What are Penny stocks
Penny stocks are stocks that cost less than $5 to buy and sell. These stocks are available online through discount stockbrokers. The advantage of penny stocks is that they have lower prices than regular stocks, making it easy to own many of them. Buying penny stocks through online discount stockbrokers isn’t difficult, but it can be risky.
To calculate the market capitalization of a company (the market cap) you must multiply the stock price of the company by the amount of shares that are outstanding. By carrying out this calculation you can find out what the total dollar value of all shares in the company are at any given moment in time. Penny stocks are not traded on a stock exchange like other stocks but they are traded in the over-the-counter (OTC) market. For the trading of most stock an agent will act on the investors behalf and arrange a transaction directly between the investor and a third party. The broker then receives a commission for facilitating the trade.
A large proportion of all penny transactions are charged by brokers as principle transactions. This means that the broker is not paid any commission but rather makes its money on the spread, and by buying and selling at advantageous times. There is no single price at which penny stocks are bought and sold, but rather there are a number of different prices. The difference between the bid and ask price is known as the spread. The spread of many penny stocks are usually around 25-33% but can often be 50-100% or even more. There are also always two bid and two ask prices, these are known as the inside and outside bid and ask. Keep in mind that it is the outside bid and ask that is of most interest generally. Penny stocks are also subject to mark up pricing. This is where a broker has held the penny stock in its account and has therefore taken some of the risk associated with market price fluctuation.
Although penny stocks are quite complicated and there are many problems associated with trading penny stocks as well as millions of dollars of loss, many companies still trade in them because they can help for example, struggling companies just starting up. The best way of finding a good investment is by consulting with your broker. However in the penny stock market be very wary of brokers who are only trying to sell and may not have your best interests in mind.
If you want to get involved trading and buying penny stock then it is always best to educate yourself first before you actually start trading. It doesn’t take that long to learn the fundamentals of penny stock trading but it is important that any new investor first get a grip on such vital information because it will serve them well going forward into the future. Once you have educated yourself to the point that you feel that you are ready to trade penny stock then you simply need to open an account with a brokerage, make a deposit and start trading.
Some of the best brokerages allow you to open an account online and use their online software to make trades thus taking the human element almost entirely out of the picture. You should be careful though because trading this way is so easy, and it can become easy to overlook the fact that you are dealing with real money and not just pixels on a screen. In the end you should just remember that to succeed with trading penny stocks you must learn to make smart and strategic decisions over time, and if you can do this you should have no trouble eventually making a profit with penny stocks.
Low Liquidity, High Risk
Unlike the stocks listed in major exchanges such as the S&P 500, penny stocks have very low daily volume. What this means is that you can buy shares of a penny stock, and in some cases have no one to sell it to! On average, penny stocks have volume equivalent to a few thousand dollars being exchanged every day. You want and sometimes need good liquidity in a stock so you can make a quick entry and exit, especially in penny stocks where the stock price can tank on a whim.
Pump and Dumpers
If you ever receive an email or possibly an advertisement that claims you need to immediately “invest” in a penny stock, you’ve been a target of pumping and dumping. The idea behind this is to create unfounded hype for a penny stock the pumper already owns, then as his victims buy into his hype and drive up the price of the stock significantly, the pumper sells his shares for a large profit. Meanwhile, those that bought into the hype will quickly lose their money as the upward stock momentum drops and the stock price heads south.
Inability to do Homework
Penny stocks differ from the stocks on major exchanges in that they have little to no following at all. You almost never find a penny stock being talked about by the financial media. There is usually no analyst opinions on penny stocks, which should put up an immediate red flag. If this company were actually worth something, wouldn’t analysts be interested in it?
Tips & Warnings
- Research penny stocks thoroughly before buying them. Research the company behind the stock and understand their business and management.
- Monitor the price of penny stocks in your portfolio several times a day. These stocks can fall in price very rapidly and you can take a huge loss unless you’re vigilant.
- Be careful about penny stocks recommendations you receive through email messages or individuals online that you do not know. You can be defrauded that way.