Explanations for the Erratic Price Behaviour of some of the Most Successful and Impressive Enterprises

Growth Stock Paradox: The more successful the company, the greater are likely to be the fluctuations in the price of its shares.

The argument made above should explain the often erratic price behavior of our most successful and impressive enterprises. 

• Our favorite example is the monarch of them all—International Business Machines. The price of its shares fell from 607 to 300 in seven months in 1962–63; after two splits its price fell from 387 to 219 in 1970. 
• Similarly, Xerox—an even more impressive earnings gainer in recent decades—fell from 171 to 87 in 1962–63, and from 116 to 65 in 1970. 

These striking losses 

• did not indicate any doubt about the future long-term growth of IBM or Xerox; 
• they reflected instead a lack of confidence in the premium valuation that the stock market itself had placed on these excellent prospects.

Be careful with companies in formation - Wait For Earnings

Without Earnings, Nothing To Measure

Graham was suspicious of 'hot' or fast-growth stocks because their promise relies on the prediction of ever-increasing future earnings with little historical evidence that the company can consistently produce ever-rising future earnings.

He warned the growth stock investor to seek two things:

• Assurance that growth will continue
• Assurance that the investor isn't paying too high a price for future growth.

Peter Lynch warns investors to be especially careful with companies in formation.  "Wait for earnings," he cautions.

• Though Lynch has done very well with some initial public offerings in particular (he was an original investor in Federal Express, "I'd say three out of four have been long-term disappointments."

Venture capital operations

Many high-tech, bio-tech or other emerging technology companies operate more like venture capital operations.

Venture capitalists demand guarantees of high returns because the risk is high that earnings will be slow in arriving, or will never materialize at all.

The venture capitalist is betting on a technology and the talent to put that technology into use.

Venture capital investment is best practiced by those who know a particular industry extremely well.