David Swensen
David Swensen📌 Selling & Review

David Swensen's Selling & Review Rules

David Frederick Swensen (January 26, 1954 – May 5, 2021) was an American investor and the chief investment officer at Yale University from 1985 until his death. He transformed Yale's endowment from $1 billion to over $31 billion, achieving an average annual return of 13.7% over his tenure. Swensen pioneered the "Yale Model" of institutional investing, which emphasizes diversification across...

3 principles·Selling & Review

3 Key Selling & Review Principles

#1

Sell Discipline Rules

"Have clear, pre-defined sell criteria. Sell when: your thesis is broken, valuation is fully realized, or a significantly better opportunity appears."

Follow pre-defined sell criteria without emotion.

🌿 Intermediate★★★★★
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#2

Review Your Investment Thesis

"Regularly review whether your original reasons for owning a stock still hold. If the facts change, change your mind. Holding a broken thesis is the costliest mistake."

Regularly challenge your original investment thesis.

🌿 Intermediate★★★★☆
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#3

Learn from Past Sells

"After every sell, review the outcome. Did you sell too early, too late, or at the right time? Post-mortems on sell decisions improve future judgment."

Post-mortem every sell decision to improve.

🌿 Intermediate★★★★☆
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Frequently Asked Questions

What are David Swensen's key selling & review principles?

David Swensen has 3 key principles on selling & review. The most important one is "Sell Discipline Rules" — Have clear, pre-defined sell criteria.

How does David Swensen apply selling & review in practice?

David Swensen applies selling & review through several key principles including "Sell Discipline Rules" and "Review Your Investment Thesis". These principles guide practical investment decisions and have been tested across decades of market cycles.

What makes David Swensen's approach to selling & review unique?

David Swensen's approach to selling & review is distinguished by a focus on long-term thinking and fundamental analysis. With 3 specific principles in this area, David Swensen provides a comprehensive framework that investors at any level can study and apply to improve their decision-making.

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