William J. O'Neil, RIP

[Rams Fan]

I think his biggest holding would be SMCI. The weekly chart is classic. I can't post one just now but I'll try later unless someone else beats me to it.

SMCI weekly chart

 

[semperfrosty]

I have one or more of his books in my library, but I don't have anything memorable from them...

CANSLIM?

 

[The_Krakenite]

CANSLIM?

It rings a bell...

 

[vanzandt]

Dam, I loved buying a IBD when I could find one(Our region was not IBD or WSJ worthy.) The thrill of locating one of his financial scrolls, it was euphoric! Can I say it was better than a Slim Jim and beer?


RIP William O!

I remember back in the late 80's they would give two weeks free. I guess it was before IBD used computers, because I would just keep mailing the coupons in with a different name but the same address. I couldn't keep up, there was too much to read. You'd get one every day. Leave town for a week and your mailbox was f'd.

I had his book, the CANSLIM stuff, but I never really read it. I think they sent it out for free too. I tried but it was too boring. Color me a "One Up On Wall Street" disciple. Same era.

Edit: going thru this thread, my "too boring" comment above was directed strictly at myself... not the quality of his book obviously.

Edit 2:
I see Murray did the free subscriptions also.

 

[semperfrosty]

It is overated in terms of usefulness.

Have to agree.

A good read but all he really shares is that he had a good memory for numbers and basically traded support and resistance via the tape.

 

[semperfrosty]

Time for a reread.

Agree again.

@speedo @Rams Fan could you mention one of the main things you took away from the story of the boy plunger?

 

[speedo]

Agree again.

@speedo @Rams Fan could you mention one of the main things you took away from the story of the boy plunger?

There are a number of takeaways from the book but in my first read the thing that really struck me was the completed acceptance of risk and aggressiveness when the trade appears. His confidence in his skills may have ultimately turned into arrogance and feelings of invincibility which doomed him. The market is always right no matter what we think it should do. Of course in those days you couldn't simply mouse click or hotkey into or out of a position.

 

[murray t turtle]

CAN SLIM?

%%
EXACTLY;
+ M= market direction[NOT a prediction or diet hint LOL]
YES ,trader Van,enjoyed the free IBD, but i read his books. Interesting that ticked him off when he gave a free book + some did not read it=LOL]

 

[Rams Fan]

Agree again.

@speedo @Rams Fan could you mention one of the main things you took away from the story of the boy plunger?

In a bear market all stocks go down and in a bull market they go up. After spending many years in Wall Street and after making and losing millions of dollars I want to tell you this: It never was my thinking that made the big money for me. It always was my sitting.

 

[Rams Fan]

I have one or more of his books in my library, but I don't have anything memorable from them...

Big Earnings growth, big sales growth, and buying at the right time, i.e. buying as a stock is coming out of a consolidation or pullback or has corrected with the market while holding most of its previous gains.

The charts included in the book are worth many times the price of the book.

His final edition (the fourth?) has charts of the biggest 100 winners over the past 100 years (up until the time that edition was published).