Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) stock has proved a terrific investment for those who bought it at its initial public offering (IPO) in August 2004 -- when the company was then named Google -- and held on for the long run.

So, just how great an investment has the tech giant and Google search engine owner been? Let's take a look.

Image source: Alphabet.

On Thursday, Aug. 19, 2004, while American swimmers were capturing three gold medals at the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, things weren't going as swimmingly for Google stock's debut on the Nasdaq.

Despite much hype preceding the IPO, investors didn't seem as keen on what was then strictly a search engine stock as management had hoped. The company ended up pricing shares at $85, the low end of its revised range of $85 to $95 -- and that range was considerably lower than its original target of $108 to $135. Moreover, first-day trading action wasn't nearly as hot as the summer weather in much of the country. Google stock opened at $100.00 -- more than 17% higher than its offer price -- and closed the day at $100.34, an 18% gain from the IPO price. This is a solid performance but not one befitting what I well remember was being touted as the hottest tech IPO since the dot-com bubble burst in 2000.

Every dollar invested in Google stock at its IPO price has turned into $30. Here's how much various dollar amounts invested at the IPO would now be worth as of the market close on Nov. 22. (These figures take into account the company's controversial 2014 stock split, which we'll get to in a moment.)

$32,831 (second column); $40,193 (third column)

Data as of Nov. 22, 2019.

So, the answer to the headline question of how much money you'd have now if you invested $10,000 in Google's IPO is more than $300,000! Now this is assuming you bought at the $85 IPO price -- an unrealistic assumption for most folks. I've included a more realistic look at how much money you'd have now by assuming you bought the stock at the high end of its trading range on IPO day. In this case, there's not a huge difference, but there are often massive differences in instances involving popular IPOs.

As for the stock split, in 2014, the company not only doubled the number of shares outstanding, but it also created a new class of shares, Class C shares, which have no voting power. Public shareholders received one Class C share for every Class A share (1 vote each) they owned, while insiders who owned Class B shares (10 votes each) also received one Class C share for each Class B share they owned. This unusual move was made so the company's founders could split the stock and still retain their majority voting power. Class C shares began trading under the company's original ticker symbol, GOOG, while the Class A shares began trading as GOOGL following the split.

At the time of the stock split, the company also restructured its business and changed its corporate name to Alphabet, with Google becoming its largest operating unit.

The stock split means that in order to calculate how much one share of Google bought at its IPO is worth today, we have to add the current share prices of the Class A ($1,293.67) and Class C ($1,295.34) shares. That gives us $2,589.01. By contrast, had you decided to plunk $85 in a fund that tracks the S&P 500, your investment would now be worth $332, as the index has returned 291% since Google's IPO.

In 15 years, Alphabet has become the third-largest stock, by market cap, trading on a U.S. stock exchange, trailing only Apple and Microsoft. That's darn impressive when you consider that both of those companies have been around and publicly traded much longer, as the iPhone maker IPO'd in 1980 and the computer software behemoth followed in 1986.

What drove Alphabet's fast entree into the mammoth-company club? Primarily, this powerful combo: the torrid growth of the internet + the company's increasing share of the search engine market. This duo allowed Alphabet to sell more and more digital ads and at higher and higher prices. (The company originally made all of its money from ad sales, and today, the bulk of its revenue is still generated from ads.) Here's a look at the first part of this equation:

Image source: Statista.

Now let's get to Google's increasing dominance of the search engine market. In March 2004, several months before its IPO, the company had a leading 40.9% share of the U.S. search market, followed by Yahoo! (27.4%) and MSN (19.6%), according to Datahub.io. As of October 2019, Google search controls 88.3% of the U.S. search market, according to gs.statcounter.com. Moreover, that same source pegs the company's current share of the global market at 92.8%.

Alphabet's online sites (notably mobile and desktop search and video-sharing platform YouTube) are still its primary growth drivers. However, in recent years, the company has been getting a nice boost from its nonadvertising businesses. These include its cloud computing service, Google Cloud, and its hardware business, which includes phones powered by its Android operating system and its smart-home business, centered on Google Home, its smart speaker.

There are good reasons to believe that Alphabet stock will continue to outperform the market for some time. In addition to having growth potential left in its more established businesses, the company's newer and more newly monetized businesses have potentially huge runways for growth. For instance, its autonomous-vehicle subsidiary, Waymo, is poised to benefit big when driverless vehicles become legal across the United States. In late 2018, Waymo started generating revenue when it began offering a limited-scope ride-hailing service in the Phoenix, Arizona, area.

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If You Invested $10,000 in Google's IPO, This Is How Much Money You've Have Now - The Motley Fool

Looking for broad exposure to the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market? You should consider the Invesco Dynamic Biotechnology & Genome ETF (PBE), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 06/23/2005.

An increasingly popular option among retail and institutional investors, passively managed ETFs offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; they are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.

Sector ETFs are also funds of convenience, offering many ways to gain low risk and diversified exposure to a broad group of companies in particular sectors. Healthcare - Biotech is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 3, placing it in top 19%.

Index Details

The fund is sponsored by Invesco. It has amassed assets over $233.71 M, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market. PBE seeks to match the performance of the Dynamic Biotechnology & Genome Intellidex Index before fees and expenses.

This is comprised of stocks of 30 U.S. biotechnology and genome companies. These are companies that are principally engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing and distribution of various biotechnological products, services and processes and companies that benefit significantly from scientific and technological advances in biotechnology and genetic engineering and research.

Costs

Since cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.57%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

Looking at individual holdings, Biogen Inc (BIIB) accounts for about 6.28% of total assets, followed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (VRTX) and Neurocrine Biosciences Inc (NBIX).

The top 10 holdings account for about 50.41% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

Year-to-date, the Invesco Dynamic Biotechnology & Genome ETF has added roughly 17.18% so far, and it's up approximately 7.20% over the last 12 months (as of 11/27/2019). PBE has traded between $43.44 and $56.26 in this past 52-week period.

The ETF has a beta of 1.43 and standard deviation of 22.73% for the trailing three-year period, making it a high risk choice in the space. With about 29 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.

Alternatives

Invesco Dynamic Biotechnology & Genome ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, PBE is a reasonable option for those seeking exposure to the Health Care ETFs area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.

SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) tracks S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index and the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) tracks Nasdaq Biotechnology Index. SPDR S&P Biotech ETF has $4.20 B in assets, iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF has $7.54 B. XBI has an expense ratio of 0.35% and IBB charges 0.47%.

Bottom Line

To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Invesco Dynamic Biotechnology & Genome ETF (PBE): ETF Research Reports iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB): ETF Research Reports SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI): ETF Research Reports Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Biogen Inc. (BIIB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NBIX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research

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Should You Invest in the Invesco Dynamic Biotechnology & Genome ETF (PBE)? - Yahoo Finance

One resolution that can be difficult to keepor startis investing. But building an investment portfolio does not have to be difficult.

Building an investment portfolio with ETFs is one way to help you achieve your goals. An ETF (exchange-traded fund) is a diversified collection of securities (like a mutual fund) that trades on an exchange (like a stock). There are over 1,800 ETFs listed in the United States, and iShares, BlackRock's ETF business, offers more than 300 to choose from in the U.S. and 800 globally, across a broad range of asset classes, sectors and geographical regions.1 You can pick and choose any number of ETFs that best suit you, your goals and your passions.

Here are three ways ETFs can help you achieve your goals for 2020 and beyond.

iShares Core ETFs are broad stock and bond funds that are designed to be long-term portfolio holdings.

If you care most about seeking to preserve your nest egg, you may want to consider a mix of iShares Core Funds that have a heavy allocation toward bonds and a small allocation toward stocks.

If you are the type of investor who is seeking long-term growth and is less concerned about market swings, you may want to consider a majority stock portfolio. Consider a mix of iShares Core Funds that have a heavy allocation in stocks and a smaller portion in bonds.

ETFs may help minimize capital gains distributions and thus the tax liabilities that investors are required to pay each year, as they tend to be tax efficient.

Capital gains result from sales of securities that have increased in value over time in fund portfolios. With any fund, when gains from sales exceed losses, they are distributed to fund investors. But for traditional mutual funds, capital gains are more likely to be passed through to investors regardless of whether or not they have chosen to sell.

This is because ETFs generally follow strategies that trade less frequently than mutual funds and have structural features that help prevent capital gains from being passed on to remaining fund investors. Over the past five years, 58% of mutual funds paid capital gains taxes while only 6% of iShares ETFs did.2With ETFs, investors can typically exercise greater control over their personal tax situations by seeking to limit themselves from capital gains distributions.

As you look ahead at the beginning of a new year, making a positive impact on the world might be one of your resolutions, and sustainable investing is one way to help make that happen.

Sustainable investing is about investing in progress, pioneering better ways of doing business and creating the momentum to encourage more people to build a sustainable future.

BlackRock is committed to making sustainable investing as simple as traditional investing, providing investors with a range of iShares ETFs that allow them to make a positive impact while pursuing their financial objectives. One option is to select ETFs that hold companies that rate highly in terms of their commitments to positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) business practices. Another option is to select ETFs that focus on a particular E, S or G issue, like clean energy.

With iShares ETFs, you can pursue both your financial and personal goals, whether you are looking to quickly and easily get started at a low cost, find a tax-efficient solution or build a sustainable investment portfolio.

For more information on how you can start pursuing your goals for 2020 and beyond using iShares ETFs, click here.

Carefully consider the Funds' investment objectives, risk factors, and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Funds' prospectuses or, if available, the summary prospectuses, which may be obtained by visiting http://www.iShares.com or http://www.blackrock.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

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Invest With A Purpose: Pursuing Your New Years Goals With ETFs - Forbes

Is your business interested in international trade? Youre invited to join Gilberts Office of Economic Development, the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, and Gilbert Sister Cities for an International Trade Seminar on Tuesday, December 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Gilbert University Building located at 92 W. Vaughn Avenue, Gilbert, AZ 85233.

International trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) play an essential role in ensuring economic growth and prosperity, creating highly-compensated jobs, spurring innovation, and driving exports. At the event, representatives from Gilbert Sister Cities, Arizona Commerce Authority, Invest Northern Ireland, and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council will provide details about financial assistance and programs available to businesses interested in expanding internationally, and present information on business opportunities in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. Attendees will also learn about an exciting opportunity to join a trade and investment mission in the Spring of 2020 to the United Kingdom as part of Gilberts Sister Cities program with Antrim and Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland.

Businesses interested in international trade, especially those interested in exploring business opportunities with Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, should plan to attend this event. Through this partnership, Gilbert hopes to locate businesses that are looking to expand internationally and assist them in relationship building, importing and exporting assistance, finding financial resources, and more.

Register for the International Trade Seminar.

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Gilbert will host International Trade and Investment Seminar - AZ Big Media

(This article is inspired from the works of Charles D Ellis & Victor Niederhoffer)

The moot point he wanted to drive was that professional tennis is about hitting winners and amateur tennis is about avoiding losers. Equating it to investing, while the full-time investment professionals hunt and plan for that winning investment idea, the average investor should strive to avoid mistakes which cause losses.

Secondly, a lesser known investing legend (more famous for his gut-wrenching losses!), Victor Niederhoffer had also written about the different lessons learnt on the tennis court and how they should be applied to investing.

Thus, given below are few ideas and corollaries to not only improve your game of tennis but also investing results!

Before the Game:

In Investing:

Playing the loser's game by: 1. Investing without a goal in mind

In Investing:

Playing the loser's game by:

Towards the Endgame:

In Investing:

Playing the loser's game by:

The encouraging truth is that while most investors are doomed to lose if they play the losers game of trying to beat the market; every investor can be a long-term winner. All we need to do to be long-term winners is to reorient ourselves to concentrate on realistic long-term goal setting and staying the course with sensible investment policies that will achieve our own particular objectives by applying the self-discipline, patience, and fortitude required for persistent implementation.

Disclaimer: Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully

Disclaimer: Content Produced by IDFC AMC

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Winning Investments are made by having a Game Plan - Times of India

Want to get a jump-start on upcoming deals? Meet the major players at one of our upcoming national events!

Investment giantBlackstone Group has sold its remaining stake in Invitation Homes, a company established by Blackstone in the wake of the housing crash in the early 2010s to invest in foreclosed single-family housing on a large scale.

Blackstone has been selling off its interest in Invitation Homes since earlier this year, with the latest sale (in the form of a stock offering) representing about 11% of Invitation Homes stock, bringing Blackstone $1.7B. All together, the stock sales, plus dividend earnings in recent years, have made Blackstone about $7B, or more than twice what it invested, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Investors have proven willing to buy the stock that Blackstone has been selling. At the beginning of 2019, Dallas-based Invitation Homes traded for $20.80/share. As of mid-November, that price had risen to $29.50/share, down a little from the year's peak over $31/share in mid-October.

Blackstone bet successfully that Invitation Homes, which is structured as a real estate investment trust, would be able to efficiently manage a massive portfolio of single-family houses in various parts of the country, though concentrated in Florida and the western states. Currently, the company owns about 80,000 houses.

The hardest part wasnt buying the homes, it was building the business, Blackstone President Jonathan Gray, who headed the firms real estate business when it launched Invitation, told the WSJ.

Invitation Homes grew organically during the 2010s by buying houses, but it vaulted to the status of largest single-family owner in the country in 2017 whenit acquired Starwood Waypoint Homes, which owned about 32,000 houses at the time. Starwood itself was the result of earlier consolidation in the sector. Invitation Homes' nearest rival, American Homes 4 Rent, has a portfolio just shy of 53,000 houses.

The company is still buying houses, though it is selling them as well. During the third quarter of 2019, Invitation Homes acquired 578 houses for $183M, while during the same quarter, the company sold 668 houses for $168M.

Invitation Homes President and CEO Dallas Tanner said during the company's most recent earnings call in late October thatInvitation Homes is benefiting from strong fundamentals in its main markets, with household formation in the western U.S. and Florida pacing at over twice the national average.

"We continue to see an attractive opportunity in these markets to buy well below replacement cost and generate attractive returns relative to our cost of capital," Tanner said.

Considering that many of the new households are being formed by millennials, who are weighed down by student loan debt and other factors,rental single-family housing can serve the current generation's needs the way a for-sale starter home might have for their parents.

Tanner said demographics are favoring growth for Invitation Homes.

"Over 65 million people or roughly one-fifth of the U.S. population is aged 20 to 34 years," he said. "We believe many in this cohort will choose the single-family leasing lifestyle as they form families and age towards Invitation Homes average resident age of 39 years."

As an institutional landlord, Invitation Homes has also attracted its share of criticism. Last year,Reuters reported tenant dissatisfaction with property management andfees.

"In interviews with the companys tenants in neighborhoods across the United States, the picture that emerges isnt as much one of exceptional service as it is one of leaky pipes, vermin, toxic mold, nonfunctioning appliances and months-long waits for repairs," Reuters reported.

Invitation Homes disputed that characterization. From time to time, things happen, Chief Operating Officer Charles Young told Reuters. But when theres an issue, we work hard to resolve it as quickly as we can.

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4 Blackstone Profits Handsomely From Single-Family Investment Vehicle Invitation Homes National Other National Other November - Bisnow

Investment Week is delighted to reveal the winners of its third annual Women in Investment Awards, which took place in London last night (27 November) in partnership with HSBC Global Asset Management.

Having been a success for the past two years, the event returned for its third to celebrate the achievements of women in the fund management industry.

The awards, for whichInvestment Weekreceived over 1,000 submissions, aim to recognise the achievements of women in a sector where they are currently under-represented, particularly at senior level.

They also honour companies and individuals who have helped support women in the workplace and have tried to improve diversity within their businesses.

The judges faced some difficult decisions after reading many touching and inspirational stories but were pleased to see submissions from women from a wide variety of roles within the industry.

This year's ceremony took place on Wednesday 27 November at Finsbury Square in London.

Winner: Gemma Godfrey, Moola

Winner: Investment20/20

Highly commended: Barings

Winner: Morgan Stanley Investment Management

Winner: Clo Fitzsimons, Cazenove Capital

Highly commended: Shiwen Gao, Investec Wealth & Investment

Winner: Shannon Lancaster, Ravenscroft

Winner: Fiona Macnab, Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Winner: Bethany Morris, Robeco

Highly commended: Clelia Fabbricatore, Schroders

Winner: Colette Corveste, Legg Mason Global Asset Management

Winner: Lee Georgs, Redington

Highly commended: Louise Walewska, HSBC Global Asset Management

Winner: Honor Solomon,Legal & General Investment Management

Highly commended: Bilquis Ahmed, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Winner: Natasa Williams, LGT Vestra

Winner: Meike Bliebenicht,HSBC Global Asset Management

Highly commended: Olivia Maguire, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Winner: Saachi Sharma, Man Group

Winner: Claire Jewiss, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Winner: Farah Foustok,Lazard Asset Management

Highly commended: Virginie Maisonneuve, formerly Eastspring Investments

Winner: Rosanna Burcheri,Artemis Investment Managers

Highly commended: Fabiana Fedeli, Robeco

Winner: Olivia Maguire, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Winner: Klyzza Jayme Lidman,Aubrey Capital Management

Winner: Kirsty Gibson,Baillie Gifford

Highly commended: Julia Rees, Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Kemi Dominic,Morgan Stanley Investment Management

Winner: Caroline Escott, Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association

Winner: Kathleen Hughes,Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Highly commended: Helen Xiong,Baillie Gifford

Anne Richards, Fidelity International (pictured, below)

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Revealed: Winners of the Women in Investment Awards 2019 - Investment Week

It has been over a year since David Tepper signed on the dotted line, purchasing the Carolina Panthers, for an NFL record $2.275B. Hes spent much of the past 15 months making up for lost time, doing many of things Jerry Richardson was too austere to do.

So far, hes made investments in player health, marketing, and has made big strides to bring the team facilities into the 21st Century. So now, when it rains, players no longer have to run routes and defend passes on the carpeted hallways of the Convention Centerthey have a weatherproof field to practice on inside a brand new bubble.

Earlier this summer, he made his biggest move to date, announcing that the Panthers would be moving their training facility and team HQ to Rock Hill, SC. While the Bubble brings the team into the 21st century, what Tepper has planned in Rock Hill prepares both he, and the team for the future.

In Late October, Rock HIll Planning Commission held a hearing to discuss the Panthers rezoning plan this meeting gave us our first glimpse into what we can expect the Panthers plan to look like. It also gives us a glimpse into one of the biggest ways Tepper will be diversifying his investment.

Ultimately the plan was approved by a vote of 5-2, to move on to City Council for a final vote.

The Panthers new facility will sit on what is currently 285 acres of heavily wooded land, located just south of the Catawba River, adjacent to I-77 at 2394 Eden Terrace in Rock HIll.

Beyond the headquarters and practice facility, which are expected to open August of 2022, the development will include many different uses. According to the memorandum, the team will aim to establish a commercial district, anchored by regional and corporate headquarters, shopping, nightlife, hotel rooms, and a dense residential district.

The proposed buildout, so far, includes the following:

Related: The Likely Market For Panthers Pending Free Agents

Here comes The Hot Tepper

Beyond these raw numbers, theres numerous other items discussed.

The team facility is designed to be utilized by the players, but in some cases will give access to the general public. There will be public viewing areas, and the team facility is expected to host high school football games.

Related: Seasons Can Be Fragile: Will A Drubbing In San Francisco Be This Year's Pittsburgh?

For me, the biggest takeaway from the memorandum is not the practice facility itself, but how Tepper intends to use the land to diversify his investment in the Panthers. The memorandum describes a plan that paints broad enough strokes that Tepper could really do whatever he wants with it within the laws of the city of Rock Hill, and the state of South Carolina.

Its clear that he wants to create a 365 day a year entertainment business, instead of one that is only relevant on gameday.

Contributor/Meme Maker in Chief

In the venn diagram that is Panthers, Business News, & Development, I cover the space where they intersect. Charlotte born & bred, NYC resident - for now, at least. Follow me on twitter at @CLTDevelopment

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Tepper Making His Biggest Investment Yet - The Riot Report

If you're like the majority of Americans, you're probably a little intimidated by the idea of investing. In fact, an Ally Financial study shows over 60% of Americans are scared of it, so you're not alone. This figure may be even higher for millenials. But that doesn't mean you should avoid investing. To the contrary, overcoming your fear of money and investing can be one of the single most powerful self-improvement hurdles to master. It can not only make your psychological outlook more positive, but it can also yield tangible financial results that will measurably improve your material well-being.

Here are three ways to start taking control of your investing future rather than avoiding it out of fear.

1. Make your 401(k) your best friend

For many of us, the first experience with investing is through employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as a 401(k). This can be a great place to start because employer plans often usetarget-date retirement funds, or other core index funds, as default plan selections, which are ideal choices for novice investors, or those who wish for a hands-off approach.

Employer plans also usually offer support from your HR department or the plan's service provider when it comes to understanding basic investing concepts like asset allocation and diversification to make sure you don't take too much risk. Take your time to understand the offerings, the costs, and your choices. Over time, your confidence will increase, and even if your contributions are initially small, they serve as training wheels for more independent investing in the future.

More from Invest in You: How to teach your kids about money and stress Oprah Winfrey on never taking her company public: 'I like to be my own boss' Billionaire Ray Dalio says retail investors should not make this big mistake

2. Learn a little about investing

If you're reading this article, it's because you've already taken the first and most critical step toward overcoming your fear of investing you're educating yourself, seeking out information to help empower you and make better financial choices. When it comes to self-education, we all have to start somewhere, and online videos, tutorials, guides, and discussion forums are a good way to master basic knowledge, and engage with others, like you, who want a better grip on their finances.

Many major financial services companies offer excellent (and free) financial education materials, such as Vanguard's Plain Talk on Investing,TD Ameritrade's Education portal, or Morningstar's Investing Classroom. Other great sources include the American Institute of CPAs' 360FinancialLiteracy.org, Investopedia, and many of the resources shared via Investor.gov.

3. Learn a lot more about investing by investing

Reading and educating yourself is just the first step: You'll need to take the plunge into actual investing, and that's where the most important learning happens. Your first forays into investing should ideally involve a relatively small amount of capital. You should also consider seeking the advice or support of a professional, or knowledgeable family member.

SIGN UP: Money 101 is an 8-week learning course to financial freedom, delivered weekly to your inbox.

CHECK OUT: How much to tip a doorman, babysitter, and others for the holidays, according to an etiquette expertvia Grow with Acorns+CNBC.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns.

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How to overcome your fear of investing - CNBC

NFL linebacker Brandon Copeland understands the importance of investing his money.

In fact, the New York Jet spends about 10% of his salary and saves the rest.

"This career can end at any moment. Any money I make I'm trying to extrapolate that out for life, I'm trying to save as much as possible," he said.

To do that, Copeland is putting money into the stock market, real estate and private start-up ventures.

"Having those multiple income streams, I feel like it's amazing, you never are dependent on one single thing," he said.

He's also focused on the long term when it comes to the stock market.

"When I came into the league years ago, I was trading options and day-trading options," said Copeland, a member of the CNBC Invest in You Financial Wellness Council.

"It was because I didn't have a lot of money and I wanted to flip it quickly."

Brandon Copeland, NY Jets Linebacker.

Adam Jeffery | CNBC

Copeland soon came to realize that he couldn't spend all his time focusing on the market. Instead, he said he's now realistic about his risk tolerance and wants to be sure he's invested "comfortably" so that he doesn't have to worry when the market has a down day.

Copeland was fortunate to come into the NFL with a firm financial background. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 2013 and held a couple of internships on Wall Street.

He's now using his own work experiences to help others.

For one, he started his foundation, Beyond the Basics, which gives back to the community by hosting a youth football camp and other events.

More from Invest in You: Inside the NY Giants money boot camp NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis reveals his biggest money mistake Tennis legend Andy Roddick: This is the 'most powerful thing you can be'

For the second year in a row, the organization is giving away a holiday shopping spree at Target this December to 100 underprivileged kids in New Jersey. He's partnered with other players from the New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys to do the same in their hometowns.

Copeland is also teaching a class on financial literacy at his alma mater. Part of it focuses on how to invest in the stock market. Here's his advice to getting started on investing.

Copeland tells his students "before you even put a dollar into anything," download investing apps and turn on the notifications. This way, you can keep up with what's happening in the market like when the indexes hit new highs, as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq did on Monday.

Having those multiple income streams, I feel like it's amazing, you never are dependent on one single thing.

Brandon Copeland

New York Jets

That's especially important for Copeland, since he's focused on winning football games right now and can't pay close attention to the market.

"Because I'm getting the notifications, I still have somewhat of an idea of where things are," he said.

When it comes to picking stocks, stick with what you have an interest in.

If you like shoes, for example, you can look into Nike, Adidas or Under Armour, he said.

On the flip side, if you don't have any idea about health care, don't start trying to invest in a pharmaceutical company, he added.

While Copeland likes to be involved in certain names and take some risk, he is also starting to invest in some index funds. Those funds mirror a particular index, like the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust.

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Here's how NFL linebacker Brandon Copeland is investing his money - CNBC