Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
The Hennessy funds are interesting: I own some HFMDX, another concentrated mid-cap fund. One of HFCSX's main holdings is Markel. You'll find the same company in Chuck Akre's AKREX, also worth holding.
I have always thought that M* is way too slow to pull the trigger on bad funds. They cover so few, relative to the great number of funds, that it shouldn't be hard to prune the dead wood and get some new funds to take their spots.
@bee: I think such a federal retirement system for all who toil in the public sector would only be possible in a highly-centralized economy. I'm thinking of European countries in which the state is the employer of train drivers, school teachers, an…
@davidmoran: I retired three years ago and I have to agree that foreign, EM, and SC have done nothing for me for several years now. I was on the verge of getting out of my Grandeur Peak and Matthews, long-term but reduced holdings, when all of a sud…
@davidmoran: please share your thinking on including CAPE in your list. I own DSENX and I have one profitable round trip in CAPE. Still monitor it, but the low volume and the less-than-transparent relationship among the bid, ask, and last price are …
@MikeM: My bad. I just checked my Schwab transaction. I bought PTIAX on Dec 21 and paid no TF. When I wanted to add to the position, I discovered the fee and was surprised and kicked myself for what turned out not to be a mistake. I'm really cheap a…
It bothers me when managers or pundits give the "market" human characteristics. People or the software they invent buy and sell securities. The market does not grasp or misunderstand anything, it has no desire to climb a wall of worry, nor is it any…
I got the Bruce Fund report also. The analysis is terse and seems to be saying we don't waste any shareholder dough on good paper. It's so flimsy it won't even serve to get a fire going in the fireplace. At least Barron's is good for that purpose.
Value may well be in recovery mode. MOAT was a holding I sold about nine months ago because its methodology took it into energy. I also sold BFOR In the same time frame. Both holdings were nicely profitable. Since then, MOAT has clocked the Barron's…
@OldJoe: I think we need more needling. I was quite sure your original comment on the Roman Empire was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Look at the reactions, however. It's hard to be whimsical or ironic in electronic media without being misunderstood.
I could not have predicted the recovery in Brazil. The iconic ex-president and the current president seemingly about to be thrown in jail and there are more buyers than sellers? Sheeesh!
I hold HQL and THQ, medical and biotech closed-end funds, in my Roth because the quarterly distributions, when reinvested, are a nice cushion against the volatility. These days my distributions are buying cheap new shares. I also think the sector wi…
To return briefly to David's comments on FPACX, which I endorse. Thanks for showing me how to painlessly reduce my too-numerous fund holdings. However, (please note I did not say, "That being said…") I can't see LCORX as an alternative but I would p…
I think @Junkster has a good point. Obesity will be the leading factor in over-loading the healthcare system and might well be the main reason generations to follow us will be less prosperous than we are. Last cig: Columbus Day, 1985.
65% giant and large-cap, with 55% of assets in top 10 holdings. Certainly not SMID and the concentration may give some pause. It has worked as a global holding for me as for @puddnhead during a period when JOHAX, IWIRX and Grandeur Peak holdings in …
The problem is that it's still an insurance company which makes it as hard as an ocean liner to turn around quickly. For me, a retiree receiving my RMD payouts every month, it's hard to understand why I get five different direct deposits, from five …
I did initiate a small position in CAPE on Thursday instead of adding to my DSENX. As an ETN, it throws off no income or capital gains. Small volume means it can't be unloaded without taking a hit.
I have held DSENX for more than a year, but your reference to CAPE got me to look at that ETN (not an ETF). It's done considerably better than the OEF and expenses are about half of DSENX. Problem is very low trading volume and a price premium. Not …
@DelphOracle: to expand on your comments on SSSFX, Southern Sun brought out a mid-cap fund (SSEFX) which did great in 2013 and then tanked. I was in the latter and made some dough, but got out when momentum changed. Unfortunately, I usually misread …
Oh, those nasty K-1 forms! As I do my own taxes, I don't like to wait until high noon for those forms to arrive. BX does look attractive to a chartist, however.
In July, @JohnChisum said this on the board:
'I've decided to spend more time elsewhere. Less curmudgeons. I will check in from time to time but weeding through the "links" will be difficult.'
Scott is around, but not as active as previously.
I agree with @heezsafe that GP funds do well against the competition. For me, it was a bad idea to be invested in EM and international in the same way that it was a bad idea for me to be in small value and dividend funds last year. I guess the searc…
