ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Investment style

Investment style is like the way you dress up to go to school or a party. Some people like to wear bright clothes and stand out, while others like to wear simple clothes and blend in. In the same way, when grown-ups invest their money, they have different investment styles.

The first style is called Value Investing. It's like buying an old toy or book from a garage sale that is really cheap because nobody wants it. Later, you find out that this toy or book is worth a lot more than you paid for it because it's rare or has some special feature. It means that you bought it when it was undervalued, and the price went up in the future. Value investors buy stocks that are undervalued or cheaper than what they're worth because they think the price will go up in the future, and they'll make a profit.

The second style is called Growth Investing. It's like buying a toy that nobody has yet, but you know it's going to be popular because it has amazing features that everyone will love. So you buy it even though it's expensive, hoping that more people will want it in the future, and the price will go up. Growth investors buy stocks of companies that are growing fast, have innovative products or services, and have a lot of potential to make more profit in the future.

The third style is called Income Investing. It's like collecting allowance money when you finish your chores every week. Income investors buy stocks that pay a fixed amount of money called dividends every year to their shareholders. It's like getting a regular allowance from the company for investing in their stocks. Income investors buy stocks of companies that have a stable business model, and they think will keep earning profits and paying dividends regularly.

There are more investment styles like thematic investing, index investing, or quantitative investing, but these are the main ones. It's important to choose an investment style that matches your goals, risk tolerance, and personality. Just like how you choose your clothes to feel comfortable and confident, you choose your investment style to feel secure and successful.