Summary
1. Investment is most intelligent when it is most businesslike.
2. Every corporate security may best be viewed as an ownership interest in, or a claim against a specific business enterprise ... and the investor seeking to make profits from his security purchases and sales, is embarking on a business venture which must be run in accordance with accepted business principles.
3. Principles of business
- know your business -- for the securities investor, this means do not try to make "business profits" out of securities--that is returns in excess of normal interest and dividend income.
- do not let anyone else run your business unless you can adequately supervise, and you have unusually strong reason to have confidence in the integrity and ability of the person.
- do not enter upon an operation unless a reliable calculation shows that it has a fair chance to profit-- not based on optimism, but on arithmetic.
- have the courage of your knowledge and experience