Should you invest in what you know?

Lots of great investors warn against buying shares in a company or industry you don’t understand.

Warren Buffett and his partner Charlie Munger famously avoided technology stocks they didn’t understand during the Dot Com Bubble. The two investors stick to what they call their circle of competence, and rarely stray outside of it.

This is an important investment principle. We shouldn’t be putting our money to work in businesses or funds we don’t understand, and instead should stick to the areas we do understand.

This article isn’t personal advice. If you’re at all unsure please seek advice. Investments rise and fall in value, so you could get back less than you invest.

Leverage your expertise

Whether you have a few years or a few decades experience, often the industry we know best is the one we work in. This can be a great way to find investment opportunities. You might have a special insight into the competitive landscape, or the most promising technological or regulatory developments.

It’s important to remember that investors can’t use material non-public information to make investment decisions – that would be insider trading. However, your experience in, and knowledge of, an industry may be used to help make more insightful decisions.

But don’t own too much

Imagine you work in construction and, based on your experience and insight, decide to invest a substantial part of your net worth in construction shares. If the industry shrinks, you risk losing both your job and a large part of your investments at the same time.

This is the argument for avoiding investments in your own industry. If your own industry suffers but your investments are in other industries, they could help offset the financial impact if you lose your job.

This is doubly true of the company you work in.

Lots of companies offer their employees attractive discounts on company shares, or pay their workers partly in stock. These schemes are designed to align the interests and incentives of employees and shareholders, especially for senior management.

The specifics of each scheme will vary, and some will be more attractive than others. Sometimes you’ll have the option to buy shares at a discount in the future. If the share price falls, you can simply take back the cash. Schemes like these can be a great low-risk opportunity. Just remember, if too much of your net worth is tied up in the same company that pays your salary, you risk losing both together.

Of course a falling share price doesn’t mean you’re going to lose your job. It’s just important to look at your overall financial picture when investing in what you know.

If you’re unsure, always ask for professional advice.

Things to keep in mind

The key is to hold a well-diversified portfolio.

Sometimes you’ll see an opportunity to invest in the industry you work in, or your company might offer an enticing way to own some of its shares. Take advantage. Just don’t let these investments become too big a part of your portfolio.

Always own a range of assets from different industries and regions that you expect to perform differently. That way you don’t risk losing too much because just one industry or company struggles.

How to build a diverse portfolio

Editor’s choice: our weekly email

Sign up to receive the week’s top investment stories from Hargreaves Lansdown

Please correct the following errors before you continue:

Existing client? Please log in to your account to automatically fill in the details below.

Title:

Please select... Mr Mrs Miss Ms Mx Dr Sir Rev

First name:

Last name:

Email address:

Main phone number: (optional)

Mobile phone number: (optional)

Date of birth: (optional)

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Title:

First name:

Last name:

Address:

Email address:

Where did you hear about us?

Please select... Mobile application Advert in the press HL mention on another website Advert on another website HL mention in the media Existing client Search Engine / Research Recommendation from a friend

Hargreaves Lansdown would like to contact you about the services we offer which may be of interest to you. We explain how we use your personal data in our Privacy Policy.

If you would rather not hear from us, please tick the relevant box(es) below:

Email - no thanks, please don't contact me via email

Post - no thanks, please don't contact me via post

Phone - no thanks, please don't contact me via phone

Register

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Your postcode ends:

This is my postcode

Not your postcode? Enter your full address.

Hargreaves Lansdown PLC group companies will usually send you further information by post and/or email about our products and services. If you would prefer not to receive this, please do let us know. We will not sell or trade your personal data.