Buying the Best of 2013

[billyjoe]

Damn short term memory loss ! I thought I just posted this but apparently not.

November update. Holding SYK +22.52%, DHR +25.54%, KORS +42.58%. Of other 6, sold 2 for gains 4 at loss. About time to start search for best of 2014. Final report in January.

-----------------billy

[billyjoe]

The more I study stocks, the more I think Mr.Markets trading philosophies are correct. Do your homework, buy the best stocks, then hold on as long as nothing changes fundamentally.

Here's the YTD performance of the 9 I bought in January. Unfortunately I sold 6 of them, 4 at a loss. Still holding KORS, DHR, SYK for good gains.

CTGX now CTG YTD +3.37%, was way up ended selling for 1.51% loss

ULTA , YTD down 4.58% this crazy stock is schizophrenic. Went down 25 points in a few days when CEO took another job, then went up 72 to 132 then down 40 on recent bad guidance

EGHT YTD +29.27 lost 15.29% on this one

DHR YTD +34.55% still holding this one looks very good for the future

SYK YTD +37.59% also holding nothing but big numbers for this leader in hip and knee replacements

FF YTD +39.89% one iffy report and it tanked I sold at 2.73% gain

KORS YTD +56.14% still holding. Upper tier of clothing retail doing well

LNKD YTD +102.92% sold for 8.39% gain, ouch!

DDD YTD +111.92% sold for 9.2% loss I don't understand after over 10 years they show us crackerjack toys they produce but still talk of 3D jets.


---------------------billy

[billyjoe]

Here are my 9 picks for 2013 and the price paid for each.

1. DDD 65.44---scary so many like it earnings 67.48%/27.64%/5yr.21%
touted by Phoenix, Zacks, Motley Fool, IBD, IIC fun 50

2. ULTA 93.95---earnings 2012 63.85%/2013 27.82%/5 yr. 26.08%
Motley Fool Roundtable, Louis Navellier, Investor Place

3. KORS 52.51---earnings 2012 161.65%/2013 31.41%/5 yr. 29.60%
ROI 41.59% liked by KenShreve Benzinga, Zacks, IBD 50, IIC 100

4. DHR 59.55---9.49%/2013 10%/ 5yr. 13.32% Daily Finance 10 best, The Street, Al Gore ?, David Blood (Generation Investment Management)

5. SYK 61.24--steadily increasing earnings, low forward PE, concerns about insider trading is one granddaughter selling nearly 1/2 mil. in shares daily. She is billionnaire giving away $$ to charity, Yachtman Focus Fund, Motley Fool, eWallstreeter. I've got a Stryker replacement knee

6. LNKD 112.80--eps 247%/ 2013 78%/ 5 yr. 67% social network for professionals with only 25% revenue tied to advertising, Cabot Investing, Best Fundamentals IBD, Best Internet Stocks Motley Fool

7 CTGX 18.60--eps 36.99%/2013 18.89%/5yr. 22% PEG ratio .98
Leigh Drogen Seeking Alpha, The Street 5 best Tech 2013

8. FF 12.12--brokers strong buy 1.0, forward PE 12.34/ eps 35.91/ 2013 13.64 Seeking Alpha John McCoy, Forbes, Dividend Channel, Hillary Kramer Game Changers

9. EGHT 7.81--PEG .50, eps 901%/ 2013 40%, ROE 84.7%, Profit Margin 77.5%, brokers rec. 1.50, Cloud based communication channels will benefit from Hurricane Sandy

DDD,DHR,CTGX,EGHT have all reached all time highs within the last 10 trading days.

----------------------billy

You can see what I paid for these stocks in January. Here are the results had I held them until today. The only three I still own are DHR, KORS, SYK

LNKD------112.80--216.83---+92.23%

KORS-------52.51---81.19---+54.62%

DDD--------65.44---92.93---+42.00%

FF----------12.12---15.80---+30.36%

EGHT--------7.81----10.15---+29.96%

DHR--------59.55---77.20----+29.64%

SYK--------61.24---75.14----+22.70%

ULTA-------93.95---96.52----+ 2.74%

CTG--------18.60---18.83----+ 1.24%

------------------billy

[billyjoe]

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally. This was a good time. I never sold KORS after buying at 52 in January '13. I doubled down in June at 62. Today was payday ! This makes the 3 still held a nice return for the 2013 picks.

------------------billy

[antioch6]

KORS has a much better (actual) product than SODA. I'm happy with your decision.

[billyjoe]

Sold DHR today for +26% after 14.5 months. Only holding KORS and SYK from original purchase.

-----------------billy