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Catch, you might be the only one making money this year LOL. My gold fund lost 17% already. I forgot what a fund boat is but believe I'll scroll through all the past posties and find it. Thanks for sharing.
I don’t post my weekly portfolio performance numbers as you do; however, I thought I would share my results as a comparison. You run mostly a fixed income portfolio consisting of bond funds and I run more of balanced portfolio consisting of cash, bonds, stocks and other assets that utilizes a timing strategy. My current asset allocation is about 20% cash, 25% income and 55% equity and other. Since March I have been reducing equities and raising cash at about a 5% move per month for a 15% move in ballast from equities to cash. This adjustment was in keeping with the Sell In May strategy. This strategy is basically load equities in the fall when they have historically performed their best during the 4th and 1st quarters annually. I was early in starting my overweight towards equities last year as I began increasing back in July based upon technical charting analysis. I also started off loading a little early in March based upon my perception that equities were a little overvalued and due for a pullback.
Another thing, I follow and use Ron Rowland’s Leadership Strategy to aid me in positioning part of my equity allocation.
Year-to-date my portfolio has returned 6.3% and peaked, thus far, with a return of 8.3% as of April 29th. In comparison my benchmark the Lipper Balanced Index has returned 4.9% thru May 20th. Part of my out performance is because I overweight the historical defensive sectors of Consumer Staples, Heath Care, Utilities and Telecom due to their yield attributes and recently, the last 90 days or so, they have been the better performing broad sectors of the S&P 500 Index. Thus good portfolio performance.
On another subject, I went to the All Star Race last night in Charlotte. It was a good night for racing and I saw Carl Edwards, who “indeed” had one of the faster cars, be the rabbit for the last ten laps … actually he won three of the segments. The Toyotas and the Fords were the cars with speed last night and although the Chev’s made a showing they seemed to be short of horse power. It is interesting that Mark Martin ran the race in the number 25 car, Tim Richmond’s old number also a Rick Hendrick driver, and Jimmy Johnson used Mark Martin’s number 5. Interesting … Don’t you think?
Skeet, enjoyed your update. If possible, would you indicate where you are in the investment cycle? (youngster in the accumulation stage / approaching retirement / or already retired). At 65 and retired I'd find your benchmark just a bit aggressive, choosing instead to bench to Price's Retirement Income fund (TRRIX) which is about 40% equities. It is only up about 4.4% YTD. Thanks.
I am 63 and still employeed in a job that I truly enjoy. Through the years I have seen investors be too conserative as well as too agressive. About 25% of my portfolio is invested in what I call ballast ... That being assets that I move around. Some perhaps think it is agressive ... but, on the risk grade site the portfolio moves between ballanced and conserative on the risk grade score depending on how it is invested.
One of the best things that I like about it it is that it pays out better than a 4% yield on its current value and better than a 6% yield on amount invested. And, the good dividend payers usually increase dividends over the years; and, I believe this in itself will be one way to offset a rising cost of living in retirement.
When returns appear thin, I move some or most of the ballast to cash. I don't short myself within the portfolio; but, I do have funds that form time-to-time that do short. In the agressive part of the portfolio which consist of about 10% of the overall portfolio this section is currently 110% long and 10% short for a net 100%. In tracking this area of the portfolio through Instant Xray is a means that I have to view what others are thinking by putting shorts in place. A good fund to follow on the equity shorts is SPECX, Alger Spectra. It is mostly a long fund but shorts from its perspective what it believes to be overvalued equities.
Hank, I have been doing this style of portfolio management for a good number of years and this style was taught to my by my late father. I equate this style of investment to the skill that a good card player has. Some players can play the game of bridge with great success while others struggle. I admit, my style is not for everyone.
Thanks for you inquiry. I hope my response has been insightful ... and, I wish you the very best with your investments.
Hi Skeeter, Thank you for your time with your personal investment data and methods just below and in quotes. I'm a bit late in the reply; as I have been quite busy for a few weeks.
"Year-to-date my portfolio has returned 6.3% and peaked, thus far, with a return of 8.3% as of April 29th. In comparison my benchmark the Lipper Balanced Index has returned 4.9% thru May 20th. Part of my out performance is because I overweight the historical defensive sectors of Consumer Staples, Heath Care, Utilities and Telecom due to their yield attributes and recently, the last 90 days or so, they have been the better performing broad sectors of the S&P 500 Index. Thus good portfolio performance."
On another subject, I went to the All Star Race last night in Charlotte. It was a good night for racing and I saw Carl Edwards, who “indeed” had one of the faster cars, be the rabbit for the last ten laps … actually he won three of the segments. The Toyotas and the Fords were the cars with speed last night and although the Chev’s made a showing they seemed to be short of horse power. It is interesting that Mark Martin ran the race in the number 25 car, Tim Richmond’s old number also a Rick Hendrick driver, and Jimmy Johnson used Mark Martin’s number 5. Interesting … Don’t you think?
>>>>>You fortunate fella. Well, I got the shaft (or perhaps this should state "crankshaft" as to the Charlotte race. We attended a 60th year wedding party for the better part of this day and evening. And I will get the "crankshaft" again; as we have a Memorial Day weekend (Sunday) wedding; SO, I will have no viewing of either of the two big races on the coming weekend.
Comments
I don’t post my weekly portfolio performance numbers as you do; however, I thought I would share my results as a comparison. You run mostly a fixed income portfolio consisting of bond funds and I run more of balanced portfolio consisting of cash, bonds, stocks and other assets that utilizes a timing strategy. My current asset allocation is about 20% cash, 25% income and 55% equity and other. Since March I have been reducing equities and raising cash at about a 5% move per month for a 15% move in ballast from equities to cash. This adjustment was in keeping with the Sell In May strategy. This strategy is basically load equities in the fall when they have historically performed their best during the 4th and 1st quarters annually. I was early in starting my overweight towards equities last year as I began increasing back in July based upon technical charting analysis. I also started off loading a little early in March based upon my perception that equities were a little overvalued and due for a pullback.
Another thing, I follow and use Ron Rowland’s Leadership Strategy to aid me in positioning part of my equity allocation.
Year-to-date my portfolio has returned 6.3% and peaked, thus far, with a return of 8.3% as of April 29th. In comparison my benchmark the Lipper Balanced Index has returned 4.9% thru May 20th. Part of my out performance is because I overweight the historical defensive sectors of Consumer Staples, Heath Care, Utilities and Telecom due to their yield attributes and recently, the last 90 days or so, they have been the better performing broad sectors of the S&P 500 Index. Thus good portfolio performance.
On another subject, I went to the All Star Race last night in Charlotte. It was a good night for racing and I saw Carl Edwards, who “indeed” had one of the faster cars, be the rabbit for the last ten laps … actually he won three of the segments. The Toyotas and the Fords were the cars with speed last night and although the Chev’s made a showing they seemed to be short of horse power. It is interesting that Mark Martin ran the race in the number 25 car, Tim Richmond’s old number also a Rick Hendrick driver, and Jimmy Johnson used Mark Martin’s number 5. Interesting … Don’t you think?
Have a good week …
Skeeter
I am 63 and still employeed in a job that I truly enjoy. Through the years I have seen investors be too conserative as well as too agressive. About 25% of my portfolio is invested in what I call ballast ... That being assets that I move around. Some perhaps think it is agressive ... but, on the risk grade site the portfolio moves between ballanced and conserative on the risk grade score depending on how it is invested.
One of the best things that I like about it it is that it pays out better than a 4% yield on its current value and better than a 6% yield on amount invested. And, the good dividend payers usually increase dividends over the years; and, I believe this in itself will be one way to offset a rising cost of living in retirement.
When returns appear thin, I move some or most of the ballast to cash. I don't short myself within the portfolio; but, I do have funds that form time-to-time that do short. In the agressive part of the portfolio which consist of about 10% of the overall portfolio this section is currently 110% long and 10% short for a net 100%. In tracking this area of the portfolio through Instant Xray is a means that I have to view what others are thinking by putting shorts in place. A good fund to follow on the equity shorts is SPECX, Alger Spectra. It is mostly a long fund but shorts from its perspective what it believes to be overvalued equities.
Hank, I have been doing this style of portfolio management for a good number of years and this style was taught to my by my late father. I equate this style of investment to the skill that a good card player has. Some players can play the game of bridge with great success while others struggle. I admit, my style is not for everyone.
Thanks for you inquiry. I hope my response has been insightful ... and, I wish you the very best with your investments.
Skeeter
Take care, hank
Thank you for your time with your personal investment data and methods just below and in quotes. I'm a bit late in the reply; as I have been quite busy for a few weeks.
"Year-to-date my portfolio has returned 6.3% and peaked, thus far, with a return of 8.3% as of April 29th. In comparison my benchmark the Lipper Balanced Index has returned 4.9% thru May 20th. Part of my out performance is because I overweight the historical defensive sectors of Consumer Staples, Heath Care, Utilities and Telecom due to their yield attributes and recently, the last 90 days or so, they have been the better performing broad sectors of the S&P 500 Index. Thus good portfolio performance."
On another subject, I went to the All Star Race last night in Charlotte. It was a good night for racing and I saw Carl Edwards, who “indeed” had one of the faster cars, be the rabbit for the last ten laps … actually he won three of the segments. The Toyotas and the Fords were the cars with speed last night and although the Chev’s made a showing they seemed to be short of horse power. It is interesting that Mark Martin ran the race in the number 25 car, Tim Richmond’s old number also a Rick Hendrick driver, and Jimmy Johnson used Mark Martin’s number 5. Interesting … Don’t you think?
>>>>>You fortunate fella. Well, I got the shaft (or perhaps this should state "crankshaft" as to the Charlotte race. We attended a 60th year wedding party for the better part of this day and evening. And I will get the "crankshaft" again; as we have a Memorial Day weekend (Sunday) wedding; SO, I will have no viewing of either of the two big races on the coming weekend.
Take care,
Catch
I hope to have time this summer to post the funds holdings (as in the past); at the end of each month, with only the % change on a weekly basis.
Take care,
Catch