Buy quality assets at a discount and hold patiently. The strategy that built fortunes for Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffett, and many others.
Value investing means buying stocks (or other assets) that trade for less than their true "intrinsic value" — a bargain based on fundamentals. The goal: profit when the market corrects the price upward.
It focuses on facts (earnings, assets, cash flow) over hype or short-term trends.
Estimate what a company is really worth using fundamentals (DCF, earnings, book value, growth). Market price often deviates due to emotion — exploit the gap.
Benjamin Graham's cornerstone: Buy at a significant discount (20–50% or more) to intrinsic value. This buffer protects against errors or downturns.
"Confronted with a challenge to distill the secret of sound investment into three words, we venture the motto, Margin of Safety." — Graham
Value may take years to realize. Ignore daily noise; let compounding work. "Our favorite holding period is forever." — Buffett
Graham's allegory: Treat the market as an emotional partner offering daily prices — buy when he's depressed (fearful), sell/hold when euphoric.
Be greedy when others are fearful.
Analyze business quality: moats, management, earnings stability, debt, returns on capital. Avoid speculation; know what you own deeply.
Not volatility. Diversify sensibly, avoid leverage, prioritize downside protection. Modern value often blends quality with cheapness to avoid traps.