Employee Stock Purchase Plan

U.S. Xpress began trading on NYSE this Summer. They now offer employees a chance to purchase shares at a 15% reduced rate. I'm wondering if anyone here has an idea of how well trucking companies stock historically perform on the market. I assume they rise and fall with the overall economic performance of the country. What are your thoughts?

U.S. Xpress began trading on NYSE this Summer. They now offer employees a chance to purchase shares at a 15% reduced rate. I'm wondering if anyone here has an idea of how well trucking companies stock historically perform on the market. I assume they rise and fall with the overall economic performance of the country. What are your thoughts?

You can sell it right away once it is available or hold it and let it ride for long term. It works out to an extra pay check a year just by taking the percentage rate. My company is a max of 20% per pay period. But that 15% is a sweet discount especially if the issue has been trending upward and you can just let it ride. No short term capital gains tax under one year.

If the company pays dividends every qtr. You will get a few extra for what you have on hand. New issues on the mrkt are hard to gage because there is no chart to go by. I would bird dog it. Sign up on a for like Seeking Alpha and put the cusip in to follow and they will ding you if anything comes up right away. That's what I do. Rather than watching a ticker symbol all day long.

You can sell it right away once it is available or hold it and let it ride for long term. It works out to an extra pay check a year just by taking the percentage rate. My company is a max of 20% per pay period. But that 15% is a sweet discount especially if the issue has been trending upward and you can just let it ride. No short term capital gains tax under one year.

I plan on using it for long term. What is your (or anyone who wants to chime in) opinion on stock purchase vs 401k for retirement investment purposes? It is my understanding that investing in company stock is kind of like putting all your eggs in one basket: if the company goes into decline, so does your investment. However, if the company performs better than the market as a whole, you actually earn more by investing in stock as opposed to 401k. Correct me if I'm wrong. I have no experience when it comes to this kind of thing.

You'd have a considerably safer investment in a 401K. Diversity diminishes your risks. I'm not familiar with too many publicly traded trucking companies who have outperformed the market.

RE: ESOP If the company goes Tango Uniform, the employee not only loses their job, but their investment too. I do agree with Old School, a 401 offers more diversity.

You just have to remember with the stock marker comes higher risk. If you can manage (and I am not being a smart azz) to not look everyday at what your stock is doing and know that you are going in for the long haul, then that might be better. I have always wanted to be a day trader, but with someone else's money lol

I appreciate the advice you all.

Can you do a 401k, and buy some stock also? I might dabble with a little stock if I were young and could absorb the risk, but I am close to retirement, so any investing I do needs to be in a safe spot.

You should be able to do both. I have a 401k and plenty of stock in my company... granted, I work for one of the largest DoD contractors in the world so I doubt it will to tango uniform. The price will rise and fall but it's all good. I love owning company stock as it makes me feel more connected to my company. If you're nervous, you could always buy a little.