Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. Message Board

Over the years, I determined that I do just as well if I (mostly) hold what I own and not play musical chairs with my positions.
I like the oft quoted "buy the fund company rather than the fund company's funds". I've held TROW (but have sold some shares) for almost 18 years (if I had reinvested my divs from the get go...LOL).
I've been long BEN, come May 29, for ten years, but have sold a tad. The ETF drain has and does concern me.
Other long term holdings:
JNJ
CL
HAIN
INTC (20 years--have sold 3/4 of holding)
JPM
AMT
CCI
SBAC
TRC
XOM (gifted to me 7/1/71)
Some blueish chips and a few others. I have sold some shares in most of the above. While the ride has been bumpy at times, over the long haul, I'm pretty content with the returns of the above issues.

Unfortunately there's no dress rehearsal for life and investing. If I were to start over, I would have invested much more in Vanguard's Total Market Index Fund; I first invested in this fund in 1992. I used to keep "track" of my investments mostly in my head...not a good idea. Over twenty years ago, I started to accurately track my performance v various benchmarks. Some years I beat the benchmarks and some years I don't; hence my wish I had put more into VTSAX years ago. VTSAX is a much less emotional holding and therefore it's a lot easier to "set it and forget it". Tax efficient to boot! Of course, I have fun investing in individual equities. Reinvesting divs allows one to appreciate the wonders of compounding. That said, almost all of my additional investment dollars go into VTSAX (I practice what I preach LOL).
Oh yeah, I've held STKL for some time as well.

(To think I sold AAPL & MCD in the mid to late '80s...there are others...)

Cheers.

You should dig a bit deeper than just market cap.
How about considering each company's balance sheet? (hint DEBT LEVELS)

I too hold many of my positions for many years; come July 1, it will have been 42 YEARS for one position.
Dividends are part of an investment's TOTAL RETURN. It's real easy to figure out STKL's total return, since it does not pay a div (neither good nor bad as far as I'm concerned). I do recall many years ago about you positing about the day STKL does pay a div.
My point is it is good to be diversified, since not all turns out as planned. For example: STKL.

If both bond and equity markets dive, obviously it won't be a good time for any asset manager.
FYI: TROW's AUM are approx 18% fixed income; it is mostly an equity shop. A lot of funds are retirement related and those assets are pretty sticky. Markets go up, markets go down. If one looks at the long haul, both the equity market and TROW have done very well. My biggest concern is the ETF drain.
FYI: BEN's AUM are approx 47% fixed income!
I'm not good at timing (AND YOU???) Please refer to the post you wrote March 26 "Take profits" and also your Oct 10, 2012 post "Continued October Mkt. Selloff--TRO (sic) could fall to $45 - 50 area"--in this post, you suggested it was "Time to lighten up."
Since Oct 10, BEN is up 35.6% and TROW is up 28.1% since that day!
Bottom line: investors in TROW and BEN (I'm long both and have been for years) have done well to ride the ups and downs of the market and not try to time the market. I've been reinvesting my divs.
What will the future bring? Who knows. I do know that strong markets make some people anxious. Since I have no need for my LONG TERM investment funds NOW, I'm content.
Good thing you are an "ex" gold bug LOL!
Cheers.

keebon, apparently you don't read what you post!!!

You posted:

"As a result of the Federal Reserve’s non-objection to U.S. Bancorp’s plan to increase its dividend rate, and the Company’s desire to conform the timing of this and future dividend increases with the publication of the annual CCAR results, the Company will recommend in June that the board of directors approve an increase to the annual dividend rate beginning with the second quarter dividend payable in July 2013."

And then the next day you posted:

" I have not yet heard any explanation for management's decision to delay the dividend increase from March to June. That, to me, was unpredictable behavior and the market does not like unpredictable behavior, unless it's to the up side. Hence, the price has lagged since March."

Yes, the market does not like uncertainty; perhaps that's why USB explained the div delay.

"Alex: I'll take PASSIVE AGRESSIVE posters for $200"

YIKES!!!!!!

"If May 29th comes and goes without any restructuring of DMND's debt"
The above is my expectation, hence I will "think" the same as I do right now!
Cheers.

"educated" LOL!!!!
"any ideas" Well yes; as I posted before, I would NOT expect CVX to announce a split EXCEPT when it also announces a dividend (using history as a guide).
Next div announcement: give or take a day or two: July 24.

Buy AFTER the split, since WFM will be "cheaper".

Well thank you very much, youngster. In time, presumably you will gain some social skills.

Logic would dictate that the puts would be adjusted.

Of course, there was a "chance", but not a good one.
In hindsight, HAIN did pretty well this week for us longs!!!

Have you looked at LWAY lately?

Sometimes what most people expect to happen does not happen. Only time will tell.

Maybe the "more" and the market's very positive reaction to it has compelled some shorts to cover. For whatever reason, lil LWAY has always has a rather large short interest.

How many years will it take for LWAY to run out of its new, mulitples larger than current, capacity?

Cheers.

Wow! A post on MBVT's board.
I imagine a holder sold some or all of their holdings, hence the volume and the decline; I guessing not an insider but an institutional holder.

Cheers.

Yes, organic AND natural has indeed exploded as have the share prices of many associated companies; please note I wrote "many" and not all LOL.
I guess this is why it's good to be diversified...

Think your question out logically and you will discover the correct answer.
(start with the fact there are two sides of every trade)

The "chatter" I'm hearing is that if Con Agra, the owner of Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn, sere to buy DMND, it would have to divest Pop Secret to appease the anti-trust folks.
(Actually I'm not hearing anything, but stated the obvious). I also don't think DMND will be acquired in the near term. But heck, I've been wrong about DMND as an investment LOL.