Posts tagged ‘Sidoxia’
Top 10 of 2010
Last year is over, but you can relive some of the memories by enjoying a few of the more popular Investing Caffeine articles of 2010. If you have already read all of these, you can always take a vacation and return 365 days from now and read the best of 2011 then. Happy (not so) New Year!
John Mauldin: The Man Who Cries Wolf
Professional Double–Dip Guesses are “Probably” Wrong
Technical Analysis – Astrology or Lob Wedge?
Marathon Investing: Genesis of Cheap Stocks
PIMCO – The Downhill Marathon Machine
Getting off the Market Timing Treadmill
TMI: The Age of Information Overload
Lessons Learned from Financial Crisis Management 101
Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP®
Plan. Invest. Prosper.
DISCLOSURE: Sidoxia Capital Management (SCM) and some of its clients own certain exchange traded funds, but at the time of publishing SCM had no direct position in any other security referenced in this article. No information accessed through the Investing Caffeine (IC) website constitutes investment, financial, legal, tax or other advice nor is to be relied on in making an investment or other decision. Please read disclosure language on IC “Contact” page.
Sidoxia/Wall St. Cheat Sheet Webinar 1/6 @ 7 pm
2011 Investment OpportunitiesDate: January 6, 2011 (Thursday) Time: 7:00 pm EST (4:00 pm PST) Duration:1 hour Click Here to Register |
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| Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP®
Plan. Invest. Prosper. DISCLOSURE: Sidoxia Capital Management (SCM) and some of its clients own certain exchange traded funds, but at the time of publishing SCM had no direct position in any security referenced in this article. No information accessed through the Investing Caffeine (IC) website constitutes investment, financial, legal, tax or other advice nor is to be relied on in making an investment or other decision. Please read disclosure language on IC “Contact” page. |
Insider Trading Interview with Sidoxia Capital Management
I am recovering from one too many servings of turkey and pumpkin pie, so perhaps you can enjoy an interview I conducted with CNBC’s Erin Burnett on the subject of insider trading earlier this week (Minute 2:00).
Once I awake from the food-induced coma, I promise to return with a more typical article on Investing Caffeine’s site.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday…
Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP®
Plan. Invest. Prosper.
DISCLOSURE: Sidoxia Capital Management (SCM) and some of its clients own certain exchange traded funds, but at the time of publishing SCM had no direct position in any other security referenced in this article. No information accessed through the Investing Caffeine (IC) website constitutes investment, financial, legal, tax or other advice nor is to be relied on in making an investment or other decision. Please read disclosure language on IC “Contact” page.
Buried Alive
Source: Photobucket
Unfortunately, I am temporarily buried with quarterly investment client duties, not to mention preparation for the avalanche of pending quarterly corporate earnings. If I don’t return in the coming days, send out the rescue troops. In the mean time, if you interested in more of my blabbing, check out a recent radio interview I completed. After clicking on the link, just scroll down to the WHME- FM play button icon:
Click Here for Interview of Wade Slome (Investing Caffeine Editor)
Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP®
Plan. Invest. Prosper.
DISCLOSURE: Sidoxia Capital Management (SCM) and some of its clients own certain exchange traded funds, but at the time of publishing SCM had no direct position in any security referenced in this article. No information accessed through the Investing Caffeine (IC) website constitutes investment, financial, legal, tax or other advice nor is to be relied on in making an investment or other decision. Please read disclosure language on IC “Contact” page.
Happy Birthday Investing Caffeine!
Three hundred sixty-seven days ago Investing Caffeine launched an ambitious drive to share the important truths about investing, financial markets, and personal finances (among other subjects). After a year, some 225 articles, and over 50,000 hits, the site continues to gain momentum and I look forward to offering a unique perspective to thousands of more readers in 2010 and beyond.
Over the last twelve months, here are some of the most heavily trafficked postings along with a few of my favorites (CLICK AWAY!):
Investing Legends
- Peter Lynch: Inside the Brain of an Investing Genius
- Phil Fisher: Standing on the Shoulders of a Growth Giant
- Doug Kass: Kass Attempts the “Triple Lindy”
Dubious Declarers
- Peter Schiff: The Emperor Schiff Has No Clothes
- Meredith Whitney: Meredith Whitney’s Cloudy Crystal Ball
- Glenn Beck: Stewart Makes Skewered Beck-Kebabs
History Revisited
- Back to the Future Magazine Covers, Part II, Part III
- History Never Repeats Itself, But It Often Rhymes
- Can the Lost Decade Strike Twice?
Investment Trends/Themes
- Stock Market Nirvana: Butter in Bangladesh
- High Frequency Trading: Buggy Whip Déjà vu
- TMI: The Age of Information Overload
It’s Your Money…Invest Wisely
- Beating off the Financial Sharks
- Super Sizing May Be Hazardous to Your Portfolio’s Health
- The Hidden Train Wreck – Professional Athlete Portfolios
Investment Lessons
- Lessons Learned from Financial Crisis Management 101
- Getting off the Market Timing Treadmill
- Compounding: A Penny Saved is Billions Earned
Government Gossip
- Debt: The New Four-Letter Word
- Plucking the Feathers of Taxpaying Geese
- Healthcare Reform: The Brutal Reality of Aging Demographics
Investment Trends/Themes
- Jumping on the Globalization Train
- Technology Does Not Sleep in a Recession
- Social Media Revolution Taking Over World
Stock Talk
- NVEC: Profiting from Electronic Eyes, Nerves & Brains
- Amazon: Growing Up to be Wal-Mart
- From Pooches to Profits
The last year has been a complete blast and hopefully you’ve enjoyed parts of the ride. Stay tuned for more eclectic articles in the days, weeks, and months to come.
Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP®
Plan. Invest. Prosper.
*DISCLOSURE: Sidoxia Capital Management (SCM) and some of its clients own certain exchange traded funds. Read disclosures provided in article links provided in above posting. No information accessed through the Investing Caffeine (IC) website constitutes investment, financial, legal, tax or other advice nor is to be relied on in making an investment or other decision. Please read disclosure language on IC “Contact” page.
Sidoxia Introduces “Fusion”
With the quote machines taking a temporary breather, what better time than now to talk about a new product creation from Sidoxia Capital Management – Fusion. For those readers following Investing Caffeine for some time, you likely have an informed understanding of Sidoxia Capital Management’s investment philosophy (www.Sidoxia.com). Well, now Sidoxia has formalized its investment product through the introduction of Fusion, a hybrid product integrating low-cost, tax-efficient investment vehicles and strategies, including individual stocks, individual bonds, equity ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds), and fixed income ETFs. Rather than being boxed into a simplistic life cycle fund, Fusion offers a customized investment vehicle that can meet investors’ wide ranging objectives and constraints. A key differentiating component of Fusion is its inclusion of some of the same stocks and securities employed in the Slome Sidoxia Fund (a hedge fund also managed by Sidoxia Capital Management for accredited investors). The aim of Fusion is to maximize the risk-adjusted returns in the context of a broadly diversified balanced portfolio (including international exposure).
Client Product Process
For those qualified investors, a one-on-one interview is conducted with each separate account investor to determine the objectives and constraints associated with the account. Subsequently, a customized Investment Policy Statement (IPS) is created for each client, effectively creating a blueprint for how the account will be managed. Depending on the risk-tolerance, time horizon, and objectives of the client, an equity allocation will be customized to meet the client’s needs. The balance of the portfolio will be invested in fixed-income, cash/liquid assets, and hybrid securities – including convertible bonds and alternative investments on a more limited basis. Individual security selection is derived from implementing fundamental and quantitative screening tools, leveraging the investment experience of the investment manager (Wade Slome), and the ranking of securities on a risk-adjusted valuation basis. Lower ranked securities are generally used as funding sources for purchases of higher ranked investment candidates.
Buy Discipline
A systematic, disciplined process is performed before the inclusion of any security is finalized into a portfolio. With respect to the selected equity securities, particular emphasis is placed on valuation metrics, including cash flows, earnings growth, dividend yields, price-earnings ratios, and other important fundamental statistics. In regards to equity related exchange traded funds (ETFs), some of the previously mentioned factors will be considered in addition to a top-down view of a funds underlying long-term growth potential. The buy discipline, established for the fixed income allocation of the portfolio, carefully considers dynamics such as yield, duration, maturity, income, inflation-protection, currency risk, and other factors. Compared to other competing domestic-centric products, Fusion has the ability and willingness to invest globally to explore attractive risk-reward investment opportunities abroad.
Portfolio Construction
Within the parameters of the various Fusion product versions (aggressive, conservative, and moderate), each portfolio is constructed with flexibility in meeting the unique objectives and constraints of each account – including any liquidity or income requirements indicated by the client. Every portfolio is constructed from the same menu of underlying investment options, thereby assuring relative consistency across accounts. Allocations across investment selections will vary based upon the Fusion product version selected.
Trading Strategies
Under normal economic circumstances, Fusion invests with a long-term time horizon of three to five years for its equity positions. As a result, factors such as transaction costs, impact costs, opportunity costs, bid-ask spreads, tax consequences, are considered before conducting trades. Regarding fixed income portfolios, the previously mentioned factors along with the underlying yield, duration, and fundamental factors will determine the holding period. Trading frequency may fluctuate, depending on financial market and client-specific circumstances, but generally speaking heightened volatility will lead to additional opportunistic portfolio activity.
Sell Discipline
The Fusion sell discipline is fairly straight forward. If a security reaches a designated price target, provides an inferior risk-adjusted return profile relative to other opportunities, or if the original investment rationale negatively changes, then the investment becomes a sell candidate. If Fusion discovers opportunities with superior investment characteristics, the sell candidates, in addition to cash, will be utilized to fund new purchases.
Product Fee Structure
The annual fee charged for portfolio management services is rendered on a percentage of assets under management basis. As a fee-only investment advisor, inherent incentives are built-in to preserve and grow client account values – a principle not practiced by many commissioned based brokers/advisors. Contact a Sidoxia Capital Management representative by phone (949-258-4322) or e-mail (info@Sidoxia.com) to learn more about Fusion’s fee structure and account minimum threshold.
Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP®
Plan. Invest. Prosper.
*DISCLOSURE: Sidoxia Capital Management (SCM) and some of its clients own certain exchange traded funds, but at the time of publishing SCM had no direct positions in any security referenced in this article. No information accessed through the Investing Caffeine (IC) website constitutes investment, financial, legal, tax or other advice nor is to be relied on in making an investment or other decision. Please read disclosure language on IC “Contact” page.
Top 10 Predictions for 2010
#10. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke decides pundits were wrong on the housing bubble, so he sets Fed Funds target rate at negative -3.0%. Small businesses start receiving loans.
#9. As part of healthcare reform, Medicare is extended to teens for collagen lip augmentation.
#8. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup form tri-merger to guarantee they are too big to fail.
#7. Tiger Woods poses in Playgirl to pay for pricey revised terms in his prenup. (see previous post)
#6. Gold spikes to $3,000 per ounce as government subsidizes dental chains in “cash for crowns” gold melting campaign. Consumers get extra cash, but Jujube candy sales plummet. (see previous post)
#5. Bernie Madoff escapes from prison. A cigarette Ponzi Scheme created by Madoff generates enough money to bribe guards.
#4. Apple introduces iPot – a combination iPhone and toilet.
#3. Kazakhstan pays Brazil, Russia, India and China a 5% GDP royalty to be added to the emerging B-R-I-C-K countries. A win-win for all parties, including spelling teachers around the world.
#2. Timothy Geithner retires from Treasury after making millions for being cast as Eddie Haskell in new remake of Leave It to Beaver movie. (see previous post)
#1. Oprah decides to halt her retirement plans. Instead, she signs me to a multi-million dollar deal to co-host a stock & gossip show with her.
HAPPY 2010!!
Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP®
Plan. Invest. Prosper.
DISCLOSURE: Sidoxia Capital Management (SCM) and some of its clients own certain exchange traded funds (including BKF) and AAPL, but did not have any direct positions in any stock mentioned in this article at time of publication (including GS, MS, C, and GLD). No information accessed through the Investing Caffeine (IC) website constitutes investment, financial, legal, tax or other advice nor is to be relied on in making an investment or other decision. Please read disclosure language on IC “Contact” page.
Decade in Review
We laughed, we cried, we kissed another ten years goodbye. It is virtually impossible to cram ten years into one article, nonetheless I will attempt to chronicle some of the central and silly events that bubble up in my memory bank.
2000
Capture of Elian Gonzalez
- Technology-heavy NASDAQ index peaks at 5,132 before completing its -78% decline by late 2002.
- Y2K (Year 2000) fears do not materialize and technology orders begin downward slide.
- AOL buys Time Warner for $164 Billion in hopes of converging media and internet worlds.
- Al Gore Democratic nominee for the Presidency wins popular vote but loses election to George Bush after effort for Florida recount fails.
- Elian Gonzalez, six-year old boy returned to Cuba.
- Reality TV show Survivor finishes first season with Richard Hatch winning prize.
2001
Enron Logo at Headquarters
- Apple introduces iPod digital music player.
- Enron files Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- Wikipedia online community encyclopedia launches.
- 9/11 attacks occur pushing economy further down.
- Alan Greenspan starts 1st of 11 rate cuts in 2001.
- China joins WTO (World Trade Organization).
2002
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), an atypical form of pneumonia, rears its ugly head in the Guangdong Province of China.
- SEC files charges against WorldCom and Tyco international in connection with accounting irregularities
- United Airlines files for bankruptcy.
- American Idol television singing contest begins first season.
- Guantanomo Bay detention camp is opened.
2003
- Federal Funds rate reaches a 45 year low at 1.00% – fuel for future credit bubble.
- $350 billion in tax cuts approved, spanning a ten year period.
- Iraqi Gulf War II commences with “shock and awe” military campaign.
- Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates upon attempted reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
- Broad stock market recovery (>90% of stocks in S&P500 climb), including a +50% rise in the NASDAQ index.
- Martha Stewart indicted for using privileged investment information and then obstructing a federal investigation.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, movie star, becomes governor of California.
2004
- Google (GOOG) goes public with IPO at $85 per share.
- Mark Zuckerberg unveils Facebook and people begin “friending” each other.
- Comcast makes failing unsolicited bid for Disney. K-Mart buys Sears with aid of Eddie Lampert
- Ronald Reagan, 40th President, dies at 93.
- Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake experience “wardrobe malfunction” on Super Bowl halftime show.
- Boston Red Sox win their first World series since 1918.
2005
- P&G announces $57 billion acquisition of Gillette. Conoco Philips buys Burlington Resources for over $30 billion. Bank of America buys credit card company MBNA.
- Ben Bernanke is nominated as new Federal Reserve Chairman.
- Hurricane Katrina overwhelms New Orleans as 80% of city becomes covered with water.
- North Korea announces its nuclear weapons arsenal.
- YouTube starts sharing online videos before Google Inc. eventually buys company.
- Lance Armstrong wins 7th consecutive Tour de France.
2006
- Inverted yield curve turns out to be an accurate leading indicator for 2008 recession despite markets advance.
- Internet activity accelerates: Google buys YouTube after News Corp buys MySpace. Twitter is introduced.
- Playstation 3 (PS3) and Nintendo Wii unveiled.
- Merger & acquisition activity reaches $3.79 trillion worldwide, surpassing previous 2000 peak (Thomson).
- Options backdating takes center stage. United Health and technology companies were among those dragged into controversy.
- Housing market peaks.
2007
- Markets continue multi-year rally with three major indexes holding single-digit gains. Emerging markets build on previous year gains – Shanghai composite +97%.
- Monoline insurers MBIA and rival Ambac become early canaries in the coal mine given the greater than $1 trillion in exposure on insuring securities.
- Apple presents the iPhone – part phone, part music, part computer.
- KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.) and TPG complete $44.4 billion buyout of Texas power company TXU Corp.
- Microsoft Vista operating system introduced after five years of development.
- Housing decline accelerates as Countrywide Financial announces 12,000 job cuts (20% of its workforce), New Century Financial (#2 subprime lender at one point) files Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and two Bear Stearns mortgage based hedge funds go under.
- Chuck Prince, Citigroup CEO, steps down.
2008
- Bank of America agrees to buy Countrywide mortgage company for about $4 billion.
- JPMorgan Chase agrees to buy Bear Stearns for $2 per share in a sale brokered by the Fed and the U.S. Treasury – eventually bid revised upwards to $10 per share (~$1.1 billion) to appease angry shareholders.
- Lehman Brothers goes bankrupt.
- Bank of America agrees to acquire Merrill Lynch for about $50 billion.
- Government takes over AIG after providing insurance company $85 billion loan.
- Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley become bank holding companies to improve access to capital.
- Washington Mutual Inc. is seized by FDIC and sold to JPMorgan Chase in the biggest U.S. bank failure in history.
- Wells Fargo & Co., agrees to purchase Wachovia for about $15.1 billion, trumping Citigroup’s bid.
- $700 billion TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) eventually approved by Congress to stabilize financial system.
- Eliot Spitzer resigns after prostitution scandal.
- Michael Phelps wins eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
2009
- Barack Obama inaugurated in as 44th President of the United States. Healthcare reform bills pass in both the House and Senate.
- GM and Chrysler declare bankruptcy.
- Recession ends as stimulus kicks in and inventories rebuild. Government announces new PPIP and TALF programs.
- Warren Buffett pays $26 billion to buy Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Other announcements include: Oracle /Sun Microsystems; Pfizer/Wyeth; Merck/Schering Plough; and Pulte Homes/Centex.
- Commodities and emerging markets rebound. Gold tops $1,000 per ounce.
- Signs of housing bottoming as low mortgage rates, tax credits, and declining inventories create a more constructive environment.
- Madoff goes to prison after he was convicted for a $65 billion Ponzi Scheme.
- Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger successfully carries out the treacherous crash-landing of US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River.
- Dubai debt debacle forces Abu Dhabi to lend support to calm global markets.
- Tiger Woods admits transgressions after car crash pushes him into spotlight.
2010 ???
Time will tell what the new year will bring. Stay tuned for some iron clad 2010 predictions coming to an Investing Caffeine blog near you in the not too distant future!
Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP®
Plan. Invest. Prosper.
DISCLOSURE: Sidoxia Capital Management (SCM) and some of its clients own certain exchange traded funds and BAC, AAPL, and GOOG, but did not have any direct positions in the following stocks mentioned in this article at time of publication (including AOL/TWX, VIA/CBS, NWS, TYC, UAUA, MSO, CMCSA, DIS, SHLD, PG, COP, Nintendo, MBI, ABK, MSFT, C, JPM, AIG, MS, WFC, GM, Chrysler, BRKA, ORCL, JAVA, PFE, MRK, PHM, BNI, LCC, GLD, and NKE). No information accessed through the Investing Caffeine (IC) website constitutes investment, financial, legal, tax or other advice nor is to be relied on in making an investment or other decision. Please read disclosure language on IC “Contact” page.
Poetic Holiday Dividend
Stocks can rise and they can fall
Emotions can suffer withdrawal
What remains firm are feelings for those we love
Whether by the Christmas tree or in our hearts above
‘Tis the time of year to give thanks and reflect
But forget not ailing lost souls that deserve our respect
2009 included its share of pain and sorrow
For 2010 I wish all a prosperous and brighter tomorrow
-Wade W. Slome
Plan. Invest. Prosper.
Philosophical Friday: Investing is Like Religion
Nothing like the subject of religion to make people feel uncomfortable, so why not dive in!
Investing Is Like Religion: Everyone believes their religion will lead them down the right path to spiritual prosperity. Adherants.com divides religions into 22 separate groupings. If you look at the loosely grouped big five (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism), these cover the vast majority of religious practitioners globally – an estimated 4 billion to 5.5 billion people.
In investing, most individuals stubbornly believe their philosophy is the right way to make money. With the hopes of creating order, the investment industry relies on tools like Morningstar’s nine style box categories, which places investors in tidy, clean groups. Unfortunately, not every strategy fits nicely into a style box, especially if you try to integrate investment vehicles like hedge funds and quantitative funds.
Can’t We All Just Get Along?: I believe religions can co-exist just like different investing philosophies can co-exist. Certainly there are less worthy religions, for example you can think of cults that prey on vulnerable individuals. The same can be said for investing – as long as greed continues to exist (a certainty), there will be unscrupulous crooks and shady businesses looking to take advantage of people for a quick buck.
Regulation: I suppose our law enforcement agencies and courts serve as regulators over a small minority of churches who break the law, but given the recent collapse of parts of our financial system it makes sense we are retooling and recalibrating our oversight and regulations. There is no doubt that negative trends like the unfettered growth of toxic mortgages (including subprime), over leveraging of investment banks (ala Bear Stearns, and Lehman), and exponential growth of complex derivative products (such as CDS and CDOs) need to be controlled with more oversight. There needs to consequences to improper actions – some religions have been known to discipline their members too.
Investing Takes Faith: We have gone through an extremely trying year and a half and iconic experts like Warren Buffett have had the wherewithal to invest successfully through uncertain economic cycles because of faith in capitalism. Even at the other side of the investing spectrum, in areas like quantitative and technical trading, the practitioner still needs to have enough faith in their systems and models with the belief they have an edge that can help them outperform. Regardless of the approach, one must have faith in their investment philosophy to be successful over the long-term.
Although there countless versions of religions all over the world, I’m confident that the Church of Money Under the Mattress (CMUM) will not lead the majority of investors to the Promise Land. Even for those risk averse savers, there are ways to heighten your expected return without assuming undue risk. Irrespective of your religious beliefs, may your spiritual journey bring you hefty profits…
Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP® (Sidoxia Capital Management, LLC)
Plan. Invest. Prosper.
DISCLOSURE: Sidoxia Capital Management and client accounts do not have direct positions in BRKA/B at the time the article was published. No information accessed through the Investing Caffeine (IC) website constitutes investment, financial, legal, tax or other advice nor is to be relied on in making an investment or other decision. Please read disclosure language on IC “Contact” page.
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