A tradition unlike any other...
2019 was a great year. My portfolio outperformed the S&P 500 by +8.5%, gaining 40.0% vs. 31.5%. It is my 2nd best rate of return after 2003 (46.5%) and 4th best relative to the S&P 500 after 2003 (+17.8%), 2009 (+12.5%), and 2017 (+11.9). I am most proud of my 63.6% savings return for the year, pushing my net worth to an all-time high...and achieving a major milestone level.
There are only 5 sells to report for 2019; the returns for all of these stocks were good in the absolute sense, but they all relatively underperformed my portfolio as a whole - and therefore I feel comfortable in no longer owning them.
Here's a look at all the stocks I've sold in the past year, from best to worst - based solely on 2019's performance, while mostly ignoring any intra-year volatility:
Aqua America (WTR)
Year-opening price: $34.19
Sold: Apr @ $36.48 (7%)
Year-closing price: $46.94 (37%)
Marginally outperformed its superior competitor, American Water Works (35%).
BlackRock (BLK)
Year-opening price: $392.82
Sold: Sep @ $420.99 (7%)
Year-closing price: $502.70 (28%)
Anemic revenue growth (3%), negative earnings growth (-8%).
Activision Blizzard (ATVI)
Year-opening price: $46.57
Sold: Jan @ $46.46 (-0%)
Year-closing price: $59.42 (28%)
Negative revenue (-15%) and earnings (-22%) growth.
Chubb Limited (CB)
Year-opening price: $129.18
Sold: Mar @ $134.71 (4%)
Year-closing price: $155.66 (21%)
Anemic revenue growth (4%), negative earnings growth (-11%).
Booking Holdings (BKNG)
Year-opening price: $1722.42
Sold: Jul @ $1900.00 (10%)
Year-closing price: $2053.73 (19%)
Flat over the past 2.5 years. Weak revenue growth (4%).
