Short Selling - by Amit Kumar (Hardcover)

About the Book

A practical guide to the risky practice of betting against stocks.

Book Synopsis

When an investor believes a stock is overvalued and will soon drop in price, he might decide to "short" it. First, he borrows an amount of the stock, and then sells it. He waits for the stock to tank before buying back the same amount of shares at a deflated price. After returning the shares to his lender, he pockets the difference--unless any one of several hard-to-predict variables interferes, and the stock fails to drop.

Since these variables are so hard to predict, short selling is difficult for even seasoned investors. It takes great talent and experience to isolate the best short ideas for falling stocks--skills Amit Kumar developed and honed over decades of market analysis and trading. This book shares his short-selling framework, built on themes common to falling stocks and the market's endemic strengths and cycles. Featuring key case studies and exclusive interviews with successful fund managers Bill Ackman (Pershing Square Capital Management) and Mark Roberts (Off Wall Street Consulting Group), Kumar shows investors how to avoid traps and profit from well-researched short ideas. Investors may not always act on short ideas, but they can avoid losses by using Kumar's framework to identify overvalued stocks. Professionals and amateur investors alike will benefit from this fundamental research approach, which transforms short selling into a long-term strategy.

Review Quotes

[An] interesting and informative book, suitable for students, investors, and practitioners.... What makes the reading more meaningful and interesting are the accompanying examples and case studies of well-known firms.... Highly recommended.-- "Choice"

Those with investment skill and knowledge who are prepared to enter this inherently risky area will find Kumar's theories valuable.-- "Publishers Weekly"

Short Selling keeps the reader's attention through real examples, cases, and interviews with investment professionals. This book is sound and accurate, ideal not only for academics and professionals but also for anyone who has an interest in the various strategies, risk, actual case studies, and mechanics of selling short. I know of no other text like it.--Glen A. Larsen Jr., professor of finance, Kelley School of Business

About the Author

Amit Kumar is a senior analyst at Columbia Threadneedle Investments. He has spent nine years in equity investments and, before that, another nine years in senior roles in the technology industry. He is also an adjunct professor of finance at Rutgers Business School.