Penny Stock Winners

Rating:
Summary: Penny Stock Winners
Review: First let me say that although at least two chapters in this book are repeated verbatim in Max Bowser's other book, "Making Dollars with Pennies" (chapters I identified are "Wannabe Ostracized? Buy Minipriced Stocks" and "Why does Merrill Lynch hate $2 Stocks?"), this is definitely not the same book in a different cover and you are really missing out on a true gem if you don't get this one.

In contrast to "Making Dollars with Pennies", which was more of a "how to" type of work, this book mainly consists of profiles of successful investors, which are for the most part excerpted from past editions of the Bowser Report (therefore, if you've been subscribing to the Bowser report for a while you've read practically everything in this book - still, it's refreshing to read it all bound up as a book). About two thirds of the profiles are of past or current subscribers who are following Bowser's "game plan" and doing well (although the figures are presented in a fuzzy manner). The remainder are various participants in the small cap stock market. Strangely, the one interview with a bona fide celebrity, Lou Dobbs of CNN, fell flat with me; he seemed out of his element.

The subscriber/"Winners" represent a broad cross section of Middle America, with all of the everyday problems of regular people (divorce, illness, unemployment or a general lack of money to invest). A significant portion of those profiled have a military background, and they are not necessarily of the World War II generation where military service was well nigh universal in men. Bowser himself retired from the military before starting his "Bowser Report" in the 1970s and one suspects that perhaps his subscriber base grew through word-of-mouth among military people. If there is anything in particular that sets the winners apart, it's that they all appear to be self-starters who are willing to stick to their guns with investment ideas and let the chips fall where they may. They also appear to show significant emotional maturity towards their investments. Although they often invest in companies profiled in Bowser's Report, they tend to view the investments as "their" picks, whether the stocks ultimately end up winning or losing. They don't run to Bowser and whine.

Although I don't know specifically how many people subscribe to the Bowser Report, Bowser's market strength is alluded to in the book more than once, particularly in the days following when Bowser issues a buy recommendation on his "Company of the Month". As Bobby Cohen, a market maker, reports on page 176:

"Max, on the Monday after you pick a Company of the Month - there is a huge number of buy orders. A market maker doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to know there's something happening with the stock."

Because the interviews in this book span the 1990s, one can see in retrospect how much the internet has changed the investing landscape, such as when Lenny, interviewed sometime around 1996, remarks [p. 75]:

"Do you realize how difficult it is for a guy sitting here in a small town in Maine to get the phone numbers of these companies [that Bowser covers]?"

I rate this book so highly not because any particular investor in this book is brilliant. In fact, they each appear to have significant flaws. The impressiveness of the work comes from seeing the American everyman & woman grapple with independence in a stock market that is blatantly not set up to serve them first. Rather, it is geared towards mutual funds, pension funds, brokers, etc., all of the big players. To see all of these people go against the grain and succeed is very heartening.

Rating:
Summary: Penny Stock Winners
Review: First of all I would have rated this book only a quarter of one star but the lowest rating was one star. Now, after having said that I would like to say that there were a few penny stocks mentioned in this book but for the most part, stocks listed in this book were what I would categorize as low-priced stocks instead. How can you classify a stock trading as high as five dollars as a penny stock? In my mind, it's apples and oranges.

I also did not think that bringing up religion in this book was relevant and I saw it mentioned over and over.

I did like the Lou Dobbs interview and that was about it.

For newcomers interested in penny stock investing stay away from this book because it has no value as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry, Mr. Bowser but I returned the book for a credit.

Rating:
Summary: A THIRD BOOK BY MAX BOWSER BASED ON 30 YEARS OF WEALTH
Review: I have been following the writing of R. Max Bowser for about 30 years when he first started his newsletter, "The Bowser Report."
Somehow, I got on some list where I got the first year of its subscription for free. I have been a subscriber almost every year since. I have now read all three of his books, with the newest being GUARANTEED PROFITS WITH SMALL STOCKS: THE ONLY INVESTMENT SYSTEM THAT COMES WITH A $5,000 GUARANTEE. I am not aware of any financial newsletter writer that makes any similar guarantee. Max has been investing in penny stocks for about 30 years. His book, PENNY STOCK WINNERS, is full of stories of small time investors that have made out well using his success principles. Big money magazines and financial newsletters seem to ignore Max since he deals with trading stocks that sell for $3 or less a share. But after follwing his advice for about 30 years, I recommend that any reader interested in trading in low-priced stocks take a look at all 3 of his books. There are several other authors that deal with penny stocks and I recommend readers interested in this area to read all the books they can in this area. One last thought-- most of the big stocks may have once started out as penny stocks.

Rating:
Summary: Author's Comments
Review: In response to a Spotlight Review by a reader from Shoreline, WA, on February 28, 2004, who had comments about my book "Penny Stock Winners." In this critical review, the person was prinicipally dissatisfied because there were only a few penny stocks listed in the book. About this, we have two comments:
(1) There are two definitions of penny stocks. One is of a stock that sells for under $1.00. The other one, which is sanctioned by the Securities & Exchange Commission, is that any issue under $5.00 is a penny stock. The reviewer from Shoreline is only concerned with the stocks under $1.00.
(2) The book was not written with the intention of listing stocks. Instead, as the title indicates, it is the case histories of subscribers to our newsletter, "The Bowser Report," who have successfully followed our investment techniques. Those techniques are explained in detail in two other books I have written, both of which are available on Amazon and elsewhere--"Making Dollars with Pennies" and "Guaranteed Profits." And, furthermore, in each of these books, there is a coupon which entitles the reader to request a free sample copy of "The Bowser Report,"--the only newsletter published for stocks $3.00 a share or less--which lists many penny stocks each month.
All three of the books mentioned are published by Marathon International Book Co., Madison, IN, [e-mail].
---R. Max Bowser, [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: A THIRD BOOK BY MAX BOWSER BASED ON 30 YEARS OF WEALTH
Review: In response to a Spotlight Review by a reader from Shoreline, WA, on February 28, 2004, who had comments about my book "Penny Stock Winners." In this critical review, the person was prinicipally dissatisfied because there were only a few penny stocks listed in the book. About this, we have two comments:
(1) There are two definitions of penny stocks. One is of a stock that sells for under $1.00. The other one, which is sanctioned by the Securities & Exchange Commission, is that any issue under $5.00 is a penny stock. The reviewer from Shoreline is only concerned with the stocks under $1.00.
(2) The book was not written with the intention of listing stocks. Instead, as the title indicates, it is the case histories of subscribers to our newsletter, "The Bowser Report," who have successfully followed our investment techniques. Those techniques are explained in detail in two other books I have written, both of which are available on Amazon and elsewhere--"Making Dollars with Pennies" and "Guaranteed Profits." And, furthermore, in each of these books, there is a coupon which entitles the reader to request a free sample copy of "The Bowser Report,"--the only newsletter published for stocks $3.00 a share or less--which lists many penny stocks each month.
All three of the books mentioned are published by Marathon International Book Co., Madison, IN, [e-mail].
---R. Max Bowser, [e-mail]