Clique's Losing a Member...

     Carlos has quit the Group to his own investing. 

Changing Strategy...

     We're making changes in our Group Portfolios this Month.  It's a tough time for me, because I like to Play the Market and the percentages just aren't there in 2010.  Our Buying and Selling Strategies are being revised.  We're just getting spread too thin. 
     Within the next month, we are cutting 62 Group Positions Held down to a manageable 30.  The basis for the selloff will be Performance; an easy task in 2010. 
     We buy Positions (individual stock) in "Blocks" to save on Commissions (primary reason for a clique).  A finite number of Slots in the block are available @, say $1000.  Most of our positions are in Blocks of $5000+.  Our Clique has 6 Members. 

     Our Watchlists always consists of a Core 122 Cos, currently we have 143 cos based on new stocks added.  The List will be cut to a Core of 60 and no more than 10 at a time.  Currently, each Group Member is charged with watching a minimum of 18 Held and Watchlist Stocks EVERY DAY.  I am carrying an unmanageable 48, and as GP have an overview of all 62 Positions Held.  And all this while going to our jobs every day and working other Projects (two of us have family obligations): Think we're missing a few Buy/Sell Opportunities?

     It's going to take a couple Saturday meetings

to Trim The Fat.

Cautionary Tale.  We had considered Cashing Out the Group, altoghether and doing our "own thing".  This was Close, Close, Close to happening.  We started with $100 BuyIns but started putting REAL Money into the Group and have become Arrogant Pigs at the Trough of Successful Trading.  It's far easier to say, "gimme a c-note" than it is to "have a Contract, Vote and fork over a Grand".  Plus, who cares about Accountant or Attorney for a $10,000 Kitty; try to be be nonchalant @ $300K.  It's almost like, "Thank God the Market's Down or we'd be taking 'contracts' out on eachother".    

March 2010 - A Year After Our Investment Group Was Formed: Still Great Optimism and 52-Week Highs...

This time last year, I was being assured that former Market Activity had been managed well.  That my per annum losses were "minimal" and that I had avoided a personal financial doomsday.  Advisors, Riley and Richlin, told me to become more involved in investing.  And, boy, did I ever get involved. 

     One night at the local Pub, an off-hand remark positively> changed the course of my future finances.  A couple buddies and I decided to pool finanacial and intellectual resorces to form an Investment Group.  The next day, we'd grown to 6 partners and formed an entity known as The DaTra Group.  Hence, we'd be known as an "Investment Clique". 
     Little did I know what an all-consuming passion Trading would become for the next year.  Rolling stocks for massive short-term profits was a better Rush than any drug I had done in the 80's!  There's something about the first time you do a Cowboy Trade, making  20%  on a 2 day flip, that would have to be experienced to be understood.  Only to be able to do that, REPEATEDLY!  To be able to get  de rigueur 20% gains on 2 week-1 month flips spoiled us almost beyond redemption.

And our pub gatherings became bacchanals (if only we had invest that money).

     A year, hence, and the bloom may be off the rose; but the fragrance remains wonderful as ever.  Having postions in 67 (+/-, 5) stocks, keeping track of 120 - 150 and watching for the next 20% (which takes a bit longer than 24 hours, now) has had a sobering effect.

     A year, hench, and we had such "luck" that the inevitable CORRECTION has occured.  But, really; these corrections of late are hardly a speed bump in our journey to Portfolio Value.  Our due diligence has served us, well.  When a wave of corrections means your Ports are up ONLY 6% a MONTH, it's a necessary evil one can live with.

     There have been some 52-week highs achieved of late.  The Bravado of last year may be gone (?), but I still have the same advice for how to make money in The Market --- "Get In".  Regradless of the folly in Wahington, over the next couple years, Wall Street is the place to be.  It's a good place where any "rookie" [read. not "dummy"] to find financial Gain.   One can begin or continue Trading for a hell of alot less than it takes for, say, a real estate purchase (my second pick for a hobby, nowadays). 
     But, be warned: playing "THE GAME" will become addictive! 

This week and Riding the Range...

This is going to be another "fickle" week

on The Street. 

For the next 6 months or so, The Market will be quite unpredictable.
We cannot ignore the fundamentals  (How I hate to watch fundies!...) telling us there will be a major correction in The Market somtime this year. 

So...

     Strategies we're using include leaving profs in Port. Accs. for Buyback shares on a correction.  Also, we've been Dumping Stagnant Stock with Divs Below 6%. 

     As for new Buys, we're not doing much "Holding".  For the first time, we're selling up to half a stake in a stock to take profits of 20%.  We may buy 200 shares and sell 100 when taking profit in the 20% range instead of 40.  Doing the math, this means the Cashback is 80% Break Even.  But it keeps a decent Cash Flow going to add to our Deposits as well as preserving  a position in the company.  Accounting and Disbursement is trickier!  No KISS, here.  Also, one of the Partners is doing a bit of Dividend Capture for us.

And oh yes...

     Speaking of Deposits:  Even with the Trials and Tribulations us Investors are going through, in 5 years we'll be looking back in wonder that we got the shares so cheap.  Does anyone remember putting money into CDs?

If you're bored, go with PIKE and LTHU.

This Past Week...

The Market was fickle this week...

LJPC :  This thing, again.  Last year I made a couple Cowboy Trades with La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company, both lost.  Then, a couple months ago, an ex-partner of mine in San Diego said it might be in play.  I think it was @.23 when I put it on a Watchlist.  Last week, another call as a reminder to look at it.  The wanted to merge with a company, but at the time they only had a 9% reply from thier investor base and could not meet a Quorum.  Things were at a standstill. 

     Friday, I put together a couple other Cowboys for a  Short Block.  The stock was @[.11] when we put in an order to buy @.13.  Our investment strategy behind this move was that if the company was still alive, after Monday, the stock would go up.  On Monday our Ameritrade Account purchased the shares @.105.  On Tuesday, the shares went up to .185.  So we caught a Break Even Cash Out @183 (we almost missed the bid in the time it took to register the trade) and started "playing with the House's money".  All-in-all we were satisfied with the Play.  The remainder of the week, after being delisted from NASDAQ, LJPC ended @.07!  We may ONLY break even, but there's always the cash dispersment if the co. goes "belly up".  Oh well...

After that "long winded" entry, I hesitate to add more, but...

CCC :  I took a bit of Calgon Carbon this week as the stock was falling (Thursday).  It was part of a Group Buy and it's in a Holding Account, but I'm getting Out @20%. 

They provide services, products, and solutions for purifying water, air, food, beverage, and industrial process streams in the United States and internationally.

LTHU :  I'm hot on this stock!  I did a Holding Buy on it this week and am very happy.  It's cheap, so anyone can Get In.  I would tell you about it, but Reserch is so much fun.  Check it out!

Quicklink to GSIG...

Lost again?, you owe me Lunch.

Link to: GSIG

In Febuary...

I'm scouting Dividend Stocks. 

Our BUY/REUP List for the month will include:

ATAX - BKCC - KSP

IID and EDD

Our WATCHLIST (your Homework):

IGD - IWA - MLC - MRO
TIE - TMRFX

Santa, Please give me a decent yield in 2010 for Chistmas. How we did, TRUQOD09....

Not much coal, here...

                  BUY                    CURRENT

ACLS       1.04                    1.46

BAK         13.48                  16.77                 

BHWX      .725                     .81O
CENX       9.38                    16.47
CLWR      6.82/5.67            6.83
CQB         16.66                  18.46
CRAY       7.21                     6.25
CSX         42.61                   50.40
CZWI         3.32                    3.65

DAR          7.02                     8.28  

DUSA       1.42/1.52             1.49
FRPT        5.03                     5.53 

FWLT       31.26                  30.44

GSB         1.63                       1.51  

IROG        .80                           .66 (.92)
JVA          4.36                       4.05

NEU          99.37                 120.33

NOK         13.55                    12.78

SCI           7.53                        8.05

SIRI           .56/.82                   .588

STX          15.11                   18.07

TGIC         .66                         .410 (.867)
WFC          26.06                   27.09

XOMA      .707                        .680


Color Code:  Holding - Holding
                   Hold (Averaging) - Cowboy (Sold)

G45SIG ACCOUNT. Thank you.

Next Week...

Here are the Picks we'll be watching next.  I'm taking dividend positions on a couple for the New Account .

BKCC  BQR  HTS  IGD  IWA  KSP

 PDLI

We took a Block of IWA this week.
Iowa Telecommunications Services (IWA), which serves customers in rural Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri, pays an outstanding yield of 9.6%. The company's operating cash flow of $86 million is more than enough to cover its $53 million in dividend payouts. The market cap is $556 million.

Audit...

Stewart ran audit, this week.

Check Dailies, Friday.

This Morning...

-Buy CLWR. (Fri. Close: 5.67)

-I'm Selling 4.94 Ford.

-I'm keeping an eye on NWSA.  I don't think Rupert is all that stupid,

-Codes change and 2 Synications in "New Accounts", today.  It's time Volatility works for us.