Investment versus Speculation: Results to Be Expected by the Intelligent Investor

"
What do we mean by “investor”? Throughout this book the
term will be used in contradistinction to “speculator.” As far back
as 1934, in our textbook Security Analysis,1 we attempted a precise
formulation of the difference between the two, as follows: “An
investment operation is one which, upon thorough analysis promises
safety of principal and an adequate return. Operations not
meeting these requirements are speculative.”
While we have clung tenaciously to this definition over the
ensuing 38 years, it is worthwhile noting the radical changes that
have occurred in the use of the term “investor” during this period.
After the great market decline of 1929–1932 all common stocks
were widely regarded as speculative by nature. (A leading authority
stated flatly that only bonds could be bought for investment.2)
Thus we had then to defend our definition against the charge that
it gave too wide scope to the concept of investment.
Now our concern is of the opposite sort. We must prevent our
readers from accepting the common jargon which applies the term
“investor” to anybody and everybody in the stock market. In our
last edition we cited the following headline of a front-page article
of our leading financial journal in June 1962:

SMALL INVESTORS BEARISH, THEY ARE SELLING ODD-LOTS SHORT
In October 1970 the same journal had an editorial critical of what it
called “reckless investors,” who this time were rushing in on the
buying side.
These quotations well illustrate the confusion that has been
dominant for many years in the use of the words investment and
speculation. Think of our suggested definition of investment given
above, and compare it with the sale of a few shares of stock by an
inexperienced member of the public, who does not even own what
he is selling, and has some largely emotional conviction that he
will be able to buy them back at a much lower price. (It is not irrelevant
to point out that when the 1962 article appeared the market
had already experienced a decline of major size, and was now getting
ready for an even greater upswing. It was about as poor a time
as possible for selling short.) In a more general sense, the later-used
phrase “reckless investors” could be regarded as a laughable contradiction
in terms—something like “spendthrift misers”—were
this misuse of language not so mischievous.
The newspaper employed the word “investor” in these
instances because, in the easy language of Wall Street, everyone
who buys or sells a security has become an investor, regardless of
what he buys, or for what purpose, or at what price, or whether for
cash or on margin. Compare this with the attitude of the public
toward common stocks in 1948, when over 90% of those queried
expressed themselves as opposed to the purchase of common
stocks.3 About half gave as their reason “not safe, a gamble,” and
about half, the reason “not familiar with.”* It is indeed ironical

(though not surprising) that common-stock purchases of all kinds
were quite generally regarded as highly speculative or risky at a
time when they were selling on a most attractive basis, and due
soon to begin their greatest advance in history; conversely the very
fact they had advanced to what were undoubtedly dangerous levels
as judged by past experience later transformed them into “investments,”
and the entire stock-buying public into “investors.”
The distinction between investment and speculation in common
stocks has always been a useful one and its disappearance is a
cause for concern. We have often said that Wall Street as an institution
would be well advised to reinstate this distinction and to
emphasize it in all its dealings with the public. Otherwise the stock
exchanges may some day be blamed for heavy speculative losses,
which those who suffered them had not been properly warned
against. Ironically, once more, much of the recent financial embarrassment
of some stock-exchange firms seems to have come from
the inclusion of speculative common stocks in their own capital
funds. We trust that the reader of this book will gain a reasonably
clear idea of the risks that are inherent in common-stock commitments
—risks which are inseparable from the opportunities of
profit that they offer, and both of which must be allowed for in the
investor’s calculations.
What we have just said indicates that there may no longer be
such a thing as a simon-pure investment policy comprising representative
common stocks—in the sense that one can always wait to
buy them at a price that involves no risk of a market or “quotational”
loss large enough to be disquieting. In most periods the
investor must recognize the existence of a speculative factor in his
common-stock holdings. It is his task to keep this component
within minor limits, and to be prepared financially and psychologically
for adverse results that may be of short or long duration.
Two paragraphs should be added about stock speculation per
se, as distinguished from the speculative component now inherent
in most representative common stocks. Outright speculation is
neither illegal, immoral, nor (for most people) fattening to the
pocketbook. More than that, some speculation is necessary and
unavoidable, for in many common-stock situations there are substantial
possibilities of both profit and loss, and the risks therein
must be assumed by someone.* There is intelligent speculation as
there is intelligent investing. But there are many ways in which
speculation may be unintelligent. Of these the foremost are: (1)
speculating when you think you are investing; (2) speculating seriously
instead of as a pastime, when you lack proper knowledge
and skill for it; and (3) risking more money in speculation than you
can afford to lose.
In our conservative view every nonprofessional who operates
on margin† should recognize that he is ipso facto speculating, and it
is his broker’s duty so to advise him. And everyone who buys a
so-called “hot” common-stock issue, or makes a purchase in any
way similar thereto, is either speculating or gambling. Speculation
is always fascinating, and it can be a lot of fun while you are ahead
of the game. If you want to try your luck at it, put aside a portion—
the smaller the better—of your capital in a separate fund for this
purpose. Never add more money to this account just because the
market has gone up and profits are rolling in. (That’s the time to
think of taking money out of your speculative fund.) Never mingle
your speculative and investment operations in the same account,
nor in any part of your thinking.
Results to Be Expected by the Defensive Investor
We have already defined the defensive investor as one interested
chiefly in safety plus freedom from bother. In general what
course should he follow and what return can he expect under
“average normal conditions”—if such conditions really exist? To
answer these questions we shall consider first what we wrote on
the subject seven years ago, next what significant changes have
occurred since then in the underlying factors governing the
investor’s expectable return, and finally what he should do and
what he should expect under present-day (early 1972) conditions.
"
from "The Intelligent Investor" book by Benjamin Graham

Read the book here