I am thankful Michael Thomsett was able to bring clarity and context to investment performance measurement. It's a foreign language to so many but vital to our ability to save and retire. A great read for anyone interested in the markets.
--Jakob Rohn, Co-founder, WorkN and Board Member, Delta Data
Michael Thomsett has done it again--simple, practical and actionable advice for anyone seeking to understand how the stock market works while limiting downside risk. An essential encyclopedia of market knowledge presented with simplicity. A "must read" reference for anyone interested in the stock market.
--Gary Lynch, CEO & Founder, The Risk Project, LLC
Score another winner for Michael Thomsett! In Stock Market Math the education guru is back, big time--providing us with the blueprints for success. With a writing style that is at once comprehensive, yet easy to understand, Thomsett's trademark ability to "make the complex simple" is on full display. Filled with wisdom, Thomsett's book tackles concepts that will appeal to investors at every level. Beginners will enjoy his breakdown of investment building blocks, while seasoned pros will appreciate his deeper dive into the material. Yet all will take something away from Thomsett's book--and that something is the ability to take higher and more consistent profits out of the stock market.
--Michael Stoppa, Author, The Options Alchemist
Chapter 1: Rates of Return on Investment: What Goes In, What Comes Out 1
Judging the Outcome – What Did You Expect? 2
The Basic Equation: Return on Cash Invested 4
Calculating Option Trading Returns 10
Taxes and Investment Return 13
Conclusion 17
Chapter 2: Returns on Capital: Putting Cash to Work 19
Calculating Returns from the Corporate View 19
Calculating Average Net Worth 22
Net Worth Versus Total Capitalization 24
Preferred Stock as Hybrid Capitalization 27
The Importance of “Use of Capital” 31
Conclusion 33
Chapter 3: Leverage and Risk Analysis: Maximizing Other People’s Money 35
Calculating the Cost of Money 35
Annualized Return 38
Leverage-Based Risk—the P/E Ratio as a Way to Quantify 40