A Gift of Stock Buys A Share of the Future: INVESTING
Ford Motor Co. went public in 1956, raising $650 million in what was then the largest stock offering in history; Ten million shares were sold, and my grandfather bought me oneÛÓme, a 9-year-old kid who knew nothing about the stock market but would team.</br></br>more. Through stock splits, my one share of Ford has become 16 shares. My grandfatherÛªs gift, which cost about $60, is now worth $560. It could have been worth more than $2,000 if I had reinvested the quarterly dividends in more shares of Ford instead of squander ing them on baseball cards and movie tickets.</br></br>But the money isn't the main point. It was a wonderful gift that I haven't forgotten. My own experience with Ford is one reason I suggest giving shares of stockÛÓor mutual fundsÛÓas presents for young people graduating from high school or college or getting married or having a significant birthday.</br></br>Gifts of stock should always come with an admonition, a note to the recipient that says, ÛÏPromise you wonÛªt sell this stock for at least 20 years. YouÛªll be tempted at times, but youÛªll be glad you kept itÛ two distinctly different approaches: a Buy young, exciting growth companies. This is the strategy recommended by Standard & Poor's Corp., the research and ratings firm, in an article titled ÛÏStocks for Different Times of Your Life" in See GLASSMAN, DO, CoL 3</br></br>* Not meaningful  NOTE: S&P's highest rating for stocks is five stars SOURCE: Standard & Poor's Investor's Monthly			i the S&P newsletter, InvestorÛªs Monthly. Stocks for "singles" and ÛÏyoung mar-rieds," says S&P, ÛÏgenerally have stronger growth potential and therefore carry higher P/E [price-to-eam-ings] multiples and offer little or no current income.Û