The Motley Fool Stock Advisor is a premium stock recommendation service that helps investor pick long-term growth stocks to achieve market outperformance.
Tom and David Gardner, co-founders of the Motley Fool, lead the Motley Fool Stock Advisor investment selection team. It’s the oldest Motley Fool newsletter and their signature premium service.
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Stock Advisor Team: Tom and David Gardner
Investment advice is only as credible as the source. If Warren Buffett tells you to buy a stock, you buy it. If your coworker tells you to buy a stock, you should probably do your own research first.
So, who exactly is giving the stock recommendations at the Motley Fool?
The Motley Fool was founded by Tom and David Gardner and the Gardner brothers are still the faces of the company today. Every Stock Advisor stock pick comes from either Tom or David.
Includes 30-day Membership Refund Period
Who Should Subscribe to the Motley Fool?
Before you invest more time reading our Motley Fool review, you probably want to know if the service is right for you. Every investor is unique, and there’s no such thing as a universal service that meets the needs of all people.
So, who should consider signing up for the Motley Fool’s Stock Advisor program?
It really comes down to a single question: do you invest in stocks?
If you invest in individual stocks, you will get value from the Motley Fool (after all, they provide stock picks). It’s really that simple. Motley Fool stock picks are great for building your first portfolio, growing an existing portfolio, or optimizing a retirement portfolio.
While the Stock Advisor service is primarily geared towards long-term investors, many of the picks also provide good swing trading opportunities.
What Do Stock Advisor Members Get?
The Stock Advisor offering is very simple. Members get two new stock picks every month.
There are some other perks included with the membership, but most members subscribe to receive stock recommendations (myself included). The stock picks are the reason I’ve been happily paying the membership fee for years.
Every month, Motley Fool will send out a new stock recommendation by email (also accessible from the member’s area of the website). The stock recommendation will tell you what stock to buy and at what price. If you want to keep things simple, you can add the stock to your portfolio, sit back, and wait for the next alert.
If you feel more comfortable understanding the rationale behind the stock pick (as I do), the alert is also backed by a full research report. The research report is a “no fluff” explanation of why the Motley Fool made the stock pick. Each report includes sections on:
- About the Company
- The Big Picture Opportunity
- Thoughts on the Company’s Management
- Why the Recommendation Was Made NOW
- Potential Risks Involved with the Investment
The report combines hours of stock market research into a report that takes about 5-10 minutes to read. As mentioned above, you don’t need to read the reports, but I feel more comfortable when I know more about the stocks I invest in. If I am going to build a portfolio from Motley Fool stock picks, I want to make sure I know what I’m invested in.
So, how have these stock picks performed? Let’s take a closer look.
How Does the Motley Fool Perform?
The value and credibility of a stock picking service are measured by the performance of the service’s stock picks. If a company is going to charge for stock picks, they better make sure that those stock picks justify the fee they are charging for the service.
This is part of the reason I steer clear of traditional financial advisors. Most of the time, they throw your money in a few popular mutual funds and collect an annual fee of 1-3%. They rarely beat the market and their work hardly justifies their annual fee.
There’s a myth amongst cynics that “no one can beat the market” These cynics would be right to point to the majority of fund managers and advisors who do not beat the market, however, they neglect a large group of investors who consistently beat the market year-over-year.
Beating the market is hardly an impossible feat. The market represents average performance and there are plenty of investors who achieve above-average results. If trying to beat the market is a “fool’s game,” who better to trust than the Motley Fool?
Motley Fool stock picks have been beating the market for over fifteen years.
Just check out some of their top-performing stock recommendations below. Some of them have returned as high as 25,000%. While this type of performance isn’t the norm (and you shouldn’t expect to make 25,000% on a single stock), the company still has a track record of exceptional performance.
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor program has been beating the S&P 500 (i.e. “the market”) for over 15 years. Since its inception, the Stock Advisor program has achieved returns of 487%. In that same period, the S&P 500 has returned 102%. This is no chump change.
$10,000 invested in the Motley Fool’s stock picks would now be worth $58,700. If that same $10,000 was invested in an S&P 500 mutual fund or ETF, it would be worth $20,200. Both are great, but I’d certainly prefer the extra $38,500 I would have made by investing in the Fool’s stock picks.
To put it simply, The Motley Fool Stock Advisor beats the S&P 500 by a considerable margin every year.
How Does the Motley Fool Stock Advisor Compare to Other Services?
If you are looking for a stock advisor, it makes sense to shop around a bit. That’s part of the reason we made this site. There are dozens of different financial services and we wanted to make sure we were using the best ones.
To date, we’ve tried most of the popular financial services (ranging from stock brokers to stock pickers) and here’s how we think the Motley Fool compares to the competition.
Motley Fool vs. Other Stock Picking Services
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor program is the best stock picking service for two key reasons:
- Track Record – There are very few stock picking services that have been around as long as the Motley Fool. Personally, I have a hard time trusting a stock picker who only has a track record of a couple of years. The market is ever-changing and previously successful investors get wiped out every year. The Stock Advisor program has a time-tested track record of over 15 years.
- Price – Financial advice isn’t cheap. Shop around and you’ll see that many advisors charge upward of $1,000/year. Ask for a financial advisor at your bank or broker and they’ll want to take a cut of your portfolio. The Stock Advisor Program is $99/year. It really doesn’t get any better than that.
If you’re looking for hot stock picks and you are only going to sign up for one service, use the Motley Fool Stock Advisor.
Stock Advisor vs. Other Motley Fool Services
I’ve been a paying member of the Stock Advisor program for a few years. During that time, I’ve come across a few other Motley Fool services. Some I came across during my own research, while other ones were pitched to me by the company.
The only service I consistently pay for is the Stock Advisor service. I’ve used Rule Breakers from time to time, but I much prefer Stock Advisor. Rule Breakers is a service that is complementary to the Stock Advisor service. The main difference is that Rule Breakers specializes in growth investing. The program’s stock picks are focused on “high growth” companies, whereas the Stock Advisor criteria is more broad. You can’t go wrong with either Rule Breakers or Stock Advisor, but if you’re going to pick one, The Motley Fool Stock Advisor service is your best bet.
Here’s a pro tip. Choose one service and stick to it. Motley Fool is known for its aggressive upsells. After you sign up for one service, the company will start pitching other, more expensive services. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype and FOMO (fear of missing out), but it’s important to stay grounded.
At the end of the day, you’re paying for stock picks, and you only need a few great stock recommendations to beat the market every year. You will get that with the Stock Advisor program. Furthermore, if you pay for a year of the service, you will get two new stock picks per month. There will be plenty of investment opportunities.
Additional Details About the Motley Fool
Is the Stock Advisor Program Worth the Money?
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor program is priced at $99/year. I’ve been paying that subscription fee for years. The main question I ask myself before renewing every year is, “will I make more than $99 if I pay for this?” The answer is always a resounding, “yes!” The subscription fee is marginal compared to what you get.
In 2020, the Motley Fool’s stock picks are beating the stock market (S&P 500) by over 25%. This means, even if you only invested $500, the service would pay for itself. If you invested more than $500 (as most investors do), the program would pay for itself ten-fold. If you are ready to sign up, you can access the latest discounted pricing using this link.
Does the Motley Fool Have Losing Picks?
Of course. Every investor has losing picks. Investment ideas aren’t always winners. Even when they are, they are still subject to market trends and other random variables that may influence the short-term price action of the stock.
There are two points I want to hit here.
First, a note on risk management. It’s up to you to manage the risk of your stock portfolio. Every investor has a different investing style and risk tolerance level. Some stock market investors can stomach a 10% drawdown while others prefer to cut losses at 3%. There is no perfect way to manage risk in the stock market – it all comes down to your personal situation and preferences. While Motley Fool will issue “sell alerts” when their thesis is swayed, it’s still up to you to look out for your own portfolio. Keep in mind that Motley Fool’s stock recommendations are long-term picks. The companies are expected to perform well in the long-term. While many picks find early success, you should not expect every stock pick to go straight up right away.
Second, a note on transparency. Many readers have asked me if Motley Fool shows their losing trades or just hypes up the winners. Stock Advisor members have access to the program’s track record since 2002. You can see every single on of Motley Fool’s stock picks, the resulting return, and its performance compared to the S&P 500. This list includes every single stock recommendation, both the winners and the losers.
Does Motley Fool Tell You When to Sell?
The main value of the service comes from the buy recommendations. The stock recommendations are intended to be long-term holds. Many of the stocks have performed well over the past decade, giving investors no reason to sell. That said, you may choose to sell a stock whenever you’d like. For example, if one of my stocks is up over 100%, I always like to sell some shares to lock in some profits. Other investors may be more patient.
Motley Fool will issue “Sell Recommendations” when they believe it is time to sell a stock that they previously recommended. Below is a recent example. The stock was recommended as a “buy” in April 2013 and a “sell” in June 2020.
Is Motley Fool Legit?
By this point in the Motley Fool review, it should be clear that the company is legitimate. The service is fairly priced and the program has a track record of exceptional performance. Motley Fool’s stock picks speak for themselves. The stock recommendations have been outperforming the stock market for over 15 years and the company provides a full record of every stock pick for investors who would like to dig deeper.
I wanted to use this section to address some of the misconceptions people may have about the Motley Fool. The company often gets a bad reputation for its aggressive marketing tactics. If you frequent any financial website you’ve probably seen their ads. Headlines often read “triple buy alert” or “the next Amazon.” Of course, you have to enter your email address to receive a special research report and once you enter your email address, the company is likely to pitch you on their premium services.
These marketing tactics and bold marketing messaging tend to trigger the “if it’s too good to be true…” reflex in most diligent investors. Most diligent stock market investors know that they are unlikely to discover the next Amazon on the ground floor. Sure’ it’s a possibility, but it’s unlikely.
While I cannot defend the company’s marketing tactics, I can say that the service is legitimate. Just look past the hype. If you want to beat the S&P 500, you’re in the right place. If you’re trying to create generational wealth from a single stock pick, you need to adjust your expectations.
The Stock Advisor service comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you’re unhappy with the results after 30 days, you can reach out to customer service to get a full refund.
Includes 30-day Membership Refund Period
Motley Fool Review: Final Thoughts
Motley Fool Stock Advisor is the best stock picking service on the market today. The company has a proven track record of beating the S&P 500 for the past 18 years. On top of that, membership only costs $99/year (sign up here). Members get instant access to a list of stock recommendations as well as two new stock picks per month. What more can you ask for?
Final Thoughts on Motley Fool Stock Advisor
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor program is ideal for investors with long-term horizons. Over time, these stock recommendations have outperformed the market and provided significant returns. Motley Fool stock recommendations have beaten the stock market by over 400% since inception and the company has been at it for over 15 years. That says it all.
At only $99 per year, you can’t go wrong with the Stock Advisor service. You will get excellent stock advice, great long-term stock recommendations backed by technical research, and two new stock picks every month.
Of all the stock subscriptions I have tried over the years, Tom and David Gardner’s Stock Advisor gives you the greatest service for your money and Is definitely worth the current price of $99 per year for new subscribers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Romain is an independent trader and investor specializing in financial market analysis and trading systems. He worked as a professional long/short equity trader for a trading firm in New York and has a passion for building mechanical trading strategies. He has been in the industry since 2008.
DISCLAIMER
This post expresses the opinions of the writer and is for information, entertainment purposes only. Romain is not a registered financial advisor or certified analyst. The reader agrees to assume all risk resulting from the application of any of the information provided. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns and financial trading is full of risk.) Please read the Full Disclaimer