By

Will Kenton

Updated Jun 12, 2022

Source link

By

Gordon Scott

Updated Oct 14, 2022

Source link

Finding high-quality stocks to invest in can be time-consuming, but it is an effective way to outperform the market. The Motley Fool Stock Advisor can help you invest in individual stocks with two new stock picks each month and weekly updates.

My Motley Fool review can help you decide if this stock research platform can help you become a better investor.

Summary

Motley Fool is a well-respected source of stock investing ideas. Stock Advisor is well known for offering two monthly picks to reduce your research time to invest in quality stocks as well as a depth of investment insights. 

Pros

• Two monthly stock picks
• In-depth research
• Full access to all active recommendations

Cons

• Layout can be overwhelming
• Not for short-term stock trades
• Annual fee can be high for some investors

What is Motley Fool?

Brothers Tom and David Gardner launched the Motley Fool in 1993 by researching individual stocks and giving investment ideas to ordinary investors. It provides buy-and-hold investment strategies instead of short-term trading, so you don’t have to constantly make trades to earn potential profits.

While no investment strategy is risk-free, you may appreciate this strategy if you believe that “time in the market is better than timing the market” by buying high-quality stocks.

To help investors achieve this goal, Motley Fool Stock Advisor is the service’s best premium newsletter. It recommends two new stocks each month and has several hands-on research tools. Analysts believe these stock picks can outperform the market for the next three to five years.

I enjoy the Stock Advisor insights as they take a long-term time horizon. Since you hold stocks through bull and bear markets, this investment process isn’t as time-consuming as short-term trading. It can also be potentially less risky, but still requires risk management and sound research.

Stock Advisor is the best fit for most portfolios, whether you’re a new or experienced investor. The service suggests a minimum portfolio balance of $25,000 to maximize your membership and maintain a diversified portfolio.

When you’re ready to buy a stock recommendation, you can buy shares through the best online stock brokerages for trading stocks.

How Does Motley Fool Stock Advisor Work

Stock Advisor launched in February of 2002 and is The Motley Fool’s most popular service due to its budget-friendly cost and numerous stock insights. This service typically costs $99 for new members the first year and provides two new stock picks each month from growth industries.

Current Special: Special $99 Stock Advisor Introductory Offer for New Members– *Billed annually. Introductory price for the first year for new members only. The first year is $99 and renews at $199.

You can also access customizable stock lists to explore the best opportunities among previous recommendations quickly. These lists provide 20 additional investment ideas, and I check them regularly and highly recommend new users do too.

As a multi-year Stock Advisor subscriber, these lists help me invest in more stocks. However, not every investment makes money, and you should only allocate up to 5% of your portfolio per idea.

The service wants investors to strive to hold 15 Motley Fool recommendations initially. Ultimately, Stock Advisor members should own at least 30 stocks.

According to the Motley Fool, the total performance of the Stock Advisor portfolio has been 396% since its launch. The S&P 500 has only returned 115% over the same period (as of March 28, 2023).

This impressive track record is why Motley Fool is so popular, as many active investors lose money in the long term.

To be transparent, not every Stock Advisor suggestion is profitable. For example, multiple active recommendations from 2021 and early 2022 have underperformed the market during the recent bear market.

When comparing stock picks, I read the Fool’s commentary and perform independent research. It’s also essential to decide whether the company fits your investment strategy or if you need more diversification.

Investment Strategy

What makes Motley Fool different than most investing newsletters is its “buy and hold” mindset. Each recommendation has an anticipated holding period of at least three years.

Many other newsletters advise using trailing stops to reduce downside risk. Stock Advisor will hold stocks through sharp corrections if the stock remains a good long-term investment.

You won’t see ETF or mutual fund recommendations in Stock Advisor. However, you will see many investing ideas for stocks in these industries:

• Tech
• Medical
• Banking
• Online shopping
• Alternative energy
• Consumer staples

While not every monthly recommendation makes money, and recommended stocks are naturally more volatile than an index fund, many have relatively low volatility.

You will likely be familiar with many of the names that Stock Advisor recommends. But you will also discover names that might become the next Amazon, Google, or Apple stock.

These stocks are growing and tend to be leaders in their industry. Some earn dividends but are more volatile than a “dividend aristocrat.” Some of the most successful picks include Shopify, Amazon, Netflix, and Tesla.

The recommendations come from a variety of industries, so you can easily maintain a diversified portfolio. Thankfully, many investing apps now offer fractional investing and commission-free trades, so you can nibble on multiple recommendations.

Stock Advisor Portfolio Allocation

Most Stock Advisor recommendations are growth stocks in these sectors:

• Information technology (35%)
• Consumer discretionary (20.5%)
• Communication services (13.4%)
• Health care (9.2%)
• Industrials (8.8%)
• Financials (7.8%)
• Consumer staples (1.8%)
• Materials (1.8%)
• Energy (1.8%)

With its current asset allocation, the Stock Advisor stock picks perform well when tech stock prices are on an uptrend. However, the performance lags when investors prefer safety and companies with less perceived risk.

Sector rotation is cyclical, and a multi-year investment commitment can help you avoid selling early by timing the market. The service issues hold and sell bulletins when a stock is unlikely to outperform in the long run.

One of the best reasons to consider Motley Fool Premium is the ability to track the performance of each active and closed recommendation. Many competing newsletters don’t reveal their performance as transparently.

How Much Does Stock Advisor Cost?

Motley Fool Stock Advisor costs $99 for the first year, including a 30-day risk-free trial period.

After the first year, your subscription renews at $199. This annual cost is competitive with other investing newsletters. However, most Motley Fool alternatives only make one monthly pick.

Stock Advisor is an entry-level newsletter and is the Fool’s cheapest product. It’s the best service for most investors because of its affordable price and balanced risk tolerance. To be clear, it’s my favorite premium product.

More aggressive products cost from $299 to $1,999 per year. You can also read free market commentary articles that may feature stocks the premium services currently recommend.

Key Features

Stock Advisor gives you several ways to find investing ideas.

Starter Stocks

To help you start investing, Stock Advisor provides a list of ten “Starter Stocks.” The stock picking service also refers to them as “Foundational Stocks” and reviews the list quarterly to change the recommendations potentially.

These stocks come from various industries and can be a good addition to your portfolio anytime during the year. They are usually industry dominators and can be less risky than the monthly stock picks.

Motley Fool believes these stocks are a good fit for most new investors ready to buy their first individual stock. The stock-picking service recommends buying some Starter Stocks plus the monthly picks.

When I first joined Stock Advisor, I browsed this list to find investment ideas I could add to my portfolio between the monthly picks. I still refer to it regularly.

Each stock pick receives a risk tolerance level:

• Cautious
• Moderate
• Aggressive

Not many investing newsletters maintain multiple model portfolios. This foundational portfolio is an excellent resource for new and long-time subscribers.

Two Monthly Stock Picks

The new monthly stock picks arrive on the first and third Thursday of the month.

Each stock pick comes with a summary that is easy to understand and can be read in several minutes. You can also watch videos in live chat to discuss the new recommendation.

I like the flexibility, as many investment newsletters only include a written commentary and don’t accept reader-submitted questions that help you learn more about the stock.

The research report includes these details:

• Summary of what the company does
• Key financial stats
• Why Motley Fool likes the stock
• Best reasons to buy the stock now
• Potential business risks

Reading the report gives you a good idea of why you might invest in the monthly stock pick. You can also read the latest earnings call transcripts and other research articles for the Stock Advisor recommendations.

I also appreciate that the Stock Advisor caters to a particular investing style:

• Team Hidden Gems: Stock picks with a lower risk appetite but strong long-term potential. These suggestions are the first pick of the month.
• Team Rule Breakers: Better for investors with a higher risk tolerance, as these companies can have a smaller market cap and be more volatile. These picks are still not as aggressive as the Motley Fool Rule Breakers newsletter thought.

Top-Ranked Stocks

Each month, Stock Advisor updates its “Top-Ranked Stocks” list (previously Best Buys Now) of the ten active recommendations that can be worth buying shares of first. These stocks have the highest conviction rating to beat the stock market over the next five years.

This list contains the best open positions with different investing styles. The report explains the entry price and underlying reasons for buying shares now, so you understand the potential rewards and risks.

The monthly report provides a brief write-up containing these sections:

• What the company does
• What we like now
• Who this stock might be for
• Who this stock may not be for
• What factors is Stock Advisor watching

You can expect the newest picks to make the list for most weeks. However, you can also see recommendations that Stock Advisor suggested over a year ago.

These suggestions can help you get exposure to more companies and industries if the new recommendations are not a good fit or you’re ready to invest in several ideas.

Watchlist

“My Stocks” is an interactive watchlist and portfolio tracker that tracks the performance of previous recommendations and those that your Motley Fool subscription doesn’t currently recommend.

In addition to tracking the stock’s price history, this feature lists any articles and stock rankings where the Motley Fool mentions the company. Reading this content can help you research potential holdings and monitor stocks you own.

You can customize your rankings to display specific data to help evaluate potential investments and existing holdings.

Personally, I don’t invest in every monthly pick for various reasons, but I add certain companies to the watchlist to track their performance. This feature prevents me from overlooking potential investment ideas.

Portfolio Strategies

Receiving multiple stock recommendations can make it challenging to build a diversified portfolio that also fits your risk tolerance. I was overwhelmed at first and wish these GamePlan tools were available then.

The Portfolio Strategies feature is an asset allocator that can help you choose an optimized blend of stocks, ETFs, and cash for your investing style (cautious, moderate, aggressive).

This tool is similar to a stock screener by highlighting Motley Fool stock recommendations that can fit your portfolio well. These picks come from any premium service you subscribe to.

This focused guidance can be more effective than trying to pick the best Starter Stocks and top-rated stocks. Stock Advisor also features index fund ETFs to provide diversification with low fees.

Premium members can interact with other Motley Fool members in the CAPS community. This online discussion board is similar to Bogleheads.

Instead of focusing on index funds, CAPS lets you read and share opinions about specific stock tickers or copy the investment portfolio of other members.

You can also see which stocks are most popular with Fool members. These stocks can differ from what’s in the Stock Advisor portfolio.

I like visiting this forum to see what other subscribers say about the Motley Fool recommendations. You may also see chatter about non-recommended stocks to find companies to invest in or avoid. Yet the best reason to consider a premium subscription is for the two monthly picks.

Investment News

Motley Fool also publishes many free investment news articles each day. Some articles focus on a specific stock, and others discuss an investing theme. If an article mentions a stock you’re watching, you receive a notification when the Fool mentions the ticker.

As a paid member, you also receive exclusive analyst insights. These articles can be good follow-up information after reading the initial buy report. You can also discover new investment ideas for stocks outside the portfolio.

Investing in individual stocks requires more portfolio monitoring than passive investing. Stock Advisor can text and email investing alerts for stocks you’re watching.

Investment Guides

As a new investor, there is a lot to learn about investing and retirement planning. Motley Fool has several resources providing general investing information. You can read guides on how stocks work, asset allocation, and retirement planning.

I like that your Stock Advisor membership includes access to the Rule Your Retirement content to plan for life beyond your working years. Stock Advisor also sends regular emails highlighting sections of the Motley Fool investment philosophy.

Fool Live

Motley Fool offers free and members-only investing podcasts. In addition to reading the stock pick summary, Stock Advisors can listen to an in-depth podcast about the company or general investing topics.

Premium subscribers can also access the Fool Live dashboard, which features live, real-time video programming each day. This service, like CNBC, can help answer your investing questions and inform you about the latest market events.

These podcasts are enjoyable if you’re more productive with listening than reading. For example, you may listen to these while exercising or driving.

Other Motley Fool Newsletters

Motley Fool offers several newsletters in addition to the entry-level Stock Advisor. These other newsletters cost more but provide more insights. You might consider them if you’re an aggressive investor or have plenty of free cash.

Epic

For $499 annually, you get five monthly recommendations for top growth stocks from Motley Fool Rule Breakers that are smaller and more volatile than the Stock Advisor but have more upside potential. You also receive picks from the Hidden Gems and Dividend Investors services.

It’s common for the Rule Breakers service to invest in a stock first. Stock Advisor will recommend the stock after the initial rapid growth and volatility phase passes. This level balances growth, value, and overlooked stocks for more diversity.

Epic Plus

Investment portfolios above $100,000 receive nine monthly recommendations for value, international, and thematic trends. Further, consider this service if you trade options. The annual cost is $1,999.

What Others Are Saying About Motley Fool

Here is the experience that other investors have with Motley Fool.

Trustpilot

This service has a 3.7 out of 5 Trustpilot score with over 8,900 reviews.

“I find that after Buy recommendations, little effort is expended tracking a stock’s progress. Sell recommendations are exceedingly rare, and when they occur, it’s after a significant loss has already occurred.

These comments are based on the last 18 months of membership and have nothing to do with the recent correction. There is a balance between Buy and Hold for 5 years vs. admitting it’s time to pull out of a prior recommendation.” – Leo G.

“I subscribe to the Stock Advisor service and greatly appreciate the investment information I receive. It has been very helpful in my taxable investment portfolio of stocks outside my retirement mutual funds. I often listen to the periodic (~1-2 times/month) additional investment webinars offered. But it does get a little annoying the upselling that occurs for additional services and costs, with numerous emails.” – Potsy

Better Business Bureau

The Motley Fool has a 1.26 out of 5 rating with 80 reviews. The ratings were approximately 3.2 out of 5 stars pre-2024. Common complaints include a string of unsuccessful investments during a bearish period, a potentially high renewal price, and constant promotions to upgrade to higher levels.

“The quality of the recommendations and research is very good and unbiased, and most of it is accessible to those of us not born into any wealth. I like being able to make my investing decisions with no pressure from anyone and doing my own follow-on research.” – Tanya C. 

“I don’t have the time or energy to research companies myself, so I pretty much buy stocks they recommend and usually learn something about most of these companies along the way. Not every stock they have suggested has been a winner for me, but I can’t complain. Overall, I’m very pleased with the results I have gotten.” – Greg G.

Motley Fool Alternatives

These alternatives to Motley Fool Stock Advisor can be a better fit if you want a more active trading strategy or extra freedom to research stocks and funds without a model portfolio.

• Actions Alerts Plus: Has a target holding period from six months to over one year. Receive stock ratings, portfolio guidance, and a monthly call to ask your investing questions.
• Morningstar Investor: You can receive independent analyst ratings and reports for most stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. There isn’t a model portfolio, but there are many ratings lists.
• Seeking Alpha: Read bullish and bearish reports from independent contributors, get stock ratings and interactive charts, plus track your existing portfolio. Unfortunately, you won’t receive a model portfolio or monthly stock picks.

FAQ’s About Stock Advisor

These questions can help you decide if Motley Fool is worth it.

Summary

Motley Fool is a well-respected source of stock investing ideas. The Stock Advisor newsletter’s two monthly picks reduce your research time to invest in quality stocks you can hold for several years.

You will also find investment ideas from various sectors that you may not have the time to research.

Recommended Reading

Source link

By

Brian Beers

Updated Oct 07, 2021

Source link

It can seem daunting and time-consuming to pick individual stocks, and many stock-picking services tend to focus on a specific strategy such as growth or dividends. This Motley Fool Epic review shows how you can receive five monthly recommendations for multiple investment strategies. 

You will receive insights from several Motley Fool services, including their premium ratings and research tools. As a Motley Fool subscriber, I share my feedback on the potential perks and who’s the ideal investor for Epic.

Summary

The Motley Fool is a well-known source of stock investment information. With Motley Fool Epic, you’ll have access to five stock picks each month. These picks can help investors find potential winners without putting too much time into research. 

Pros

• Five monthly stock picks 
• Easy to implement
• Track record of success

Cons

• Annual fee
• No short-term picks
• No guaranteed success

What is Motley Fool Epic?

Motley Fool Epic is the second of five levels of The Motley Fool investment newsletters. I like that it provides five monthly recommendations for aggressive, moderate, and cautious investing styles. The recommendations feature well-known companies and lesser-known ones with high growth potential.

In comparison, most newsletters only provide one monthly pick and have a narrow investment strategy. The Motley Fool recommends this service for portfolios of $50,000 or more. You may also consider upgrading if you already use Motley Fool Stock Advisor but want more insights.

Further, in an industry full of scams, it is reassuring to know that The Motley Fool offers a proven track record with products designed for individual investors ready to invest for three to five years. Instead of dealing with pump-and-dump schemes, you have useful tools for everyday investors. 

I also like that this product provides in-depth ratings and AI-powered research tools that reduce your reliance and subscription costs on other top-notch investment websites.

How Does Motley Fool Epic Work?

You are cutting out the major time commitment that is typically involved with stock research when you sign up for Motley Fool Epic. Instead, the service will handle the bulk of the research for you: 

• Five monthly stock picks
• In-depth research reports, videos, and podcasts
• Quant Ratings with five-year projections
• Customizable investment strategies

The chief monthly perk is receiving five new stock picks. From there, you can choose to invest in those stocks or not. With that many recommendations, you most likely won’t invest in them all every month, but it’s easier to pick those that fit your investing goals.

Before you start looking for overnight returns, keep in mind that this service is designed for long-term investors. The stock analysts highlight stocks with an outsized possibility of beating the stock market if you hold your share for the next three to five years.

However, as a long-time Motley Fool subscriber, I can personally attest that not every monthly pick is a winner. It can also be heard to realize positive gains when the broad market is bearish.

The platform suggests that you hold at least 25 of the stock picks for at least five years to build wealth for the long term. I think this is a good suggestion as you diversify your portfolio, but you need a sizable portfolio to invest regularly and justify the $499 annual fee.

How Much Does Motley Fool Epic Cost?

Working with Motley Fool Epic isn’t free. Luckily, it is more affordable than you might expect. 

New and existing members can sign up for $499 per year. This is relatively expensive. Thankfully, you have 30 days to request a full refund if the service isn’t a good fit.

Epic costs more than entry-level stock newsletters, which usually cost $199, such as Motley Fool Stock Advisor. But this is a mid-tier product that provides advanced research and five monthly picks instead of two.

In my opinion, it’s competitively priced for the quantity and diversity of analysis.

Key Features

If you want to build a profitable portfolio of individual stocks with considerable growth potential without sinking hours into it, then Motley Fool Epic should be a top consideration. 

At a relatively affordable price point, you’ll unlock the following features. 

Five Stock Picks Per Month

The main draw of this service is receiving five stock picks each month, ranging from aggressive growth to dividends.  

• Stock Advisor: Two picks from the entry-level platform appealing to most investors.
• Rule Breakers: One pick focusing on high-growth potential but more volatility than Stock Advisor.
• Hidden Gems: One long-term investing idea.
• Dividend Investor: One high-quality dividend stock per month.

With five new stock picks each month, you can build a robust portfolio within a year as you get 60 new recommendations. You will also receive monthly updates featuring the best open investments from each of the four model portfolios to fill in the gaps.

Easy-to-Implement Guidance

As the month progresses, you will receive the latest stock picks and updated stock rankings. It can only take a few minutes to implement the guidance in your portfolio as you read the potential rewards and risks. You will also find a link to read the latest research report. 

Essentially, you’ll need to decide whether or not you want to move forward with that particular stock purchase. If you do, then it is just a matter of logging into your brokerage account to execute a buy order. 

Long-Term Outlook for Individual Stocks

This service is designed for investors looking to build a portfolio for the long term. The Motley Fool believes that “the best chance to succeed in the stock market is to buy at least 25 stocks and hold them for at least five years.”

You can simulate potential investment returns with a portfolio simulator. The proprietary quant ratings also project the maximum drawdown and profit potential over the next five years.

Stock Screener

The members-only stock screener lets you quickly identify potential investments from the open recommendations across the Epic portfolio.

It can be challenging to invest in every monthly pick and the screener can help find stocks fitting your criteria to maintain a diversified portfolio. For example, you can customize them by risk rating or other factors.

Rule Breakers Reviews

Here are some reviews from people who have used the platform:

“Motley Fool’s changed my life in this main respect: I’m financially independent today. I didn’t think that would be possible until maybe my mid or late 60s. I have the ability to make choices and quality-of-life decisions now that I would never be able to make before.” – Mark T

“I use the Fool to do the things that I don’t have time to do. If you have a busy life and want to invest in the market, this is one of the best vehicles to support you in doing that.”  – Bob A

Is Motley Fool Epic Worth It?

Joining Motley Fool Epic can be worth it if you’re an aggressive investor with a long-term investment horizon. Most of the monthly stock picks look for growing companies that most investors don’t know about, and it can take several years of volatility to realize a profit.

Simultaneously, the dividend and Hidden Gems picks can be more cautious to help balance your portfolio allocation. It’s possible to have Epic be your only investment newsletter subscription for a flat $499 annual fee.

Motley Fool Epic Alternatives

If you are looking for help with researching investments at a more affordable price, Epic is not your only option. Here are a few other options worth considering.

Motley Fool Stock Advisor

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor is a premium newsletter service that also offers two new stock picks each month. This service is a bit cheaper as the first year for new members costs $99^, and the second year costs $199. 

You can also take advantage of a 30-day membership-fee back guarantee.

^Based on $199/year list price. The introductory promotion of $99 for the first year is for new members only

Seeking Alpha

If you want to stay away from The Motley Fool altogether, consider trying Seeking Alpha. You receive access to investment research and premium ratings for most stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. You’re not restricted to a model portfolio. Cost range from free to $2,400 and year.

Related article: Seeking Alpha Vs Motley Fool: Which Is Better?

Stock Rover

Stock Rover can be another great choice if you are looking for self-directed research tools helping long-term investors. The service offers useful tools like a stock screener, portfolio tracking and comparison tools.

It costs anywhere from $79.99 to $279.99 annually depending on the subscription you select. Customers can try the service for free for 14 days.

Zacks Premium

Another option if you’d like to avoid The Motley Fool services is Zacks Premium. This investment research service is the cheapest option offered by Zacks at $249 annually after a 30-day free trial. Read research reports for most stocks and funds, plus a long-term model portfolio.

FAQ

If you are still on the fence about using Motley Fool Epic, these frequently asked questions might be able to help you make a decision.

Summary

Motley Fool Epic presents a great opportunity for investors who are short on time but have the money to invest in aggressive and cautious stocks with long-term growth potential. The five monthly stock picks make it easy to find investment ideas, but you must be comfortable with the $499 annual fee.

Source link

Real estate investing is a popular stock market alternative. The Motley Fool published Millionacres and Mogul investment newsletters, but neither service is currently open to new subscribers. Instead, I recommend starting with Motley Fool Epic to receive five monthly stock picks.

You will receive in-depth insights from Stock Advisor, Rule Breakers, Hidden Gems, and Dividend Investor. Some of these recommendations can include real estate stocks.

Author’s Note: The following content preserves this original Millionacres review so you can compare the membership features to other top-rated investment newsletters.

Summary

Millionacres offers monthly recommendations for real estate stocks, REITs and crowdfunded individual properties. These investments can earn competitive returns and have minimal risk.

Pros

• Monthly recommendations
• Open to all investors
• Can earn dividends

Cons

• High annual cost
• No refunds
• Real estate only

What is Millionacres?

Millionacres offers free and premium content focused on various real estate investments. Motley Fool runs the platform in addition to its stock investment services, such as Stock Advisor.

The platform covers these real estate investments:

• Real estate stocks
• Crowdfunded real estate
• Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
• Private placements
• Land investments
• Single-family rental homes
• Multifamily apartments
• Commercial real estate

To be a successful investor, you have to understand how investments work and the potential risks. Millionacres can help with this.

The service doesn’t replace the need to perform your own due diligence. However, it can increase the probability of finding profitable real estate investments.

There are several free resources that can help you learn the basics of real estate. Millionacres also offers two premium services to benefit investors further.

Who is Millionacres for?

Millionacres is for investors who want exposure to public and private real estate investments in the United States.

While real estate investing can be expensive, Millionacres identifies financially accessible investments. The service is great for investors who are willing to invest at least $1,000.

Non-accredited investors can find investment ideas through the platform. The Real Estate Winners service offers monthly recommendations and “top 10” quarterly investment rankings. 

Accredited investors with a liquid net worth above $1 million or a qualifying annual income can access most investments. The Mogul subscription is built for high net worth investors.

This service can be a good alternative to owning rental property.

How Does Millionacres Work?

Millionacres does offer free content. However, it requires a paid subscription to maximize the platform and view the monthly recommendations.

There are two different subscriptions available, including:

• Mogul – $2,499 per year
• Real Estate Trailblazers – $1,999 per year
• Real Estate Winners – $249 per year

It’s also possible to access exclusive interviews and scoring models to receive additional insights.

The service looks for the best investment opportunities via online stock brokerages and crowdfunding platforms. 

Millionacres doesn’t partner with real estate developers to provide exclusive deals. Instead, it is an investing newsletter specializing in real estate.

While the offerings are available to everyone, most people don’t have the time to search for opportunities on their own. This is where Millionacres provides benefits since it does a lot of the research for you.

Dividend Income

It’s important to note that stocks and real estate can make money with rising asset prices and dividend payments.

Real estate can earn higher dividend income than non-real estate stocks. REITs trading on the stock market must distribute at least 90% of their profits to shareholders.

However, assets with above-average dividend yields can be risky if they have weak financial fundamentals. 

Millionacres can help you find investments with sustainable dividends and sound growth potential.

Millionacres Subscriptions

Beyond the free content, two different subscription services are available. Each option caters to different investment strategies. 

The better choice depends on how much you want to invest and if you’re an accredited investor. Also, evaluate how much you’re willing to spend on a subscription.

The annual cost for either service is high but competitive with other specialty products. 

Fortunately, it may be easier than anticipated to recoup your subscription cost. This is because real estate investments tend to have higher dividend yields than stocks.

Mogul

Price: $2,499 per year

Best for: Accredited investors

Mogul is better suited for accredited investors. Most recommendations in this subscription are only available to this exclusive investor class.

That said, this subscription tier also recommends publicly traded equities and REITs accessible to non-accredited investors.

The $2,499 annual fee makes Mogul one of the priciest investment newsletters. You will need to be able to invest a large sum of money to recoup the subscription costs.

Investment Recommendations

According to Mogul, subscribers can expect between three and four new recommendations each quarter.

Unlike most investment newsletters, there isn’t a fixed publishing schedule. For example, new picks aren’t released on the first Thursday of each month.

Instead, Mogul recommends potential investments when new opportunities arise. 

Investors can get trading ideas for these asset classes:

• Real estate equities – Stocks and REITs available on investing apps
• Crowdfunded commercial real estate – Individual offerings and REITs 

Most of the recommendations for crowdfunded commercial real estate are available through CrowdStreet. The service might also recommend individual offerings on other crowdfunding platforms.

These private placements can be riskier than publicly traded stocks and REITs, but they have higher potential returns. They also require a multi-year investment horizon.

Like other platforms, only accredited investors can invest in private placements for crowdfunded real estate.

For crowdfunded real estate, unaccredited investors will only be able to invest in crowdfunded REITs that hold a variety of properties. The fund managers decide which properties to buy or sell.

Publicly traded real estate stocks and REITs are open to all investors since they trade with any stock brokerage. These investments are more liquid and don’t require a multi-year investment commitment.

However, it’s worth noting that the potential returns are lower. 

Mogul states the target annual yields for crowdfunded placements is between 6% and 12% per year. The target returns for public stocks and REITs are between 3% and 6%.

Mogul Score

The Millionacres team uses a 100-point Mogul Score to recommend individual properties. This scoring model is only available with the Mogul subscription.

Some of the Mogul Score criteria include:

• Platform: Is the crowdfunding platform reputable and easy to use?
• Deal quality: Is it a good deal with favorable terms and growth potential? 
• Sponsor history: The sponsor’s finances and investing history
• Potential return: Are the potential returns worth the investment and risk?
• Macro real estate trends: The performance of similar real estate deals

These scores explain why the Mogul investing team recommends a specific property. The scoring summary can make it easier to decide if an offering is a good fit for your portfolio.

Private Interviews

Subscribers can view interviews with real estate professionals in different niches. These interviews can help you understand how real estate investing works from an insider’s perspective.

In-Person Events

Users can attend in-person investing conferences. While these events were put on pause in 2020, they will resume as the situation with COVID-19 improves. 

Investment Taxes

The tax treatment for investing in individual properties is different from trading real estate stocks and REITs. 

Crowdfunded private placements receive a Schedule K-1. This tax form can arrive later in the tax season and is more complex than a Form 1099 that stock brokerages issue. 

You may need to hire an accountant to file your taxes and verify there are no reporting errors. 

Despite the potential hassles, the K-1 Form lets you deduct income losses and depreciation. In turn, this helps reduce taxable passive income.

If you don’t want to deal with this tax form, you should only invest in publicly traded real estate equity recommendations.

Real Estate Trailblazers

Price: $1,999

Best for: Investing $50,000 or more into publicly-traded real estate

The mid-tier Real Estate Winner’s offering is for accredited and non-accredited investors. However, customer reviews and the service’s sales page indicate this newsletter is best if you can invest at least $50,000 into the model portfolio.

This high annual subscription cost also means this service is only for serious real estate investors. Additionally, the subscription is non-refundable.

You can receive investment ideas for these sectors:

• Data infrastructure
• E-commerce
• Real estate software and platforms
• Sunbelt migration

The service plans to offer a fifth real estate trend with its True Trailblazers sub-portfolios. Few details are publicly available at the moment.

You can anticipate monthly recommendations and portfolio updates.

Real Estate Winners

Price: $249 per year

Best for: Non-accredited investors and publicly traded investments

Real Estate Winners costs $249 per year and is the better option for non-accredited investors. Each recommendation is available to any investor, regardless of their net worth.

You may also prefer this service if you want real estate recommendations at a lower cost.

This service can benefit people who want to start by investing $1,000 in real estate.

You can hold these recommendations in a taxable brokerage account or an individual retirement account (IRA).

Investment Recommendations

Members will receive at least one new recommendation each month. Most suggestions will be for equity stocks and REITs trading on the stock market. 

Subscribers can buy these recommendations from investing apps such as Robinhood, Webull, and Fidelity. 

These investment ideas are highly liquid and can be traded quickly. However, you won’t be able to directly invest in individual properties like accredited investors can with Mogul.

Additionally, these suggestions don’t use the Mogul Score. Fortunately, each report lays out the pros and cons to help you determine if the investment is right for you.

Quarterly Investor Alerts

Subscribers receive monthly investment ideas. They also get quarterly updates with the ten best portfolio recommendations to buy now.

These rankings let investors buy multiple positions of existing portfolio suggestions. Subscribers even receive updates when notable events happen, such as earning announcements.

Private Resources

Users can read premium reports that provide information about investing in certain real estate sectors. These reports are provided in addition to the free investment guides.

Some of these publications cover assets that Real Estate Winners won’t recommend as they may require you to invest in individual property. But, these offerings can be a good match for your investment strategy.

While this information adds additional value, the monthly recommendations are the main benefit of the subscription.

Is Millionacres Legit?

Yes, Millionacres is a legitimate way to find real estate investment ideas. The service recommends public and private offerings available on stock and crowdfunding platforms.

Instead of using an investment service or stock screener to find tech or growth stocks, this tool focuses on real estate.

Investors who are serious about investing in real estate as an income-generating asset can benefit from Millionacres. The service makes it easier to find investments with the best potential returns.

Like any investment, there are natural market risks. A stock market recession or a downturn in commercial real estate can cause reduced or negative returns.

Nonetheless, real estate can be an effective way to diversify your investment portfolio. Depending on your strategy, either Mogul or Real Estate Winners can help with investment diversification.

Positives and Negatives

Before subscribing to Millionacres, here are some pros and cons to keep in mind. 

Millionacres Reviews

This investment research service doesn’t have a separate Trustpilot score for Millionacres. As a benchmark, Motley Fool has a 3.6 out of 5 Trustpilot rating with 5,855 customer reviews for its various premium publications.

Here are some of the testimonials:

“I’m happily building up my real estate portfolio…and very much appreciate the opportunity and guidance to diversify into this asset class. Great job to you and the team!” — Ken K.

“I was hesitant given the fee to join, but I’ve been incredibly impressed with the Mogul Score process.” — Kevin W.

“I’ve essentially built a nice portfolio of REITs thanks to your recommendations and have added to nearly every position this past month.” — Kerry N.

“Motley Fool subscription has been a GOOD experience. The only reason I did not give five stars = they seem to offer stock investment ideas that would fit higher income families. I am a teacher and my income is just under $40,000 / year.” — Rickey L.

Related Article: Top 9 Unaccredited Real Estate Investing Platforms

FAQs

Here are some common questions you may have about this real estate investment service.

Summary

Millionacres can make it easier to invest small amounts of money in real estate. Accredited and non-accredited investors can benefit from an annual subscription. 

The service may pay for itself since real estate can earn yields that rival the average stock market performance. However, you must decide if the cost is worth the amount you plan to invest.

Source link

By

Andrew Beattie

Updated Jul 13, 2022

Source link

Seeking Alpha and The Motley Fool both offer extensive investment ideas for individual stocks. Either service can help you become a better investor with free and premium research.

However, one platform might be a better match for your investment strategy than the other. My Seeking Alpha vs. The Motley Fool comparison can help you decide which one is ideal for you as I share my insights as a subscriber to both services.

How the Services Work

When comparing these two platforms, understanding the basics is important. Here’s a breakdown of how each service works.

Seeking Alpha

Seeking Alpha features bullish and bearish investment commentary from independent authors with investing experience. I think it’s best if you want to research multiple stocks and ETFs instead of waiting for the analyst team to furnish stock picks and being restricted to a model portfolio.

The service also publishes several complimentary newsletters that highlight the latest stock market news and investment trends. These articles cater to many investment strategies, including short-term trading and long-term holds.

It’s possible to read a limited number of free articles each month, but a paid membership is necessary for unlimited access. 

A Seeking Alpha Premium membership provides tools like:

• Exclusive stock ratings
• A portfolio tracker
• 10+ years of financial reports and earnings transcripts
• A stock screener

Paid subscribers can also follow authors, receive member-only investment recommendations and get a model portfolio. 

Learn More: Seeking Alpha Review

The Motley Fool

The Motley Fool publishes free daily articles about the stock market and single stocks and funds. You can read many articles for free without a monthly limit.

Like most investment research services, in-depth research and the best investment ideas can be found in premium newsletters. 

Services such as The Motley Fool Stock Advisor provide two monthly stock picks. You can also view the model portfolio and the investment performance of previous recommendations. The screener lets you sort ideas by cautious, moderate, and aggressive risk strategy.

While you can easily find multiple investment ideas from the free and premium research, the content focuses on a long-term “buy and hold” investment strategy. The Motley Fool stock picks have an average holding period of three and five years. 

This platform also publishes personal finance content to help you learn more about retirement and other financial decisions besides investing. 

Learn More: Motley Fool Review

How Motley Fool and Seeking Alpha Are Similar

Both platforms provide these features to help research stocks quickly.

Investing Ideas

You will find long-term investment ideas, primarily for stocks. Both platforms also offer coverage for ETFs. 

The articles and research reports highlight growth stocks in these asset classes:

• Banking
• Consumer staples
• Insurance
• Energy
• Tech
• Medical
• Online retail
• Precious metals
• Real estate
• Transportation

Both services use fundamental analysis to analyze potential investments.

Model Portfolios

A paid subscription with either service can help you view model portfolios for a particular investment strategy. These ideas can streamline your research process and provide focused investment ideas.

For example, a paid service focusing on established large-cap companies may avoid stocks that might be too volatile for your risk tolerance but can appeal to aggressive investors.

The Motley Fool follows a more traditional newsletter publication approach by offering several services with monthly stock picks. I like this approach if you don’t have time to research or want hands-on insights.

You can join one or multiple newsletters for a yearly fee to access new monthly recommendations and a list of foundational stocks that can be a good buy anytime.

Seeking Alpha theoretically provides more subscription opportunities as many authors have a portfolio and exclusive ideas behind the paywall. You can follow multiple authors with your premium subscription.

Podcasts

You can listen to free investing podcasts to help cover more ground if you need something to listen to while you commute, exercise, or garden.

The Motley Fool Money and Seeking Alpha’s Wall Street Breakfast are the flagship productions for each service. Each daily podcast reviews the latest market headlines and may provide an analysis of specific stocks and funds.

Both platforms also offer weekly podcasts about focused strategies. Plus, after listening to a podcast, you can search the respective site for in-depth commentary.

Search Capabilities 

You can search either platform by company name or stock symbol to find research when building a stock watchlist.

In addition to reading the latest coverage, you can also dig up old articles to gauge the accuracy of the author’s opinion. These articles can also help you learn more about the potential investment.

Each service also has a stock screener to filter stocks by specific ratings.

Here are the search capabilities available to subscribers:

Both services let you perform basic research, including researching the stock price history and financial valuation. A paid subscription is necessary to view in-depth analysis and ratings.

How Motley Fool and Seeking Alpha Are Different

While they have similarities, each platform has some differences that will make one better than the other depending on your investment research needs.

How Services are Offered

These services offer investment ideas in different ways. Here’s how they differ.

Model Portfolios

Seeking Alpha doesn’t moderate model portfolios like most investment newsletters. Instead, you must usually follow a certain author and await their commentary.

The Motley Fool has specialized model portfolios for every paid newsletter. However, you must pay a separate annual fee for each premium service.

Research Articles

While the research quality is similar between services, the investment commentary may appeal to different investors.

For example, The Motley Fool articles typically are more casual and are for long-term investors. As a result, they may be better for newer investors and those who prefer basic details.

Seeking Alpha articles are more professional, which experienced investors may prefer. These articles can also provide technical details and present a bullish and bearish case. Its research is more extensive since there’s coverage for nearly every publicly-traded stock and many ETFs.

Stock Ratings

Looking beyond the articles, Seeking Alpha offers more extensive ratings. For example, you can view author ratings, Wall Street analyst ratings, and the Seeking Alpha Quant Ratings to help decide if a stock has bullish, neutral or bearish investment potential. 

The Motley Fool only provides buy, hold or sell ratings for stocks within its paid newsletters. Stock recommendations also have quant analysis scores to estimate a fair valuation. Unfortunately, you won’t see ratings for companies not in its model portfolio.

Neither service provides individual investment advice.

Contributors

Another key difference is how each platform sources its content from authors and presents investment recommendations.

Seeking Alpha

Seeking Alpha is more diversified and has numerous contributors to the online community. For example, readers will need to discern whether the author is bullish or bearish and their investment methodology.

Several authors also weave technical analysis into their commentary and may mention target trading prices. You can follow a specific stock or author to avoid redundant commentary.

As a result, Seeking Alpha can be better if you like the diverse variety of investment opinions.

The Motley Fool

The Motley Fool uses staff writers for its premium newsletters. Independent contributors generate free content, but authors don’t rate stocks or offer a model portfolio.

Writers avoid nitty-gritty pricing details such as “buy up to prices” and stop losses to prevent market timing. Instead, each article adheres to the buy-and-hold investment philosophy.

As long as you maintain a long-term investment outlook, The Motley Fool’s content can have fewer competing voices. While it can be harder to find bullish and bearish opinions, you have a straightforward path for reading about a company.

Investment Philosophy

Both outlets cater to long-term investors who want to hold stocks for at least one year before selling. Still, there are some nuances between the investment strategies.

Seeking Alpha authors may encourage a shorter investment period to maximize market momentum for a specific stock or asset class. However, the strategy can be different for each contributor.

The Motley Fool recommends stocks they believe will beat the stock market over the next three to five years. This service doesn’t use stop losses or trading price ranges to enter or exit a trade. 

Price

The premium services for either company are competitively priced when you want an entry-level newsletter or an advanced service. 

Free Trial

One difference between both services is the risk-free trial period.

The Motley Fool offers a 30-day refund period on entry-level publications, but you must purchase an annual subscription upfront. There is no monthly payment plan available.

On the other hand, Seeking Alpha Premium offers a one-month trial period for $4.95 before paying the full annual fee.

The Motley Fool

The Motley Fool has many different newsletters that you can purchase.

Here are the annual prices for the platform’s newsletters:

Seeking Alpha

Seeking Alpha offers several paid plans that provide different member benefits. You can pay month-to-month or purchase a discounted annual subscription.

Here’s a breakdown of Seeking Alpha’s pricing:

Customer Service and Experience

Support options can be a big factor when choosing between two services. While each platform offers email and phone support as well as forums, online tutorials, and FAQs, there are some key differences.

The Motley Fool is a more interactive platform, but Seeking Alpha has a concierge service in their Pro Plan. This gives them access to customer support representatives who can help with their needs.

Who Are They Best For?

These summaries can help you choose the best investment site for your investing style.

Seeking Alpha

Consider Seeking Alpha if you prefer open-ended investment research from numerous author backgrounds. It can be easier to read the bullish and bearish insights from multiple contributors.

The stock screener and rating tools can provide more insights than your brokerage research tools. These features help provide fundamental and basic technical analysis for nearly any publicly traded stock and fund.

The Motley Fool

Long-term investors may find The Motley Fool the better fit as each stock pick has a multi-year holding period.

You might also prefer this platform if you find the abundance of author opinions and rankings at Seeking Alpha overwhelming. Instead, you receive two monthly stock picks and recurring portfolio updates for more hands-on guidance.

The lower annual fee can also be more appealing if you don’t need access to the additional Seeking Alpha research tools.

Related: Motley Fool Epic Review

Which is Best Overall?

When it comes down to it, each service has its strengths and weaknesses. Overall, it’s a wash.

Consider The Motley Fool if you want to primarily rely on the analyst team to recommend stocks and have a long-term investment focus.

Self-directed investors who prefer in-depth analysis of stocks and funds outside the model portfolio will benefit more from Seeking Alpha. 

In addition, Seeking Alpha is better if you’re pursuing several investment strategies and are an active investor making regular buy and sell trades.

Competitors

If you aren’t sure that Seeking Alpha or The Motley Fool are the right options, these investment research platforms can also help you research investment ideas and track your current portfolio.

Morningstar

A Morningstar Investor subscription lets you read analyst reports for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. This service is best known for its Morningstar ratings for funds. 

Additional premium features include a portfolio analyzer and a stock screener. While you won’t necessarily have a model portfolio, there are many lists of top-rated stocks and funds for various categories that you can tailor towards your investment strategy.

This service costs $34.99 monthly or $249 annually with an upfront payment. You can use a 7-day free trial to ensure it’s the right platform.

Learn more: Morningstar Investor Review: Is It Worth It?

Zacks

Zacks Investment Research offers analyst reports for many stocks and funds.

It’s the leading investment research firm focusing on stock research, analysis and recommendations. Since 1978, they have provided unparalleled stock research, analysis, and recommendations to both novice and experienced investors.

With nearly 800,000 members, Zacks also provides specialized insight from market experts who provide detailed guidance on achieving financial success in today’s stock market.

Zacks, using its proprietary system – the Zacks Rank, has beaten the S&P by an average of 25.08% over the last 33 years.

By analyzing earnings estimates, the Zacks Rank approximates the probability a company will outperform the stock market.  

Investors interested in a long-term strategy will appreciate the Focus List. It highlights the top 50 stocks set to outperform the market over the next 12 months.

Both experienced traders and beginners will have access to priceless tools like valuation rankings, stock screeners, and many other resources (both free and paid) to help elevate their investment strategy.

A Zacks Premium annual membership costs $249 per year, but investors are welcome to try it for 30 days absolutely free.

Learn more: Zacks Premium Review: Is It Worth It?

Verdict: Should You Use Seeking Alpha or Motley Fool?

You can find many investment ideas using Seeking Alpha or The Motley Fool. The better service for you depends on which research tools you want as well as your investment style.

Seeking Alpha lets you explore investment opportunities and pursue different investment strategies. However, The Motley Fool can be better for hands-on guidance since you receive specialized stock picks.

Regardless of which option you choose, both Seeking Alpha and The Motley Fool can help you discover new stock ideas.

Source link

MicroStrategy (Nasdaq: MSTR), now rebranded as Strategy, has evolved from an enterprise software company into a bold, Bitcoin-centric investment vehicle. Under the leadership of Executive Chairman Michael Saylor, Strategy has become the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin in the world — and its stock is now seen as a high-beta proxy for BTC itself.

But with the crypto market heating up again in 2025, does MicroStrategy stock represent a compelling opportunity… or an over-leveraged speculation?

Let’s break it down.

Bitcoin Holdings Update: Over 531,000 BTC and Counting

As of April 2025, Strategy holds 531,644 BTC, acquired at a total cost of $35.92 billion. This translates to an average purchase price of approximately $67,556 per Bitcoin.

The company’s latest Bitcoin purchase was announced in mid-April, when Strategy acquired 3,459 BTC for $285.8 million funded through an equity sale. The total market value of its BTC holdings now exceeds $45 billion, depending on price fluctuations — a staggering position that dwarfs the size of its legacy business operations.

Here’s another way to invest in MSTR through a leveraged options income etf called MSTY – a Yield Max ETF

Hey there! I’m Russ Amy, here at IU I dive into all things money, tech, and occasionally, music, or other interests and how they relate to investments. Way back in 2008, I started exploring the world of investing when the financial scene was pretty rocky. It was a tough time to start, but it taught me loads about how to be smart with money and investments.

I’m into stocks, options, and the exciting world of cryptocurrencies. Plus, I can’t get enough of the latest tech gadgets and trends. I believe that staying updated with technology is key for anyone interested in making wise investment choices today.

Technology is changing our world by the minute, from blockchain revolutionizing how money moves around to artificial intelligence reshaping jobs. I think it’s crucial to keep up with these changes, or risk being left behind.

Source link

By

Caroline Banton

Updated Dec 22, 2022

Source link