How Many Stocks Should You Have In Your Portfolio | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Diversification is important to mitigate risk, but having a concentrated portfolio of high-quality stocks can lead to higher returns.

Key Insights

• ⛔ Diversification is a common strategy to reduce risk, but it may limit potential returns.
• ✳️ The number of stocks in a portfolio does impact risk, with lower numbers resulting in higher risk.
• 🥺 Focusing on high-quality businesses and their fundamentals can lead to better investment returns.
• 🛀 Historical data shows that a small percentage of stocks significantly outperform the market.
• 🔬 Investing in fewer stocks reduces the chances of underperforming the market but increases the potential for outperformance.
• ⏳ Time and effort spent on researching stocks can lead to higher returns and lower risk.
• 🪜 Adding more stocks to a portfolio increases the chances of underperforming the market.

Transcript

the eternal question is how many stocks should I have in my portfolio some say to be diversified some say to keep all your eggs in a few baskets so what's the real answer what should you do well that depends on one thing and one thing only how much you know Buffett says that diversifying is protection against ignorance and I'll show you in this vid... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Should I have a diversified portfolio or concentrate on a few stocks?

It depends on your knowledge and investment strategy. Diversification reduces risk, but a concentrated portfolio of high-quality stocks can lead to higher returns if chosen wisely.

Q: Why should I invest from a business-like perspective?

Investing from a business perspective allows you to focus on the fundamentals of the companies you invest in, such as earnings, book value, and dividends. This approach reduces the emphasis on short-term stock price fluctuations.

Q: How many stocks do I need to outperform the market significantly?

Historical data shows that only a small percentage of stocks outperform the market by a significant margin. To have a good chance at finding these stocks, focus on a select few that you thoroughly research and believe in.

Q: Is diversification always the best strategy?

Diversification can provide protection but also limits potential returns. If you have the time and willingness to thoroughly research and monitor specific stocks, a concentrated portfolio can lead to higher returns.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Modern Portfolio theory suggests having at least 40 stocks in a portfolio to minimize risk.

• However, even with just 10 stocks, the total portfolio risk is significantly lower, and there is little difference between owning 10 or 100 stocks.

• Investing from a business-like perspective allows for a more concentrated portfolio of the best businesses, leading to better long-term returns.