Your Investment performance for 2016.

[GT03ROB]

Countdown said:

Via a First Direct S&S platform (they charge £11/qtr). The majority is in an ISA, and the majority of investments are in Vanguard trackers. I can see what my biggest losers are (I bought HSBC at approx £5.50 a share average, it’s now trading at under £4,,,,I think about 10% of my portfolio is in HSBC)

To be fair the amount I had to invest at the beginning was relatively small (less than £5k per annum). It increased a lot over the last few years so I’d say probably 70% of my investments have been over the last 3-4 years.

10% in one stock....... it sounds like you have been heavily into UK banking & oils. Basically FTSE 100. I’d step back & really look at what you have. Then ask yourself is it balanced across global markets & sectors.

I’m no expert but on a 15yr view I’ve averaged a 8.5% return per year. Over the years that compounds into a nice little increase. You need to find a strategy you are comfortable with & understand.. Over time I shift where my emphasis is but always look long term and rarely back single companies, but will back single sectors eg Gold or countries eg India

[timberman]

Pension + 30%
Isa + 16%

Pretty good result all things considered

[Countdown]

GT03ROB said:

10% in one stock....... it sounds like you have been heavily into UK banking & oils. Basically FTSE 100. I’d step back & really look at what you have. Then ask yourself is it balanced across global markets & sectors.

I’m no expert but on a 15yr view I’ve averaged a 8.5% return per year. Over the years that compounds into a nice little increase. You need to find a strategy you are comfortable with & understand.. Over time I shift where my emphasis is but always look long term and rarely back single companies, but will back single sectors eg Gold or countries eg India

You lot are depressing me now . Just logged on to the FD website and portfolio currently as follows;

Aviva -10.67%
GFRD - 87.94%
HSBC - 36.84%
MAN Grp +35.42%
Nat Grid -1.89%
Shell -30.77%
SGRO +255%
VUKE -10.3%
VWRL +19.28%
VERX +6.2%
Vistry -47.35% (I dont even remember buying these......something to do with galliford i think)
VOdafone -38.49%
Centrica -78%


Looking at it, I think the main reason why overall my position is so bad is because both HSBC and Shell are so far down, and both of them are quite a big part of my portfoilio (before I started buying Vanguard funds).

[Mr Pointy]

Countdown said:

You lot are depressing me now . Just logged on to the FD website and portfolio currently as follows;

Aviva -10.67%
GFRD - 87.94%
HSBC - 36.84%
MAN Grp +35.42%
Nat Grid -1.89%
Shell -30.77%
SGRO +255%
VUKE -10.3%
VWRL +19.28%
VERX +6.2%
Vistry -47.35% (I dont even remember buying these......something to do with galliford i think)
VOdafone -38.49%
Centrica -78%

Looking at it, I think the main reason why overall my position is so bad is because both HSBC and Shell are so far down, and both of them are quite a big part of my portfoilio (before I started buying Vanguard funds).

So why carry on holding them? You could have switched the money into a fund that is actually increasing in value.

How many years are you going to wait for HSBC to return to profit?

[Countdown]

Mr Pointy said:

So why carry on holding them? You could have switched the money into a fund that is actually increasing in value.

How many years are you going to wait for HSBC to return to profit?

Tis indeed a dilemma! I do believe that HSBC will turn around, and they're about to start paying dividends (AIUI) which I think will help matters.

Shell Im not so sure about...however I have an aversion to crystallising the losses...I know that probably doesn't make financial sense but.....

[Mr Whippy]

Mr Pointy said:

So why carry on holding them? You could have switched the money into a fund that is actually increasing in value.

How many years are you going to wait for HSBC to return to profit?

Diversification is key.

This shows why a narrow portfolio is bad.

The risk *right now* is that almost everything is correlated and pumped up to long term highs.
To sell low (hsbc) and buy high (a zirp reactive stock/share/tracker/fund) makes no sense now.

[xeny]

Mr Whippy said:

Diversification is key.

This shows why a narrow portfolio is bad.

The risk *right now* is that almost everything is correlated and pumped up to long term highs.
To sell low (hsbc) and buy high (a zirp reactive stock/share/tracker/fund) makes no sense now.

I agree that selling HSBC to buy (say) ZOOM is an excellent way to sell low and buy high.

However, I do wonder if WVRL (broad as you can get) is likely to out compound HSBC from this point? It certainly makes it look pretty poor over the period pre coronavirus

[chip*]

Countdown said:

Tis indeed a dilemma! I do believe that HSBC will turn around, and they're about to start paying dividends (AIUI) which I think will help matters.

Shell Im not so sure about...however I have an aversion to crystallising the losses...I know that probably doesn't make financial sense but.....

Just to share a recent comment from Cheib (I don't know him personally, but I believe he's a former fund manager so I suspect he know his onions) copied over from the share sell thread.

Cheib said:

Good investment management is all about discipline.
Human nature is to run losses and realise profits. Saw that time and again on trading floors. Hardest thing in the world is admitting you’re wrong but unless you get good at that you won’t make money.

.

[Benbay001]

I was trying to stop myself from posting here because its so damn hard to work out my actual returns, so ill do figures and rough percentages.

I opened my ISA in December 2018.

In Jan 2020 i had just under £3k.

Total value of ISA is currently £15700, of which £12000 is my own money.

Actual annualised figure is hard to get, but somewhere around 30%.

The advantage of starting a downturn with just a small amount invested.

[Mr Whippy]

chip* said:

Countdown said:

Tis indeed a dilemma! I do believe that HSBC will turn around, and they're about to start paying dividends (AIUI) which I think will help matters.

Shell Im not so sure about...however I have an aversion to crystallising the losses...I know that probably doesn't make financial sense but.....

Just to share a recent comment from Cheib (I don't know him personally, but I believe he's a former fund manager so I suspect he know his onions) copied over from the share sell thread.

Cheib said:

Good investment management is all about discipline.
Human nature is to run losses and realise profits. Saw that time and again on trading floors. Hardest thing in the world is admitting you’re wrong but unless you get good at that you won’t make money.

.

HSBC is in the doldrums.

It’s done all it’s losing. To sell now is like throwing an old piece of furniture in the bin, after it’s become worthless, but before it’s become a collectible antique.

So I’d say the idea of “taking profits and selling losers” opportunity passed years ago.


It’s a cheap hedge on inflation and rates rising imo. It could be 10x up in 5 years... but will probably lose bugger all in a further 5 years.

[GT03ROB]

Countdown said:

You lot are depressing me now . Just logged on to the FD website and portfolio currently as follows;

Aviva -10.67%
GFRD - 87.94%
HSBC - 36.84%
MAN Grp +35.42%
Nat Grid -1.89%
Shell -30.77%
SGRO +255%
VUKE -10.3%
VWRL +19.28%
VERX +6.2%
Vistry -47.35% (I dont even remember buying these......something to do with galliford i think)
VOdafone -38.49%
Centrica -78%


Looking at it, I think the main reason why overall my position is so bad is because both HSBC and Shell are so far down, and both of them are quite a big part of my portfoilio (before I started buying Vanguard funds).

I think its more the fact you only have 4 stocks up out of 13. I think your problem has been to try to pick stocks, without much logic to it other than large blue chips. Don’t get me wrong I have most of the above somewhere in a portfolio. But those are the parts that are pulling the average down to 8.5%. At some stage some will come back.

You have zero exposure to those stocks that have driven global stock markets up... Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Tesla. You have zero exposure to anything other than the UK. These is where the funds come in they give you the coverage & spread you need to avoid your results.

[Countdown]

GT03ROB said:

You have zero exposure to those stocks that have driven global stock markets up... Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Tesla. You have zero exposure to anything other than the UK. These is where the funds come in they give you the coverage & spread you need to avoid your results.

Aren't they in VWRL somewhere?

Tbh when i started investing in VUKE my understanding was that it was UK firms which were "Global" in nature (ergo the exposure was international rather than UK).


ETA - just remembered - Vodafone made a special cash dividend a few years ago - 4% - I dont think that's factored into the above -

Edited by Countdown on Saturday 2nd January 18:37

[Benbay001]

Thought id do a full breakdown (for my own curiosity aswell) of individual stocks (including those ive sold through the year)

My pension through work is 100% in global equities tracker.

I also have a S&S LISA through work which is in Emerging market equities.

__________________________________

Stocks ive sold this year

The Works - Bought for 32p at the end of 2019, sold for 16.6p on 30th October (OUCH, especially as they are now back at 35p)

RHI Magnesita - Bought for 3500p in Feb of this year, sold them for 2500p on the 30th of October.

TI Fluid Systems - Bought a few times during 2019, average was around £2 a share, sold them for £1.7

IAG - Bought at £5.2 in November 2019, and again at £2.2 in April, sold for £1.73 (really big ouch)

__________________________________________

Stuff i still own.

Belvoir - bought 18th December now down 5%

Innovaderma - bought in January and again in March, up 36%

MTI Wireless - bought June now up 91%

RA International - bought November and December, up 10%

Somero Enterprises - bought 6 times from December last year to May this year, up 52% (plus 6% dividend)

Tekmar Group - bought from July to October and am up 0.21% (woopie)



All in a good year that has taught me valuable lessons about buying companies with strong balance sheets.

[bitchstewie]

Countdown said:

Tis indeed a dilemma! I do believe that HSBC will turn around, and they're about to start paying dividends (AIUI) which I think will help matters.

Shell Im not so sure about...however I have an aversion to crystallising the losses...I know that probably doesn't make financial sense but.....

Have you tried this man?

https://fortuneandfreedom.com/

Countdown will get it before anyone beats me up too much

[GT03ROB]

Countdown said:

GT03ROB said:

You have zero exposure to those stocks that have driven global stock markets up... Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Tesla. You have zero exposure to anything other than the UK. These is where the funds come in they give you the coverage & spread you need to avoid your results.

Aren't they in VWRL somewhere?

Tbh when i started investing in VUKE my understanding was that it was UK firms which were "Global" in nature (ergo the exposure was international rather than UK).


ETA - just remembered - Vodafone made a special cash dividend a few years ago - 4% - I dont think that's factored into the above -

Edited by Countdown on Saturday 2nd January 18:37

You are correct however, it seems the low weighting has caused the relatively poor performance. Howe we that doesn’t mean you should plough in! Again my personal view is identify a strategy you understand & work it or find a good global tracker (maybe Vanguard, maybe others)

[mikeiow]

GT03ROB said:

Countdown said:

Via a First Direct S&S platform (they charge £11/qtr). The majority is in an ISA, and the majority of investments are in Vanguard trackers. I can see what my biggest losers are (I bought HSBC at approx £5.50 a share average, it’s now trading at under £4,,,,I think about 10% of my portfolio is in HSBC)

To be fair the amount I had to invest at the beginning was relatively small (less than £5k per annum). It increased a lot over the last few years so I’d say probably 70% of my investments have been over the last 3-4 years.

10% in one stock....... it sounds like you have been heavily into UK banking & oils. Basically FTSE 100. I’d step back & really look at what you have. Then ask yourself is it balanced across global markets & sectors.

I’m no expert but on a 15yr view I’ve averaged a 8.5% return per year. Over the years that compounds into a nice little increase. You need to find a strategy you are comfortable with & understand.. Over time I shift where my emphasis is but always look long term and rarely back single companies, but will back single sectors eg Gold or countries eg India

IMHO, anyone more than about 10% in UK stocks ought to invest an hour or so listening to the videos from the smart fella at http://kroijer.com
Invest in the world......

[Countdown]

bhstewie said:

Have you tried this man?

https://fortuneandfreedom.com/

Countdown will get it before anyone beats me up too much

Touché

[bitchstewie]

Honestly go global and either look at low cost passive index type funds or look at pooled funds or investment trusts IMO.

I think you've more chance of getting a good result ("good" being the market) that way than trying to pick a few winners yourself.

I get the sentiment about selling at a loss but another way to think of it is if you had that money in you account today is that what you'd be buying with it?

[Countdown]

Completely agree with the “go global” - I think I’ll be mainly putting money into VWRL from now now.

In terms of “would I buy HSBC today” - I have to say yes. (Ive been thinking of buying more as I think they’ve got a lot of scope for growth. Shell maybe not ....

[LeoSayer]

36% for my son's JISA even though I didn't start investing until February... Just before the market dip from covid.

Mainly thanks to Blackrock Next Gen Tech find which is up over 80%. The other half is invested in Vanguard ftse global all cap index.