I’ve made plenty of money on stocks over the past ten years. You just have to do proper analysis of the companies, and figure out how you’re going to get paid. A highly profitable company that throws away its cash is not what you want.
I have as well. It takes a lot of studying and effort. I’ve found a few that have done well. It is a constant learning process, researching, defining entry and exit points, reading filings, studying the companies. But it has been worth it. I find that I can only concentrate on a few at a time, ideally no more than three. I’ve made a lot of mistakes over the years as well..but have done better than if I had left it all in a mutual fund or someone else’s hands. With today’s markets, it’s not for everyone.