#1
Sell When Better Bargain Found
"The only reason to sell a stock is when you find a much better bargain to replace it. Always upgrade your portfolio toward better value."
Sell only to replace with a better bargain.
Read Full Analysis →
John Templeton📌 Selling & Review
John Templeton's Selling & Review Rules
These are 4 Selling & Review principles distilled from John Templeton's writing and public remarks. Use them as a decision checkpoint: translate each rule into a yes/no test, write what evidence would change your mind, and set a review date before you act. When a rule feels vague, open the full principle page and capture the driver you can verify (cash flows, leverage, incentives, competitive edge). This is educational, not investment advice—double-check primary sources and fit every rule to your time horizon, risk budget, and constraints.
matrix.rulesQuickChecklistTitle
- Clarify your decision: time horizon, position size, and what would change your mind.
- Choose 3–5 principles from this Selling & Review set and write each as a yes/no check.
- Define 2–3 disconfirming signals (invalidation triggers) before you act.
- Record the inputs you used (numbers, sources, assumptions) so you can audit later.
4 principles·Selling & Review
4 Key Selling & Review Principles
#2
Review and Adjust Regularly
"Regularly review your investments. Markets change, companies change, and values change. What was a bargain may no longer be one."
Review investments regularly as conditions change.
Read Full Analysis →#3
Sell Overpriced Assets
"When an investment's price rises far above its intrinsic value, sell it. The discipline to sell into euphoria is as important as the courage to buy into panic."
Sell when prices exceed intrinsic value.
Read Full Analysis →#4
Sell Discipline
"The time to sell is before the crash, not after. Sell when optimism is at its peak and better opportunities exist elsewhere."
Exit positions while optimism peaks, not after collapse.
Read Full Analysis →How to apply John Templeton's Selling & Review principles
Use this page as a workflow, not a collection of quotes. Pick 3–5 principles, translate each into a concrete check, and review your decisions on a fixed cadence. These are educational guardrails—always verify facts and match them to your own constraints.
- Clarify your decision: time horizon, position size, and what would change your mind.
- Choose 3–5 principles from this Selling & Review set and write each as a yes/no check.
- Define 2–3 disconfirming signals (invalidation triggers) before you act.
- Record the inputs you used (numbers, sources, assumptions) so you can audit later.
- Run the checklist when you feel urgency (FOMO, panic) and delay action if you cannot answer.
- Review outcomes on your cadence: what you followed, what you ignored, and what to adjust next cycle.
Boundaries and common misreads
- Don’t treat a principle as a buy/sell signal—convert it into evidence you can verify.
- Avoid “name-dropping” John Templeton: if you can’t explain the reasoning, you can’t borrow the rule.
- If the situation is outside your circle of competence, the right move is often to pass.
- Separate risk from uncertainty: write what could go wrong and what would confirm it.
- If two principles conflict, slow down and document the trade-off instead of forcing certainty.
Rehearse a scenario decision → ·Run a weekly toolkit → ·Browse all principles →
About John Templeton
Templeton pioneered global diversification, investing in international markets when most American investors focused solely on domestic stocks. His investment philosophy centered on finding "maximum pessimism" – buying when others were most fearful.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are John Templeton's key selling & review principles?
John Templeton has 4 key principles on selling & review. The most important one is "Sell When Better Bargain Found" — The only reason to sell a stock is when you find a much better bargain to replace it.
How does John Templeton apply selling & review in practice?
John Templeton applies selling & review through several key principles including "Sell When Better Bargain Found" and "Review and Adjust Regularly". These principles guide practical investment decisions and have been tested across decades of market cycles.
What makes John Templeton's approach to selling & review unique?
John Templeton's approach to selling & review is distinguished by a focus on long-term thinking and fundamental analysis. With 4 specific principles in this area, John Templeton provides a comprehensive framework that investors at any level can study and apply to improve their decision-making.
How do I validate John Templeton's Selling & Review rules without blindly copying them?
Treat each principle as a hypothesis. Write the evidence you would need, collect it from primary sources when possible (filings, letters, transcripts), and note what would invalidate the conclusion. If you can’t define inputs and triggers, you’re not applying the rule—you’re quoting it.
What’s a practical review cadence for applying Selling & Review principles?
Pick a cadence you can sustain (weekly or monthly) and review process signals first: whether you followed your checklist, respected your boundaries, and documented assumptions. Only then look at outcomes. The goal is fewer low-quality decisions, not perfect prediction.
