A tradition unlike any other...
For the fourth time in the past five years, my portfolio underperformed the S&P 500, losing -4.3% vs. gaining 1.4%. But at least one long-stated goal was achieved: reducing the number of stocks I own, from 49 to 35. I hope to continue this consolidation by selling the losers and buying the winners.
Here's a look at all the stocks I've sold in the past year, from best to worst - based solely on 2015's performance, while mostly ignoring any intra-year volatility:
T-Mobile US (TMUS)
Year-opening price: $26.94
Sold: Jan @ $27.03 (0%)
Year-closing price: $39.12 (45%)
Unwinding The Distressed, part one. Inferior product, great stock (this year).
Global Sources (GSOL)
Year-opening price: $6.36
Sold: Jan @ $6.40 (1%)
Year-closing price: $7.80 (23%)
Unwinding The Distressed, part two.
Motorola Solutions (MSI)
Year-opening price: $67.08
Sold: Jan @ $65.00 (-3%)
Year-closing price: $68.45 (2%)
Unwinding The Distressed, part three. Value wringed out of company split.
iRobot (IRBT)
Year-opening price: $34.72
Sold: Jun @ $32.42 (-7%)
Year-closing price: $35.40 (2%)
Exists solely for the takeover I'm not willing to wait for.
Cisco Systems (CSCO)
Year-opening price: $27.82
Bought more: Mar @ $30.10
Sold: Nov @ $27.34 (-2%)
Year-closing price: $27.16 (-2%)
Dead money.
China Mobile (CHL)
Year-opening price: $58.82
Bought more: Mar @ $66.01
Sold: Nov @ $56.24 (-4%)
Year-closing price: $56.46 (-4%)
Not a terrible stock; sold for tax purposes (and won't be re-buying).
SolarCity (SCTY)
Year-opening price: $53.48
Sold: Jun @ $55.50 (4%)
Year-closing price: $51.02 (-5%)
A friendly reminder: Elon Musk does not run this company.
La-Z-Boy (LZB)
Year-opening price: $26.84
Sold: Jan @ $26.43 (%-2)
Year-closing price: $24.42 (-9%)
Unwinding The Distressed, part four.
Arista Networks (ANET)
Bought: Jun @ $85.98
Sold: Oct @ $65.60 (-24%)
Year-closing price: $77.84 (-9%)
Sold near the bottom.
Hershey (HSY)
Year-opening price: $103.93
Sold: Jun @ $90.96 (-12%)
Year-closing price: $89.27 (-14%)
Wanted it to be like Heinz; it isn't.
International Business Machines (IBM)
Year-opening price: $160.44
Sold: Jun @ $166.33 (4%)
Year-closing price: $137.62 (-14%)
Their time has passed.
Computer Programs & Systems (CPSI)
Year-opening price: $60.75
Sold: Aug @ $45.42 (-25%)
Year-closing price: $49.75 (-18%)
Healthcare software: not a great business to be in.
Alibaba (BABA)
Year-opening price: $103.94
Sold: Sep @ $58.80 (-43%)
Year-closing price: $81.27 (-22%)
Sold at the bottom. Makes boatloads of money, but not an innovator.
Tableau Software (DATA)
Bought: Jun @ $120.71
Sold: Oct @ $82.34 (-32%)
Year-closing price: $94.22 (-22%)
A failed effort to chase growth.
Las Vegas Sands (LVS)
Year-opening price: $58.16
Sold: Jun @ $51.93 (-11%)
Year-closing price: $43.84 (-25%)
Gambled at the casinos...and lost, part one.
Conoco Phillips (COP)
Year-opening price: $69.06
Sold: Aug @ $50.30 (-27%)
Year-closing price: $46.69 (-32%)
A terrible year for oil. It is a commodity, you know.
Wynn Resorts (WYNN)
Year-opening price: $148.76
Sold: Jun @ $102.15 (-31%)
Year-closing price: $69.19 (-53%)
Gambled at the casinos...and lost, part two.
FireEye (FEYE)
Bought: Jun @ $53.67
Sold: Sep @ $31.75 (-41%)
Year-closing price: $20.74 (-61%)
CashFire.
Groupon (GRPN)
Year-opening price: $8.26
Sold: Jun @ $5.62 (-32%)
Year-closing price: $3.07 (-63%)
An unintentionally self-referential stock if there ever was one.
