Rating: 
Summary: I hate spam
Review: This book has great advice for anyone who is looking to invest in the market. The CANSLIM methodology has been proven to work for many great investers. It really works. In the markets today you have to cut your losses fast, and this book helps you to do that. Anyone looking to start investing should deffently look at this book, it'll be a great help. It was coolBig Truck
Rating:
Summary: The Best Single Book on Investing
Review: I have read many books on investing, and this one is, all things considered, the best. It has it's weaknesses--the section on technical analysis is inadequate, and the numerous signs by which one can supposedly tell when a stock is topping out are simply too vague to be be followed. Nevertheless, the system does work. Though retrospective (and therefore subject to the charge of data mining), O'Neil's 40 year database has identified numerous factors associated with stocks that are likely to go up. James O'Shaughnessy, in What Works on Wall Street, has performed a similar study, and has found roughly similar results, the main difference between the two being that O'Shaugnessy's data supports the idea that a low p/e stock is more likely to be successful, while O'Neil discounts the influence of p/e. No matter. Both have confirmed that a stock that has been going up is likely to continue going up. Relative strength counts. In addition, O'Neil's insistence on cutting your losses while they are still small is perhaps the single most important lesson an aspiring millionaire can learn. About two years ago, I was telling a colleague of mine that I felt lucky to have sold Cisco, Juniper and Sun for small losses. His comment was an amazed, "You mean you locked in a loss?" A few days ago, I made a similar comment to him, figuring that he had probably forgotten our earlier discussion. This time, he listened attentively, smiled sadly, and nodded. The many Amazon reviews which regard the book as an advertisement for Investor's Business Daily do have a point. However, there are many free search engines (stockpoint.com, marketguide.com) with which one can identify stocks satisfying the CANSLIM criteria. Similarly, there are a number of free online charting sites (clearstation.com, bigcharts.com) which give much of the same information as O'Neil's proprietary charting service. I've lost money the past few years, but I haven't lost much, thanks to the fact that I've been mostly in cash, which puts me way ahead of most professionals. William O'Neil gives very, very good advice.
Rating:
Summary: great book
Review: This was the first investing book I ever read. And since then it still reamins to be one of the best. This book is ideal for all investors. I do not suggest it for trading or day trading though.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: I have been utilizing William O'Neil's CANSLIM method of investing for several years with great success. I don't really understand the negative reviews that have been showing up here for the last year. Some reviewers complain that they have lost a great deal of money the past two years by following O'Neil's method. Evidently they did not read (or apply) Chapter 9: When to Sell and Cut Your Losses. In other words, they were not following O'Neil's advice. O'Neil is very clear on the importance of cutting your losses. Also, O'Neil provides a clear framework for exiting the market (Chapter 7: Market Direction: How to Determine It). There were several clear indicators that the market had topped in 2000. These indicators are clearly addressed in Chapter 7 and would have enabled anyone to get out of the bubble market with the majority of their profits. Personally, I have been out of the stock market since October 2000 (and making a nice return in bonds). I'll move back into stocks when the market returns to a sustained uptrend. It's not O'Neil's fault that people succumb to human nature and do the exact opposite of what he teaches in his book and in Investor's Business Daily. I guess we all need someone else to blame for our own shortcomings and greed. If you want to take responsibility for your own investing results, then read this book and patiently apply the principles it teaches. Otherwise, let a money manager or stockbroker make your decisions for you (good luck!), or simply stay out of the market.
Rating: 
Summary: Good fundamental framework. You DON'T need to buy IBD
Review: This book provodes excellent criteria for slecting stocks. . My only critiques of the book are the mediocre charting/technical information and application to bull markets only. I had to do further research on his "cup and handle" to approach to understand it. O'Neil recommends sitting out of bear markets. He says this and admits his poor success in short selling .... Don't expect this book to make you successful in a short period of time. Be patient utilize it as a tool to find good fundamentals and potential breakout stocks. Even O'Neil has admitted he is right only 50 percent of the time. He is successful because he cuts his losses and rides his winners. Three words: 8 percent trailing stop.
Rating: 
Summary: Conflict of interests
Review: I have to agree with the reviewer equityanalyst, this book is garbage. Of course I am not surprised that the book continues to be a good seller since the average investor thinks that he is above average, and with a little guidance will beat the market. Guess what you won't. Technical analysis presupposes momentum in the market, which there isn't. Anybody that still believes technical analysis will make them rich, also believes in the January Effect, Hemline Effect and can even possibly predict bull and bear markets by studying weather patterns. Better yet, develop a contrarian approach. Whatever the latest investment bestseller proposes, do the opposite, since the elusive search for quick riches by the ignorant will always make the improbable investment tricks popular. Do yourself a favour don't waste your time or money looking for the investment "holy grail", educate yourself on efficient markets and investor psychology, and stop pouring money into this author's undeserving pocket, his interest is merely revenue maximisation, not your wealth creation.
Rating: 
Summary: Other books to consider
Review: O'Neil's book is a well-written, clear and succinct guide for momentum investors. He recommends that you buy stocks with positive earnings surprises and strong technical fundamentals. If you're attracted to the momentum investing approach, but want a more thorough and broader discussion of this investing style (including application of the style globally), then look also at "The Hedge Fund Edge" by Mark Boucher.
The key problem with books like this is that they ignore the factor that statistically accounts for most performance: asset allocation. They encourage you to focus on stock picking rather than diversification; and the momentum style discourages you from rebalancing your portfolio when sectors get overheated. To put this book in that perspective, look at the material on sites like ABetterWayToInvest and ETFResources.
Rating:
Summary: Professional analyst shares an opinion
Review: Several years ago, I wrote a review that lucidly and candidly explained why this book is trash, and why honest, talented, highly educated investment professionals occasionally write reviews telling beginning investors not to bother wasting their time or money. Here's the (brief) scoop: In over fifty years of study, no one has ever consistently beaten the market using technical analysis. That is a deplorable record, especially compared to the fact that many professional investors beat the market over time (before taxes and trading costs). It is inexplicable to me that people think they can drive solely by reference to the rear view mirror. I'll warn you: This is a dirty industry, the vast majority of returns accrue to the smartest, most ruthless players, and lay investors invariably get hurt in the end. I suggest seeking out books that describe discounted cash flow analysis in very basic terms, and go from there. One example is "The Warren Buffet Way". I would also seek out books and articles on investor psychology. Good luck!
Rating:
Summary: One of the Classics
Review: Haven't finished the 3rd edition yet, but I couldn't wait to comment here. The naysayers reflect the general state of the market, as well as anything else does. I can relate. I feel your pain. I started canslim exactly at the market top and have nil to show for it in 2 1/2 years except for the account I started with. 0% increase. Pretty horrible performance eh? Well what do you think of having 160% of the returns of the S&P500, or how about 440% of the performance of the nasdaq? Or of outperforming 99% of the diversified mutual funds and other money managers out there that are joined at the hip with the averages? That's what O'Neils cash position would net you, and that's why it IS a good system in these bad times. What have the returns been with your system? My estimation is that only those glued to the screen fulltime, flipping short term positions have anything positive to show for the last couple years. That is their dayjob. This is not a system for the full time trader, although there's not a good one out there that isn't very familiar with it. It is, I think, the best hope for lots of part time investors that have not fallen for the terrible buy, hold, and pray method preached in the mainstream. For the rest there's no hope. Their accounts are already mostly gone and unlikely to return in their lifetimes. For such a little book, it does an incredible job of covering the critical aspects of fundamental and technical analysis and should set ones thinking straight on basic trend following, stock selection, market timing, chart price and volume reading, loss cutting, entries and exits. It is for the mainstream but only those willing to give the moderate work required. Those here complaining that you need the IBD paper to make it work seem to think we should be able to buy a [edit $]book and then go collect a $million the next day. How utterly childish. You can definitely apply the principles without the paper using other resources and tools. The paper will just cut the time needed to do so by tenfold. Don't be fooled. This takes some work. And to complain that it doesn't cover shorting, or options or whatever, is to complain that it doesn't cover the care and feeding of ones horse. This is a fundamental book on intermediate term trading. The trading world is enormous, it is unavoidably imprecise and difficult. And yes, I don't agree with everything WJO says. I like using real stops, and I'm perplexed that he doesn't apply his market timing to mutual funds (though he does say to buy more when their cheap). This book offers as sound a set of timeless principles as one can find, if there are any in the market. You won't be able to give up your job this year with this book. But should the markets again offer some opportunity on the long side, a reasonable assumption, then this book can help you recognize it and benefit far better than the vast majority will. Meanwhile, you'll leave your cash safe and find something else to do. Like maybe work for a living? And what better time to study and prepare for that new bull, but when it hasn't begun yet. Don't make my mistake and start learning at the top. Take your lesson now. Your investing education is incomplete if you don't read this book.
Rating:
Summary: OK But not the best
Review: Some great words of wisdom and this man obviously knows his stocks but as a stand alone trading system.. it's not going to help you.
CANSLIM is a great method... in a roaring bull market. 1997 to 2000 was you opportunity to make a killing. It's gone and so has CANSLIM. It still works but you have to make changes. The markets are always changing and you must find a system that adapts with those changes.
| 
