Hunting Tigers in India - An Investment Story

In 1948 two shrewd investors purchased the samehe knew he had a loss and the other didn't sell
stock at the same price and for the same reason.because he didn't know that he had a loss.
The next day one of the investors departed for aThe point of this fable is that selling stocks that you
long awaited hunting trip to India. While the greathave researched and believe in just because they
white hunter was bagging tigers in India his stockhave fallen in price is a fool's game.
underwent a vicious 30% decline. The reason for theThis fable is played out countless times every day in
decline has been lost in the mists of time, but somethe stock market by people who have researched
people say it was because a stock analyst had issuedand believe in their stocks. Until that is they decline
a negative report on the stock.5%. Or 10% if they are very bold. They then panic.
The investor who had remained in New YorkAre blown out of their position and take a loss on a
panicked and sold his stock for a 30% loss. Ofstock that they should have held on to.
course he managed to sell his stock at the exactSix months later the stock that they sold for a 10%
bottom.loss is now selling for a 40% profit.
Meanwhile, the great white hunter in India knewThey will never learn. They will keep taking losses on
nothing about this; he was having a ball blazing awaystocks that they were right about until they can't
at tigers. He was using a machine gun( in those daystake the pain any longer. They will then drag their
they paid you a bounty for killing tigers) The bountymangled bodies out of the Wall Street jungle never
on tigers was so much more profitable when you areto be heard of again.
using a machine gun.Wall Street is a place where you can be right and
More than three months later the great white hunterlose your shirt if you are not willing to stick to your
and his tiger skins returned to New York, and heguns.
discovered that his stock had by this time reversedMost investors are not willing to stick to their guns.
and was now up 50%.They are losers who could be winners if they only
Contemplate this well, the only distinction betweenbelieved in themselves.
these two shrewd investors is that one sold because