To The Moon

My Most Embarrassing Defense Stock Win Let me share my cringe-worthy investment story from the Ukraine crisis. March 2022, I’m having coffee in Raffles Place, scrolling through Ukraine news. Everyone on Bloomberg is talking about defense stocks, so I decide to jump on this trend. But instead of proper analysis, I googled “top defense companies” and picked $Northrop Grumman(NOC)$ because I remembered their old B-2 stealth bombers from documentaries. That was my entire thesis - “war means defense stocks go up.” I bought shares in early 2022 without reading their annual report. My mother would be absolutely horrified - she’s the type who researches every single purchase for weeks, comparing prices at three different supermarkets before buying rice. She taught me to research everything thoroughly, whether it’s choosing a university or buying groceries. But here I was, throwing money at a stock based on childhood memories of fighter jets. The stock did climb significantly over the following months as defense spending increased, and I’m messaging friends about my “strategic defense allocation.” Meanwhile, I couldn’t explain what Northrop Grumman actually manufactures beyond “expensive military planes.” When tensions escalated in various regions, NOC would jump on defense-related news. I watched my portfolio grow while feeling like a complete fraud because my sophisticated strategy was “I saw stealth bombers on National Geographic.” The embarrassing part? My carefully researched blue-chips - the ones I spent hours analyzing like my mother taught me - were all declining. My impulse defense buy was my best performer. Looking back now, I realize I accidentally bought into something big. The B-21 Raider had been approved for low-rate initial production in January 2025 , and approximately 40 Raiders are either in production or nearing completion . Who knew my random documentary-inspired purchase would coincide with their next-generation stealth bomber program taking off? I eventually sold for decent profit, but felt so ashamed about my lack of due diligence. Sometimes the market rewards luck over analysis, but I definitely don’t recommend this approach. Now I read financial statements properly like my mother raised me to, but I’ll never forget when my best trade contradicted everything she taught me about careful research. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not making light of conflicts. The situations in Ukraine and elsewhere are genuinely tragic, and I sincerely hope they resolve peacefully soon. But sometimes you have to laugh at your own investment foolishness, right? Laughter is the best medicine for embarrassing financial decisions. Now what should I invest in the current Israel-Iran conflict- rely on DD or DL (Dumb Luck)? [Thinking]