Topic: How To Invest

What is Pat’s commentary for the week of September 9, 2014

Article Excerpt

I can say without reservation that, in investing, spinoffs are the closest thing you can find to a sure thing. It all comes down to the incentives. In spinoffs, the incentives work in your favour. This is easier to understand if you contrast spinoffs to one of the least desirable investments, new stock issues, where the incentives all work against you. New issues (also known as Initial Public Offerings or IPOs) come to market when it’s a good time for the company or its insiders to sell. That’s not necessarily—and often isn’t—a good time for you to buy. In addition, the underwriting brokerage firms try to spark investor interest in the new issue. They hire public relations firms to get the media interested. They also pay extra commission (double or more the regular rates) to spur their salespeople to sell the new issue. This tends to create a high-water mark in the price of the issue. After it hits the market and the…