Investing Guides & Stock Analysis Education
Original, in-depth guides on how to analyze a company, read its financial statements, and build long-term wealth. Written and reviewed by the Investor Sam editorial team and paired with our free SEC EDGAR research tools.
Stock & Company Analysis
How to read the financials and decide whether a company is worth owning.
Costco Reports Thursday. Five Things to Check, and Whether a 49× P/E Makes Sense When Treasuries Pay 5%
Sales are already public; the questions are membership-fee growth after the fee increase, comps ex-fuel, gross margin under tariffs and a possible special dividend. With the five-pillar verdict and the earnings-yield test.
Read article →Who Was Buying the Week the Fed Hiked? Berkshire, a Homebuilder, and the CEOs Who Spent Their Own Money
Every insider Form 4 for September 14–22: purchases halved, sales halved, the ratio did not move — except Berkshire's $212m Lennar buy, Fox's CEO at $10m, and cluster buys at Celsius, Cooper and Star Bulk.
Read article →Four Central Banks, One Oil Shock, Four Different Answers: What It Means for Bank Stocks
The Fed raised, Canada held, the Bank of England split, Australia is about to hike again. What a rate move does to a bank's profits, with ROE and price-to-book for JPM, BAC, RY, TD, BNS, HSBC, LYG and BCS.
Read article →Two Canadian Energy Giants, One Oil Price: Why Canadian Natural Is STRONG BUY and Enbridge Is HOLD
A producer and a toll road. Margins, return on equity, debt and interest coverage from the 2025 filings, and why rates, not oil, decide Enbridge's year.
Read article →BP Is STRONG SELL and Shell Is HOLD at the Same $100 Oil. Here Is What the Filings Show
Both up 28–34% this year, yet BP kept 0.03 cents of profit per dollar of sales and Shell kept 6.7. Write-downs, ROE, debt two ways, and the four checks that catch the difference between rivals.
Read article →The Fed Just Hiked for the First Time Since 2023. Here Is How to Re-Check Every Stock You Own
Rates are 3.75–4.00% and the 10-year Treasury is above 5%. A five-check balance-sheet audit — interest coverage, net debt to EBITDA, maturities, earnings yield, demand sensitivity — with real SEC EDGAR data.
Read article →The 10-Year Treasury Is Back Above 5%. What That Does to Stock Valuations
The discount-rate math, the earnings-yield test against real P/E data for META, NVDA, AMD, XOM, BAC and others, and how to re-check your own holdings.
Read article →Meta's Muse Sent Chip Stocks Soaring. What the Filings Say About META, AMD, INTC, QCOM and NVDA
Meta jumped 11% and AMD crossed $1 trillion. Five companies, five verdicts, one table — separating the businesses from the trade.
Read article →$100 Oil and Record Profits: Are Exxon and Chevron Cheap, or at Peak Earnings?
Record quarters, stocks up 30%+, yet the FY2025 filings show falling margins and doubled net debt. A four-step method for valuing a cyclical at the top of its cycle.
Read article →How to Analyze a Bank Stock When the Fed Hikes (and Why Our Verdict Says SELL on JPM, BAC and WFC)
Debt-to-equity breaks on a bank. The five checks that actually work — NII and rate sensitivity, deposit beta, CET1, credit costs, and P/B against ROE — with Q2 2026 figures.
Read article →How to Analyze a Stock: A Repeatable 10-Step Checklist
A practical, repeatable framework for analyzing any stock from its financial statements — the business, profitability, balance-sheet strength, cash flow, valuation, and red flags — worked through with real SEC EDGAR data.
Read article →SaaS Metrics Explained - MRR, Churn, and CAC
Master essential SaaS business metrics including MRR, ARR, churn rate, customer acquisition cost, and lifetime value.
Read article →ISO vs RSU: Understanding Your Equity Compensation
Compare ISOs and RSUs: tax treatment, vesting, exercise strategies, AMT implications, and capital gains planning for tech employees.
Read article →Investing & Retirement Fundamentals
The core concepts that compound into long-term wealth.
Compound Interest: How $500/Month Becomes $1 Million
Understand compound interest and the power of time. See exactly how regular savings grow exponentially with real examples and the Rule of 72.
Read article →Index Funds vs Actively Managed Funds: The Data-Driven Answer
Should you choose index funds or actively managed funds? See what 20 years of data shows about returns, fees, and which approach builds more wealth long-term.
Read article →What Is the 4% Rule? Safe Withdrawal Rate Explained
Understand the 4% rule for retirement withdrawals. Learn how much you can safely withdraw annually from a $1 million portfolio, its origins, limitations, and modern alternatives.
Read article →How Much Should You Have Saved for Retirement by Age?
Retirement savings benchmarks by age — from your 20s to your 60s. See if you're on track and what to do if you're behind. Includes calculator for your personal target.
Read article →Roth IRA vs Traditional IRA: Which Is Better for You in 2026?
Compare Roth IRA and Traditional IRA side by side — tax benefits, income limits, contribution limits, and withdrawal rules. Use our calculator to find which saves you more.
Read article →Solo 401(k) vs SEP IRA for Freelancers: Which Saves More?
Compare solo 401(k) and SEP IRA contribution limits, Roth options, loans, and admin burden to choose the best retirement plan for freelancers.
Read article →Women and Investing: Closing the Gender Wealth Gap With Math
Women face unique financial challenges — the pay gap, career breaks, longer lifespans. Here's a practical investment strategy that accounts for all of them.
Read article →When to Claim Social Security: Age 62 vs 67 vs 70 — The Break-Even Math
Should you claim Social Security early at 62 or wait until 70? The break-even analysis shows exactly when waiting pays off — and it's not always what you'd expect.
Read article →Real Estate Investing
Evaluating property as an investment, from cap rates to tax deferral.
What Is a Cap Rate? Definition, Formula, and Calculator
Learn how to calculate and interpret cap rates to evaluate rental property investments. Discover what makes a good cap rate and how it compares across markets.
Read article →House Hacking 101 - How to Live for Free in Your First Property
Master the house hacking strategy using multi-unit properties to cover mortgage costs and build real estate wealth from day one.
Read article →BRRRR Strategy Explained - Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat
Learn the BRRRR real estate investing strategy step-by-step, with real examples, financing strategies, and when it works vs. when it fails.
Read article →1031 Exchange Rules in 2026 - Complete Guide
Understand 1031 exchange timelines, qualifying properties, boot rules, reverse exchanges, and common mistakes to defer capital gains tax indefinitely.
Read article →Personal Finance & Taxes
The foundations that free up capital to invest.
HSA Guide: How to Use the Triple Tax-Advantaged Account to Build Wealth
Learn how Health Savings Accounts work, who qualifies, 2026 contribution limits, and the stealth retirement strategy that turns your HSA into a second IRA.
Read article →2026 Federal Tax Brackets Explained: How Much Will You Owe?
Understand the 2026 federal income tax brackets, how marginal tax rates work, and strategies to reduce your taxable income. Use our calculator to estimate your tax bill.
Read article →Debt Snowball vs Avalanche: Which Payoff Method Is Faster?
Compare the debt snowball and debt avalanche methods side by side. See which saves more in interest, which keeps you motivated, and calculate your payoff timeline.
Read article →How to Budget Using the 50/30/20 Rule (With Calculator)
Learn the 50/30/20 budgeting method — allocate 50% to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings. Use our calculator to build a personalized budget in minutes.
Read article →Emergency Fund on Variable Income: How Much Is Enough?
Build an emergency fund that covers variable income with a tiered approach, calculating baseline expenses and safe withdrawal rates.
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