Paul Merriman is a long-time financial advisor known for his “Ultimate Buy-and-Hold Portfolio” that utilized a more complex 10-fund version of a low-cost index fund portfolio that includes additional exposure to certain asset classes. Although now retired from advising, he continues to add new content to his website for the Merriman Financial Education Foundation that is geared more towards to DIY investors. More recently, he has been pushing the idea of a more simple “Two Funds for Life” portfolio that is essentially holding mostly an all-in-one Vanguard Target Retirement Fund (or a similarly low-fee alternative) and the rest in US Small Cap Value ETF or mutual fund. This concept is described in detail in the book 2 Funds for … [Read More...]
5 Best and Worst Performing Mega-Cap Stocks in January 2023
The stock market finished January on a positive note. This is a good sign for investors, who incurred huge losses last year. A drop in the inflation rate helped push the S&P 500 up over 6% last month. A rally in January is generally a good sign for the rest of the year. According to Ned Davis Research, the S&P 500 rises by 8.6% on average when it posts a gain in the first month. Let’s take a look at the five best and worst performing mega-cap stocks in Jan 2023. Five Best Performing Mega-Cap Stocks In Jan 2023 We have taken the January return data of mega-cap stocks from finviz.com to rank the five best and worst performing mega-cap stocks in Jan 2023. Here … [Read More...]
10 Best Performing Cryptocurrencies in January 2023
The cryptocurrency market was off to a great start this year, with Bitcoin, the world’s largest digital currency by market value, gaining more than 40% last month. Ether, the world’s second-largest digital currency, also gained about 40% in January. Other cryptocurrencies showed impressive gains as well, with the broader cryptocurrency market gaining over 35% last month. Let’s take a look at the 10 best performing cryptocurrencies in January 2023. 10 Best Performing Cryptocurrencies In January 2023 We have used the January return data from coinmarketcap.com to rank the 10 best performing cryptocurrencies in January 2023. We have only considered cryptocurrencies with a market capitalization of more than $400 million (as of Feb. 1, 2023) for our list of the 10 best performing cryptocurrencies in January 2023. Here are the 10 best performing cryptocurrencies in January 2023: 10. … [Read More...]
10 Large Cap Stocks Trading Close to 52-Week Lows
2022 has been a bad year for the equity market, with inflation and interest rates being the primary factors weighing on stocks throughout 2022. This meant that many quality stocks also suffered due to the overall market sentiments. On the other hand, this gives investors an opportunity to acquire quality stocks at a discount. To help you select, detailed below are 10 large cap stocks trading close to 52-week lows. 10 Large Cap Stocks Trading Close To 52-Week Lows We have used the market capitalization as of Jan. 31, 2023, to rank the 10 large cap stocks trading close to 52-week lows. We have only considered stocks that are trading 0 to 10% above their 52-week low for our list of 10 large cap stocks trading close to 52-week lows. Here are the 10 large cap stocks… [Read More...]
10 Biggest Companies Reporting Earnings in the Second Week of Feb 2023
The fourth quarter 2022 earnings season continues to be subpar for the S&P 500. As of last week, 29% of the S&P 500 companies have revealed their actual results for the fourth quarter of 2022, of which 69% reported EPS above estimates, below the 5-year average of 77%. In terms of revenue, 60% of S&P 500 companies have posted revenue above the estimates, which is less than the 5-year average of 69%, according to the data from FactSet. Let’s take a look at the 10 biggest companies reporting earnings in the second week of February 2023. Ten Biggest Companies Reporting Earnings In The Second Week Of Feb 2023 We have used the market capitalization of companies as of Jan. 31, 2022, to rank the 10 biggest companies reporting earnings in the second week of Feb 2023. … [Read More...]
Tastyworks ACAT Transfer Bonus: $500 for $25k, $2,000 For $100k
Transfer/deposit offer has been extended though March 2023. Tastyworks is a discount brokerage targeted at active options traders, as they are cheaper than the big brokers for options trading while also having the full fancy options interface. Right now, they have a up to $2,000 ACAT transfer bonus with referral code TIERED_2023 and you must keep the initial funding there for 12 months. New customers who open and fund a tastyworks account with $5,000 or more in cash or by an account transfer (ACATS) and enter TIERED_2023 into their referral code field when initially registering with tastyworks will receive a cash bonus. The bonus amount is dependent on the initial funding amount. There is a 12-month withdrawal hold on the initial funding amount to retain the cash bonus… [Read More...]
10 Biggest Stocks With a New 52-Week Low
One way to make quick and big gains is to invest in quality stocks that are down significantly. Since these are quality stocks, they should eventually move up, and in turn, provide attractive gains to investors. The biggest challenge, however, is identifying stocks that are down significantly and are strong fundamentally as well. To help you select, detailed below are the 10 biggest stocks with a new 52-week low. 10 Biggest Stocks With A New 52-Week Low We have only considered stocks with a market capitalization (as of Jan. 27, 2023) of more than $300 million for our list of the 10 biggest stocks with a new 52-week low. We have ranked the 10 biggest stocks with a new 52-week low on the basis of their market capitalization. Here are the 10 biggest … [Read More...]
5 Best and Worst Performing Real Estate Stocks in Q4 2022
High interest rates and a looming recession could make 2023 a challenging year for commercial real estate. Though inflation seems to be easing, it still is nowhere near the Fed’s comfort level. All these factors could result in weakening fundamentals and a higher cost of capital for the real estate industry. Amid such a backdrop, let’s take a look at the five best and worst performing real estate stocks in Q4 2022. Five Best Performing Real Estate Stocks In Q4 2022 We have used the fourth quarter return data of real estate stocks from finviz.com to develop this list of the five best and worst performing real estate stocks in Q4 2022. We have only considered large-cap real estate stocks for our list of the five best and worst … [Read More...]
5 Best and Worst Performing Small-Cap Stocks in Q4 2022
The fourth quarter of 2022 was relatively better for the stock markets, with the S&P 500 up over 7% (its only positive quarterly return for the year). Similarly, small cap stocks (Russell 2000 Index) also ended the fourth quarter with a return of 6.2%, but it wasn’t enough to save the index from its worst annual performance since 2008. Let’s take a look at the five best and worst performing small-cap stocks in Q4 2022. Five Best Performing Small-Cap Stocks In Q4 2022 We have taken the December return data of small-cap stocks from finviz.com to rank the five best and worst performing small-cap stocks in Q4 2022. Here are the five best performing small-cap stocks in Q4 2022: 5. Rayonier Advanced Materials (205%) Founded in 1926 and headquartered … [Read More...]
Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund: How to Claim Your State Income Tax Exemption
As the brokerage 1099 forms for 2022 are coming out, here is a quick reminder for those in states with local income taxes. If you earned interest from a money market fund, a significant portion of this interest may have come from US Treasury bills and bonds, which are exempt from state and local income taxes. However, in order to claim this exemption, you’ll have to manually enter it on your tax return after digging up a few extra details. Let’s take the default cash sweep option for Vanguard brokerage accounts, the Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX), which has an SEC yield of 4.29% as of 1/24/23. Vanguard has recently released the U.S. government obligations income information for 2022 [pdf] for all their funds, which states: This… [Read More...]
10 Biggest Companies Reporting Earnings in the First Week of Feb 2023
The fourth quarter earnings season for the S&P 500 didn’t get off to a strong start. So far, 11% of the companies in the S&P 500 have reported actual results for the fourth quarter of 2022. Of these, 67% announced EPS above the estimates, which is less than the 5-year and 10-year average of 77% and 73%, respectively, according to the data from FactSet. Let’s take a look at the 10 biggest companies reporting earnings in the first week of Feb 2023. Ten Biggest Companies Reporting Earnings In The First Week Of Feb 2023 We have used the market capitalization of companies as of Jan. 25, 2022, to rank the 10 biggest companies reporting earnings in the first week of Feb 2023. Here are the 10 biggest companies reporting earnings in the first week of Feb 2023: 10. … [Read More...]
These Are the Top 10 Holdings of Ken Fisher
Ken Fisher is the founder, executive chairman and co-chief investment officer of Fisher Investments. He founded Fisher Investments in 1979 with $250, and currently, the firm has over $197 billion in assets under management. Ken has written 11 books, four of which were New York Times bestsellers. Let’s take a look at the top 10 holdings of Ken Fisher. Top 10 Holdings Of Ken Fisher We have used the latest available 13F filing (Sept. 30, 2022) of Fisher Asset Management to develop this list of the top 10 holdings of Ken Fisher. We have only considered Fisher’s stock holdings (not ETFs, bonds and options) for our list of the top 10 holdings of Ken Fisher. Here are the top 10 holdings of Ken Fisher: 10. Meta Platforms Fisher owns over 11 million shares of Meta Platforms … [Read More...]
Tiicker: Link Your Brokerage Account, Get Shareholder Perks
TiiCKER is a “online community and loyalty platform that rewards shareholders for investing in the brands they know and love”. Tiicker? 😝 Obviously, “Tickr” was already taken. (They say “ii” stands for individual investor.) In the past, Wrigley used to give out free packs of gum to shareholders, Dial used to give out soap coupons, Colgate-Palmolive gave out discounts on toothpaste, and so on. They are still somewhat popular in Japan, from baseball tickets to bags of rice. Found via DoC. Here are the perks currently available: Link a brokerage with $100 worth of ANY stocks held inside, get $11 Amazon gift card or Visa virtual prepaid debit card. Link a brokerage with $50 worth of Amazon (AMZN) stock held inside (partial… [Read More...]
If Jeremy Grantham is talking about a US ‘superbubble’, we should listen
The Boston-based fund manager has hard-to-deny evidence to back up his prediction of a ‘wild rumpus’Jeremy Grantham’s warning that share prices are heading for a mighty fall is just part of the new year financial calendar, say his critics. On this occasion, however, the British co-founder of Boston-based fund manager GMO and highly regarded observer of stock market bubbles, may have got his timing spot-on.Certainly “Let the Wild Rumpus Begin” was a terrific title for Grantham’s piece last week: a rumpus is roughly what we’re seeing, at least if one looks at the US, where the technology-heavy Nasdaq has lost 16% since the start of January. It was clobbered so severely on Monday that even the UK’s FTSE 100 index, … [Read More...]
10 Stocks with Unusual Options Activity: UBER, BA, DAL and 7 Others
Many investors brush off or ignore options trading because options are complex and misunderstood. However, many other traders have learned how to “follow the flow.” In other words, they want to know what the big funds and institutions are doing. When these buyers make their move in the options world, they leave a trail behind them — footsteps. We can follow those footsteps when looking for unusual options activity. Thankfully, there’s a leaderboard of options activity for both calls and puts, helping us keep track of it all when we see outsized volume. Let’s look at some of the most interesting action of the past week. Unusual Options Activity: Uber (UBER) Uber (US:UBER) has been trading pretty well lately, up more than 24% in just … [Read More...]
5 Best and Worst Performing Cryptocurrencies in Q4 2022
For the cryptocurrency market, 2022 was a tumultuous year, losing about $1.4 trillion in value. Liquidity issues and bankruptcies, including the collapse of the FTX exchange, have pushed investors away from the crypto market. Analysts expect tougher conditions this year as well, at least in the first half. Amid such a backdrop, let’s take a look at the five best and worst performing cryptocurrencies in Q4 2022. Five Best Performing Cryptocurrencies In Q4 2022 We have used fourth-quarter return data, as of Dec. 31, 2022, to rank the five best and worst performing cryptocurrencies in Q4 2022. We have only considered cryptocurrencies with a market capitalization of more than $250 million for our list of the five best and worst performing cryptocurrencies in Q4 2022. Here are the five best performing cryptocurrencies in … [Read More...]
5 Best and Worst Performing Mid-Cap Stocks in Q4 2022
Mid-cap stocks are proving to be an attractive investment option over the past few years. In fact, the S&P MidCap 400 index has performed better than the S&P 500 and the S&P SmallCap 600 index for most of the past 20 years (through 2015), according to a report by S&P Global. Going forward, most analysts are expecting a good show from quality mid-cap stocks in 2023. Let’s take a look at the five best and worst performing mid-cap stocks in Q4 2022. Five Best Performing Mid-Cap Stocks In Q4 2022 We have taken the fourth quarter 2022 return numbers of mid-cap stocks from finviz.com to rank the five best and worst performing mid-cap stocks in Q4 2022. Here are the five best performing mid-… [Read More...]
10 Biggest Companies Reporting Earnings in the 4th Week of Jan 2023
The fourth quarter earnings season is always the most important because it reveals the full year performance of the companies as well. This time, however, it is even more important as investors will get an idea of how the weakening macroeconomic environment and inflationary pressures are affecting earnings. For the fourth quarter of 2022, the consensus estimates for earnings per share and sales growth are -1.9% and 5.5%, respectively. This marks the first time since the pandemic’s early days that quarterly growth expectations for earnings are negative. Let’s take a look at the ten biggest companies reporting earnings in the fourth week of January 2023. Ten Biggest Companies Reporting Earnings In The Fourth Week Of Jan 2023 We have used the market capitalization of companies as of Jan. 18, 2022, to rank … [Read More...]
Callan Periodic Table of Investment Returns 2022 Year-End Update
It’s the same at the end of every year. People will explain 2022 to you like it was obvious that cash would be king, and the proceed to make confident predictions about 2023. Humility may not get you a lot of social media followers, but it’s a better long-term bet at making and keeping you wealthy. Callan Associates updates a “periodic table” annually with the relative performance of 8 major asset classes over the last 20 years. You can find the most recent one at their website Callan.com. The best performing asset class is listed at the top, and it sorts downward until you have the worst performing asset. Above is the most recent snapshot of 2003-2022 (click to enlarge). I find it easiest to focus on a… [Read More...]
5 Best and Worst Performing Small-Cap Stocks in Dec 2022
Small-cap stocks usually suffer more than mid- and large-cap stocks when the market as a whole is struggling, and when the market is rallying, they could offer higher returns as well. The year 2022 wasn’t good for the equity market, including small-cap stocks, but analysts expect quality small-cap stocks to offer exceptional returns in 2023. Let’s take a look at the five best and worst performing small-cap stocks in Dec 2022. Five Best Performing Small-Cap Stocks In Dec 2022 We have taken the December return data of small-cap stocks from finviz.com to rank the five best and worst performing small-cap stocks in Dec 2022. Here are the five best performing small-cap stocks in Dec 2022: 5. CymaBay Therapeutics (85%) Founded in 1988 and headquartered … [Read More...]