In case you missed it, a delightfully short "Departed" recap can be found here...and a waaaaaay too long "Losers" recap can be found here.
My portfolio's performance this past year wasn't great. In fact, some might say it was (relatively) awful, returning 5.0% vs. 13.7% for the S&P 500. But it would have been even worse without these guys!
And now, let's look at all the winning stocks I've held going into this year, from worst to best - based solely on 2014's performance, while mostly ignoring any intra-year volatility:
Coca-Cola (KO)
Year-opening price: $41.31
Year-closing price: $42.22 (2%)
Black gold. Long-term hold.
American Express (AXP)
Year-opening price: $90.73
Year-closing price: $93.04 (3%)
Took a breather after a surprisingly impressive 2013.
Starbucks (SBUX)
Year-opening price: $78.39
Year-closing price: $82.05 (5%)
Keeps chugging along.
EMC (EMC)
Bought: Apr @ $28.00
Year-closing price: $29.74 (6%)
The new IBM, part one.
Hershey (HSY)
Year-opening price: $97.23
Year-closing price: $103.93 (7%)
I wonder how the forthcoming chocolate shortage will affect them.
Blackstone (BX)
Year-opening price: $31.50
Year-closing price: $33.83 (7%)
This, plus the dividend, is a nice year.
Salesforce.com (CRM)
Year-opening price: $55.19
Year-closing price: $59.31 (7%)
Dominates its market. Due to be rewarded.
ACE Limited (ACE)
Year-opening price: $103.53
Year-closing price: $114.88 (11%)
Quietly churns out year after year of gains.
Alibaba (BABA)
Bought: Sep @ $92.70
Year-closing price: $103.94 (12%)
The biggest IPO of the year did not disappoint.
China Mobile (CHL)
Year-opening price: $52.29
Year-closing price: $58.82 (12%)
Solid bounce-back year. Net $73B(!) in the bank.
Lululemon Athletica (LULU)
Bought: Mar @ $49.50
Year-closing price: $55.79 (13%)
My second go-around here. Needs to be bought by Under Armour or Nike.
BlackRock (BLK)
Year-opening price: $316.47
Bought more: Nov @ $338.00
Year-closing price: $357.56 (13%)
Ought to be doing well...they own most of the market.
DuPont (DD)
Year-opening price: $64.97
Year-closing price: $73.94 (14%)
Backed up amazing 2013 with another solid year.
Costco Wholesale (COST)
Bought: Aug @ $119.00
Year-closing price: $141.75 (19%)
The finest retailer in the world.
Wells Fargo (WFC)
Year-opening price: $45.40
Bought more: Nov @ $53.42
Year-closing price: $53.82 (21%)
The best bank money can buy.
Canadian National Railway (CNI)
Year-opening price: $57.02
Year-closing price: $68.91 (21%)
Trains are awesome.
Nike (NKE)
Year-opening price: $78.64
Year-closing price: $96.15 (22%)
A good proxy for human activity, really.
Cisco (CSCO)
Year-opening price: $22.43
Year-closing price: $27.82 (24%)
The new IBM, part two.
Microsoft (MSFT)
Year-opening price: $37.41
Bought more: Aug @ $43.67
Year-closing price: $46.45 (24%)
Not just a bounce-back; they have their mojo back for the first time since the millenium.
Groupon (GRPN)
Bought: Jul @ $6.52
Year-closing price: $8.26 (27%)
Seems undervalued here.
Baidu (BIDU)
Year-opening price: $177.88
Year-closing price: $227.97 (28%)
Wins yearly back and forth competition with Qihoo 360.
Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)
Year-opening price: $384.08
Year-closing price: $528.94 (38%)
Major bounce-back and long-term growth story.
Apple (AAPL)
Year-opening price: $80.15
Bought more: Jan @ $77.76
Year-closing price: $110.38 (38%)
The best company in the world, bar none.
Intel (INTC)
Year-opening price: $25.95
Year-closing price: $36.29 (40%)
Two fantastic years in a row.
F5 Networks (FFIV)
Year-opening price: $90.86
Year-closing price: $130.46 (44%)
Finally got its act together, after years of mediocrity.
Telsa (TSLA)
Year-opening price: $150.43
Year-closing price: $222.41 (48%)
Amazing to say this was a somewhat disappointing year, after touching $300.
Under Armour (UA)
Year-opening price: $43.65
Year-closing price: $67.90 (56%)
Sights aimed squarely on Nike. Still a bunch of growth ahead.
