Third best: Don't think that you can beat the market or an index fund by playing around with individual stocks. You're wasting time and, more importantly, wasting money. The numbers aren't with you.
This is a myth. Yes the numbers are with you. But such a method is neither suited nor recommended for beginners or investors who give their portfolios little attention and fail to reinvest their dividends. Purchase established companies having solid balance sheets with market share. Monitor the portfolio at least weekly. Reinvest dividends and reinvest proceeds resulting from takeovers/mergers.
For comparison,(see notes):
Issue----Total Cumulative Return, 10 years
VFINX-----125% (Vanguard 500 Index Fund)
-------------------
WEN--104%
PFE----246%
BOBE----70%
EMCI---202%
NCC----269%
RBNC---591%
ASRV--(-40%)
LMT------207%
SKYF-----172%
1. All issues listed above purchased between May 1993 - Feb 1996 and held in DRIP accounts via book entry.
2. PFE originally purchased as UPJ. Merged to PHA, merged to PFE
3. RBNC originally purchased as CFB, sale of CFB reinvested as DNFC, merged with RBNC
4. ASRV and SKYF originally purchased as UBAN.
5. LMT originally purchased as Comsat Corporation
6. This section does not include KEI. Originally purchased between May 1994-June 1996. Sold Aug of 2000 after 1923% gain.
7. Issues held more than 10 years not included in comparison.
8. Total weighted (for amount invested), cummulative return = 198%