📖William Gann

Research Before Buying

🌱 Beginner★★★★★

Thorough research precedes every sound investment.

💬

Never invest in anything you don't fully understand. Thorough research is the foundation of every sound investment decision.

— 45 Years in Wall Street,1949

🏠 Everyday Analogy

Analyzing a business is like choosing a long-term partner. Temporary excitement matters less than durable character, capability, and consistency.

📖 Core Interpretation

W.D. Gann emphasizes durable business quality over short-term noise. A strong model, real competitive edge, and disciplined capital allocation matter more than quarterly excitement.
💎 Key Insight:Understanding prevents costly surprises.

AI Deep Analysis

Get personalized insights and practical guidance through AI conversation

❓ Why It Matters

Without business-quality filters, investors drift toward stories rather than economics. Durable cash generation is what supports long-term valuation.

🎯 How to Practice

Use a checklist covering moat, management, unit economics, and capital allocation; track long-term cash generation instead of quarter-to-quarter noise.

⚠️ Common Pitfalls

Buying narratives instead of cash-generating economics
Overreacting to short-term operating noise
Ignoring management quality and capital allocation

📚 Case Studies

1
Riding Out the 1929 Crash (1929)
An investor following Gann’s discipline avoids margin, holds quality rails and industrials through the 1929–32 collapse instead of panic selling.
✨ Outcome:Capital draws down heavily but positions are preserved, allowing recovery and profit as markets rebound in the mid‑1930s.
2
Staying Calm in Black Monday (1987)
A disciplined investor withstands the October 1987 crash, having followed Gann-style risk rules and avoided over‑leveraged positions.
✨ Outcome:By not selling into panic and selectively adding to strong names, the portfolio recovers within about two years and reaches new highs.

See how masters handle real scenarios?

30 real investment dilemmas answered by legendary investors

Explore Scenarios →