 20 years. These companies will profit from broad demographic trends and can ride short-term market fluctuations. The Forever Portfolio shows investors how to build a strong, consistent, long-term portfolio, diversified enough to withstand the various cycles of the...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591842115
• ISBN13: 9781591842118
• Release Date: November 2008
• Publisher: Portfolio
• Length: 258 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

leaves more to be desired

This is a good book and i respect James efforts to steers us towards respectable companies. However, as a standalone book it leaves much more to be desired. The students of trading need to revisit the writings of Toby Crabel and Linda Raschke in order to learn from real traders and hedge fund managers. These could be found here or on Ebay. From what i understand James does not trade full time.

Trends I Never Thought of Before

This book exposes readers to trends that they have never thought of before even though they are sometimes so obvious. For example, as computers became a necessity over the years, the growth of viruses exploded. Companies that protect us from these attacks will always be needed not matter what the economy and the stock market is doing. The author makes readers think in terms of years in the future instead of the next few quarters. I highly recommend this book to investors. - Mariusz Skonieczny, author of Why Are We So Clueless about the Stock Market? Learn how to invest your money, how to pick stocks, and how to make money in the stock market

The Successor to Freakonomics?

The Forever Portfolio rings eerily close to Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, the enormously popular work by those brilliant Stephens (Levitt and Dubner). And wouldn't you know it - Stephen J. Dubner must have recognized the connection as well, as he penned the pleasant and complimentary foreword. The subject matter within The Forever Portfolio is both deliciously fun and pleasantly surprising. One can't help but think of the crowd that gets distracted and turns the wrong way, while one sage member of the crowd knows to turn towards the other direction. Altucher boldly explains why observation is essential to financial success, and outlines a number of fascinating arenas to observe in today's evolving stock market, based on trends that are expected to continue and become more pronounced. Though many books may advertise get-rich-quick schemes, Altucher actually lays out good stock bets, based on common sense and highly-believable logic. Unique to this is book is how it incorporates well-presented explanations, along with graphic representations. This is a fun and informative read for all levels of financial understanding, and it is an excellent resource for those looking towards the market. Reviewed By: Susie Kopecky

Looking for honesty in a cesspool financial system

I have the opinion that James Altucher is honest and intelligent. He has been burnt like many of us. He knows the system is so rigged that an ordinary investor has a minute chance against the PhD mathematics, computers, inside information, derivatives, short selling, options, etc, etc of the greedy elite. James tries to tackfully steer us to solid companies that still derive thier value from solid business principal of growth and dividend yield. I think the book is a great read to try to get your mind clear and refocused if necessary to reality. James is trying to help the average person and he is not trying to fill his own pockets at your expense. Refreshing and ethical.

Find the Positives in the Negatives

How often do you laugh out loud reading a finance or business book? Not often? Then, you should give this book a read, and I don't mean that in a pejorative way. In one of the last chapters Altucher writes about the potential for a TV channel that exclusively covers people getting tasered. Once you read this book, Altuchers' description of this idea under the context of that particular chapter might have you laughing to. I found a couple of other instance to chuckle at throughout the book. But, on a more serious note, the book contains some good ideas. Not only does Altucher write about some long term stocks and industries that have demographic tailwinds, but he also brings home the point that, while the world can be a dirty, unethical and tragic place, one cannot let those negatives swamp the positives, particularly with investment ideas. World running out of fresh water have you worried? Instead of worry about the problem, why not just invest in companies that deliver and produce clean water? Not only might you make some money, but you'll also be providing capital to companies who might successfully address the very issues that have you concerned. Worried about cyber attacks or getting into a car accident? Well, don't let your intellect get in the way of making money for yourself. Why not invest in companies that thwart attacks or recover totaled autos? These companies have businesses that will survive well into the future. Altucher also writes some about closed end bond funds and dividend yielding stocks as being solid long term investments and also mentions the benefits of knowing what companies super investors and activist are accumulating positions in. The one thing I was not really persuaded by in the book was the idea of investing in companies that are trying to develop vaccines. Sometimes vaccines end up being bought exclusively by governments, which isn't always the best customer for a business to have. Cancer vaccines: so much effort over the years and still so few results. I would prefer genetic testing companies. Find a company with lots of IP protection that will be the first to sequence your genome for a moderate fee; that would be a real winner. It was an enjoyable book to read and I would recommend it.