Jim, I can imagine it's a bit rough and sympathise.
There may be full time professionals that can beat the market trading but what hope have we to match their resources? Trading is a wealth transfer game on average it runs at a loss due to brokerage - like horse racing.
Long term investment yields dividends and profits for those who pick the right companies. On average therefore investors do OK.
Listening to investment professionals and CEOs is useful but best to assume they paint a rosy picture (to put it nicely). The hard data is in the financials and your knowledge of an industry.
I bought SGH at $3.5 last year, the analysts said good things and there were 70 lawyers who read through the aquisition according to Macquarie and Craig's as I recall - however I wasn't sure so I did a Google search and came up with what Gotham wrote so I sold a week later at $3.3.
The golden rule in investment is buy what you know, don't trust anyone else.
I am not sure are the four most underrated words in investing. Very occasionally you can be sure.
Best wishes to holders.
