John Neff
John Neff🛡 Margin of Safety

John Neff's Margin of Safety Rules

John B. Neff (September 19, 1931 – June 4, 2019) was an American investor and mutual fund manager. He managed the Vanguard Windsor Fund from 1964 to 1995, achieving an average annual return of 13.7%, outperforming the S&P 500 by over 3% annually for 31 years. Neff was known as a "low P/E investor," consistently seeking undervalued stocks that the...

3 principles·Margin of Safety

3 Key Margin of Safety Principles

#1

Market as Your Servant

"The market exists to serve you, not to guide you. Use market prices to your advantage — buy when the market offers bargains and sell when it offers premiums."

Use the market as your servant, not your guide.

🌱 Beginner★★★★★
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#2

Market Cycles Awareness

"Markets move in cycles driven by human emotion. Understanding where you are in the cycle helps you prepare for what comes next and position accordingly."

Understand where you are in the market cycle.

🌿 Intermediate★★★★★
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#3

Price vs Value Disconnect

"In the short run, the market is a voting machine; in the long run, it's a weighing machine. Prices can diverge wildly from value, but eventually converge."

Prices diverge from value short-term but converge long-term.

🌱 Beginner★★★★★
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Frequently Asked Questions

What are John Neff's key margin of safety principles?

John Neff has 3 key principles on margin of safety. The most important one is "Market as Your Servant" — The market exists to serve you, not to guide you.

How does John Neff apply margin of safety in practice?

John Neff applies margin of safety through several key principles including "Market as Your Servant" and "Market Cycles Awareness". These principles guide practical investment decisions and have been tested across decades of market cycles.

What makes John Neff's approach to margin of safety unique?

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

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