How I Picked My First Stock at 15

I spent weeks researching before I bought my first actual stock. Not index funds. Not ETFs. A single company. Kraken Robotics (PNG). Here's how I did it, what I looked for, and why I'm convinced it's the right call.

The Starting Point: What Even is Stock Picking?

Most people will tell you to buy index funds and forget about it. And they're right—for most people, that's the sensible move. But I wanted to learn. I wanted to understand *why* companies go up and down. And I wanted a shot at outsized returns before I even finish secondary school.

So I started researching. And that's when I stumbled on Kraken.

How I Found Kraken (The Research Rabbit Hole)

I wasn't looking for underwater drones. Honestly, I was scrolling through growth stock lists, looking for Canadian tech companies because they're smaller and more explosive. That's when I saw a message board discussion about subsea technology.

"The ocean is the new space," someone wrote. I thought that was cool, so I clicked.

What I Looked For (My Checklist)

Before I put a penny in, I created a simple checklist to evaluate Kraken:

The Ghost Shark Story (Why It Really Matters)

Here's the part that got me genuinely excited.

Anduril, a top-tier US defence contractor, is building autonomous submarines called "Ghost Sharks" for the Australian Navy. These aren't toys—they're sophisticated military robots that cost millions each.

And inside every Ghost Shark? Kraken's batteries. Kraken's sonar. Kraken's sensors.

This is huge because military contracts have huge switching costs. Once Anduril chose Kraken, they're locked in. The Navy can't easily swap to a different supplier because certification takes years. So Kraken doesn't just make money once—they make money for the entire life of the contract.

Anduril plans to build hundreds of these. If even 10% of the revenue goes to Kraken, that's tens of millions of pounds in the next 2-3 years.

The Megafactory Moment

This is what convinced Dad I wasn't just guessing.

Kraken just built a $10 million manufacturing facility in Nova Scotia. Why? Because they finally have enough orders that they can't make everything in their old factory. The megafactory triples their production capacity.

This is a classic growth signal: they're scaling because demand is real, not because they're desperate. And when a company can finally build what customers are ordering, the stock usually rewires.

I bought 549 units between December 2025 and January 2026, averaging around £3.65. Total invested: about £1,998.

The Risks (Keeping It Brutally Real)

If I only talked about upsides, I'd be lying. Here's what could go wrong:

This is why I only invested what I could afford to lose. If Kraken goes to zero, it hurts, but it doesn't derail the uni fund. Because I've also got index funds as the foundation.

My Process (So You Can Steal It)

If you want to try individual stock picking, here's the actual workflow I use:

1. Find an idea. Stock forums, Reddit, YouTube, industry reports. Just find something that interests you.
2. Read the latest earnings reports. These are free on the company's website.
3. Find analyst reports. Websites like Seeking Alpha have independent analysts breaking down companies.
4. Check the fundamentals. How much cash do they have? How much debt? Is the business growing?
5. Understand the bears' case. What could go wrong? Why might smart people disagree with you?
6. Look for catalysts. What event in the next 6-24 months could drive the stock price up?
7. Size it appropriately. Don't go all-in. If you're new, start small.
8. Accept that you could be wrong. Have an exit plan. When would you sell?

Where Kraken Stands Now

I bought in December 2025 and January 2026, averaging about £3.65 per share. I'm holding 549 units with a total investment of about £1,998.

My reasoning is still intact: the megafactory is ramping, Ghost Shark production is accelerating, and defence spending is up. So I'm holding.

But I'm also watching for red flags. If quarterly reports show they're missing targets or the megafactory has problems, I'll reassess.

The Bigger Picture

Here's what I've learned from picking my first stock:

• Research beats hype. I didn't buy because a YouTuber told me to. I bought because I understood the business.
• Catalysts matter. Time matters. A great company at the wrong time is just a money loser.
• Position size matters. I can take big risks on Kraken because it's only a portion of my portfolio. My base is index funds.
• Diversification is real. I own Kraken, Nebius (AI infrastructure), and KR1 (crypto). If one blows up, the others can carry me.

Stock picking isn't gambling if you do the homework. It's a skill. And like any skill, you get better with practice.