The Importance of Stock Price in Investing

There is no need for one to be told of the benefits of investing in stocks. Price is central to investing in and trading stocks. “Bhav bhagwan che” is a popular Gujarati saying. It translates to “Price is God.” While this might be a bit of a stretch, it does have merit. Price is the ultimate indicator of the stock’s performance and the most effective way to know if the stock is doing better than it was a few days, weeks, or months ago. The factors affecting share prices in the stock market are company financials, market sentiment, and the future macroeconomic outlook, which are factored into the price of the stock. But how important is the stock price really in the grand scheme of things? Is it a crucial factor to consider before making an investment, or is it just one piece of the puzzle?

Role of Stock Price in the Investment Process

To answer this question, it’s important to understand the role that stock price plays in the investment process. In investment basics, the price of a stock reflects the value that the market places on a particular company. How are stock prices determined? The price represents the current demand for the company’s shares against the available outstanding shares (supply), as well as the expectations of future performance. Stock exchanges play a big role in price discovery. Each “BUY” trade placed on an exchanged matching “SELL” trade is matched. In other words, the equilibrium between “buy” and “sell” is the current price. This is how stock prices are determined in real-time.

However, it’s important to remember that stock price is just one factor to consider when evaluating an investment opportunity. When considered alone, it does not determine the success or failure of an investment, though there is a sizable trading population that uses price action for short-term trades. There are many other factors at play, such as the company’s financial health, its competitive advantage, and the overall state of the economy to state a. Holistic consideration is needed before making an investment decision. 

Factors Affecting Share Prices in the Stock Market

The stock price can still be a useful indicator for value vs growth investing. It can provide insight into the market’s perception of a company and its future outlook. For example, a stock that is trading at a high price and valuation may be seen as a good investment opportunity because the market believes that the company has strong potential for growth. On the other hand, a stock that is trading at a low price may be seen as a riskier investment, as the market may have concerns about the company’s financial health or future prospects. As an example, 1 share of MRF is priced at ₹92,701. 

While that remains true, two stocks cannot be compared with each other based on price. For example, Federal Bank which is a large cap share, a market cap: of ₹ 28,454 crores is available at a price of ₹134.6. Whereas Karnataka Bank a small cap, market cap: of ₹4,689.3 crores is available at a share price of ₹150.4. So, the share price is not an indicator of the size or performance of the company. So it is not possible to answer whether it is better to buy low-priced stocks than high-priced stocks without considering other parameters.

Is stock price important in investing?

The short answer is yes, but it’s not the only thing to consider. As an investor, these are the important terms you should know before investing in stocks: financial performance, debt-to-equity ratio, debt coverage, valuation of the stock in comparison with the sector and other competitors, and other technical indicators before making an investment or trading decision. This can help you make informed decisions that are based on more than just the stock price alone.

Conclusion

The stock price is an important factor to consider when investing in the stock market, but it should not be the only factor. It’s just one piece of the puzzle, and it’s important to consider a range of factors, such as the company’s financial health and competitive advantage, before making an investment decision. The price is a cumulative effect of all factors that impact the current and future performance of the company. For trading, on the other hand, price plays a bigger role.