Value and growth investing are the two most common ways of investing strategies. Each one of those investing techniques has its own following. In this article, let us go through these two stock investment approaches and see their advantages and disadvantages.

What is Value Investing?

Value investors search for undervalued companies to invest their money. They do, however, have a high underlying worth. The theory is that the stock market will soon perceive the value. Once that happens the share price will rise, resulting in significant profits.

Value stocks have a better track record than their counterparts when it comes to metrics like PE Ratio. Due to various economic factors, consumer behaviour, and the seasonal (cyclical) nature of the industry, they trade at lower valuations. You can read more about value investing on Investopedia.

How to Find Value Stocks?

To find the value of the stocks, investors can use a comparative examination of the market value and the company’s underlying value. To calculate the underlying value, investors can use the company’s business model, financial documents and the company’s overall position against the competitors. A company’s stock is termed a value stock if its current value is less than its underlying value. If the investor feels this complete process is too time-consuming, they can look up expert opinions and suggestions on a variety of websites. A very long term investment perspective is better suited for value investing.

What is Growth Investing?

Growth investors seek out companies with a higher-than-average growth rate. In fast-growing companies, financial numbers like revenue, balance sheets, cash flows, and profits all reflect consistent and substantial growth. Usually, small and mid-cap sectors are where you’ll find growth stocks. With best-performing products, services, and pricing options, these growth companies[1]  outperform their competitors.

Growth companies have a strong track record of profit growth and are projected to do so in the foreseeable future. This steady rate of growth is essential for attracting investors. Furthermore, due to their greater price-to-earnings ratio, these companies are more “expensive” than their rivals. Investors are willing to accept a higher price for these equities than they are currently earning. They believe future earnings growth will justify the price they paid. Read more about growth investing here.

How to Find Growth Stocks?

The primary measure of growth for companies is profit growth that is regularly above average. Generally, growth stocks do not have a history of massive increases in their stock prices. But they do have the potential for even more spectacular growth. Because of their higher volatility, growth stocks carry a higher risk.

Value vs Growth Investing

The concept of value investing is similar to that of a sleeping giant. Value investors have to wait till the ’giant rises.’ However, the wait can sometimes be longer than expected. They have a solid track record of paying dividends and are quite steady in terms of market volatility. As a result, investors prefer them as a buffer in times of market turmoil.

Growth investing, on the other hand, involves paying a premium for equities. Usually, investors are prepared to pay because of the constant year-on-year high growth rate. Negative news, on the other hand, might have an outsized impact on share prices because they tend to sway with market attitudes.

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Conclusion

Which investment strategy is better? Value investing or growth investing? The answer is not so simple. Both systems have advantages and disadvantages. When it comes to stock picking, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to choose an investment plan. An investor can select a basket of equities from both the value and growth universes to invest in. This hybrid strategy has gained popularity in recent years. More importantly, the risk profile and investment objectives of an individual are the most crucial factors in determining which investment strategy to choose. By saying this let us conclude this topic “value vs growth investing”.