The PANAM Stock Disaster: How Wall Street Greed Wiped Out an Entire Book of Business

Get Intro To The Stock Market https://www.skool.com/going-public-with-ross-mandell-7131 Ross on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rossmandell/ In this explosive episode of Going Public with Ross Mandell, Ross retells one of the most painful and important lessons of his early Wall Street career—how a brilliant stock play on PANAM Airlines turned into a catastrophic collapse that wiped out clients, destroyed accounts, and forced him to rebuild from scratch. As a young, high-performing stockbroker in 1985, Ross had insider-level insight into PANAM’s upcoming corporate moves. He pushed hard—selling 5,000 shares to every client who didn't own any and doubling positions for those who did. His conviction was so strong that he bought in himself at $5/share, and within days the stock climbed to $5.75. Other brokers soon caught wind, and momentum exploded. PANAM shot up to $7… then $7.50… then $9—all within six weeks. Ross was positioned to make $2 million, and more than half his clients were on margin expecting a home run. Then everything changed. Trading was halted for over 24 hours, and devastating news dropped: PANAM wasn’t selling the company—only the valuable trans-Pacific routes and hubs. Executives secured golden parachutes, but investors were left holding the bag. When trading finally resumed, the stock reopened straight down to $3, instead of the expected $15. Margin calls detonated across the board. Ross lost $100,000 of his own money, made 130 margin calls, and watched his entire book implode overnight. In this episode, Ross breaks down: -The dangerous psychology of greed and euphoria on Wall Street -Why you never count your profits until they’re realized -How margin magnifies both gains and destruction -The inside mechanics of a brokerage boom-and-bust cycle -How corporate corruption and golden parachutes blindsided every investor -The brutal process of rebuilding a shattered business -The real truth behind “the crooked nature of Wall Street” This story isn’t just about losing money—it's about learning the most expensive lesson a stockbroker can learn: In the markets, the moment you think you’ve won… is usually the moment you’re already losing. A must-listen for anyone in the stock market, day trading, investing, or the financial world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices