Quote: SOOPOOQuote: AcesAndEightsIn general I avoid picking individual stocks as I believe almost no one (certainly not mortals like us) can beat an index fund approach over time. But, that being said, I support setting aside a small part of your portfolio to tinker, as we all have that instinct (especially people on this board, since it is essentially gambling!). Scratch that itch with some "play money" and leave the rest of it alone.
I have done this with my own portfolio to gamble on some marijuana stocks (got in last summer), and have made out quite well so far, selling off enough to recoup my initial investment and letting the rest ride. The stocks all went crazy after Jan 1, when CO officially started selling legal recreational marijuana. This is rampant speculating, as many of these companies are NOT profitable, in fact many of them don't even have an income stream yet. But this is analogous to buying "picks and shovels" stocks during a gold rush. Whenever some big news story breaks about marijuana legalization efforts, the stocks skyrocket.
So, SOOPOO, if you're up for some speculation, I will throw out FSPM, CBIS, and MDBX. Take your pick, or just buy a basket :).
Also, to bring this back around to my first paragraph, you do have the bulk of your investments in low-cost index funds and ETFs, allocated to meet your retirement goals, right? Right? (More info here on one of my favorite investing books.)
No worries, Aces!! I am extremely diversified. I will pick the first one you mentioned, FSPM, for my portfolio. I rather not post exactly how much I have to invest, but I plan on investing around 1% of this account on each stock or ETF. If I get less than 100, the rest will go into something like SPY. So far I have COST and FSPM.
Sweet, sounds good. FSPM has been a great performer for me, but I got in at $0.15 (currently trading at $4.55)! However, I put that one first as based on my (limited) research, they actually have one of the better business models and chance for success of all the weed stocks I purchased.
If you are short on recommendations later on in this process, I'll suggest a few more. Actually in retrospect I would put TRTC above CBIS and MDBX on that list above. Similar to FSPM I like their business model, but they haven't exploded as much and hence might be a better buy right now.
I had an awesome win today with GTAT. I own it in my IRA but I bought it back when it was $9.82 I'm holding onto GTAT for awhile since they will be providing Sapphire Glass for Apple products for the foreseeable future. Unlike COST, GTAT is very risky.Quote: SOOPOOCostco will be my first pick. Whichever 'rollercoaster' choice you offer will be my second stock in the portfolio. Thanks!
Edit: I thought I'd get cute and try to squeeze a little more $ out of my GTAT position so I sold Call options against it and then at the end of the trading session, the stock popped again. I will probably have my position called on March 22 but I can always buy it back afterward.
Quote: steeldcoSOOPOO, if I may, I would like to recommend SVA. It is a Chinese drug outfit that is focused on developing vaccines. I continue to have very high hopes for it.
You had me at Chinese drug outfit.
Quote: SOOPOOI consider an ETF the equivalent of a stock, in that it is easily bought or sold. I own many in other accounts. If you suggest a favorite ETF I will buy it.
ETFs by their nature are less of a gambling instrument; by narrowing sector, the gamble is a little higher.
Here's a couple of favorites, out of the "safe" mode a bit.
* VDE, VANGUARD WORLDS FDS VANGUARD ENERGY ETF
* AOA , ISHARES TR AGGRESSIVE ALLOCATION ETF
But since that has been reco'd I'll go with DIS (Disney). They can name their own price with ESPN programming, have revitalized the animation department with the purchase of Pixar, have a cash cow in the live action movie dept with Marvel, etc, and have you been to the parks lately?
s2- COST maybe also GTAT, but it has already gone up 6 fold this year
Aces- not sure yet FSPM up 55 fold, TRTC up 8 fold, CBIS up 5 fold, and MDBX in the middle of 'accounting irregularities. I am leaning towards CBIS, as I like the concept of owning a stock tied to marijuana 'growth'!
Cesspit- I think I'll take all 3 BMO TD and ILMN, even though ILMN has nearly quadrupled already this year...
Steel SVA
Odious VDE and AOA
JW MO
BBB CSCO (even though I own it in my other pension portfolio!)
Slyther DIS
COST, GTAT, CBIS, BMO, TD, ILMN, SVA, VDE, AOA, MO, CSCO, DIS
It's not too late to hop on the solar bandwagon. That seems hot right now with CSIQ, FSLR and SPWR all showing amazing gains for the last year. They are justifying those gains with impressive sales numbers and positive earning gains as well. High growth potential in solarpanels.
So if you like Elon Musk and you like Solar then the perfect stock for you is SCTY. If I were to add another stock to the mix for the long term, it would be Solar City.