{"id":17229,"date":"2023-08-07T17:52:18","date_gmt":"2023-08-07T17:52:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/?p=17229"},"modified":"2025-08-14T16:24:02","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T16:24:02","slug":"how-many-shares-should-you-buy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/how-many-shares-should-you-buy\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many Shares Should You Buy &#038; Own for Your Portfolio"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Finding stocks is important. But once you find a great stock to buy, you face more decisions: <em>H<\/em><em>ow many shares should I buy? How many stocks should I own?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no single right answer to these questions. Ultimately, it depends on your individual goals. However, there are strategies that can help you decide the right allocation for your portfolio \u2014 and that can help you avoid unnecessary risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, I\u2019ll break down some key components of portfolio construction to help you figure out how many stocks you should own along with how many shares you should buy in your chosen stocks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s talk shares.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div id=\"callout-box-block_7b3d66304618f957294a6604b3ac349a\" class=\"callout-box promo\">\n        <div class=\"callout-box__icon-wrapper\">\n            <svg focusable=\"false\" class=\"callout-box__icon promo\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <path d=\"M21.41 11.58l-9-9C12.05 2.22 11.55 2 11 2H4c-1.1 0-2 .9-2 2v7c0 .55.22 1.05.59 1.42l9 9c.36.36.86.58 1.41.58.55 0 1.05-.22 1.41-.59l7-7c.37-.36.59-.86.59-1.41 0-.55-.23-1.06-.59-1.42zM5.5 7C4.67 7 4 6.33 4 5.5S4.67 4 5.5 4 7 4.67 7 5.5 6.33 7 5.5 7z\"><\/path>            <\/svg>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"callout-box__content\"><p><strong data-start=\"594\" data-end=\"648\">Unlock 48% Returns With Zen Strategies<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/stock-strategies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zen Strategies<\/a> curates using the market-beating Zen Ratings system. Here&#8217;s what you get:<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"82\" data-end=\"159\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"39\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\u2705 Backtested Quantitative Portfolios:<\/strong> Zen Strategies selects only the <strong data-start=\"72\" data-end=\"101\">top 7 stocks per strategy<\/strong>, refined from over 115 factors, offering portfolios that span diverse themes \u2014 AI Factor, Momentum, Small Caps, Under $10, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"162\" data-end=\"201\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] bg-[#FCECC1] dark:bg-[#64572A] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"38\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">\u2705 <\/span>Proven Performance:<\/strong> These strategies have delivered exceptional <strong data-start=\"83\" data-end=\"110\">all\u2011time annual returns<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"206\" data-end=\"245\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] bg-[#FCECC1] dark:bg-[#64572A] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"14\" data-is-only-node=\"\">AI Factor:<\/strong> +48.01%<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"206\" data-end=\"245\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] bg-[#FCECC1] dark:bg-[#64572A] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"13\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Momentum:<\/strong> +42.17%<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"206\" data-end=\"245\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] bg-[#FCECC1] dark:bg-[#64572A] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"14\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Under $10:<\/strong> +35.02%<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"26\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] bg-[#FCECC1] dark:bg-[#64572A] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">\u2705 Easy to Start: <\/span><\/span><\/strong><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] bg-[#FCECC1] dark:bg-[#64572A] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">Designed to be implemented in <\/span><\/span><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] bg-[#FCECC1] dark:bg-[#64572A] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">as little as 10 minutes per month, complete with a Quick Start Guide and weekly insights from Editor\u2011in\u2011Chief Steve Reitmeister.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"26\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] bg-[#FCECC1] dark:bg-[#64572A] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">\u2705 <\/span><\/span>Risk\u2011Protected Access:<\/strong> A 90-day money-back policy and a <strong data-start=\"60\" data-end=\"90\">100% performance guarantee<\/strong>\u2014if it doesn\u2019t help you beat the market, you get a full refund. Plus, there\u2019s a <strong data-start=\"170\" data-end=\"181\">50% off<\/strong> launch offer.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/stock-strategies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gain access now<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.vncratcyb0uz\"><strong>How Many Shares Should I Buy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The bottom line: <\/strong>The amount of shares you should buy depends on your personal situation. You need to consider things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The level of risk you\u2019re comfortable with<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your investing time horizon<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How your purchase fits within your portfolio<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t know how to figure these out, don\u2019t worry! In this article, I\u2019ll show you how to answer these questions and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.wbhjf2camo71\"><strong>How Many Shares Should You Buy of a Given Stock?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1335\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/how-many-shares-1-2000x1335.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17294\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/how-many-shares-1-2000x1335.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/how-many-shares-1-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/how-many-shares-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/how-many-shares-1-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>How many shares you should buy of any given stock shouldn\u2019t just come down to the amount of capital you have to spare. You also need to ensure that the purchase fits within your current portfolio \u2013 a phenomenon known as position sizing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Figuring out your ideal position sizing is an individual process based on your comfort with risk, investing timeline, and overall market outlook. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>But the general guideline is that no single stock should be able to decimate your portfolio. <\/strong>That means you shouldn\u2019t invest all your funds into a single stock \u2013 even an allocation of 20% is extremely aggressive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>So, how many shares should you buy of a given stock? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Simply figure out how much money you\u2019re willing to invest, and then divide that by the price of the stock. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you want to invest $1,000 in <strong>Meta (<\/strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/stocks\/us\/nasdaq\/meta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NASDAQ: META<\/a><\/strong><strong>)<\/strong>, you have to divide that total by $294 (the current price of the stock), allowing you to buy 3 shares of the stock (3.4 if you have access to fractionalized shares).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What are fractional shares? <\/strong>A method of&nbsp;investing without buying complete shares \u2014 instead of a full-priced share of a high-priced stock, you can buy a fraction of a share. It gives you access to stocks you might not otherwise be able to buy, and it allows for easier diversification.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div id=\"callout-box-block_f73b2fc11332c92250b8af7db917ff6e\" class=\"callout-box promo\">\n        <div class=\"callout-box__icon-wrapper\">\n            <svg focusable=\"false\" class=\"callout-box__icon promo\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <path d=\"M21.41 11.58l-9-9C12.05 2.22 11.55 2 11 2H4c-1.1 0-2 .9-2 2v7c0 .55.22 1.05.59 1.42l9 9c.36.36.86.58 1.41.58.55 0 1.05-.22 1.41-.59l7-7c.37-.36.59-.86.59-1.41 0-.55-.23-1.06-.59-1.42zM5.5 7C4.67 7 4 6.33 4 5.5S4.67 4 5.5 4 7 4.67 7 5.5 6.33 7 5.5 7z\"><\/path>            <\/svg>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"callout-box__content\"><p>If you want to buy shares of any stock, you need a broker. One of our top picks? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/etoro-sign-up?SubAffiliateID=how-many-shares\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eToro<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>eToro is an extremely user-friendly platform that is accessible for beginners but loaded with enough sophisticated tools to make it appealing for veteran traders, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">A variety of commission-free assets including stocks, ETFs, and options.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">A <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/etoro-copytrader?SubAffiliateID=how-many-shares\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CopyTrader tool<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"> that lets you follow the trades of top-rated professionals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Plus, tools like <\/span><a style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/etoro-paper-trading?SubAffiliateID=how-many-shares\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">paper trading<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"> and stock screening.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>See for yourself why more than 30 million people have signed up for eToro \u2014 click the button below to get started.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/etoro-sign-up?SubAffiliateID=how-many-shares\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Check out eToro<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-code-snippets-content\"><div class=\"disclaimer\">\r\n\t<p>eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs.\r\n\r\nPlease note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 61% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.\r\n\r\nThis communication is intended for information and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or investment recommendation. Past performance is not an indication of future results.\r\n\r\nCopy Trading does not amount to investment advice.  The value of your investments may go up or down.  Your capital is at risk.\r\n\r\nCrypto investments are risky and may not suit retail investors; you could lose your entire investment. <a href=\"https:\/\/etoro.tw\/3PI44nZ\">Understand the risks here.<\/a>\r\n\r\nDon\u2019t invest unless you\u2019re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etoro.com\/customer-service\/terms-conditions\/trading-restriction\/\">Take 2 mins to learn more<\/a>\r\n\r\neToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Another thing to consider? The fees you pay on your stock purchases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the platform you use has a flat rate per transaction, you want to make sure that the fee isn\u2019t a large percentage of your purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it is, you might want to postpone the purchase until you have enough funds to minimize the fee\u2019s impact on your returns. (Another point for &nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/etoro-sign-up?SubAffiliateID=how-many-shares\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eToro<\/a>: zero-commission trades on a variety of different assets.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve answered \u201cHow many shares should I buy?\u201d, the next step to optimize your portfolio is considering overall industry and sector risk.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-code-snippets-content\"><div class=\"disclaimer\">\r\nYour capital is at risk. Other fees apply. For more information, visit www.etoro.com\/trading\/fees.\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.uk3lpwm6a65x\"><strong>How Much of Your Portfolio Should Be in One Stock?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Answering this question is all about figuring out your ideal portfolio diversification strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.7vbfk7m9gz4\"><strong>Diversification<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The more diversified you are, the less individual stock movements will affect your portfolio while a less diversified approach subjects your portfolio to more volatility \u2013 to both the upside and downside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While I briefly touched on this topic above, most experts agree that you should invest between 2% to 10% of your portfolio to reduce unsystematic risk (risk from an individual company or industry).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, you should also consider the makeup of your current portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image3-4.png\" alt=\"Image3\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>As you can see in the above image (<a href=\"https:\/\/tradebrains.in\/how-to-create-your-stock-portfolio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">source<\/a>), a diversified portfolio includes a balance of different assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already have a few tech stocks in your portfolio with allocations of 5% each, it doesn\u2019t make sense to add another because you\u2019re reducing the benefit of diversification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While these stocks will move differently, in times of stress you\u2019ll find the sector moves together, which can result in significant drawdowns \u2013 something true diversification can reduce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The specific percentages you choose are completely up to you and will be based on your confidence in the company and the overall stock market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Naturally, portfolio allocations of 10% represent extremely confident investments where the stock passes your due diligence with flying colors. But if you\u2019re investing this amount, you\u2019ll likely only be able to hold a single stock from that sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, allocations of 2% may be for risky small-cap stocks or may reflect defensive positioning in an uncertain market. Smaller allocations are also a great way to get exposure to multiple stocks within the same industry or sector without over-concentrating your portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.rzkkhbocliqr\"><strong>Time Horizon <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Another factor to consider is your investing time horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more time you have, the more room you can give your stock picks to reach their full potential. That means you can be more aggressive with your portfolio allocations without fear of significant downswings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you have a 20-year investing horizon and absolutely believe tech stocks have tons of room to grow, you could break the 10% rule as long as you\u2019re willing to sit through years of market volatility. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n    <div id=\"callout-box-block_ed77b1d0499278dca2ec28c604ef0d3a\" class=\"callout-box promo\">\n        <div class=\"callout-box__icon-wrapper\">\n            <svg focusable=\"false\" class=\"callout-box__icon promo\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <path d=\"M21.41 11.58l-9-9C12.05 2.22 11.55 2 11 2H4c-1.1 0-2 .9-2 2v7c0 .55.22 1.05.59 1.42l9 9c.36.36.86.58 1.41.58.55 0 1.05-.22 1.41-.59l7-7c.37-.36.59-.86.59-1.41 0-.55-.23-1.06-.59-1.42zM5.5 7C4.67 7 4 6.33 4 5.5S4.67 4 5.5 4 7 4.67 7 5.5 6.33 7 5.5 7z\"><\/path>            <\/svg>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"callout-box__content\"><p><strong>The importance of tracking\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Whatever your ideal percentages, it\u2019s always a good idea to use a portfolio tracking tool that breaks down your current holdings by their total portfolio value.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>That way, you\u2019ll always know how much you\u2019re able to invest whenever you\u2019re buying new stocks.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t use one yet, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/personal-capital-portfolio-tracker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Empower\u2019s portfolio tracker<\/a>\u00a0may be a good fit. It\u2019s part of Empower\u2019s impressive FREE dashboard full of tools, which (in addition to the aforementioned portfolio tracker) include a retirement calculator, net worth calculator, and more.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/personal-capital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Check out Empower\u2019s FREE Dashboard<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.i0t9ojhx9782\"><strong>How Many Individual Stocks Should I Own?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no simple answer to \u201chow many stocks should you own\u201d \u2013 some experts suggest 30 as a minimum while others believe you need over 1,000 to achieve true global diversification! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, it\u2019s up to you to decide based on your perceived benefits and drawbacks of diversification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, the more concentrated your portfolio is (think 5 &#8211; 10 stocks) the more impact these stocks will have on your returns. If you choose right, you\u2019ll enjoy greater returns over someone that owns 20 &#8211; 30 stocks. But if you choose wrong, chances are you\u2019ll underperform a more diversified investor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply put, the more stocks you own in different sectors and industries, the more your return will mirror the overall market. And the fewer, more concentrated bets you make, the more different your return profile from the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the below chart (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newtraderu.com\/2023\/05\/17\/a-deep-look-into-warren-buffetts-portfolio-2023-q1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">image source<\/a>), you can take a look at Berkshire Hathaway\u2019s current portfolio and see how many stocks one of the world\u2019s greatest investors owns. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image1-4.png\" alt=\"Image1\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Besides stock holdings of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.buffett.online\/en\/portfolio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">over $300 billion<\/a>, Berkshire also held $127 billion in cash and cash equivalents as well as owning other assets (inventory, property, equipment) worth roughly $545 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, even though the portfolio consists of 46% of Apple (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/stocks\/us\/nasdaq\/aapl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NASDAQ: AAPL<\/a>) stock, it actually works out to 15% of total assets which is much more reasonable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, Berkshire holds a total of 48 stocks which sees them meet the typical diversification benchmark of 30 stocks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But one thing to note is that Buffet isn\u2019t concerned with maximizing his diversification because he believes in his stock picking skills \u2013 and that\u2019s what\u2019s helped him generate outsized returns versus the S&amp;P 500.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div id=\"callout-box-block_f3e4ab87f58e8fbad23eaf0b6ddf2b35\" class=\"callout-box promo\">\n        <div class=\"callout-box__icon-wrapper\">\n            <svg focusable=\"false\" class=\"callout-box__icon promo\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <path d=\"M21.41 11.58l-9-9C12.05 2.22 11.55 2 11 2H4c-1.1 0-2 .9-2 2v7c0 .55.22 1.05.59 1.42l9 9c.36.36.86.58 1.41.58.55 0 1.05-.22 1.41-.59l7-7c.37-.36.59-.86.59-1.41 0-.55-.23-1.06-.59-1.42zM5.5 7C4.67 7 4 6.33 4 5.5S4.67 4 5.5 4 7 4.67 7 5.5 6.33 7 5.5 7z\"><\/path>            <\/svg>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"callout-box__content\"><p>Finding great stocks is the first step\u2026<\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>The topic of how many shares to buy only really matters after you find a stock to invest in. Need some ideas?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WallStreetZen<\/a>\u00a0is the first stock research platform that doesn\u2019t just show you data \u2014 it helps you interpret it by distilling due diligence checks used by professional investors into simple one-line explanations so you can understand a stock&#8217;s fundamentals within minutes.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve also developed WallStreetZen Daily, a newsletter that connects the dots between real-world events and the markets with data-driven updates and stock recommendations from top-rated analysts.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Check out WallStreetZen here, and click below to subscribe to our newsletter.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/newsletter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Get the FREE newsletter<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.xo74y8syfa43\"><strong>How Many Stocks <\/strong>is<strong> Too Many?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, answering \u201chow many stocks is too many?\u201d is a personal endeavor as your risk profile and goals will be different to most investors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if your goal is to outperform the market, you can\u2019t expect to do it by buying 1,000 stocks as you\u2019re pretty much buying the whole market! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if your goals are to simply keep pace with the market while minimizing your drawdowns you absolutely can do it by owning hundreds or even thousands of different stocks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the problem then is administration and trading costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Firstly, keeping track of even hundreds of stocks can be a headache \u2013 especially when it comes time to rebalance your portfolio. You\u2019ll likely have to conduct hundreds of trades along with researching which stocks to add or remove from your portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And with purchases and sales comes trading fees and commissions which can put a significant dent in your returns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if you want to outperform the S&amp;P 500, take a leaf out of Warren Buffett\u2019s book and stick to roughly 50 stocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you\u2019re happy to earn a steady return that mimics the overall market, ETFs and index funds might be just what you need to reduce the headaches of a significantly diversified portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.buy9e9word2k\"><strong>Diversification with ETFs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To achieve true diversification, you have to think about more than just the number of stocks in your portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to invest across different types of stocks such as large-cap, small-cap, growth, and income stocks. It\u2019s also important to spread your portfolio across different sectors, industries, and even countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But to truly bulletproof your portfolio and smooth your returns, you should also consider different asset classes like bonds and commodities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, doing all this research and managing your portfolio at this level is extremely time-consuming \u2013 and that\u2019s why there are exchange-traded funds (ETFs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ETFs, index, and mutual funds enable you to easily diversify your portfolio across hundreds of stocks and other assets with a few simple clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, instead of attempting to figure out which stocks in the S&amp;P 500 will outperform, you can simply buy Vanguard\u2019s&nbsp;$VOO which would give you exposure to all 500 companies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides that, ETF investing is the most cost-efficient way to diversify your portfolio since you\u2019re completing fewer transactions \u2013 <em>just imagine the fees you\u2019d pay if you purchased every single S&amp;P 500 stock separately!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re new to ETFs, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/etoro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">check out eToro<\/a>. It offers a range of ETFs across different industries, asset classes, and stock types.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-code-snippets-content\"><div class=\"disclaimer\">\r\n\t<p>eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n    <div id=\"callout-box-block_c919c7d0b8dd7a8c3cd359c37e5efcea\" class=\"callout-box info\">\n        <div class=\"callout-box__icon-wrapper\">\n            <svg focusable=\"false\" class=\"callout-box__icon info\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <path d=\"M12 3c-.46 0-.93.04-1.4.14-2.76.53-4.96 2.76-5.48 5.52-.48 2.61.48 5.01 2.22 6.56.43.38.66.91.66 1.47V19c0 1.1.9 2 2 2h.28c.35.6.98 1 1.72 1s1.38-.4 1.72-1H14c1.1 0 2-.9 2-2v-2.31c0-.55.22-1.09.64-1.46C18.09 13.95 19 12.08 19 10c0-3.87-3.13-7-7-7zm2 16h-4v-1h4v1zm0-2h-4v-1h4v1zm-1.5-5.59V14h-1v-2.59L9.67 9.59l.71-.71L12 10.5l1.62-1.62.71.71-1.83 1.82z\"><\/path>            <\/svg>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"callout-box__content\"><p>Diversify beyond stocks and ETFs\u2026<\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>To further diversify your portfolio, consider investing in assets that are not strongly correlated to the stock market.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>There are plenty of alternative assets out there, from real estate to fine art and beyond. Want to learn more? Check out our article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/best-alternative-investments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">best alternative investments<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.5cr2m6g6irpf\"><strong>Always Keep an Emergency Fund<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While investing in stocks is a key part of growing your wealth, it\u2019s vital that you have an emergency fund so that you don\u2019t have to dip into your portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a general rule, you should have enough cash to cover at least six months of your living costs, ie. rent, food, utilities, etc. So, if for some reason you were laid off, you still have plenty of runway to figure out your next steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides that, most investors keep at least part of their portfolio in cash (anywhere from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capgemini.com\/es-es\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2019\/07\/World-Wealth-Report-WWR-2019.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20% to 30%<\/a>) to take advantage of good buying opportunities, such as recessions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that you don\u2019t need to keep these funds completely sidelined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are various savings accounts that pay higher interest rates than banks while still giving you access to your funds at all times!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One example is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/m1-finance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">M1 Finance<\/a>, which provides one of the highest APYs around for their high-yield cash account \u2014 4.25%, but using this link you can get a boost of 0.50% for a limited time, bringing you up to 4.75%. This makes it an excellent choice for both your emergency fund and the cash portion of your portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/go\/m1-finance-cash\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1891\" height=\"1156\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Screenshot-2024-11-19-at-2.42.03\u202fPM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27486\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Screenshot-2024-11-19-at-2.42.03\u202fPM.png 1891w, https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Screenshot-2024-11-19-at-2.42.03\u202fPM-768x469.png 768w, https:\/\/www.wallstreetzen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Screenshot-2024-11-19-at-2.42.03\u202fPM-1536x939.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1891px) 100vw, 1891px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-code-snippets-content\">M1 High-Yield Cash Account(s) is an investment product offered by M1 Finance, LLC, an SEC registered broker-dealer, Member FINRA \/ SIPC. M1is not a bank and M1 High-Yield Cash Accounts are\r\nnot a checking or savings account. The purpose of this account is earn interest on securities not actively invested. An open M1 Investment account is required to participate in the M1 High-Yield Cash Account. All investing involves risk, including the risk of losing the money you invest.<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.qb15l3580o02\"><strong>Final Word: <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, the number of shares you should buy and own for your portfolio depends on highly individual factors like your account size, investing objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, I\u2019ve introduced you to some best practices for investment diversification. Armed with this information, you\u2019ve got what you need to proceed in your investment career with a balanced and diversified portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-faq-schema-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>FAQs:<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-faq-schema-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>What is a good number of shares to buy?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The number of shares you should buy depends on the price of the stock and how much money you are willing to invest. <\/p>\n<p>For example, if a stock is worth $10 and you have a $10,000 portfolio, a good number of shares would be between 20 to 100 depending on your risk tolerance. If you were to go below this number, the stock likely won\u2019t increase your returns while buying more than 100 shares may subject your portfolio to too much unsystematic risk.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>What is a decent number of shares?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>For some investors, a few hundred shares of a lower-priced stock may be considered decent. But for others, a few shares of a higher-priced stock might be sufficient. <\/p>\n<p>Instead, you should focus on the total amount of money you are willing to risk and divide that by the price of the stock which will give you the ideal number of shares.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Is buying 1 share of Amazon worth it?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Yes, buying 1 share of Amazon could be worthwhile. Consider this: the IPO price in 1997 was $18 per share. Today, the stock trades in the $130 range.<\/p>\n<p>While past performance doesn\u2019t guarantee future returns, this illustrates that a single-share purchase of Amazon does have the potential to appreciate in value. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>How many shares do I need to buy to average down?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The number of shares you need to buy to average down depends on your initial investment, the current share price, and how much you want to reduce the average cost. <\/p>\n<p>To average down, you would buy additional shares at the lower price, and the more shares you buy, the more you\u2019ll reduce your average cost per share.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Finding stocks is important. But once you find a great stock to buy, you face more decisions: How many shares should I buy? How many stocks should I own? There\u2019s no single right answer to these questions. Ultimately, it depends on your individual goals. However, there are strategies that can help you decide the right [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":17294,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[20,1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Many Shares Should You Buy &amp; Own for Your Portfolio<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How many shares should I buy? How much stock should I own? 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