Acknowledging that "the right time to unload shares is one of the toughest calls investors have to make," Cameron Huddleston of Kiplinger.com outlines four signs to look for when contemplating whether or not to sell a particular stock:

(1) There has been a significant change in the company's underlying fundamentals;

(2) The stock has been "too hot" as a result of unrealistic investor expectations;

(3) The market is rallying, but your stock is not;

(4) The stock is starting to account for too large a percentage of your overall portfolio. 

Once you decide to sell, though, a perhaps even bigger question looms: How much of my position do I actually take off the table? For members of the TradeKing community: What are your general rules of thumb for deciding how much of a position to take off the table?

[image: Stockshop by Martin Deutsch on Flickr]

I spoke with a co worker on this the other day, he utilized IBD strategy of 8%. Which is OK but doesn't work for me.

I sold DRYS at 8.50, BIOS at 1.00, DYII at 1.25 SFL at 6.00 and so on. Utilizing this rule actually cost me 1000's in gains, saved only a few 100 dollars for being scared. so the risk was high but the reward would have been greater and too my benefit if I would have stayed in that security.

Next this opted for a new strategy rule never risk more than I can lose in any security and in my overall portfolio.

When I invest in any security I consider the money is gone. this does two things one keeps the amount i want to invest suppressed and makes me really really really look at the company or security I am investing in. Is it something that i will want to be invested in 10 years from NOW. Take that qoute from buffet too heart.

The reason is that everything isn't perfect, there are going to be down days and quarters maybe even a whole year. BAC comes to mind. but all in all the investment in a security for long term should allow to say if the price drops I will be willing to buy more shares of that security.

I start thinking about taking money off the table when just about every analyst around goes on CNBC and says it's a "must buy" or "It's time to back up the truck".    I came along this passage this morning in a book I'm currently reading ( The Dick Davis Dividend ):

"There are two types of analysts.  Those who don't know,  and those who don't know they don't know".

On the small investor the 10-20 % gain is a killer when tax time comes. that need to make a profit tends to push an investor a little farther into riskier decisions of the sell or hold methology.

but if we search a company out of list, then physically visit the company this brings it home as a true investment that we want or do not want to be in. Which is the step that the majority of investors do not take. I have either been too or have plans to go to all the companies I have invested in.

I would like to visit JCI and WSCI this year. PZZI i have been there. BLD been there. that is one of the benefits of driving big trucks is that you get to deliver there products and take a look inner workings of the facilities and meet the employees, are they happy or disgruntled.

I am not saying it is a have to parameter but I believe more investors would back away from some of the trades that they are considering if they did this 1 very simple task.