How To Sell Stocks: Want Long-Term Profits? Take Many Gains This Way (2024)

Many new investors wonder when is the right time to sell stocks. An old Wall Street saw has it that nobody ever went broke taking a profit. Actually, that saying isn't 100% correct. You won't go broke so long as your profits are always bigger than your losses.

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For that reason, IBD has long since encouraged readers to limit their downside risk in every trade. Cut losses in each investment at 7% or less. No questions asked. Just move on to the next trade. The golden rule of selling is as simple as that.

When a stock is going the right direction, your decision making is not as easy. How long should you hold? Here's a specific rule to help boost your prospects for long-term stock investing success: Once your stock has broken out, take most of your profits when they reach 20% to 25%. If market conditions are choppy and decent gains are hard to come by, then you could exit the entire position.

But if the market winds are favorable and your stock appears to be still in the early stages of its run, then go ahead and sell at least part of the position, such as a third or half, to lock in gains. Keep watching the stock's behavior to decide how to handle the remainder.

IBD founder William O'Neil formulated this rule in the early 1960s, when he noticed that most stocks broke out of well-formed bases, ran up 20% to 25%, then corrected sharply in price. O'Neil learned to sell on the way up.

When Not To Sell Stocks: Sometimes This Rule Kicks In

The exception to this sell rule? When a stock runs up 20% or more in one, two or three weeks after breaking out of a sound base, and the market is in a healthy uptrend. Try to hold it for at least eight weeks to see if it can be held for a bigger long-term gain. Stocks that get off to a fast start often yield the biggest profits.

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"Those could be your big leaders and should be held for a potentially greater profit," O'Neil wrote in "How to Make Money in Stocks."

Here are more reasons to take many gains on the way up:

One, all of your stocks aren't going to be huge winners. Many, probably most, of the stocks you buy in a bull market are going to be profitable, but won't become among the best winners of the decade.

Two, you will have inevitable losses along the way, which should be cut at no more than 8%. So you can lose twice and win once and still be ahead.

Three, taking a profit feels good. It boosts confidence when you move some cash to the realized capital gains column in your brokerage account.

Four, money committed to a stock going through a monthslong correction is dead money. That cash could be applied to another stock that's rising and even stronger than the one you just sold.

Five, you can always buy a stock back if it presents another valid buy point.

How To Sell Stocks: Want Long-Term Profits? Take Many Gains This Way (1)

In 2013, Las Vegas Sands (LVS) broke out of a cup-with-handle base with a 58.11 buy point during the week ended Sept. 16. Over seven weeks, it gained 26%, a good time to take profits (1).

It paused to build a six-week flat base with a 73.59 proper buy point (2). Sands broke out again in the week ended Dec. 6, 2013, but the gain was limited to 12%. Then Sands pulled back and surrendered all of those gains.

The Third Was Not A Charm

A third breakout from a faulty base failed almost instantly. Notice on the chart how the cup was V-shaped. Also, the base was five weeks long, below the minimum requirement of six weeks for a cup without handle.

By September 2014, Sands retreated all the way back to its early breakout price of 58.21. The casino resort operator continued to fall sharply in 2015 as China's government began to clamp down on big spending in Macau, the only place in the country where gambling is legalized. By January 2016, shares in Las Vegas Sands dropped to a low of 34.55, down more than 60% from the 88.28 peak in March 2014.

Peaking Before Fundamentals Slow Down

The problems with the third base and the sharp decline foreshadowed a slowdown in Las Vegas Sands' fundamentals. Earnings per share showed excellent growth, starting with a 48% jump in the second quarter of 2013 and followed with increases of 78%, 33%, 37% and 31% in the next four quarters through the second quarter of 2014. Revenue also grew at a hot rate over the same period.

But in the second quarter of 2014, a 12% top-line increase showed a marked slowdown from gains of 26%, 32%, 19% and 21%.

When a company has logged four quarters or more in a row of fantastic profit and revenue gains, you can expect a material slowdown to occur. Indeed, Sands saw revenue dip 1% to $3.53 billion in the third quarter of 2014. Earnings rose only 2% to 84 cents a share after catapulting 78% higher in the year-ago quarter.

A version of this column originally ran in the July 1, 2015, edition of IBD. Please follow Chung on Twitter at both @SaitoChung and @IBD_DChung for more on growth stocks, chart analysis, sell rules and financial markets.

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How To Sell Stocks: Want Long-Term Profits? Take Many Gains This Way (2024)

FAQs

How To Sell Stocks: Want Long-Term Profits? Take Many Gains This Way? ›

How long should you hold? Here's a specific rule to help boost your prospects for long-term stock investing success: Once your stock has broken out, take most of your profits when they reach 20% to 25%. If market conditions are choppy and decent gains are hard to come by, then you could exit the entire position.

When you sell a stock How long does it take to get the money? ›

In fact, it takes two trading days for equity trades to settle. This means if you sold a stock on Monday, you wouldn't receive the cash until Wednesday.

What is the 3-5-7 rule in trading? ›

The 3–5–7 rule in trading is a risk management principle that suggests allocating a certain percentage of your trading capital to different trades based on their risk levels. Here's how it typically works: 3% Rule: This suggests risking no more than 3% of your trading capital on any single trade.

How to take profits from stock gains? ›

The Rule of 72

This simple calculation shows how effective following the 20%-25% profit-taking rule can be. Here's how it works: Take the percentage gain you have in a stock. Divide 72 by that number. The answer tells you how many times you have to compound that gain to double your money.

How to reinvest profits to avoid tax? ›

7 ways to minimize investment taxes
  1. Practice buy-and-hold investing. ...
  2. Open an IRA. ...
  3. Contribute to a 401(k) plan. ...
  4. Take advantage of tax-loss harvesting. ...
  5. Consider asset location. ...
  6. Use a 1031 exchange. ...
  7. Take advantage of lower long-term capital gains rates.
Jan 20, 2024

What is the 3 day rule in stocks? ›

The 3-Day Rule in stock trading refers to the settlement rule that requires the finalization of a transaction within three business days after the trade date. This rule impacts how payments and orders are processed, requiring traders to have funds or credit in their accounts to cover purchases by the settlement date.

How long does it take to get the money in grow after selling shares? ›

For e.g., If you sell a stock from your holdings on Friday, 80% amount will be added to Groww balance after half an hour, which can be used to invest. The remaining 20% amount will be added on Friday night, which will be available to invest. You can withdraw the 100% delivery sell amount after 10AM on Monday.

What is 90% rule in trading? ›

"90% of traders lose 90% of their money in 90 days"

That's right, statistics show that 90% of people who start trading lose the majority of their money in less than 3 months.

What is the 11am rule in stocks? ›

​The 11 am rule suggests that if a market makes a new intraday high for the day between 11:15 am and 11:30 am EST, then it's said to be very likely that the market will end the day near its high.

What is the 7% rule in stocks? ›

However, if the stock falls 7% or more below the entry, it triggers the 7% sell rule. It is time to exit the position before it does further damage. That way, investors can still be in the game for future opportunities by preserving capital. The deeper a stock falls, the harder it is to get back to break-even.

What is the best take-profit strategy? ›

A very popular profit-taking strategy, equally applicable to option trading, is the trailing stop strategy wherein a pre-determined percentage level (say 5%) is set for a specific target. For example, assume you buy 10 option contracts at $80 (totaling $800) with $100 as profit target and $70 as a stop-loss.

What is the best day to sell stocks? ›

If Monday may be the best day of the week to buy stocks, then Thursday or early Friday may be the best day to sell stock—before prices dip.

How are you taxed if you sell stocks? ›

If you sell stocks for a profit, your earnings are known as capital gains and are subject to capital gains tax. Generally, any profit you make on the sale of an asset is taxable at either 0%, 15% or 20% if you held the shares for more than a year, or at your ordinary tax rate if you held the shares for a year or less.

Do you have to pay capital gains after age 70? ›

Whether you're 65 or 95, seniors must pay capital gains tax where it's due. This can be on the sale of real estate or other investments that have increased in value over their original purchase price, which is known as the “tax basis.”

Do I get taxed if I sell a stock then reinvest it? ›

Yes, since you are actually selling one fund and purchasing a new fund. You need to report the sale of the shares you sold on Form 8949, Sales and Dispositions of Capital Assets. Information you report on this form gets posted to Form 1040 Schedule D. You are liable for Capital Gains Tax on any profit from the sale.

What is the 2 out of 5 year rule? ›

When selling a primary residence property, capital gains from the sale can be deducted from the seller's owed taxes if the seller has lived in the property themselves for at least 2 of the previous 5 years leading up to the sale. That is the 2-out-of-5-years rule, in short.

Do you get money immediately after selling shares? ›

The broker delivers the shares to the exchange on Day 02 or T+1 Day, and you also receive money in your banking account after all fees have been deducted on the same day.

How long does it take for cash to settle after selling stock? ›

Currently, settlement date occurs two business days after trade date, but recent rule amendments from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and conforming FINRA rule changes will soon make that cycle one day shorter.

How long does it take to get paid after selling shares? ›

When selling equities on a Share Dealing or ISA account, there is a 'settlement period' of 2 or 3 days before your funds become available to withdraw. This time is used to exchange, clear and settle your trade and is a function of the underlying market we must follow.

When you sell shares do you get the money straight away? ›

How long does it take to sell shares and receive funds? Once your sell order has been processed and completed, it usually takes two to three working days to receive your funds in your account with your brokerage or investment platform. You can usually then withdraw the cash or reinvest it if you prefer.

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