Does vectorvest work?

[mattjames1]

So I've been looking at finance shows for a while now and I always see vector vest commercials. Does anyone know if this thing is any good?

[aiki14]

So I've been looking at finance shows for a while now and I always see vector vest commercials. Does anyone know if this thing is any good?

They had a $9.95 trial last year and I bought it, it does a good screen based on their proprietary RSI that was pretty good, and I know a few folks from my local IBD meetup group that swear by it, but I do so many screens of my own I couldn't justify the $600+/yr fees. If I was short on time, I would more seriously consider it. Also it wasn't particularly Mac friendly.
It is very different from the tout sheets, it does a nice analysis, but it does not outright pick stocks for you. I does call market bias as well (tells you if the day is setting up to be good for longs, shorts, or to stay on the sidelines).
I find just subscribing to IBD to be more valuable overall. Hope that helps.

[freakscene]

Thanks

[pennipincher]

I know this reply is a few months later but there is not much on this forum for vectorvest, so I thought I would put my 2 cents in.

I am a beginning trader, have been trading for about 2 years. I started with Vectorvest, quit for about 8 months and went back to it. I did not do well without it. I work full time and do not have the time to research stocks. Some of the stocks I have picked with Vectorvest have done fantastic, and later turned out to be picks by winning fund mangers that I read about in articles. I have read it is not geared for day trading or long term investing which I also agree. I am a swing trader, and I have always made more than the $60 a month it costs, sometimes with only a couple trades a month. I have tried gorrilla trades (they tell you what and when to buy, no thinking required) and Reuters stock screener (you build your own screens), but Vectorvest is a whole different thing. You use their proven screens or even tweak them more yourself, or build one of your own, and you make the decisions of what to buy. I love the analysis tools and the backtest you can run on any portfolio for almost any time period. All the loser stocks I have ever gotten stuck in, would have never been on a vectorvest list to buy. They provide tutorials on the website and there are local user groups to attend. My return on my investments with Vectorvest is about 100%. It would be more if I traded more regularly and if I bought 10 different stocks at a time but I don't have the 100k they recommend to start with. I did turn 10k into 20k in one year buying and selling up to 3 stocks at a time. I can't complain about that.

[wallstreetsedge]

if youre looking for a pretty good screener, i would say try out www.stockcharts.com

you can pretty much search by almost any criteria

[howiesfunware]

...but I do so many screens of my own I couldn't justify the $600+/yr fees.How are you doing your own screens?

[Gzapper]

if you go to wallstreejournal.com and on the very bottom they have a link that says "classic stock screener". if you click on that link you will be brought to what is called the exasperation of the RSI. as you know if u mix the RSI, moving average, bollinger bands, scrambled eggs with ham, burnt toast, fish, lettuce, and dehydronated ohh nooo james just hurt his knee! oh noo please help the sky light of zoron to fornicate heavy angle measures in buttery popcorn 8O

[Gzapper]

fo' sheeezy

[netwrangler]

How are you doing your own screens?
I do pretty well, thank you. How are you doing with yours?

uhh...mine are free, of course. ;)

[netwrangler]

ahh, I may have mis-interpreted your question.

I use the screens available to me from my broker [Schwab]. I use, as well the free screens from Yahoo Finance and the 'premium' [read 'fee'] screens from Morningstar.

As a rule, I find these screens give me more than enough data to digest.

[addbob42]

My experience with Vectorvest has taught me to pay attention to MARKET TIMING. I know all about those "you can't time the market" pronouncements. Vectorvest has satisfied that argument to my complete satisfaction. There are probably better stock selection ideas elsewhere. I like ZACKS. If you use Zacks #1s, with high Vectorvest RT and only go long when Vectorvest issues a CONFIRMED BUY it's hard to go wrong.

I'm baffled by those who say it's overpriced or costly. I'll tell you what's costly, loosing money!

I hope this helps you.

[vintner]

I started out with Investools, then switched to Vectorvest. After using it a year, I went back to Investools. Felt Investools had better searches, news was right at my fingertips, more fundamental info available with Investools. Vectorvest may have updated since then, it has been a few years ago that I used it, but I will stick with Investools.

[none9999]

I'll tell you what's costly, loosing money!


Next time, tie it more tightly then....

[caseace]

I'd have to agree that its a useful tool in finding out about some stocks that you've never heard of before but the cost for just that is a bit high. Also the problem is that a high percentage of the stocks are penny stocks that are somewhat useless unless you really want to gamble:)

You can read some more reviews on this vectorvest (http://www.reviewopedia.com/vectorvest.htm) article I came across. I'm still somewhat ambivalent about it as my account is still active and I use it occasionally..

[Hondaboy]

I got this when they did a 9.99 trial and was ok for the first month but felt it didn't fit my style.

[Bandito$]

I started tinkering with a $45k portfolio last fall and by January of this year it was $35k... what a nice learning curve that was!

I started using VV in December '08 and was using it exclusively by March of this year. The same portfolio is now pushing $70k and is directly attributed to VV's screening and data culls.

Vector is a fantastic tool, but you have to spend many^many hours playing with it and getting comfortable with output, doing backtests, etc. It won't suit everyone's style but it is also highly flexible to customize your search strategies.

It does have some drawbacks - e.g. blackbox processing, potentially inaccurate backtest results (its a internal bug), and higher cost (compared to other systems).

However - in the end it is worth $450/yr.... every penny.

[Florida]

I started tinkering with a $45k portfolio last fall and by January of this year it was $35k... what a nice learning curve that was!

I started using VV in December '08 and was using it exclusively by March of this year. The same portfolio is now pushing $70k and is directly attributed to VV's screening and data culls.

Vector is a fantastic tool, but you have to spend many^many hours playing with it and getting comfortable with output, doing backtests, etc. It won't suit everyone's style but it is also highly flexible to customize your search strategies.

It does have some drawbacks - e.g. blackbox processing, potentially inaccurate backtest results (its a internal bug), and higher cost (compared to other systems).

However - in the end it is worth $450/yr.... every penny.

I use VV also, and find the ability to use your own criteria to generate searches to be very helpful, but giving it credit for a 100% gain in 3 months vs. a 20% loss in the previous period is a bit much.

The market as a whole has had a tremendous move up in the past couple of months, compared with a big move down in the previous period. Some of the gutsy calls that would have killed a portfolio from last fall through early this year, are the same ones that would make you a hero in the past couple of months.

Enjoy it while you can, as the past couple of months is certainly not the norm.

[Bandito$]

True enough, and to give credit where credit is due: The loses were entirely my own devising - VV had no input into those. As I gained a level of comfort with VV (say Jan - Feb this year), I put my strategies to use (entirely coincidently as it turned out), the first week of March.

The strategy is highly volatile, but does have a net positive expectation. Depending over what period you measure; it could be +1.5% (long term), +6% (medium term), or +20% (near term) per week. It doesn't take long to double your pot when the return is double-digit per week! I'll fwd. the criteria if you want.

The strategy I use is a style of bottom-fishing (sim. to "Jailbreak") which has been abundantly profitable since the end of last November... if only I could have been playing it since then!

Which brings me to why I joined this forum... I do have some serious reservations about how VV undertakes backtesting. I will perhaps start a thread on the topic once I collect all my thoughts.

[madcowdisease]

I've always felt these trading programs were somewhat of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If enough people were to sign up and act on the recommendations the stocks would move simply based on the influx of cash.

Granted you all stated VV does not give specific picks but services like Gorilla Trades states they do in their commercials. I'm not a fan of relying on a service. But if it works then I might have to change my opinion.

[Florida]

I've always felt these trading programs were somewhat of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If enough people were to sign up and act on the recommendations the stocks would move simply based on the influx of cash.

Granted you all stated VV does not give specific picks but services like Gorilla Trades states they do in their commercials. I'm not a fan of relying on a service. But if it works then I might have to change my opinion.

VV is not a stock picking service at all, but rather a service that provides data on stocks and allows the user to construct "ad hoc" reports of their own design.

They do provide general interpretation of the markets, and their version of market timing indicators that have already been mentioned.

For example, if one wanted a list of all optionable NASDAQ stocks trading within a range of $2 to $50, with a minimum volume of 100000 shares on any given day in the past 20 or so years, I don't know where else you would go.

Perhaps this example does not mean much, but maybe a list of all stocks meeting the above criteria that have moved up at least 40% in the past month would be of more interest.

[madcowdisease]

VV is not a stock picking service at all, but rather a service that provides data on stocks and allows the user to construct "ad hoc" reports of their own design.

They do provide general interpretation of the markets, and their version of market timing indicators that have already been mentioned.

For example, if one wanted a list of all optionable NASDAQ stocks trading within a range of $2 to $50, with a minimum volume of 100000 shares on any given day in the past 20 or so years, I don't know where else you would go.

Perhaps this example does not mean much, but maybe a list of all stocks meeting the above criteria that have moved up at least 40% in the past month would be of more interest.

Do they offer a free trial?

[Florida]

Do they offer a free trial?

I don't believe they do, but I believe they have a 30 day trial for like $9.95 or something like that.

[madcowdisease]

I don't believe they do, but I believe they have a 30 day trial for like $9.95 or something like that.

Cool. Thank you, sir. If they have in place a rewards program by which any of you current subscribers get a kick-back for a referral feel free to shoot me a PM and I'll sign up.

[Joyell]

Madcowdisease.........did you sign up? If so, what are your thoughts about vv?

[CopaceticT]

To VV customers only (former and current):

Hi all. I am new to this forum but have been thinking of joining VV for some months now. I am a total novice and couldn't tell a Forex from a front loaded fund. :wink:

Just kidding. I just want to improve my returns on stocks.

Does anyone have experience to show whether the claimed gains for VV actually materialize or is it just marketing hype? Hard facts only please, your opinions are valued but this is a simple question. When you try their recommended strategies do you actually gain as much as they claim? Is it less? Or is it more?

Is it :top: :confused2: :thumpdown: or :party:

[Florida]

To VV customers only (former and current):

Hi all. I am new to this forum but have been thinking of joining VV for some months now. I am a total novice and couldn't tell a Forex from a front loaded fund. :wink:

Just kidding. I just want to improve my returns on stocks.

Does anyone have experience to show whether the claimed gains for VV actually materialize or is it just marketing hype? Hard facts only please, your opinions are valued but this is a simple question. When you try their recommended strategies do you actually gain as much as they claim? Is it less? Or is it more?

Is it :top: :confused2: :thumpdown: or :party:

From a previous post of mine in this same thread back in May:

*************

VV is not a stock picking service at all, but rather a service that provides data on stocks and allows the user to construct "ad hoc" reports of their own design.

They do provide general interpretation of the markets, and their version of market timing indicators that have already been mentioned.

For example, if one wanted a list of all optionable NASDAQ stocks trading within a range of $2 to $50, with a minimum volume of 100000 shares on any given day in the past 20 or so years, I don't know where else you would go.

Perhaps this example does not mean much, but maybe a list of all stocks meeting the above criteria that have moved up at least 40% in the past month would be of more interest.


***********

As for their strategies, had you entered when they say, and exited when they say, the strategies would have paid off as they have noted, however, anyones ability to enter and exit at those precise points is questionable. Also, their strategies are often crafted after a move in the market, and results are based on backtesting, so not real true results.

Their "model portfolio" is up like 92% YTD, but you would not be able to match that performance by following them, as they do not announce their entry on any specific strategy until the night after they entered, and they do not announce their exiting a strategy until the night after they have exited, so the individual trying to copy them would always be one day behind, (sometimes to your advantage, sometimes to your disadvantage).

After all this has been said, I still like their service for the reasons mentioned in my previous posts in this thread, but I do not use their strategies for entrance or exits to trades.

[CopaceticT]

Thank you FL for your candid response. That was the kind of technical detail that I was looking for.

I wouldn't mind losing a couple of percent on either end of a trade as long as we're talking about a 90% gain YTD.

I wonder if anyone has tried to buy on green. I wouldn't turn down a 60% gain inside of 6 months.

[mno]

Hi
i am interested to buy this service and finding mixed reviews in various internet postings.
Is there any one in the forum who is curently using it or used in recent past?

I wanted to know if it gave the sell indicator for BAC/C/RF/AMD and some other which came down heavly last week.

I made some money in these stocks and after my sell, the prices came down and I started buying them again and then it came further down and I bought some more and then it came down next day.. my funds gone and now no funds and no way to find out if thery will not go any further down.

Thanks in advance

[Florida]

Hi
i am interested to buy this service and finding mixed reviews in various internet postings.
Is there any one in the forum who is curently using it or used in recent past?

I wanted to know if it gave the sell indicator for BAC/C/RF/AMD and some other which came down heavly last week.

I made some money in these stocks and after my sell, the prices came down and I started buying them again and then it came further down and I bought some more and then it came down next day.. my funds gone and now no funds and no way to find out if thery will not go any further down.

Thanks in advance

BAC Buy to Hold on 10-20, Hold to Sell on 10-26

C Buy to Hold on 10-20, hold to sell on 10-28

RF Buy to hold on 10-19, hold to sell on 10-26

AMD Hold to sell on 10-30, sell to hold on 11-2

I never use VV for buy and hold on individual stocks, but as I have mentioned earlier in this thread, I use it to screen for stocks based on different attributes. Their market timing is interesting though, showing the market turning from up to down on 10-28.

[mno]

BAC Buy to Hold on 10-20, Hold to Sell on 10-26

C Buy to Hold on 10-20, hold to sell on 10-28

RF Buy to hold on 10-19, hold to sell on 10-26

AMD Hold to sell on 10-30, sell to hold on 11-2

I never use VV for buy and hold on individual stocks, but as I have mentioned earlier in this thread, I use it to screen for stocks based on different attributes. Their market timing is interesting though, showing the market turning from up to down on 10-28.

thanks Florida, the predication seems to have been working.
I have to wait till this weekend and then jump.
I was thinking first to take the $9.99 trial it in my wife's name and use trial for 35 days and then take in my name for another months. and I am sure that two montsh would be good enough to decide weather it fits to my needs.

I normaly put linit orders in the night for the next day as I avoid using invstment account while in office. I dont get much time also to study the market. Just brpwse different forums and make a guess and buy.

[CopaceticT]

I never use VV for buy and hold on individual stocks
Here's a theory, please tell me if I am way off base.

1. The only way to make money in the stock market is to find those stocks that are about to skyrocket to huge gains, as opposed to locating stocks that have already had their run up and "the real money" has already or is about to abandon it for greener pastures.

2. My thought was to use VV to locate stocks that have recently been marked a "buy" say for 5 days. Previous recommendations naturally being either hold or sell.

Is a buy recommendation more often than not a reliable indication of future gains?

To round out the theory, some stocks will surely tank as soon as you buy it so I'd have a stop to minimize losses. On the flip side, some stocks may just keep climbing so I'd hold onto those, a floating stop in place to lock in gains, or until a sell recommendation -- so no "cap" or other dollar limit, can you imagine buying Birkshire Hathaway but selling it because it crossed a percentage gain "magic line?" I wish I had that crystal ball.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Edit to add: "I've got a fever, and the only prescription is MORE COWBELL"

[GMac]

Vector Vest is a GREAT database but that's about it... and as mentioned earlier, recommendations come after the fact -- two hours after closing bell. Back to "great" database, I am still trying to find that one query that will forecast rather than review stock performance as VV provides a series of reports that "claim" to have behooved users by a daily report broken down in percentages. Of 7926 stocks retrieved from VV, "BUY" status accounted 4% net gains, "HOLD" status accounted for 10%, and "SELL" status accounted for 86% of total net gains for one day. I am continuing to search for that one report out of VV because I am a kind hopeful man making a living off trading. So far, my bills are paid because of gut feelings and nothing else.

[CopaceticT]

How did you derive the 4%?