The Gorilla Game: An Investor's Guide to Picking Winners in High Technology

by Geoffrey A. Moore

Book Overview

A look at the world of high technology stocks, with tips on finding gorilla companies that have enough momentum to become potential market leaders and are poised to make large profits. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0887308872
• ISBN13: 9780887308871
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: Harper Business
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.7"

Customer Reviews

Reverse Engineering to Invest in Intel, Cisco and Microsoft

A popular pastime for the past 50 years (and possibly before that) has been to look at the stocks that would have made you the most money in the last 10 or 20 years and devise an investment approach to find the next ones going forward that will do as well or better. I have lost count of how many books I have read that have taken this approach.I found the Gorilla Game to be refreshingly above the pack in this area. The authors do an excellent job of describing some of the ways that technologies get adopted, when the stocks do well (and when they don't), and when to buy and sell stocks in technology companies. They also devise a fairly detailed, somewhat risk-controlled investment process, and detail how it would have done in a number of case histories. From the backward-looking perspective, the book is solid.The weakness of such backward looking methods shows up in their new material in the revised edition (1999) on the Internet. Although some aspects of their model apply to the Internet, many do not. They are left needing to vaguely explain how so much money was made so quickly in Internet stocks. Their explanation is actually pretty solid, but they never quite come out and say that their methodology will not get you all of the fast-growing stocks in technology.They needed not be defensive. No methodology is perfect. The main weakness of this one is that is designed around semiconductors, software, and computers. The technology patterns can look a lot different in future technologies. For example, what will happen with companies like Gemstar that lead in new television technologies that could disrupt the Internet for direct marketing? The reason this point is important is that the barriers to switching are higher in the technologies studied here than in many other areas. If you get into a low cost of switching area (like business to consumer marketing on the Internet), you could invest in an industry leader and still lose your shirt. Although the book acknowledges these issues, it probably doesn't create a substantial enough warning. The book is aimed at the medium knowledge investor (about the markets and technology). I hope they bring out a more advanced version. They decided not to go into specialized semiconductors like analog devices where enormous profits may lie in the future, because of concerns about not going over the heads of readers. A lot of the best run technology companies with enormous growth potential in markets with high bariers to competitors were not discussed in this book. I am sure most readers would be willing to spend some time learning about these other markets in order to make enormous gains.Despite my quibbles, this is a fine book that will help all but those who are already quite knowledgeable about technology companies and technology investing. Good luck in capturing those irresistible gains in the future! Perhaps you will be the first person you know to ident

Required Reading for Individual Tech Investor

As an active investor in tech stocks (information technology), I highly recommend this book to other investors who are already in tech stocks or are considering it. The book explains in laymans terms the dynamics of the technology marketplace . The information it provides will assist you in how to differenciate each tech company from another in regards to it's particular role in its market, and the investment strategy you should pursue (short/intermediate/long term). I liked the book so much, I'm ordering the cassette as well to wring every ounce of investment advice I can get out of it.

GREAT INSIGHT ON HOW AN INVESTOR CAN WIN ON WALL STREET

I try to read all the newest stock market books. This one is full of new insights that I will be able to profit by in my future trades. This book should be in the library of all serious investors. Another book that I highly recommend for those who are interested in picking high tech stocks is MAKING DOLLARS WITH PENNIES: HOW THE SMALL INVESTOR CAN BEAT THE WIZARDS ON WALL STREET by R. Max Bowser. Bowser has 25 profitable years of investing in high tech as well as other stocks, mostly in the low-priced range. Bowser explains twelve factors that one should look at before picking a stock. His system is compatable with the methods written about in THE GORILLA GAME.

High-Tech Investment Bible

This book has totally transformed my stock selection technique and resulted in a portfolio that is absolutely crushing the general market. I can not say enough about how highly I regard the information outlined in this book. Which high-tech stocks win on Wall St and why? The book sets forth a framework in which investors can understand how to value one stock in comparison to another. After reading it the world of investing finally started to make sense. This book is useful for any person that is out to find the next Microsoft. Buy this book.

Perhaps even more important for employees than investors

This book was recommended to me by a seasoned, sophisticated investor. It's a must read--not only for technology investors (people who invest MONEY)---but it's perhaps even more important for persons trying to decide which high-tech company to work for (people who invest TIME). That's because the potential appreciation from employee stock options makes one's choice of employer more important than ever.