Resist Chasing Past Performance (Key Investing Principle #3)

By Jeffrey Meenes, CFP® (Published Date December 1, 2022)

The U.S. stock market has been an engine for wealth creation throughout the past century. This is especially true when investors are mindful of how markets work, what strategies deliver success, and what not to pay attention to. How exactly can a successful investor approach the markets? In this blog tip series, we highlight ten principles an investor can follow to create a better investing experience and generate consistent returns over time.

Key Investing Principle #3 to Improve Your Odds of Investing Success: Resist Chasing Past Performance

Some investors select funds based on their past returns. Yet, past performance offers little insight into a fund’s future returns. For example, most funds in the top quartile of previous five-year returns did not maintain a top-quartile ranking in the following five years.

Focus on what you can control.  A financial advisor can offer expertise and guidance to help you focus on actions that add value. This can lead to a better investment experience.