The Stock Market

[TheEconomist]

Any of you gorillas invest on your own? I find it very fun! Whenever I smoke I'm either on here, listening to dogwatch, checking out stogie review, or researching stocks!

I know the market has sucked here in the last few months, but I think we are due for another huge drop and then i think well be back into solid gains.

Anyway, just wondering what you guys are holding.

Right now my biggest holdings are in:

Nokia (NOK)- my big pick for the next 10 years. Bought it at $23.55. It is my baby. Huge dividend, DRIP available, Very stable company, and Huge growth potential! (many people in America don't realize its dominance overseas)

Microsoft (MSFT) <- self-explanatory, DRIP & Div

Disney -> I'm sure if you have kids or a little brother or sister, you would know of its popularity (hannah montana? Highschool musical?) Also a large company that seems to be incredibly stable. a broad investment as well, as it owns espn, ABC, and others. DRIP & Div

Intel (INTC)---> global giant, again, self explanatory DRIP and Div

American Software --> creates software for logistic purposes, owns the majority holding in LOGILITY, growing company. Got into it because of the generous Div and DRIP.

my riskier plays:

Merrill Lynch---> I know many will think I'm stupid. I just bought it a little bit ago at $41 on the dot. I've already profited quite a bit, but i figure that the media has caused overselling. Either way, at this price MER is cheap cheap cheap. once this little crisis is over, its bound to bounce back to the 90+ mark.

Gander Mountain (GMTN) --> I love hunting and fishing. They have expanded so fast in the past years that has caused them big problems, hence the falling prices. But once the cloud of chaos settles, it is bound to explode.



Looking at a bunch others as well. I pretty much follow one strategy--> don't listen to the crowd. If you do, you always miss the upswing.

I do my own research and buy with anticipation of 0 to negative growth for a year or more, followed by gigantic gains long run.

Any body else enjoy the "game" that is the stock market?

I find it very much like poker..all about odds, psychology, and picking up on trends. The ups and downs will keep you glued to CNBC and or financial websites.

[BigGreg]

The market is definitly a hobby of mine as well currently, allthough I dont have enough time to devote to it hopefully one day I would love to be able to devote more of my income to investing. I always wanted to be a broker kinda like a lifelong dream, maybe one day hopefully..

[RUJohnny99]

I was a broker for 9 years. I had enough & gave up my book in '05. I'm now a risk analyst for one of TheEconomist's "riskier plays".

I'm a deep value investor. I've been selling into rallies & building up my cash while hunting for bargains. I actually bought a stock today: Ever-Glory International (EVGY). It's tiny ($52 mm market cap) that trades OTC-BB. It's a clothing company that markets mostly in Europe & Japan. They just launched a product line in China geared to professional women. Retail clothing sales in China are growing at 24% per year. EVGY has a ROE of 45%, sales are growing at 30% and it has a P/E of 4. On Monday, they applied for listing on the American Exchange. If it gets approval institutions could start scooping it up. Insiders currently own 47% of the company, so the free float is only 7 mm shares.

Stock closed Monday at 3.35. I've been trying to work the spread on this thing all week long, but no one would sell it to me. I finally bit the bullet & got in today at 4.50 with a quarter of the position I want to take. I want to keep an eye on this to make sure it's not being manipulated. But if it gets exchange listed, picked up by a few institutions & its P/E gets up to the average clothing manufacturers (15X) it could be a triple very shortly.

[TheEconomist]

Originally Posted by RUJohnny99

I was a broker for 9 years. I had enough & gave up my book in '05. I'm now a risk analyst for one of TheEconomist's "riskier plays".

I'm a deep value investor. I've been selling into rallies & building up my cash while hunting for bargains. I actually bought a stock today: Ever-Glory International (EVGY). It's tiny ($52 mm market cap) that trades OTC-BB. It's a clothing company that markets mostly in Europe & Japan. They just launched a product line in China geared to professional women. Retail clothing sales in China are growing at 24% per year. EVGY has a ROE of 45%, sales are growing at 30% and it has a P/E of 4. On Monday, they applied for listing on the American Exchange. If it gets approval institutions could start scooping it up. Insiders currently own 47% of the company, so the free float is only 7 mm shares.

Stock closed Monday at 3.35. I've been trying to work the spread on this thing all week long, but no one would sell it to me. I finally bit the bullet & got in today at 4.50 with a quarter of the position I want to take. I want to keep an eye on this to make sure it's not being manipulated. But if it gets exchange listed, picked up by a few institutions & its P/E gets up to the average clothing manufacturers (15X) it could be a triple very shortly.

Awesome! I'll have to check them out. I'm assuming you work for Merrill?

[White97Jimmy]

The only stock that has done well for me and been fairly stable is General Electric (GE). The other one that I've been fairly happy with has been Altria (MO). The last year has brought me some big loser investments, but I think in the long run I will be fine.

[rwhit37]

I do a good bit of day trading. Mastercard-MA has done well for me right before chirstmas and over the past week and half. Research in Motion-RIMM got into it 3 weeks ago and its doing well just worried because its posted all over CNBC. I hate those people. They always ruin a sleeper. MDR is staying pretty stable. This is my long term kinda security blanket. Bought it a year ago at 33.47 now its at 58.16. Apple-AAPL is on the way back up. I bought a few when it hit pretty much rock bottom in February.

There is alot of talk about Visa-V but i'm still on the fence about this one. I really think the Chinese market is going to turn around. They are hosting the Olympics here in a few months and i think the economy over there is going to turn. I wouldn't buy just yet. Wait for some positive gains first.

I love this stuff. Its like a huge game.

[gnukfu]

I just move money around among the 25 or 30 mutual funds in my 401K - only pure company stock I own is the company I work for - United Technologies.

[olateone]

Recent buys:

PM
MRK

IP
V

I'm not in the "buy & hold" school in the present environment.
I follow the market regularly.
Stop-Loss order in place.
I'm diversified.
As for my 15 yr. old son...I started various DRIPS for him from day one:
CL
GE
JNJ
INTC
MRK
MMM
KO
EXC
PG
SCHW

My favorite mutual fund:

CGMFX

rey.

[D. Generate]

A review of the stock market by TheEconomist? I'm intrigued.

I used to invest and haven't in the last two years. I am now in the middle of putting a chunk of our year end bonus in some stocks. I am trying to be serious now about putting money in every month because I realize, much to my chagrin, someday I will be old. I will want lots of money to blow on cigars.

It's a good time to invest when the market is down.

[jloutlaw]

I enjoy the markets and following the economy. I believe the January bottom and recent retest will hold, but we may have some more volatility and may have another pull back.

My most recent purchase, last week, was Viropharma, VPHM. They only have one product now-a drug for serious infections, but have 3 or 4 more in the pipeline. They would be considered a speculative pharma, but they are very profitable and have $7 or $8 cash per share and a solid balance sheet. The stock is around $9.50 and the insiders are heavily buying.

I'm also holding Starbucks, SBUX; Vivo, VIV, a Brazilian cell phone company; Flextronics, FLEX and Synovus Bank, SNV.

[olateone]

I'm always the happiest when there's death & destruction in the markets.

[RUJohnny99]

Originally Posted by jloutlaw

My most recent purchase, last week, was Viropharma, VPHM. They only have one product now-a drug for serious infections, but have 3 or 4 more in the pipeline. They would be considered a speculative pharma, but they are very profitable and have $7 or $8 cash per share and a solid balance sheet. The stock is around $9.50 and the insiders are heavily buying.

Hmmm...this one looks intriguing. $8.354 per share in cash & profitable is not what I'd consider a speculative stock.

[JohnnyFlake]

This thread is a GREAT IDEA!!!

I hope that those of use that do a bit of day trading and that have other interest in the market can keep this thread alive.

I have been following about 15 stocks but I have only bought and sold one of them a number of times over the last few months. I also hold about 7 Mutual Funds. I do not play with Mutual funds, when I decide to buy one, I usually hold it for years.

The stock I've been playing with lately is Ford (F). I try to buy in the $5 range and sell in the $6.50+ range.

Any thoughts on Staples (SPLS)?

[jloutlaw]

Originally Posted by RUJohnny99

Hmmm...this one looks intriguing. $8.354 per share in cash & profitable is not what I'd consider a speculative stock.

Speculative because it is a one trick pony and size.

[jloutlaw]

Originally Posted by JohnnyFlake

This thread is a GREAT IDEA!!!

I hope that those of use that do a bit of day trading and that have other interest in the market can keep this thread alive.

I have been following about 15 stocks but I have only bought and sold one of them a number of times over the last few months. I also hold about 7 Mutual Funds. I do not play with Mutual funds, when I decide to buy one, I usually hold it for years.

The stock I've been playing with lately is Ford (F). I try to buy in the $5 range and sell in the $6.50+ range.

Any thoughts on Staples (SPLS)?

My father in law is doing the same thing with Ford.