Looking to learn more about investors for my investments class

[clifp]

I took it the survey it was painless.

 

[deserat]

OK, maybe everyone lies about enjoying surveys as well.

I can understand why teens seek out a hedonistic survey experience. When I participate in a focus group, I get paid $60-$100 for a couple hours' conversation. The conversation's not bad, but I like the money part a LOT more. It's just the way my brain appears to be hardwired.

At one of her commands spouse had a CO who was a Covey nut. He actually spent your taxpayer dollars to bring the Covey team out to his command to deliver the advanced training and to later administer the "workplace environment" surveys. The only problem was that this group of skeptical officers and (even more skeptical) senior enlisted had by this time become so disgusted with the impracticalities of his admonitions like "sharpen the saw" that they avenged themselves on the survey. They actually [-]sharpened their saws on him[/-] told (*gasp*) the truth about the hypocrisy of the application of the training.

The Covey guys quickly responded that it was by far the worst survey data they'd ever seen. It was so bad that a veteran on the Covey group anonymously dropped the dime on that CO with the Navy's fraud, waste, & abuse hotline by faxing over an anonymous copy of the results.

So a little while later a team from the Navy's Inspector General office administered a very different set of surveys at that command in person, under oath, and with no optional participation. The results were even more horrific than those obtained by the Covey team. That CO had the most godawful confused look on his face at the "change of command" because he just couldn't understand why Covey leadership principles weren't working for him.

That's probably the only accurate way to obtain "survey" data-- mandatory, in person, and prefaced with UCMJ warnings...

Oh, goody - one of those mandatory surveys. Heck, I even hate the rate your commander surveys - taking them and receiving the results. Even though I am not that type of person, I've learned over the years that some people just like to yank other people's chains for entertainment or schadenfreude. Can be a rude awakening if you are one of the more transparent types.....

 

[Westernskies]

Tried to complete the survey, impossible to answer "other" on #16 and #17. A couple of other questions were too ambiguous to provide an accurate response. IMO, the survey is fundamentally flawed and therefore the results will be statistically meaningless. If this is the curriculum basis for a masters program in modern portfolio theory, I'm moving into all cash....... The Wall Street whiz kids already hosed me twice.

 

[longhorn09]

As promised, here are the initial survey results based on responses so far.

I do hope this doesn't bias anyone who hasn't already tried the survey.
Investment Market Size Survey

Results thus far:
91% male
40% between 27-32
21% between 49-58
56% graduate degree
16% with >25 stocks in portfolio
12% with 3 stocks in portfolio
52% do not invest in bonds
84% do not use options
20% engage in short selling
15% engage in buying on margin
33% buy and hold for more than a year
52% use fundamental analysis
40% use technical analysis and/or research reports
85% do not invest abroad
51% interest in portfolio optimization product
42% willing to incur brokerage fees to rebalance portfolio optimally

 

[haha]

As promised, here are the initial survey results based on responses so far.

I do hope this doesn't bias anyone who hasn't already tried the survey.
Investment Market Size Survey

Are these results from ER.org alone, or other sources also?

Ha

 

[Gumby]

I do hope this doesn't bias anyone who hasn't already tried the survey.
Investment Market Size Survey

Results thus far:
91% male
40% between 27-32
21% between 49-58
56% graduate degree
16% with >25 stocks in portfolio
12% with 3 stocks in portfolio
52% do not invest in bonds
84% do not use options
20% engage in short selling
15% engage in buying on margin
33% buy and hold for more than a year
52% use fundamental analysis
40% use technical analysis and/or research reports
85% do not invest abroad
51% interest in portfolio optimization product
42% willing to incur brokerage fees to rebalance portfolio optimally

Excellent. All the information I need to freep the poll. I'll be an 18 year old female who buys on margin (cue maniacal laughter).

 

[longhorn09]

Are these results from ER.org alone, or other sources also?

Multiple sources. The single largest source being classmates, hence the 27-32 age concentration.

 

[Meadbh]

I find it incredible that 85% do not invest abroad.

 

[REWahoo]

I find it incredible that 85% do not invest abroad.

I don't think this survey actually asked that question - at least not in a way to get to that conclusion. What it did ask was:

Do you trade on any international exchanges, excluding ADRs? (Select all that apply)

I do not invest abroad.

Nikkei

Shenzhen

Stock Exchange of Hong Kong

FTSE

Russian Securities Market News

Frankfurt Stock Exchange
Other (please specify)

What about those of us who buy mutual funds holding international stocks?

 

[kumquat]

I find it incredible that 85% do not invest abroad.

I quit the survey when the following

Do you trade on any international exchanges, excluding ADRs? (Select all that apply)

I do not invest abroad.

Nikkei

Shenzhen

Stock Exchange of Hong Kong

FTSE

Russian Securities Market News

Frankfurt Stock Exchange
Other (please specify)

refused my selection of "Other (TSX)"

If you can't answer "YES" then "NO" gets out of proportion. As they used to say in geekland GIGO

 

[CyclingInvestor]

I find it incredible that 85% do not invest abroad.

I am one that answered that way, for 2 main reasons.

1) Most of the stocks I own (PG, JNJ, KO, etc) are large multinationals that get half or more of their revenue from overseas.

2) Most of my investments are in my IRAs, and I invest for long-term, growing dividends. Most countries tax dividends, offset by a tax credit here that I cannot take because the stock would be in my IRA.

 

[longhorn09]

I find it incredible that 85% do not invest abroad.

The 85% is slightly inflated because it excludes index funds, ETFs, and ADRs. Most investors get their international diversification using one of those means.

However I believe it can still be concluded that the majority of investors do not invest abroad.

 

[Westernskies]

However I believe it can still be concluded that the majority of investors do not invest abroad.

The way this poll is structured you can conclude whatever you want to conclude.

 

[Meadbh]

....especially if you ARE abroad!

Or even......a Broad!

 

[LOL!]

I was wondering how the following kind of investor should answer your poll questions:

They use predominantly index funds or ETFs.

They do not use an advisor.

They pay no commissions to buy/sell and the expense ratios on their investments range from 0.01% to 0.4% averaging around 0.15%.

They do not invest in individual stocks nor in individual bonds nor on margin nor in options.

They invest in US total market index, US small cap value index, Foreign total market index, foreign small cap index, REIT index, total bond index, and a short-term bond index.

They tax-loss harvest in their taxable account which sometimes requires no trades in a year, but sometimes requires 50 or more trades in a year.

They rebalance when warranted which is sometimes several times a year, but sometimes once in 4 years.

 

[jIMOh]

not the best survey... my comments were put on the survey

you need to test your surveys before putting them out
I hope the project which is due Monday is successful LOL

 

[Nords]

not the best survey... my comments were put on the survey
you need to test your surveys before putting them out

He just wrapped up that test...