Peter Lynch on His Secret to Superior Returns

Lynch provides insight on how to achieve exceptional results

In an interview he gave to PBS, Peter Lynch discussed what is needed to achieve a track record similar to his. Even though the answer seems simple on the surface, it has many insights that are worth commenting on.

Q: Was that your secret?

A: Well, I think the secret is, if you have a lot of stocks, some will do mediocre, some will do OK, and if one or two of 'em go up big time, you produce a fabulous result. And I think that's the promise to some people. Some stocks go up 20% to 30%, and they get rid of it, and they hold on to the dogs. And it's sort of like watering the weeds and cutting out the flowers. You want to let the winners run. When the fun ones get better, add to 'em, and that one winner, you basically see a few stocks in your lifetime, that's all you need. I mean stocks are out there. When I ran Magellan, I wrote a book. I think I listed over 100 stocks that went up over tenfold when I ran Magellan, and I owned thousands of stocks. I owned none of these stocks. I missed every one of these stocks that went up over tenfold. I didn't own a share of them. And I still managed to do well with Magellan. So there's lots of stocks out there and all you need is a few of 'em. So that's been my philosophy. You have to let the big ones make up for your mistakes.


CW8888:

Sometime; Uncle8888 smiled when some people to like to quote fallen blue chips to blue black chips. So what are STI blue chips?

They are actually nothing more than survival chips. Some will survive long enough to make their shareholders rich enough and not having to worry anymore on losing their hard earned saving. Some will turn into Blue-black chips! The rest are so and so; but still providing Panadols to ease heartache!

How many retail really understand it?

How different from Peter's quote : So there's lots of stocks out there and all you need is a few of 'em. So that's been my philosophy. You have to let the big ones make up for your mistakes. 

There are 30 STI Blue Chips on quarterly survival-ship reviews; you just have to let that few blue chips bought on SGX Great Sales and let these few big ones make up for your losses in those few blue-black chips. 

You don't believe in Pete's quote?

you basically see a few stocks in your lifetime, that's all you need. I mean stocks are out there.

So there's lots of stocks out there and all you need is a few of 'em. So that's been my philosophy. You have to let the big ones make up for your mistakes.