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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.
  • DSENX = Large Value category according to M*
    DoubleLine fact sheet for DSENX reports as of 2/28 that the average market cap of its equity holdings is 50.6B. I suppose you could call it Large Cap.
  • Biotech’s Rally Fuels Bubble Fears
    Hi @heezsafe
    Don't fully scare the investing pants off of everyone in the bio/healthcare sector........ :)
    Monitoring through the day, the bio sectors kept moving down, and + or - a tenth or so; most finished about -5%; not -12%.
    They'll come back, IMO.
    Take care,
    Catch
  • Biotech’s Rally Fuels Bubble Fears
    Gilead starting to look like the Amgen of 10-15 yrs ago. Maybe better. Nice. Individual companies, for the foreseeable future, are definitely the investment to make.
    As for the rest, well, biotech sector was down -12% today. Now that the Fed has stopped their QE magic tricks, all levitating bodies with phoney $1B+ cap but P/E= N/A will crash to the stage, sooner or later. There will be tears.
    3/25 POAGX %change= -2.78% !
  • An Easy Prediction
    LOL, nice chart!
    A retired friend of mine, who lives many states away and has something over $1M in his portfolio, told me about 6 months ago that he was buying 3D printer stocks. He didn't say how much, but if someone wanted to gamble with 5% - 10%, have at it.
    Eh, good luck, but I'll stick with my stodgy old auto-pilot mutual funds, keeping me properly diversified and allocated. Jumping on bandwagons has never been my style.
  • Biotech’s Rally Fuels Bubble Fears
    @Scott - almost took a toehold at the closing but since it's almost the end of the month (or quarter) and fund managers are playing games with positions and holdings I'm going to let that shake itself off first. GILD has definitely been on the radar though. Do you think they are done splitting shares as has been their MO up to this point?
    I don't see a split any time in the foreseeable future. There is a $15+B buyback in place, as well as a 43c quarterly div starting soon.
    "Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) announced today that the company’s Board of Directors has authorized a dividend program under which the company intends to pay quarterly dividends of $0.43 per share, beginning in the second quarter of 2015, subject to quarterly declarations by the Board of Directors.
    The Board of Directors also approved the repurchase of up to an additional $15.0 billion of the company’s common stock. This new program is in addition to the currently authorized three-year $5.0 billion repurchase program (authorized in May 2014). As of December 31, 2014, approximately $3 billion remained in the May 2014 program. The new program will expire 5 years after the completion of the May 2014 program. Purchases may be made in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions from time to time, as determined by Gilead’s management and in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission"
    http://www.gilead.com/news/press-releases/2015/2/gilead-sciences-announces-43-cents-quarterly-dividend-program-and-15-billion-share-buyback-program
  • DSENX = Large Value category according to M*
    At market close today I added to DSENX and now have 35-40% of our nut in it, so I wonder if there is any accuracy whatsoever to M*'s characterization of it as like a 50-50 balanced fund.
  • For holding "cash" - should I keep loading into RPHYX?
    Great stuff from everyone.
    Cash seems to have widely varying definitions and widely varying purposes among investors. And it's natural to climb the ladder a little in search of something better than 0%. Even 2 or 3% on RPHYX looks good by comparison. No objection to that. But, it's not "cash" in the most basic traditional sense of the word.
    I'm not sure one's definition of cash (or "enhanced cash" as someone put it) really matters a whole lot. I guess if you're running your household budget under really tight constraints, or meeting a weekly business payroll, or running a tax-funded government entity, than precise dollar amounts are critical to the operation and you best keep the necessary money in insured deposits or TBills.
    For most of us however, fluxuations of 2, 3 or even 5% on our short term reserves (cash and cash substitutes) really isn't all that worrisome. We can take a bit more risk and accept those fluxuations. MSF makes a good point about some of the ultra-shorts that took a big hit during the '08 meltdown. Yes, they didn't appear all that risky before the crisis imploded. I have no answer to that one. A valid point.
    I earn 0% on my Prime Reserve fund at Price and 0% on a couple checking accounts. But wait a second ... I'm actually receiving compensation through a wide range of services. These include free check-writing and electronic fund transfers. Free 24-hour online access from any device. Free phone numbers and live agents able to respond to account related questions or provide guidance. Also, live tellers at their branches, convenient credit cards and debit cards linked to these accounts and many other free or discounted services. That's a lot of "free" stuff available to me to in return for those cash deposits.
    In the case of Price, keeping cash with them allows free and immediate access to any of their 100+ quality funds at literally the touch of a keypad. And exchanges between these great funds and my Prime Reserve account are conveniently exempted from their excessive trading restrictions. If I need some of the cash, they quickly transfer it to to my bank of record. Again at no fee. So, besides the higher stability of these low yielding cash accounts, I'm actually receiving quite a bit in return.
    Advice to the original poster. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. As compelling as RPHYX may appear, spread your short term holdings (assuming they are significant) around a little.
  • Vanguard Wellington Fund closes to third party intermediaries
    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/105563/000093247115005798/ps21_022013.htm
    497 1 ps21_022013.htm CLOSED FUND SUPPLEMENT
    Vanguard Wellington™ Fund
    Supplement to the Prospectus and Summary Prospectus
    Important Note Regarding Vanguard Wellington Fund
    Vanguard Wellington Fund will be closed to all prospective financial advisory, institutional, and intermediary clients (other than clients who invest through a Vanguard brokerage account).
    The Fund will remain closed until further notice and there is no specific time frame for when the Fund will reopen. During the Fund’s closed period, all current shareholders may continue to purchase, exchange, or redeem shares of the Fund online, by telephone, or by mail.
    The Fund may modify these transaction policies at any time and without prior notice to shareholders. You may call Vanguard for more detailed information about the Fund’s transaction policies. Participants in employer-sponsored plans may call Vanguard Participant Services at 800-523-1188. Investors in nonretirement accounts and IRAs may call Vanguard’s Investor Information Department at 800-662-7447.
    © 2013 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
    Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. PS 21 022013
  • For holding "cash" - should I keep loading into RPHYX?
    I just looked at RPHYX's chart on M*. It's performing exactly as advertised: a very gentle but nearly straight line up, delivering a bit more than 3% better than MMFs, which are delivering just about zero. The only time it ever had a negative quarter was Q3 2011, when it fell only 0.07% and made up for it the following quarter.
    Unless the manager is having trouble finding investments, and the 3.5% cash stake does not indicate that, why look elsewhere?
    But I'm not putting all my cash here. I like to have a chunk of cash that is truly cash, with a government guarantee if possible.

    I've always stayed away from this one because despite what I've heard here, it *is* dependent upon the performance and health of the junk bond market. Thus, since its inception has never been tested. As expatsp mentions above, its worst performance was Q3 2011 which just happens to correspond to the worst performance of junk bonds since its last bear market in 2008. Then again, bear markets in junk bonds are few and far between.
    I agree with Expatsp. So far as I can tell, the fund has done exactly what the manager said it would do. This "money good" stuff, so far as I understand it, means that even if the bond issuing company goes bankrupt, the manager is confident that the bonds held by RPHYX will be paid in full as a result of the bankruptcy proceedings. The general state of the junk bond market would have only a temporary effect on the fund's NAV.
    It's not a true cash substitute since you are dependent upon the manager's judgment that these holdings really are "money good" (and there is that temporary effect on the fund's NAV from the junk bond market even if things work out as planned), but I believe that the manager has always made this clear.
  • The Breakfast Briefing: U.S. Kraft & Heinz Merger
    I have owned brk for 25 years never paid a cap gain tax yet nothing but net!!!
  • For holding "cash" - should I keep loading into RPHYX?
    I just looked at RPHYX's chart on M*. It's performing exactly as advertised: a very gentle but nearly straight line up, delivering a bit more than 3% better than MMFs, which are delivering just about zero. The only time it ever had a negative quarter was Q3 2011, when it fell only 0.07% and made up for it the following quarter.
    Unless the manager is having trouble finding investments, and the 3.5% cash stake does not indicate that, why look elsewhere?
    But I'm not putting all my cash here. I like to have a chunk of cash that is truly cash, with a government guarantee if possible.
    I've always stayed away from this one because despite what I've heard here, it *is* dependent upon the performance and health of the junk bond market. Thus, since its inception has never been tested. As expatsp mentions above, its worst performance was Q3 2011 which just happens to correspond to the worst performance of junk bonds since its last bear market in 2008. Then again, bear markets in junk bonds are few and far between.
  • 3 Best Vanguard Funds For Conservative Retirees
    As for performance, Wellesley beats at least 95% of other conservative allocation funds for 3-, 5- and 10-year returns.
    For one of the best-managed conservative funds you can buy, it’s hard to beat the cheap expense ratio of 0.25%.
    The minimum initial investment for VWINX is $3,000.
    Super Star conservative...tb
  • Chart Of The Day: Dow/Gold
    FYI: Today's chart illustrates how it currently takes a touch more than 15 ounces of gold to 'buy the Dow' (i.e. the Dow / gold ratio) -- well off the 44.8 ounces it took back at its peak in 1999.
    Regards,
    Ted
    http://www.chartoftheday.com/20150325.htm?H
  • The Breakfast Briefing: U.S. Kraft & Heinz Merger
    FYI: Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Company have agreed to merge in a deal that will create the fifth largest food and beverage company in the world, and the third largest in America. Kraft shares were up 24% in pre-market trading.
    The firms released a statement confirming the deal on Wednesday morning, following a report in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that the two were in talks with a deal likely to top $40 billion. Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which teamed up in 2013 to buy Heinz for $23 billion, will invest $10 billion in the new company. Kraft will add well-known food brands, including Kraft Singles, Maxwell House, Kool-Aid, and Kraft Mac & Cheese to 3G’s food-focused portfolio.
    The new company will be called the The Kraft Heinz Company and will be co-headquartered in Pittsburgh and the Chicago area, with revenues of approximately $28 billion, eight $1 billion+ brands and five brands between $500 million and $1 billion. Kraft shareholders will own 49% of the new company, and receive a special cash dividend of $16.50 per share. The cash dividend payment represents 27% of Kraft’s closing price as of Tuesday, according to the statement.
    The relentlessly ambitious 3G is already considered the envy of the food world and activist investors due to its near-singular focus on costs and its list of rich co-investors, among other things. But in the private equity world, it’s also changing the rules of fundraising in a way that’s gotten its rivals — in particular New York-based Blackstone Group — eager to do the same
    Regards,
    Ted
    http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2015/03/25/morning-moneybeat-on-a-stair-stepper-rally-and-a-blockbuster-deal-for-kraft/tab/print/
    Current Futures:
    http://finviz.com/futures.ashx
  • For holding "cash" - should I keep loading into RPHYX?
    Hi all you good folk:
    As we all scramble for yield … I guess … perhaps some are willing to broaden their definition for cash and what it’s equal might be. For me, real cash would be US currency, FDIC bank deposits, savings accounts and some cd’s along with short term treasuries. At one time I included brokerage and fund company money market accounts; but, no more unless they are FDIC insured.
    Even though gold and silver might be a store of value and offer barter capacity ... for me ... they are not cash.
    So, when Old_Skeet says he has fifteen percent in cash … He really does.
    Additional Note 1:
    One of the things I have done to make my cash productive is to open and close special spiff investment positions form time-to-time.
    My last spiff was opened around October of 2014 with an average cost on the spiff with a cost reading on the S&P 500 Index at 1905. Thru March 20th of 2015 this position is now up about 10.4%. Since, I am currently at about 15% in cash as I write I have left the spiff open and will most likely close it out as we approach summer and before if stocks go soft as we approach 1Q2015 earning reporting season.
    When the spiff is fully closed out, this will raise my cash allocation to about 20% and reduce my equity allocation to about 50%. From a tax strategy stand point this spiff strategy is usually done in my self directed ira account thus avoiding capital gains taxes that would be due on the gains if done in a taxable account.
    Come late summer or early fall, I will usually start another special equity spiff position in this seasonal strategy and fund it from the cash area of the portfolio rather than utilizing margin based funding that would eat into profits. And, if done on margin that would put the action in the taxable account and make the gains taxable.
    Additional Note 2:
    Booked profit in special spiff today with the market headed downwards on economic data and news. And, I am not to hopeful 1Q2015 earnings are going to be all that good. Profit over about a six month holding period was 8.2% plus dividends.
    Old_Skeet
  • Four Wasatch Funds closed to third party intermediaries only (i.e. Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund)
    Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund is open to direct purchases to new investors through Wasatch only.
    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/806633/000119312515103112/d896282d497.htm
    497 1 d896282d497.htm WASATCH FUNDS TRUST
    WASATCH FUNDS TRUST
    Supplement dated March 24, 2015 to the
    Statement of Additional Information dated January 31, 2015
    Investor Class
    Wasatch Core Growth Fund® — Investor Class (WGROX)
    Wasatch Emerging India Fund® — Investor Class (WAINX)
    Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Fund® — Investor Class (WAESX)
    Wasatch Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund® — Investor Class (WAEMX)
    Wasatch Frontier Emerging Small Countries Fund® — Investor Class (WAFMX)
    Wasatch Global Opportunities Fund® — Investor Class (WAGOX)
    Wasatch Heritage Growth Fund® — Investor Class (WAHGX)
    Wasatch International Growth Fund® — Investor Class (WAIGX)
    Wasatch International Opportunities Fund® — Investor Class (WAIOX)
    Wasatch Large Cap Value Fund® — Investor Class (FMIEX)
    Wasatch Long/Short Fund® — Investor Class (FMLSX)
    Wasatch Micro Cap Fund® — Investor Class (WMICX)
    Wasatch Micro Cap Value Fund® — Investor Class (WAMVX)
    Wasatch Small Cap Growth Fund® — Investor Class (WAAEX)
    Wasatch Small Cap Value Fund® — Investor Class (WMCVX)
    Wasatch Strategic Income Fund® — Investor Class (WASIX)
    Wasatch Ultra Growth Fund® — Investor Class (WAMCX)
    Wasatch World Innovators Fund® — Investor Class (WAGTX)
    Wasatch–1st Source Income Fund® — Investor Class (FMEQX)
    Wasatch-Hoisington U.S. Treasury Fund® — Investor Class (WHOSX)
    This Supplement updates certain information contained in the Wasatch Funds Statement of Additional Information for Investor Class shares, dated January 31, 2015. You should retain this Supplement and the Statement of Additional Information for future reference. Additional copies of the Statement of Additional Information may be obtained free of charge by visiting our web site at www.WasatchFunds.com or calling us at 800.551.1700.
    The last paragraph in the section entitled “General Information and History” in the SAI is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
    The Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund, Frontier Emerging Small Countries Fund, International Growth Fund and Small Cap Growth Fund are each closed to new investors with the exception of: (1) investors who purchase shares directly from Wasatch Funds; (2) clients of all investment advisors with discretionary investment allocation programs where such advisors and programs had investments in the Fund prior to the Fund’s closing date; and (3) retirement plans and their participants where such plans had investments in the Fund prior to the Fund’s closing date.
    PLEASE RETAIN THIS SUPPLEMENT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
    Wasatch's web site: https://secure.wasatchfunds.com/Our-Funds.aspx
  • Biotech’s Rally Fuels Bubble Fears
    I'll keep buying GILD with a forward p/e under 10, a dividend coming up shortly and a company that had 12.8 billion in operating cash flow last year. The funny thing is that I don't think any of the biotech majors are richly valued and Gilead is quite reasonable. It's the smaller companies that I think are expensive.
    Gilead's CEO being named "CEO of the Year" by Morningstar last year was a little concerning, but I'll continue to own it as a large position.
    http://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/032315/could-gileads-dividend-have-additional-upside-gild.aspx