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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.
  • Mutual Funds in Taxable Accounts - Tax Loss Harvesting
    Trying to make the best a a bad situation...
    I am reviewing my taxable accounts and my positions (mutual funds) with the focus on holdings that have under performed over the last 6-12 months and have most recently tanked with the rest of the market. I will sell out of these positions (for tax harvesting losses) and re-position elsewhere.
    GLFOX is on the chopping block - The Trump effect had little positive impact on this Global Infrastructure fund since the election.
    Anyone employ Tax Loss Harvesting as a strategy?
  • World Stock Funds-Are they a viable alternative?
    I've always had a world stock fund as the core of my portfolio, SGENX was the first fund I bought when I sold my farm and thought it would be a good idea to start a retirement account before I blew it all. Jean Marie Evillard was the reason I bought this fund, but I have since gone with his successor, Abhay Deshponde at CETAX. Although SGENX is listed as an allocation fund, it held little in bonds, using cash and gold instead, to diversify. It also had a large cap bend that I have always sought to balance with a small or medium cap fund. EVGBX, GLFOX, Grandeur Peaks or HEOMX are some of the funds with managers I am or was willing to put money with in order to do this. And that is the crux of the matter, I started with the best manager and have always found managers in this sector I was willing to do business with. I prefer managing mangers to investing in an asset class.
  • Fund Portfolio Question
    I am sorry but those symbols should have been PRNHX, TBGVX AND GLFOX
  • Buy -- Sell -- Ponder -- January 2018
    Hi guys!
    Hope all is well with all of you. I know it's been good here.....too much food followed by too many longnecks with family and friends. Moe and Larry were over.....big pow wow again. We all agree. We believe we're going higher this year. Just to catch up: opened positions in FLPSX and MAPIX. My midcaps were expensive on PE and book. FLPSX, not so, plus it had cash, so how could I not. MAPIX has very little Asia except Japan. Got lots there, so I needed this.
    Anyways, back to the pow wow. We were kicking around some small funds. The Dukester really liked PREOX. Why? It's small......real small. We believe things will be getting better this year. So I can see his point. Small is good right now. Me? I like PVIVX. Why? It's concentrated and it's got some girls running it.....think diversification.....yee haw!!!! Moe and Larry? They like WAMVX. Can't blame them for that. It's the safe buy.
    Talked to Santa after Duke cornered him....short chat, but we told Santa we believe. He just smiled, so I think he does, too. So, even though I don't make millions of dollars, my call: higher boys! Also, if you're thinking about Latin America this year, more elections there than in the last 10 years. Just saying......
    Also, watch Italy this year if you own GLFOX. Elections also there.
    Also, the slowest 3 months for imports are coming: January, February, March. We will now see what the weather did in 2017.
    Also, the Dukester told me we did not wish anyone on the board a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! As punishment for this, I will penalize myself 1 (one) longneck every day for the rest of the week, and.....say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
    God bless
    the Pudd
  • The Dukester's Fund Corner II
    Hi Skeeter!
    Thanks for the x-ray. The 40% stocks will rise as money is added. As for the PE of 19.1.....no, I'm surprised it's so high. I have been buying things with low PE which is why overseas has grown so quickly. It is something I look at when buying or adding. As to how I monitor the portfolio, Fidelity has screens to do this. Think of it as a lower class of Morningstar. Also use Yahoo. There are no caps on a position. I try to move where there is value. But saying that, no more will the S&P index be 30% of my portfolio.....nor healthcare, as it once was. I'm less of a gunslinger now.....after all, I'm retired. This portfolio is just my IRA, taxable money is in CDs with Ally and MDISX. Mrs. Pudd's 401 is in TSP (Thrift Savings Plan). We will roll that into an IRA upon her retirement. Where I am positioning looking for value.....I will say most new money will go overseas right now. What would I share? How hard it is to wait for value (i.e., pullback or, better yet, a correction!) to add new money in a market that has parts overvalued, I believe. Returns? I want more than 4% for sure. I did do a primitive back test, but I'm not sure I remember the number, so I won't say.
    Hi Derf!
    Yeah, it's hard. Value is driving where I'm adding so it's mostly overseas. PARWX was still reasonable at about PE 15 a while back. I started in 7-12-17 with over 50% cash, so it's a journey. Right now, I'm pausing to get some coverage on my buys before adding again.....where is a correction when you want one? lol......
    MikeM,
    I see what you're saying. But, as I'm adding, things are getting skewed because of where value is. I will say this: the funds that have "done" next to them are core: VWINX, PONDX, FSPHX. These following funds are a core wrap around.....they would have to stumble badly to be sold: PRBLX, PARWX, GIBLX, FMIJX, GLFOX.
    Art,
    Yeah, you're right. Small caps were sold after the Trump Bump as they then started to deteriorate. In January, I thought them overpriced and still do, as with other parts of the market. As far as real estate, that fund is not typical in its holdings. That's why I like it....but that's just me.
    God bless
    the Pudd
  • The Dukester's Fund Corner II
    Hi guys!
    Some personal information to start. I live in PA, newly retired with pension and social security. Mrs. Pudd works at the Post Office. Our son, a college grad, has moved out and is working in his profession. So, it's just us and the Dukester.
    The economy is booming in our neck of the woods. Everybody's working and spending from the looks of things. Now, to the good stuff:
    cash - 30%
    Asset Allocation
    BTBFX
    VWINX - 24% - done!
    Large Caps
    DSENX
    PRBLX - 4%
    FUSVX - 3%
    PARWX - 2%
    Sector
    RAANX
    FSPHX - 5% - done!
    Mid Caps
    PARMX
    UMBMX - 2%
    Bonds - will wait 'til rates rise further to add.
    PONDX - 7% - done!
    GIBLX
    PTIAX
    Overseas
    FTIPX - 5.5%
    FMIJX - 4%
    GLFOX - 6.5%
    Hot Money
    FSRFX - will be sold before 2018.
    FJSCX - 4% - will be sold but don't know when yet.
    Those funds not marked with a percentage (%) have small holdings, as you can guess by now.
    Again, this is a portfolio under construction due to a rollover to an IRA from a 401 account.
    Must go now --- why? One word........leaves!
    God bless
    the Pudd
  • GASFX
    GASFX was owned by FBR and sold to Hennessy in 2012. Owned the fund from 2010 to 2014. It was #1 utility fund during that time. It was comparable to GLFOX nowadays. Higher expense is only one factor, it is uncertain in the interest rate that make utility sector as a whole very challenging.
  • GLFOX Return of Capital
    @BenW: I don't see any ROC !
    Regards,
    Ted
    Dividend and Capital Gains Distributions GLFOX
    Distribution
    Date Distribution
    NAV Long-Term
    Capital Gain Short-Term
    Capital Gain Return of
    Capital Dividend
    Income Distribution
    Total
    06/21/2017 17.08 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0004 0.0004
    03/21/2017 15.28 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0210 0.0210
    12/22/2016 14.22 0.0963 0.0242 0.0000 0.1569 0.2774
    09/27/2016 13.98 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0212 0.0212
    08/22/2016 14.10 0.0164 0.0048 0.0000 0.0284 0.0497
  • GLFOX Return of Capital
    Just got an email from Lazard informing shareholders that the June distribution has been characterized as a Return of Capital. Heard of leveraged CEFs doing this, but not an OEF. Probably don't have to worry about changing the basis because this holding is in a Roth. Still, seems bizarre. Anyone had this experience?
  • "Outlier" Funds in Your Portfolio
    I really wanted to get into GLFOX but fear that I'm too late for that train.
  • FRIFX - RANNX
    Have you looked at RAANX? It has a lot of cell towers, data centers,......it's not your typical RE fund, I don't think.
    Right, unusual holdings - sort of r/e and infrastructure - and it's long-short. Worth a close look, imho. Thanks for pointing it out.
    If you like the lean toward infrastructure, you might take a look at GLFOX.
  • Pimco Pulls Out Of Italy As JPMorgan Sees Risk of Autumn Vote
    Hi guys!
    Good move, Pimco! From what I read, the banks are really bad, also. But what worries me now is GLFOX. It had, the last time I looked, 20% in Italy....soooo, that might be a problem. Just saying....
    God bless
    the Pudd
  • Portfolio review for a 30 year old
    Thanks so far...
    A REIT investment seems like a reasonable substitute for the MLP option. I have also wondered if funds like GASFX, GLFOX or a equal split of Vanguard etfs: (VPU/VNQ/VDE/VIS) would offer more diversification than an MLP investment.
    I back tested MLPOX against an equal weight portfolio of (VPU/VNQ/VDE/VIS). MLPOX had a recent serious drawdown (41%) that an investor would need to expect from time to time while the combined investment of (VPU/VNQ/VDE/VIS) only a third as severe.
    image
  • John Waggoner: Is It Time To Go International ?
    I understand why J. Bogle is not into International funds. There aren't a lot of Vanguard International Funds that I would want either. I do own VMVFX, along with GLFOX and GGSOX which are global funds, and FMIJX is my only truly International fund sans U.S.
    You mentioned VMVFX which is a nice global minimum volatility fund with an ER of 0.25%, VWIGX with an ER of 0.32% and that is up over 18% YTD and if your want to index broadly, VFWIX or VGTSX are very good inexpensive funds.
  • John Waggoner: Is It Time To Go International ?
    I understand why J. Bogle is not into International funds. There aren't a lot of Vanguard International Funds that I would want either. I do own VMVFX, along with GLFOX and GGSOX which are global funds, and FMIJX is my only truly International fund sans U.S.
  • Looking for Unique Global Equity Fund
    GLFOX. It is infrastructure fund. Not too excited but has excellent performance.
  • What are you ... Buying ... Selling ... or Pondering? (March 2017)
    Over the past few weeks:
    Bought back into GLFOX after a long absence (low vol, great record, kind of a unique take on infrastructure, mostly foreign, doing well with the rotation into utes)
    Interested in GLFOX too, but thinking I may be late to the party on that one. It's had quite a run up.
  • What are you ... Buying ... Selling ... or Pondering? (March 2017)
    Over the past few weeks:
    Bought back into GLFOX after a long absence (low vol, great record, kind of a unique take on infrastructure, mostly foreign, doing well with the rotation into utes);
    Adding slowly to MAVRX, Asia value equity; sold MINDX (India) too soon;
    Substantially reduced large positions in the AQR equity long-short/mkt neutral fraternal twins;
    Bought a tiny bit of PASDX - the stopped-clock "tactical" fund that's been in its one sweet spot recently;
    Winnowed down cef's to Pimco multisectors only; and
    Continuing to add to HY munis (PHMIX, MMHAX) - may stop now to see what happens next.
  • How To Invest In Water:
    The article mentions two global water funds, PHO and CGW, but fails to mention FIW, which has clocked the former two ETFs. It is not a global fund, but I don't think you need such a fund to profit from world-wide water needs. Domestic companies in the sector should be positively affected by world-wide need. The stocks mentioned by Mr. Tan have done fine recently, but Itron (ITRN) has a more sobering long-term record. I also have GLFOX, Global Infrastructure, which holds some foreign companies related to the water theme.
    I wish I been the person who realized bottled water would become a commodity. When I was young the only people a thing who drank such a thing were Existentialists in cafés.
  • BILTX DL Infrastructure
    I had serious interest in the offering from before and after inception; however, my enthusiasm has since cooled : I don't see much, if any, inflation pass-through benefit from infrastructure bonds as opposed to owning infrastructure stocks directly or a fund like GLFOX (which I don't own but which does buy infrastructure companies directly and not those which only invest) in them. See the difference?)
    OTOH, I do own MIC, which itself is not an infrastructure stock but has the TR I'm seeking and is a suitable infrastructure proxy with its portfolio of assets IMO.