The Journal
Blog
Market insights and trading education from the Alpha Sentinel team.
How to Recognize When an Investment Thesis Has Changed
Learn how to recognize when an investment thesis has changed, as distinct from a falling price, using six checks you can run in an afternoon.
How to Write an Investment Thesis in One Page
An investment thesis fits on one page: the business, your claim, the risks and what would change your mind. Learn the four stages to write one.
Segment Reporting: Seeing Which Parts of a Company Drive Results
Segment reporting breaks a company's results into its business lines. Learn where to find the segment note in a 10-K and how to compare segments over time.
Why Management's Ownership Stake Matters to Shareholders
Management's ownership stake shows whether executives share the shareholder's outcome. Learn where to find it in SEC filings and how to read it in context.
Short Interest: What the Number Does and Does Not Mean
Short interest counts shares sold short, but a high number is not a verdict. Learn what it measures, why the data lags and how to read it carefully.
Linear Versus Logarithmic Charts: Choosing the Right Scale
Linear charts space prices by dollars and log charts by percentage change. Learn how each scale reshapes the same history and when to use which.
Trading Volume Explained: What High and Low Volume Suggest
Trading volume measures how many shares changed hands and how broad participation was in a move. Learn how to read high and low volume in context.
Earnings Surprises Explained: Why Beating Estimates Does Not Guarantee a Rise
Why a stock can fall after beating earnings estimates: what a surprise measures, how expectations and guidance shape the reaction, and what to check.
The Cash Flow Statement: Following Where the Money Actually Goes
A stage-by-stage method for reading a cash flow statement: operating, investing and financing sections, free cash flow, and the cross-checks that matter.
Reading an Income Statement Line by Line
A line-by-line walk through the income statement, from revenue to net income, with the questions each line should prompt before you trust the bottom line.
Margin of Safety: What the Concept Means in Practice
Margin of safety is the cushion between what you pay and a conservative estimate of value. Learn what it means, how it is applied, and its limits.
Lump Sum Versus Dollar-Cost Averaging: What the Research Shows
Lump sum versus dollar-cost averaging: what research generally finds, why people still phase in, and how to choose a method you can stick with.