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Open Thread (July 4th Edition) - What Are You Buying/Selling/Pondering
Have not bought anything except cash this past month, but looking for opportunity to get more GE and COP...and get back into CLF, BTU, RBS. AA earnings call Monday.
RSH just opened its new store concept. It is again back down close to $3.
Will consider bonds again only after BOND gets some upward momentum.
Looking forward to AQR's 2Q letter to shareholders...more like holding my breath.
Lot of top tech and defense names on Professor Greenblatt's "Magic Formula" site, including AAPL, CSCO, INTL, IBM, HPQ, ORCL, MSFT, DELL, LMT, GD, NOC, RTN. Here's current list for cap at least $18B:
Both are cyclical, but suspect defense is headed down while tech is headed up.
I also see Marathon Petroleum MPC on list. I own SU and COP (thanks to you). Think CNQ and MRO both looking good too.
Find XRX's recent comeback interesting.
Hot, hot here in central coast lately. Will be looking to stay cool during 4th holiday. Sangria sounds good right now.
Sold PEMDX and the rest of my PRPFX. Added to ARTGX. Trading MOO and F. Bought new hiking shoes and a backpack for day hikes into the Rockies west of Boulder. This evening I bought a Vesper Martini at Colterra in the little town of Niwot, Colorado.
Recently I added to SFLNX and WEIMX, and initiated a small position in ISTIX. Sold FMIHX down to a foothold. I plan on buying PVSYX and WHGIX in the near future.
Pondering adding some cash to maybe both PONDX and RPHYX. Other than that, gonna wait out the Fed reshuffle and let things settle down a little. Made good money in first five months, took profits. Could actually just sit here for rest of year if I had to.
Hi again Scott. Following-up on your energy endorsement, I actually think the following stocks are worth considering, based on combination of valuation and momentum, at least:
I have been pairing BUFBX, Buffalo Flexible portfolio, with BUFOX, which is a Tech heavy Microcap fund mentioned by Art in past threads. My brokerage allows me to exchange funds on the same day so long as the funds are in the same fund family. I have found this helpful since buy and sells often require a cash settlement which can take days. Exchanging funds within the same fund family helps to avoid this delay.
BUFBX is one of my long term holds and BUFOX serves as a momentum investment. Here are they two funds over the last 5 years:
bought little of mbia bond cusip 55262cad2 ytm 6.6% and alcoa [AA] bond 6.2% YTM. still thinking about gold but boss at work says it may not be the time yet ...
Bought PANW and FTNT when they dipped sharply recently. Otherwise, market seems too high to buy and not high enough to sell in a big way. Waiting for KMI, NSRGY, VIG, OZM, GIM and STWD to come down to recent (1 month) lows. Recent drops have made me want to inspect ACN, NVO, DVA and FMS more closely. Would appreciate any insights on NVO, DVA and FMS in particular, since obesity/type 2 diabetes is likely to grow at a global level.
Reply to @BWG: DVA and FMS went down substantially earlier this week because I believe there was possibly going to be less govt reimbursement for dialysis programs. mid-to-long-term, however, I agree with your outlook. NSRGY I'd like but wish it paid more than 1 div a year. Love Kinder Morgan.
Reply to @Mark: I was wondering if anyone was going to step in with the LINE situation. That's just insane what happened to that company and apparently it happened during a quiet period for the company (?) so they're probably limited in what they can say.
We were looking for 5 seater small to mid size "crossover" SUV and were inclined towards base models which these days comes pretty well equipped with automatic transmission, air-conditioning, cruise control, power locks/windows/mirrors, radio, a bunch of air-bags etc. Cheaper fabric seats were OK as we did not take good care of leather in a previously owned vehicle and we opted for darker interior as kids are not careful with keeping it clean. Many of the vehicles in this category come with some sort of LCD screens and other higher technology conveniences. We were not crazy about those features. Typically these technology additions are sold way too expensive than they should cost. Though a backup camera and dead-spot alert would have been nice. I did not care about sun-roof, moon-roof etc. either.
We wanted gas powered engine as Hybrid still adds a lot to the cost, and there is the cost of replacing batteries when the time comes. Anyway, most manufactures does not offer hybrid engine at all at this category. We wanted FWD only as well which is cheaper than AWD and also has better fuel economy. We will not be off-roading and the vehicle will be mostly driven in Texas and the south.
These days this class of vehicles are coming up with smallish engines to improve the fuel economy but I feel these are somewhat underpowered to the size of the vehicle especially when you are fully loaded with 5 people and cargo area is full. So, I either wanted to have a V6 or 4-cylinder engine with a turbo charger (what Ford calls EcoBoost engine).
Contenders were: Ford Edge, Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Nissan Murano, Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Honda CRV
Ford Edge: This is what we eventually bought. It comes with a 3.5L V6 engine with 6 speed automatic transmission with ample power. The transmission also comes with manual shift up/down button controls on the lever (semi-automatic mode). This engine/transmission combination reportedly delivers 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. A 4 cylinder 2.0L Turbo (EchoBoost) engine is available for $1000 more and delivers 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined. It is estimated that with added fuel efficiency EchoBoost may pay for itself in 4 years. I personally believe 2mpg combined difference is not that significant to incur the added expense.
17" alloy wheels are standard on base model. The rear bumper has sensor embedded to alert you of objects within 6-ft. and beeps at increasing frequency as you get closer. With this backup camera is not needed for me. To accommodate blind spots better there are small mirrors at the corners of the side mirrors that has wider angle view so although you do not have radar based blind spot monitor this is adequate low tech solution. On higher end versions, there is adaptive cruise control which adjust the speed down automatically if the vehicle in front of you is going slower than your set cruise control set speed.
Ford these days offers MyFord Touch LCD touch screen based controls eliminating a lot of the knobs and buttons from dashboard. The screen sizes and amount of functionality goes up if you buy higher priced trims. The downside is that with some much added functionality people are having trouble operating these, especially while driving as there is no tactile feedback. On the base SE trim that I bought a lot of the buttons and knobs are retained and the LCD screens simpler and my wife likes it that way. You can still operate your radio volume, presets, air etc. using conventional means. But you can pair your bluetooth phone with the car for hands-free communication. Microsoft Sync. provides voice activated systems. I think there is just enough high tech in this base trim not to overwhelm people.
The deal maker was the price and financing. MSRP for the vehicle was listed at $29845 with convenience group 101A added to base SE model. I was able to get it just under $26000 after $2500 rebates deducted. Because of the rebates, I did not get to use Ford Credit Financing which offers right now 0% financing for up to 60mo because we would have to give up on most of the rebates. We got financing from BoA at around 2.3% with no money down. There is no pre-payment penalty.
Ford Escape: This is a slightly smaller crossover SUV from Ford than Edge. The default is 2.5L 4-cyclinder engine. 2.0L Ecoboost is available and I was interested in base + turbo but it actually costs more than Edge. One thing that I did not like about this one is that the driver seat area is tight. I like to have ample clearance in front of my knees and and I am average height and you need to move the seat much more back to create that space.
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport: This was a very strong contender for me. I really liked it. Santa Fe comes as either 5 seater sport trim or 7 seater. 7 seater is longer/bigger and comes with 3.3L V6. The sport version comes with a 2.4L 4 cylinder engine or 2.0L 4 cylinder turbo engine (2.0T). Both engines are paired with a 6-speed auto transmission. I was particularly interested in Sport 2.0T. The 2.0L 4 cylinder Turbo engine that delivers impressive power. There was no obvious deals offered at this time. Perhaps dealer had its own deals.
Nissan Murano: Murano does offer 3.5L V6 engine choice with CVT (Continuously variable transmission). I was very inclined for this vehicle but for some reason my wife was biased against the looks. Perhaps she had the images of the early versions of this vehicle. I think 2013 model looks good but we skipped this. Oh well...
Toyota RAV4: Given that I own a 2008 V6 Toyota RAV4 (now at 95K miles), I first looked at Toyota again. I did not like 2013 version as much. There is no option for V6 anymore and there is no turbo engine option. Only offered with 2.5L 4 cylinder engine but adds 6-speed automatic transmission which is good. Also, the hidden trunk storage under cargo area is gone in 2013 to accommodate the spare tire. This was one thing we liked about RAV4. Anyway, my son will be driving 2008 model one as he gets his drivers license in a week or two and my wife will transition to Edge.
Mazda CX-5: CX-5 gets high praises in reviews. It is all new and replaces CX-7. It is the fuel economy leader in this category. An impressive 26mpg city/33mpg highway. Coming with 2.0L 4-cylinder engine with 6 speed automatic (FWD/AWFD) or manual transmission (FWD only). No Turbo option. If you are going to drive the vehicle in city and mostly alone, this may be a good vehicle to consider.
Honda CRV: Also comes only with a 2.4L 4 cylinder engine with a 5 Speed Automatic. It still offers a very good economy with 5 Speed automatic transmission. Except for the engine it is a well rounded vehicle and Honda is known for its quality and price depreciation is slower.
Reply to @Investor: Wow Investor! That's way more than I expected but thanks so much. Good insight, and I most strongly agree with your observations on the over abundance of computer enhancements(?) and under-powering of the drive trains. I've been looking at these vehicles for my daughter and sister and the Sante Fe and CRV (reliability) were top contenders. I might have to give that Ford a look see. My trucks have all been Chevy's so maybe you understand my original dismissal of anything Ford. Thanks again.
Reply to @ Investor: Have long liked & driven Ford products. In the 80s & 90s a few squeaks, rattles & other annoyances were part of the package. No more! Mulally has turned the outfit on its head quality-wise. Rented a 2013 Fusion out of EYW last spring. One of the finest vehicles in just about every respect I've ever driven. Compared very favorably to the Impala we'd rented on a previous trip. (Technically, the Impala's a bit larger - but the difference felt negligible.). Thanks for the write-up. Enjoy!
Comments
Mona
Have not bought anything except cash this past month, but looking for opportunity to get more GE and COP...and get back into CLF, BTU, RBS. AA earnings call Monday.
RSH just opened its new store concept. It is again back down close to $3.
Will consider bonds again only after BOND gets some upward momentum.
Looking forward to AQR's 2Q letter to shareholders...more like holding my breath.
Lot of top tech and defense names on Professor Greenblatt's "Magic Formula" site, including AAPL, CSCO, INTL, IBM, HPQ, ORCL, MSFT, DELL, LMT, GD, NOC, RTN. Here's current list for cap at least $18B:
Both are cyclical, but suspect defense is headed down while tech is headed up.
I also see Marathon Petroleum MPC on list. I own SU and COP (thanks to you). Think CNQ and MRO both looking good too.
Find XRX's recent comeback interesting.
Hot, hot here in central coast lately. Will be looking to stay cool during 4th holiday. Sangria sounds good right now.
Bought new hiking shoes and a backpack for day hikes into the Rockies west of Boulder. This evening I bought a Vesper Martini at Colterra in the little town of Niwot, Colorado.
Kevin
MRO
NOV
NBR
NE
ETP
CHK
COP
And these are close:
HES
CNQ
WPX
APA
DNR
DVN
SU
KMP
BUFBX is one of my long term holds and BUFOX serves as a momentum investment. Here are they two funds over the last 5 years:
Thanks in advance,
BWG
More photos: http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Ford_Edge/2013/photos-exterior/
We were looking for 5 seater small to mid size "crossover" SUV and were inclined towards base models which these days comes pretty well equipped with automatic transmission, air-conditioning, cruise control, power locks/windows/mirrors, radio, a bunch of air-bags etc. Cheaper fabric seats were OK as we did not take good care of leather in a previously owned vehicle and we opted for darker interior as kids are not careful with keeping it clean. Many of the vehicles in this category come with some sort of LCD screens and other higher technology conveniences. We were not crazy about those features. Typically these technology additions are sold way too expensive than they should cost. Though a backup camera and dead-spot alert would have been nice. I did not care about sun-roof, moon-roof etc. either.
We wanted gas powered engine as Hybrid still adds a lot to the cost, and there is the cost of replacing batteries when the time comes. Anyway, most manufactures does not offer hybrid engine at all at this category. We wanted FWD only as well which is cheaper than AWD and also has better fuel economy. We will not be off-roading and the vehicle will be mostly driven in Texas and the south.
These days this class of vehicles are coming up with smallish engines to improve the fuel economy but I feel these are somewhat underpowered to the size of the vehicle especially when you are fully loaded with 5 people and cargo area is full. So, I either wanted to have a V6 or 4-cylinder engine with a turbo charger (what Ford calls EcoBoost engine).
Contenders were: Ford Edge, Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Nissan Murano, Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Honda CRV
Ford Edge: This is what we eventually bought. It comes with a 3.5L V6 engine with 6 speed automatic transmission with ample power. The transmission also comes with manual shift up/down button controls on the lever (semi-automatic mode). This engine/transmission combination reportedly delivers 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. A 4 cylinder 2.0L Turbo (EchoBoost) engine is available for $1000 more and delivers 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined. It is estimated that with added fuel efficiency EchoBoost may pay for itself in 4 years. I personally believe 2mpg combined difference is not that significant to incur the added expense.
17" alloy wheels are standard on base model. The rear bumper has sensor embedded to alert you of objects within 6-ft. and beeps at increasing frequency as you get closer. With this backup camera is not needed for me. To accommodate blind spots better there are small mirrors at the corners of the side mirrors that has wider angle view so although you do not have radar based blind spot monitor this is adequate low tech solution. On higher end versions, there is adaptive cruise control which adjust the speed down automatically if the vehicle in front of you is going slower than your set cruise control set speed.
Ford these days offers MyFord Touch LCD touch screen based controls eliminating a lot of the knobs and buttons from dashboard. The screen sizes and amount of functionality goes up if you buy higher priced trims. The downside is that with some much added functionality people are having trouble operating these, especially while driving as there is no tactile feedback. On the base SE trim that I bought a lot of the buttons and knobs are retained and the LCD screens simpler and my wife likes it that way. You can still operate your radio volume, presets, air etc. using conventional means. But you can pair your bluetooth phone with the car for hands-free communication. Microsoft Sync. provides voice activated systems. I think there is just enough high tech in this base trim not to overwhelm people.
The deal maker was the price and financing. MSRP for the vehicle was listed at $29845 with convenience group 101A added to base SE model. I was able to get it just under $26000 after $2500 rebates deducted. Because of the rebates, I did not get to use Ford Credit Financing which offers right now 0% financing for up to 60mo because we would have to give up on most of the rebates. We got financing from BoA at around 2.3% with no money down. There is no pre-payment penalty.
Ford Escape: This is a slightly smaller crossover SUV from Ford than Edge. The default is 2.5L 4-cyclinder engine. 2.0L Ecoboost is available and I was interested in base + turbo but it actually costs more than Edge. One thing that I did not like about this one is that the driver seat area is tight. I like to have ample clearance in front of my knees and and I am average height and you need to move the seat much more back to create that space.
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport: This was a very strong contender for me. I really liked it. Santa Fe comes as either 5 seater sport trim or 7 seater. 7 seater is longer/bigger and comes with 3.3L V6. The sport version comes with a 2.4L 4 cylinder engine or 2.0L 4 cylinder turbo engine (2.0T). Both engines are paired with a 6-speed auto transmission. I was particularly interested in Sport 2.0T. The 2.0L 4 cylinder Turbo engine that delivers impressive power. There was no obvious deals offered at this time. Perhaps dealer had its own deals.
Nissan Murano: Murano does offer 3.5L V6 engine choice with CVT (Continuously variable transmission). I was very inclined for this vehicle but for some reason my wife was biased against the looks. Perhaps she had the images of the early versions of this vehicle. I think 2013 model looks good but we skipped this. Oh well...
Toyota RAV4: Given that I own a 2008 V6 Toyota RAV4 (now at 95K miles), I first looked at Toyota again. I did not like 2013 version as much. There is no option for V6 anymore and there is no turbo engine option. Only offered with 2.5L 4 cylinder engine but adds 6-speed automatic transmission which is good. Also, the hidden trunk storage under cargo area is gone in 2013 to accommodate the spare tire. This was one thing we liked about RAV4. Anyway, my son will be driving 2008 model one as he gets his drivers license in a week or two and my wife will transition to Edge.
Mazda CX-5: CX-5 gets high praises in reviews. It is all new and replaces CX-7. It is the fuel economy leader in this category. An impressive 26mpg city/33mpg highway. Coming with 2.0L 4-cylinder engine with 6 speed automatic (FWD/AWFD) or manual transmission (FWD only). No Turbo option. If you are going to drive the vehicle in city and mostly alone, this may be a good vehicle to consider.
Honda CRV: Also comes only with a 2.4L 4 cylinder engine with a 5 Speed Automatic. It still offers a very good economy with 5 Speed automatic transmission. Except for the engine it is a well rounded vehicle and Honda is known for its quality and price depreciation is slower.