| | | Hi RtS,
Thank you for your kind words.
Brooks really was my gainer in 2019 and 2020. Knowing the CEO and CFO, they have an acquisition plan that will quickly grow revenue back to that magical one billion plus. They are IMO the most dynamic couple who have the greatest of disciplines with margins and growth. If it is not on fire and in a cyclical business, they have sold it and focused on life sciences. I'd not be surprised to see a Merck or Pfizer pay an arm and a leg for the business those two have created and grown.
I had always told myself that if Brks ever gets to the price CVX is, I'll do the swap. I had a grin on my face as I sold off the last 1,000 share lot for 1000 shares of CVS at $103.75. Now every two years CVX pays out in dividends that exceeds my old cost of Brks at 10.08.
I sold off 90% in lots and have retained the last 10% for a long term hail mary. In all it became a 8 bagger, which I reallocated in CVX,KMI, and XOM. I've been retired since mid 2016, and have wanted to build a dividend revenue income stream. I pretty much met my goals until I sold off T completely in the pre-market the day they announced the media spin off and future dividend cut. So glad I did, as the price has now dropped 8 points plus from the $33.05 I averaged that morning.
That gave me some funds to rebuy stock with and I have yet to complete that. I built the T position by selling puts and it took years to accumulate.
So I've built larger positions in KMI, CVX, and XOM, but have had a hard time getting assigned shares, as I've built more cash.
I swapped out a 5% of Cohu for XOM at a slightly higher price over XOM's cost, literally as Cohu peaked.
I'm never sure about topping and in this case I did the trade on a Friday, hoping for a stronger price on Monday and the market went the other way on me. Since I've sold Cohu puts and have rebuilt to the original Cohu position size.
Cohu is an ongoing turnaround story, that should really bloom from now on. The new focus on testing vs. handling seems to build better margins - hope it continues on - I suspect that 5G will do well in that regard.
Lam is breaking out today up 16 points in day(must be nice) no position sigh. Kirk must be floating today! <smiling>.
All those years of bottom bouncing and next to no gains vs this market of everything gaining just shows how the complete range of emotions can be experienced over the course of life.
At 69, I'm debt free and have my portfolio 42% in cash. Our IRA's can compound for just 3 more years and RMD will begin to drain off the balances (in the longer run).
I intend to apply the RMD on a quarterly basis and send it all to the IRS. The dividends in our joint account will get reinvested or we'll spend on our home.
I've begun restoring two of my old Chevrolet's and that will require some the dividend stream. I'm doing a lot of the work myself (except the welding and body work which is pricey). Excepting that, my gardening and restoration work takes a lot of time and the dividends more than cover the costs.
That keeps me busy and secure financially. It mentally took me a while to get over no pay check coming in.
We've been savers all our lives. We've paid off all debt and naturally live frugally. I've waited for retirement to grab me and take me into a new horizon, but the things I liked and didn't have time for while working, still keep me busy doing that which I had defferred.
At this point in life, my health is good, but I'm not sure I want to go through another 10-15 recovery like we experienced after 200o and then the whammy 2008 gave us.
In all, the exposure to the conservative and sharp minds here on SI have served me well. Along the way some have come and gone, and I miss them. Gottfried and Don Wenerstrom come to mind. I'll have to give you the longest and most content award!
Your multi colored charts with excellent length have given many of us here great conservative goal lines. Those conservative road signs have kept me out of the ditches over a long time.
I'm getting older now and seem to have a greater desire to accumulate cash. In the end, it will be needed to gift away to causes greater than feeding the wasteful ways of our government.
People who spend everything and do not become investors, are missing out. They have become more vocal about being unable to succeed. It has bred political acceptance of greater and greater wealth redistribution scams.
Our investing and saving disciplines have rewarded us both over the long term. I'm not sure the next generation will have the same opportunities we did. I truly hope so.
It appears the hoodies are getting their first tastes of greed. We'll see how they handle the first real down market. I suspect it will last longer than the pandemic drop of 2020 did.
Thanks for all you do RtS!
Bob |
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