Peter Lynch, born on January 19, 1944, is one of the most successful and well-known investors of all time. He is best known for his management of the Fidelity Magellan Fund from 1977 to 1990, during which the fund’s assets grew from $20 million to $14 billion. More importantly, Lynch beat the S&P 500 Index benchmark in 11 out of those 13 years, realizing an average annual return of 29.2%.

Lynch’s interest in investing began at a young age when he used to accompany his father to meetings with a stockbroker. He later attended Boston College, where he studied history, psychology, and philosophy, and went on to earn an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Lynch’s investment philosophy is rooted in what he calls “invest in what you know,” a principle he detailed in his bestselling book, “One Up On Wall Street”. He believes that individual investors have a unique advantage over Wall Street professionals because of their firsthand knowledge of products and trends.

Lynch is also known for categorizing companies into six different types: slow growers, stalwarts, fast growers, cyclicals, asset plays, and turnarounds. He used this classification to manage his portfolio and achieve spectacular returns.

Despite his success, Lynch is admired for his humility and dedication to teaching others about investing. He has written several books, and he continues to share his wisdom through interviews and speeches.

Peter Lynch’s legacy in the investment world is undeniable. His remarkable track record, his simple yet effective investment philosophy, and his commitment to educating others make him a true titan of investment.

Please note that this is a brief overview of Peter Lynch’s life and career. For more detailed information, consider reading his books or other resources dedicated to his work.

Lynch’s investment philosophy can be summarized as follows:

1. Invest in What You Know: Lynch believes that individual investors have a unique advantage over Wall Street professionals because of their firsthand knowledge of products and trends. He encourages investors to invest in companies they are familiar with and understand so that they can develop reasonable expectations about the companies’ growth potential and prospects.
2. Long-Term Investment: Lynch is not a market-timer. He believes in finding great opportunities and holding on to them. In other words, Lynch didn’t buy or sell stocks in anticipation of the market going up or down.
3. Growth at a Reasonable Price (GARP): Lynch used a combination of growth and value investing, using the latter to find stocks trading at reasonable value but using growth principles to find opportunities for rapid business growth. His strategy is often referred to as “growth at a reasonable price,” or GARP.
4. Company Classification: Lynch is also known for categorizing companies into six different types: slow growers, stalwarts, fast growers, cyclical, asset plays, and turnarounds. He used this classification to manage his portfolio and achieve his spectacular returns

Recommended reading by Peter Lynch

1. One Up On Wall Street: How To Use What You Already Know To Make Money In The Market by Peter Lynch
2. Beating the Street by Peter Lynch
3. Learn to Earn: A Beginner’s Guide to the Basics of Investing and Business by Peter Lynch
4. The Intelligent Investor: Revised Edition by Jason Zweig
5. Forbes’ Great Minds of Business
6. The Book of Investing Wisdom: Classic Writings by Great Stock-Pickers and Legends of Wall Street edited by Peter Krass
7. Corporate Social Investing: The Breakthrough Strategy for Giving and Getting Corporate Contributions by Curt Weeden