Why Subscribe to Herb on the Street
How to avoid the biggest mistake investors make when buying stocks.
(If you’re not yet a full subscriber to On the Street, and wonder why you should subscribe, this post is for you. My prices will be going up on January 1 to $300 per year or $35 per month.)
The single biggest mistake investors make is looking at reward before risk. The smartest investors do just the opposite…
Looking for reasons to avoid buying a stock, or what the risks are if you do, has been the hallmark of Herb on the Street for decades and, in more recent years, my Red Flag Alerts.
It’s why, if you’re serious about investing, you should consider becoming a fully paid subscriber.
If you don’t think you can either make or avoid losing the price of the subscription – currently $250/35 but rising to $300/50 on January 1, then you should not subscribe… unless, of course, you’re here because you find some other value in my work.
I like to think that I’m helping you manage or merely identify risk… or if you’re not an active investor, helping educate you about why some people might be on the opposite side of your trade. I can’t stress the importance of this!
Either way, as I explain in my introduction to the Red Flag Alerts, the concept is simple: with thousands of publicly traded stocks, why pick these?
Even if I don’t write about your stock: in a market where “you only live once” and “hold on for dear life” have eclipsed the likes of Ben Graham and “The Intelligent Investor,” hopefully Herb on the Street you will help serve as a reminder of the risks.
P.S.: I also raise a few generally “off the radar” green flags, such as AppLovin APP 0.00%↑, Danaher DHR 0.00%↑ and Triumph Financial TFIN 0.00%↑, but I practice what I preach – always thinking to myself: Is this a name my short-seller friends will be hopping on?
Who I Am
I spent much of my decades-long career as a financial journalist, but also co-founded two short-biased research firms and edited two long-biased newsletters. I even spent a year working at a risk arbitrage firm, specializing in betting on takeovers. You can read my bio on LinkedIn. I get exhausted just looking at it.
Herb Greenberg | On the Street, known better as Herb on the Street, is a culmination of reporting on, writing about and researching stocks, companies, the markets and virtually any and every industry.
Flying red flags is what I do. It’s in my DNA. It’s what I love, though truth be told: I like finding under-the-radar longs, too – all while poking holes in conventional wisdom and going out of my way not to follow the herd.
Most of all, I like using facts and figures to tell stories, with a goal of not boring you in the process.
There are lots research reports out there; not all of them are fun to read.
I figure if I have fun writing it, you will enjoy reading it... and hopefully either making or avoid losing money along the way.
Why I Started Charging
As much as I like giving away things, I also know the value of my content, especially my Red Flags. I’m entirely reader supported.
The way I see it: If you’re a serious investor and you can’t recoup the cost of the subscription by either making more than I charge – or avoiding losing at least that much – then you shouldn’t subscribe.
I tend to appeal to investors who are serious about understanding the risks associated with specific companies and, at times, the markets.
What You Should Expect
I don’t promise a certain number of “new ideas” per week, per month or per year.
I feel strongly in not setting a specific schedule, because doing so encourages writing for the sake of writing and meeting a schedule. Been there, done that! I believe that’s the wrong reason to publish... especially when everybody is already overwhelmed by emails.
That said, if you review my archives, you will see that I’m wired to write... and generally write no less than one time per week, often more... sometimes much more!
However, there’s a fine line between generating noise and value, and I try hard not to cross it.
In general, I’m committed to publishing, on average, at least once each week for 46 weeks out of the year – sliced and diced whichever way you like.
Also – I don’t offer trials. I figure subscribers seriously interested can always try me out for a month with a monthly subscription.
Have questions, see my FAQs below. But first…
What paid subscribers are saying…
FAQs
How much are you charging?
My special introductory rate will be $250 a year. That includes full access to my archives.
Do you offer a group rate?
Absolutely. My group rate for two or more people is $200 per person, or a 20% discount. Hit the group button on the “subscribe” page.
Your monthly price is higher than the annual rate. Why?
My goal is to build a strong community of subscribers. I don’t want people paying a low price just to gain access to one report and grab everything else while they’re there. It’s not fair to others, and encourages churn.
Plus, at my current (and soon to be increased) price of $250, I know I’m a bargain.
Who is your target subscriber?
Anybody who is serious about understanding the risks associated with specific companies and, at times, the markets.
How often do you plan to publish?
I feel strongly in not setting a specific schedule, because doing so encourages writing for the sake of writing and meeting a schedule. Been there, done that! I believe that’s the wrong reason to publish... especially when everybody is already overwhelmed by emails.
That said, if you review my archives, you will see that I’m wired to write... and generally write no less than one time per week, often more... sometimes much more!
However, there’s a fine line between generating noise and value, and I try hard not to cross it.
In general, I’m committed to publishing, on average, 46 weeks out of the year – sliced and diced whichever way you like.
How are Red Flag Alerts different from Herb on the Street?
Herb on the Street, my signature brand, is mostly topical opinion, observation and topical commentary on the stocks, the markets, industries and business. It’s also where I fly my occasional green flags.
Red Flag Alerts is exactly what its name implies: It’s generally stock and company specific.
Do you have samples of your Red Flag Alerts?
I consider my archives as valuable as recently published work. Still, since you asked…
And…
Are Red Flag Alerts designed for short-sellers?
I created Red Flag Alerts to highlight stocks to avoid and help those who are new to investing understand more about the risks and why some people may be taking the other side of their trade. The concept is simple: with thousands of publicly traded stocks, why pick these?
That’s not to say short-sellers won’t find good ideas here. Since launched in May 2023, almost all of my Red Flag Alerts names have lagged the market and remained in the red.
How do you source your Red Flag Alert ideas?
Any way I can... from short-sellers, quantitative data and my loosely knit team of collaborators. I’m very picky and reject more than I accept. Plus, my time is limited. I rely on my experience and my own work to decide if an idea is worth pursuing.
Do you update readers on your Red Flags Alert ideas?
I update them when I feel it’s warranted. Given the number of companies I write about, I do not promise any updates – and don’t schedule my life around earnings season. That’s what high-priced institutional research is for! My archives should provide a window into what you should expect.
Do you put price targets and specific ‘buy’ or ‘sell’ recommendations on stocks you cover?
No – and definitely not at this price. And as the boilerplate goes, nothing I write should be deemed as investment advice... because it isn’t. It’s information based on my observations and interpretations of events, published facts and filings.
Are you short or own the stocks you write about?
I do not short stocks directly or through options. If I did, I would disclose it. Similarly, if I write a long-biased piece about a stock I own I would disclose it. Otherwise, my standard disclosure at the end of all of my reports is that I do not have a position in any stock mentioned in that report at the time of publication.
Do you do group Zoom calls?
Not at this time.
What’s the Best Way to Contact You?
You can always email me at herb@herbgreenberg.com. I welcome all feedback, questions, suggestions, comments and… ideas!Herb Greenberg | On the Street is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.