To The Moon

Meet @Jagannathan J — a star contributor in the Tiger Community. Known for his sharp trade feeds and insightful articles, his honest reflections reveal the journey from an options trader to a disciplined long-term investor.
With 17 years in the market, Jagan’s journey began with childhood curiosity and early success in derivatives. A major loss in March 2020 taught him the limits of timing and the power of long-term conviction. Today, he invests with patience, clarity, and a focus on compounding quality.

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Please briefly introduce yourself, share your personal investment growth experience, and how you made your first bucket of gold in the market.

Hi, I’m Jagan. My journey in capital markets spans over 17 years, but the spark was lit much earlier.

As a kid in the 90s, I used to help my father get the local newspaper so he could check stock prices. I’d often see piles of physical share certificates at home — names of companies I didn’t understand back then. But those early moments stirred a curiosity in me that eventually led me to pursue a career in finance.

In 2007, my brother introduced me to equity investing, and I placed my first trade — a put option on an index. I didn’t fully grasp it at the time, but it delivered a quick 50–60% return. That one trade pulled me into the world of derivatives and market dynamics.

During college, I worked on a research project around option payoffs and became a strong believer in the Black-Scholes model. I spent my early years exploring various option strategies and short-term trades.

Then came March 2020 — a turning point. Along with a friend, I spent days and nights analyzing markets, convinced they would fall further. We loaded up on long-term index put options. But instead of crashing, the markets rebounded and doubled. That experience was humbling. It reminded me that even well-researched bets can go wrong, and timing the market is harder than it seems.

Ironically, the same stock I traded options on in my early days — if I had simply held it — would have quadrupled over the years. That was the real lesson: simplicity, patience, and staying invested often beats complexity and prediction.

Today, my focus is long-term investing — owning quality businesses, holding index funds, and letting compounding do the work. Because in the end, time in the market beats timing the market.

What is the most successful or impressive investment experience you have had?

One of my key lessons is that a 100% return on a 1% position doesn’t move the needle. What truly matters is aligning strong returns with meaningful position size. That’s why I don’t celebrate percentages alone — I focus on impact.

When something works, I increase my allocation. I don’t spread too thin. I let conviction guide my sizing and let time do the compounding. That’s how wealth is truly built.

How do you select stocks and control risks?

I avoid chasing hype. There will always be stocks that outperform mine, but jumping on trends breaks discipline. I only invest capital I can afford to lose, based on my income and risk profile.

I manage risk through smart sizing and preparedness. Every stock, no matter how strong, can drop 20–40%. So I never go all-in — I size positions modestly and leave room to add if conviction holds during a dip.

I don’t hedge often due to cost — instead, I stay ready. If I hold 30 stocks and the market crashes, I know I can’t average down on all. That’s why I focus on knowing which businesses to lean into and ensure I have capital set aside to act.

Ultimately, the goal isn’t to own the flashiest stock — it’s to grow wealth steadily, stick to your plan, and measure conviction by your own strategy, not others’ success.

What do you think the market will perform in 2025? And what's your investment goal this year?

2025 will likely be shaped by key macro uncertainties: U.S. currency shifts, tariffs, interest rate decisions, inflation trends, job market dynamics, and the accelerating impact of AI.

Despite the noise, I believe in this core principle:
“In the long run, stock prices follow earnings, quality, and fundamentals.”
— echoing Peter Lynch.

My investment goal this year is simple:
Stay focused on high-quality businesses, deploy capital with discipline, and let time and compounding do the work — regardless of the headlines.

In what ways did the FRM or completing level 1 of CFA  and a Master's in Finance shape your mindset and decision-making throughout your capital markets career?"

I’ve spent over 600 hours preparing for the FRM and CFA Level 1 exams. Did it turn me into a market superhero? No. But it gave me something more important — the clarity to recognize value when it appears.

Because if you don’t know what gold looks like, you’ll walk right past it

What indicators do you rely on most when making trading decisions?

My investing approach relies heavily on:

Relative valuation —How does this stock compare to its peers?

Fundamental valuation —Is the business worth more than what I’m paying for it?

What lessons have you learned from your biggest losses, and how have they influenced the way you balance short-term trading with long-term investment goals?
Chasing quick money is exhausting and rarely builds lasting wealth. My biggest losses came from following others blindly or leaving my circle of competence. I’ve learned to value clarity, discipline, and only risk what I understand.

Timing the market is nearly impossible. The goal is to stay invested long enough for compounding to work.

Leverage requires caution—know your true risk appetite. Peace of mind is part of wealth, and wealth takes time.

I stay flexible, sometimes exiting overvalued positions in low-liquidity periods. But I avoid emotional moves like selling high and missing rebounds. Instead, I focus on conviction and staying invested.

How has publicly sharing your trades changed the way you invest — does it add pressure or clarity?

Publicly sharing trades doesn’t affect me much. Big players like BlackRock or Buffett disclose their positions, but they stick to their principles regardless. Gains or losses shouldn’t be about pleasing others — if that’s the case, your strategy may shift for the wrong reasons. Stay true to your process.

Thanks @Jagannathan J for the fantastic sharing! If you're eager to follow his latest live trading actions, make sure to subscribe to his real-time updates!

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What do you want to say to @Jagannathan J ? Any questions or comments?

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