The well-known author, stockbroker, and investor is William J. O’Neill. He is credited with being among the first investors to use computers to aid their research and decision-making while making investments. In addition, O’Neil established Investor’s Business Daily, a well-known investing journal.

O’Neil is the author of two highly regarded books, How to Make Money in Stocks and 24 Essential Lessons for Investment Success.

Early Life and Education

Oklahoma City was the place of William J. O’Neil’s birth on March 25, 1933. The Dust Bowl and the Great Depression impacted his early years and money habits. After completing his business studies at Southern Methodist University and earning a bachelor’s degree in 1955, he enlisted in the US Air Force.

The stockbroker O’Neil started working in 1958 in Los Angeles at Hayden, Stone & Co. As he developed his clientele and portfolio, he discovered that data analytics was the secret to successful investing. He established William O’Neil Co., Inc. in 1963, which went on to create the first computerized daily securities database, keeping tabs on over 70,000 businesses globally. He became the youngest to purchase a seat on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at thirty.

IS SLIM

Using technical and fundamental research, O’Neil developed the CAN-SLIM technique, a bullish formula of seven features that identified which companies were likely to increase in value. The philosophy states that investors can assess a company’s potential for growth by looking at its annual and quarterly earnings, any recent positive changes made to the business, the number of shares available for purchase on the market, the company’s leadership position in its industry, the investment made in it by major financial institutions, and the company’s ability to follow market trends.

Weekly Charts

In 1972, William J. O’Neil founded Daily Graphs, which began as a weekly subscription-based printed book of stock charts. Individual investors can access the same high-quality research instruments as institutional investors via the stock charts. The clarity and simplicity of the charts made them famous, and in 2010, MarketSmith was introduced as the follow-up to the well-liked Daily Graphs Online investment analysis service. The CAN SLIM theory is based on O’Neil’s seven fundamental elements, which are included in the stock charts via technical and fundamental research. These characteristics have been consistently present in almost all top-performing firms throughout many decades of market cycles.

Daily Investor’s Business

O’Neil started Investor’s Daily, a nationwide business journal, in 1984. Later, in 1991, its name was changed to the more recognizable Investor’s Business Daily (IBD). News Corp. said in 2021 that it had agreed to buy O’Neil’s Investor’s Business Daily.

IBD offers exclusive research, analytical products, and tools for investors. IBD’s website had around 5.2 million unique visits per month as of 2023.

The CAN-SLIM Strategy: What Is It?

William J. O’Neil came up with the abbreviation CAN SLIM, which stands for seven characteristics that investors should consider in a firm before investing in growth companies.

How to Make Money with Stocks: What Is the Key Lesson?

In How to Make Money in Stocks, William J. O’Neil combines his CAN SLIM method with lessons on chart reading to enhance stock selection, lower losses, and generate profits.

Who founded Investor’s Business Daily?

William J. O’Neil founded Investor’s Daily, later renamed Investor’s Business Daily, in 1984.

The Final Word

Through his books, publications, and seminars, William J. O’Neil is a well-known business leader and educator committed to educating investors and using data-driven methodology.

Hayden, Stone & Co. in Los Angeles employed William J. O’Neil as a stockbroker.

Conclusion

• At thirty, O’Neil purchased a seat on the NYSE.
• In 1963, he established William O’Neil Co., Inc., which created the first electronic securities database.
• The creator of the CAN-SLIM growth investment strategy is William J. O’Neil.
• In 1984, he started the Investor’s Business Daily.