Home
Previous
Next
May, 2008: 1 18 26
Disclaimer - IMPORTANT - Read this first!
| Investor's Journal is a diary focused strictly on investments and personal finance issues, primarily from a contrarian and retiree point of view. Follow along with an average guy's failures and successes as he learns, by trial and error, the fine art of value investing. |
5/1/08-I am due to leave shortly for a couple-week trip plus out of state vacation. So, while I want before I go to convey the essential buy and sell info pertinent to the hypothetical portfolios, this will be a concise, shortened entry version, just the basics.
First, HNT, purchased on 4/30/07 for the LL portfolio, down 49.47% since then (through close of trading today), will be sold at the early market price tomorrow, 5/2/08.
Next, the following 3 WW assets, APA, NFLX, and WFR, each held at least 4 weeks, and performing as follows: up 6.29%, down 9.61%, and down 21.91% respectively since purchase, are due to be sold at the early market price tomorrow morning as well. Like the HNT LL asset, the closed position info for these will be added to my spreadsheets detailing the respective portfolios' open and (later) closed position records.
Finally, the following 4 new WW assets are due to be purchased at the early market price in the morning and added to the WW hypothetical (as well as our own nest egg) portfolio: MON; MOS; BMI; and RIMM.
I look forward to resuming entries and analyses soon after my return, close to the middle of the month.
I wish all good luck with their investing in the interim.
5/18/08-Since the last entry, our Classic Value (CV) pick, ELMG, purchased on 5/7/07, has been held over a year. It will be sold at the early market price Monday morning. It will then be removed from the CV open positions portfolio, and its closed position info recorded, based on the 5/7/07 to early 5/19/08 per share performance. Through the close of trading on 5/16/08, after subtracting a commission (while not counting any dividends), ELMG had been up 45.99% in the past 12(+) months.
My top-ten equities for mention today are: AGYS; AXS; FLXS; HCC; HDNG; NC; NSEC; PHG; PLFE; and SAFT.
The focus this time is on a new Classic Value (CV) selection, HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (HCC) (recent price $23.88). HCC's trailing price to earnings ratio is just 7.35. The asset's market-capitalization size is mid-cap: $2.75 billion. HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. has a 1.80% dividend, with a dividend payout ratio of 0.13. The price to sales ratio is 1.18. HCC's price to book value is below average at 1.10. There is positive free cash flow. Return on equity is 16.32%. Debt to equity is 0.15. The current ratio is 1.72. This stock has low price to earnings, low debt, below average P/Bk, and a dividend in its favor.
HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. will be added to our CV tracking portfolio, as well as our own nest egg, at its market price early tomorrow morning, 5/19/08.
5/26/08-Since the last entry, our Classic Value (CV) pick, IVAC, purchased on 5/21/07, has been held over a year. It will be sold at the early market price Tuesday morning. It will then be removed from the CV open positions portfolio, and its closed position info recorded, based on the 5/21/07 to early 5/27/08 per share performance. Through the close of trading on 5/23/08, after subtracting a commission (while not counting any dividends), IVAC had been down 38.73% in the past 12(+) months.
Also since the last entry, our WW pick, FAST, purchased on 4/15/08, has been held at least 4 weeks. And it no longer meets our WW buy or hold criteria. So it will be sold at the early market price tomorrow (Tuesday morning) as well. It will then be removed from the WW open positions portfolio, and its closed position info recorded, based on the 4/15/08 to early 5/27/08 per share performance. Through the close of trading on 5/23/08, after subtracting a commission (while not counting any dividends), FAST has been down 7.44% since purchase.
Since the last entry too, our WW pick, NGS, also purchased on 4/15/08, has been held at least 4 weeks. And it no longer meets our WW buy or hold criteria. So it will be sold at the early market price tomorrow (Tuesday morning). It will then be removed from the WW open positions portfolio, and its closed position info recorded, based on the 4/15/08 to early 5/27/08 per share performance. Through the close of trading on 5/23/08, after subtracting a commission (while not counting any dividends), NGS has been down 2.82% since purchase.
My top-ten equities for mention today are: APA; AXYS; BRK/A (BRK/B); CF; HCC; MOS; NSEC; POT; SOHU; and WDC.
My first focus currently is on a new Wild Wizards (WW) selection, Apache Corp. (APA) (recent price $139.41). APA's trailing price to earnings ratio is 14.02. Its forward P/E is estimated at 9.86. The asset's market-capitalization size is giant-cap: $46.51 billion. Apache Corp. has a 0.40% dividend, with a payout ratio of 0.07. The shareholder equity to total assets ratio is 0.54. The price to sales ratio is 4.30. APA's price to book value is 3.00. Return on equity is 22.63%. Debt to equity is 0.26. The current ratio is 1.02. In the last 52 weeks, APA has risen 78.69%. This stock has advisory support, low debt, and healthy momentum in its favor.
Apache Corp. will be added to our WW tracking portfolio at its market price early on Tuesday, 5/27/08.
My second current focus is on another new Wild Wizards (WW) selection, Western Digital Corp. (WDC) (recent price $35.23). WDC's trailing price to earnings ratio is 9.19. Its forward P/E is estimated at 8.57. The asset's market-capitalization size is large-cap: $7.80 billion. Western Digital Corp. has no dividend. The shareholder equity to total assets ratio is 0.53. The price to sales ratio is 1.06. WDC's price to book value is 3.30. Return on equity is 43.82%. Debt to equity is 0.21. The current ratio is 1.76. In the last 52 weeks, WDC has risen 101.66%. This stock has advisory support, low debt, and good momentum in its favor.
Western Digital Corp. will also be added to our WW tracking portfolio at its market price early on Tuesday, 5/27/08.
My third current focus is on yet another new Wild Wizards (WW) selection, Sohu.com, Inc. (SOHU) (recent price $76.70). SOHU's trailing price to earnings ratio is 57.24. Its forward P/E is estimated at 22.90. The asset's market-capitalization size is mid-cap: $2.90 billion. Sohu.com, Inc. has no dividend. The shareholder equity to total assets ratio is 0.75. The price to sales ratio is 12.22. SOHU's price to book value is 11.83. Return on equity is 25.16%. Debt to equity is 0.00. The current ratio is 2.23. In the last 52 weeks, SOHU has risen 203.16%. This stock has advisory support, low debt, and excellent momentum in its favor.
Sohu.com, Inc. will also be added to our WW tracking portfolio at its market price early on Tuesday, 5/27/08.
Disclaimer and Disclosure Statement
Neither I nor Investor's Journal will be responsible for losses by anyone who obtained ideas from this site.
This diary is intended for personal interest and general information only. You are advised to do your own research (as well as to consult highly compensated professionals) before spending money on anything.
I know of no reason anyone should take my financial musings seriously. At best I am a dedicated amateur providing a bit of investment-related insight and entertainment, at worst an amusing diversion.
My wife, Fran, and I may at times own shares of some of the assets mentioned here. But neither of us receive any benefit from reference to them, unless you count the mutual misery when we get it wrong, or the opportunity to gloat when we get it right.