One way to sum up my previous year investment-wise would be this: I didn't sell any stocks for a higher price in 2011, than I could have had in 2010. Not one.
Another way would be this: Every year, I mentally project what this "Departed" post will look like...short and sweet. Every year, it turns out to be way too long, with too many tickers of too many stocks that I never should have owned in the first place.
Maybe 2012 will be the year. Then again, I'm already looking forward to selecting this year's new additions to The Distressed.
Here's a look at all the stocks I've sold in the past year, from best to worst - based solely on 2011's performance, while mostly ignoring any intra-year volatility:
E*Trade (ETFC)
Year-opening price: $16.00
Sold: Jan @ $15.60 (-3%)
Year-closing price: $7.96 (-50%)
Barely made it to 2011; continued its downward spiral.
GigaMedia (GIGM)
Year-opening price: $1.48
Sold: Jan @ $1.40 (-5%)
Year-closing price: $0.83 (-44%)
Chinese penny stock not a smart gamble.
Borders (BGP)
Year-opening price: $0.90
Sold: Jan @ $0.84 (-7%)
Stock-closing price: $0.23 (-74%)
Got out before bankruptcy.
Energy Conversion Devices (ENER)
Year-opening price: $4.60
Sold: Jan @ $4.24 (-8%)
Year-closing price: $0.20 (-96%)
Solar stock not-so-brilliant.
Citigroup (C)
Year-opening price: $47.30
Sold: May @ $42.30 (-11%)
Year-closing price: $26.76 (-43%)
The worst bank money can buy.
Ford (F)
Year-opening price: $16.79
Sold: Mar @ $14.00 (-17%)
Year-closing price: $10.76 (-36%)
Sold for a nice multi-year profit, but not at the top.
China Nepstar Chain Drugstore (NPD)
Bought: Feb @ $4.00
Sold: May @ $3.26 (-19%)
Year-closing price: $1.51 (-62%)
Soon-to-be Chinese penny stock.
Cherokee (CHKE)
Year-opening price: $18.81
Sold: Aug @ $15.00 (-20%)
Year-closing price: $11.67 (-38%)
Declining dividend and stock price a bad combination.
Sketchers (SKX)
Bought: Feb @ $23.43
Sold: May @ $18.35 (-22%)
Year-closing price: $12.12 (-48%)
Follows K-Swiss as another poor footwear stock pick.
China Real Estate Information (CRIC)
Year-opening price: $9.60
Sold: Feb @ $7.30 (-24%)
Year-closing price: $4.05 (-58%)
Another Chinese stock failure.
Motorola Mobility (MMI)
Year-opening price: $30.24
Sold: Aug @ $22.66 (-25%)
Year-closing price: $38.80 (28%)
Wait, is there no negative sign next to that year-closing percentage?? I sold too early (i.e. before Google swooped in).
Frontline (FRO)
Year-opening price: $25.37
Sold: Jun @ $18.60 (-27%)
Year-closing price: $4.29 (-83%)
Declining dividend and stock price an even worse combination.
Cree (CREE)
Year-opening price: $65.89
Sold: Mar @ $48.00 (-27%)
Year-closing price: $22.04 (-67%)
LED business is tough.
American International Group (AIG)
Year-opening price: $57.62
Sold: Feb @ $40.00 (-31%)
Year-closing price: $23.20 (-60%)
Still difficult to valuate this financial house of cards.
Great Northern Iron (GNI)
Year-opening price: $143.00
Sold: Apr @ $95.56 (-33%)
Year-closing price: $110.25 (-23%)
Sold at the bottom.
Dominion Resources Black Warrior Trust (DOM)
Year-opening price: $15.45
Sold: Jul @ $9.91 (-36%)
Year-closing price: $7.99 (-48%)
As long-time readers know, was one of my favorite dividend stocks...couldn't ignore the capital losses though.
Nokia (NOK)
Year-opening price: $10.32
Sold: Jun @ $6.52 (-37%)
Year-closing price: $4.82 (-53%)
Hitching their wagon to Microsoft's star not working out so well.
STEC (STEC)
Bought: Feb @ $23.50
Sold: Aug @ $10.58 (-55%)
Year-closing price: $8.59 (-63%)
Not the next SanDisk.
