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.
IWIRX is surely doing a lot better than its stablemates, particularly Alternative Energy, Global Energy, and Asia Focus. G-A made its mark with the China-Hong Kong fund several years ago, but that one has faded also. I'm surprised the firm is able t…
IWIRX does have a stellar record but seems to be just holding serve over the last 2 to 3 years. The managers' explanation of what "innovation" means to them is a head-scratcher for me. A look at fund holdings reveals a collection of mostly solid lar…
I thought of you, @Ted, and our former board participant, Scott, when I read this article. I'm attracted to BX, but ever since I started flirting with it, the bottom has fallen out. You see an entry point here for any of these PE firms?
That's what I found at both Brown and SouthernSun: the same people who have been managing the domestic funds suddenly become global or international managers. I'm a big fan of Grandeur Peak. They don't sit in offices in Baltimore, Memphis, or Salt L…
When both of your previously successful funds (SSSFX, SSEFX) hit the wall, what do you do? First you sell yourself to AMG, then you re-open the closed fund, then you think you're global investors. Brown Company (BCSIX) has a great small-cap fund, bu…
There's CEM, the CEF in the MLP space. I got burned with it, tho it has recovered. No K-1 form to deal with at tax time. A CEF in a volatile area of the market requires Peptobismal (do they still sell that stuff?).
Anyone know what source is available to determine what managers have skin in the game? M* covers a limited universe, don't know about Nuveen's database. Same question regarding existence of a distribution policy. Thx.
I think some were musing about this topic the other day with respect to the Hodges Pure Contrarian Fund. It sure is hard!
And The Best Small-Cap Fund YTD Is ?: What A Dfference A Year Makes: 2015 Down -(36.93)%
RE: Sequoia, I don't mind a concentrated MF and I hold some. Still, I don't expect any one stock to represent more than 7.5% (at the outside) of the fund's holdings. When a stock swoons (i.e., ILMN yesterday), I think it might be time to pounce. Unf…
First computer and first Mac was an SE 20 bought with an Apple dot matrix printer for $3500! College in CA where I was teaching in 1987 let us buy a Mac with payroll deduction, no interest. Have never owned hardware made by any other company. Two so…
I used to own FPACX and, longer ago, OAKBX. My allocation funds now are BRUFX and DSENX. I dabble in CAPE, trying to make a few bucks trading. Every time I take a look at DSENX, I feel good about my decision to buy and add to it, but I couldn't expl…
I agree with @AndyJ. As soon as I saw that link from Seafarer I clicked on something I could read. It's gimmicky at best. BTW, I confidently own the fund.
A few years ago I questioned here my large position in OAKBX and my dissatisfaction with the sudden departure of Mr. Studzinski. I sold out and put the dough into BRUFX and have not regretted the decision.
The Hennessy funds are interesting: I own some HFMDX, another concentrated mid-cap fund. One of HFCSX's main holdings is Markel. You'll find the same company in Chuck Akre's AKREX, also worth holding.
I have always thought that M* is way too slow to pull the trigger on bad funds. They cover so few, relative to the great number of funds, that it shouldn't be hard to prune the dead wood and get some new funds to take their spots.
@bee: I think such a federal retirement system for all who toil in the public sector would only be possible in a highly-centralized economy. I'm thinking of European countries in which the state is the employer of train drivers, school teachers, an…
@davidmoran: I retired three years ago and I have to agree that foreign, EM, and SC have done nothing for me for several years now. I was on the verge of getting out of my Grandeur Peak and Matthews, long-term but reduced holdings, when all of a sud…
@davidmoran: please share your thinking on including CAPE in your list. I own DSENX and I have one profitable round trip in CAPE. Still monitor it, but the low volume and the less-than-transparent relationship among the bid, ask, and last price are …
@MikeM: My bad. I just checked my Schwab transaction. I bought PTIAX on Dec 21 and paid no TF. When I wanted to add to the position, I discovered the fee and was surprised and kicked myself for what turned out not to be a mistake. I'm really cheap a…
It bothers me when managers or pundits give the "market" human characteristics. People or the software they invent buy and sell securities. The market does not grasp or misunderstand anything, it has no desire to climb a wall of worry, nor is it any…
I got the Bruce Fund report also. The analysis is terse and seems to be saying we don't waste any shareholder dough on good paper. It's so flimsy it won't even serve to get a fire going in the fireplace. At least Barron's is good for that purpose.
Value may well be in recovery mode. MOAT was a holding I sold about nine months ago because its methodology took it into energy. I also sold BFOR In the same time frame. Both holdings were nicely profitable. Since then, MOAT has clocked the Barron's…
@OldJoe: I think we need more needling. I was quite sure your original comment on the Roman Empire was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Look at the reactions, however. It's hard to be whimsical or ironic in electronic media without being misunderstood.
I could not have predicted the recovery in Brazil. The iconic ex-president and the current president seemingly about to be thrown in jail and there are more buyers than sellers? Sheeesh!
