employee stock purchase program
 

my employer offers us stock twice a year at 15% of the lower price of the beginning or ending of the offering period. in times past i have just sold it and took the profit, but this time i am thinking of keeping it or a portion of it in the market. what say you all?

Would it matter what stock it is? :D

I would say if you play the market evaluate it just like you would any other stock. If you don't play the market, sell it and invest the dough in whatever investment you are comfortable with. On another thread here someone suggested hookers and blow, might not be a bad choice in the current environment.

How has it done historically?

Personally I'm good anytime I can take money off the table.

Bulls and Bears make money, Pigs get slaughtered.

If you plan to hold then sell you should put in a sell order as soon as possible to avoid insider trading suspicions although I'm guessing the amount is not going to be enough to raise any flags.

we ar talking about NKE
right now the buy would be at about 59

check ValueLine - last time I looked, they like it pretty well

PDX will have VL in their library

be sure you don't get overloaded on any one stock - common with ESOPs

also, I'd generally wait 1 year to get long term cap. gains tax rates before selling

I sat on mine for a few years, then recently sold a batch of it when it reached 70 bucks a share. (Same stock you are talking about, same plan). It depends on if you're in a position to pay the taxes on it now or later. In my case, an expected reduction in my earnings this year, coupled with a favorable increase in stock value, made me decide to unload a batch of it. (But I still have some more, just in case ) That's a very generous stock plan, I hope you take full advantage of it.

I would recommend diversification. You have a lot invested in that company just working there so moving the money somewhere else may be a safe thing to do.

As a stockholder, I need to ask why you are wasting time on this BBS during working hours. I would appreciate it if you would get back to adding value to the company that I have invested my money in.

:-)

+1

I know a number of folks who were rich on paper, until their company/industry faltered, stock crashed, then they were out of a job and lost their savings all at once. WAY too much risk to load up on your own company stock unless you are the CEO getting 10s of millions worth.

Take the 15% off the table and be happy you are making that return. I wish my company offered a plan like that.

pto day-:cool:

I read the title, and immediately flashed on Ken Lay. Not that you have that problem.