[kbutler]

Well, look at Microsoft's $150M investment in Apple in 1997:

https://www.engadget.com/2014/05/20/what-ever-became-of-micr...

By 2001, MSFT had 18 million shares of Apple, sold by 2003. Later a 2:1 and then a 7:1 stock split, would give them a value of $36 billion today (if my math and the article's math are correct), but was sold for a relatively small profit instead.

It's harder than you think to hold onto a massive amount of shares in a growing company.

[nimchimpsky]

You have supplied one bit of anecdotal evidence, you want me to list all the people/companies who held on to apple shares ?

[kbutler]

There are lots more, here's a more systematic study from Fidelity:

" The average investor lost money in the Fidelity Magellan fund under Peter Lynch’s tenure during a period of time when the fund returned around 29% annually."

http://www.innovativewealth.com/wall-street-wisdom/individua...

It's easy to look back and say, wow, if I had invested at that time, I'd have $x m/b, but the temptation to "lock in gains" or "diversify" is really strong. And sometimes it is right!

[nimchimpsky]

A systematic study, oh ok which study is that then - there is no link provided ?

The link you provided is just one persons essay.

And sometimes people sell for other valid reasons, they need the cash even though they think its still a good long term investment.

The original point was that yahoo and marissa meyer hardly set the business world alight by holding (not even buying), just holding, alibaba shares.

[kbutler]

> A systematic study, oh ok which study is that then - there is no link provided ? The link you provided is just one persons essay.

Well, that makes two more links than you've provided.

Sorry, can't find an original source link online (it was from before the interwebs, after all), but here's another with more quotes from Lynch, and google will find lots more:

http://ivanhoff.com/2016/10/23/five-market-insights-from-pet...

Yahoo definitely was successful with the Alibaba investment, whether through luck or good decision making - though I agree, the rest of their decision-making lends weight to the "luck" evaluation.

No dispute at all that they showed no competitive advantage in managing their actual business.

[nimchimpsky]

Two more links than I provided ? Um, right. But I am not claiming to have evidence from a "systematic study".

There must be millions of people around the world who have bought and held growing assets, my fucking dad did and he is no warren buffet.

I have absolutely no back up evidence of this, but you don't either. One blog, now two blogs neither of which are peer reviewed or provide any form of source data. This second blogs just quotes someone else.

Its hard to hold on to a growing asset ? I really don't think it is. Unless you desperately need the money for something more important.