WoV stock portfolio

Quote: odiousgambit

One thing that is said about term life is "the people your age that are healthy will drop term life, while the unhealthy will keep it, so it’s going to be priced as if you’re unhealthy" ... this has got to be kicking in soon I think

It has already kicked in. I paid around $40 a month for 30 years and now it is up to $550 a month, Obviously if I knew when I would die and the premium increases it would be easy math. I think I am resolved to keep paying the increasing payment and hope I die soon to save some money.

I'd shop around, as rates vary widely.

Quote: billryan

I'd shop around, as rates vary widely.
link to original post

I have, no one will even offer me a policy because of my medical conditions. The company I am with would cancel me today if they knew of my conditions. Fortunately, since I have been with them for over 30 years they are just increasing my premium by a standard amount that they would charge anyone my age.

Interesting Warren Buffett story making the rounds.
In the early 1960s, Buffett began buying shares in Berkshire Hathaway, a small textile mill play. They were downsizing, closing mills and buying back stock. Buffett intended to hold the stock short-term and sell his shares at the next stock buyback. He met the CEO, a man called Stanton, and informed him of his intent to sell the shares at the stated price of $11.50 a share. A few weeks later, an offer arrives in the mail. Stanton offered to buy all of Buffett's shares, but at $11.38, not the previously mentioned $11.50. Buffett was pissed at being nickel-and-dimed, so instead of selling his shares, he bought more, eventually unseating Stanton and taking control of the company.
The shares he had agreed to sell for $11.50 each now sell for over $700,000 each.

.
Warren Buffett is now 95 years old

he is still active in his company

pretty amazing - will he still be active at age 100 -? - maybe


"AI Overview

Yes, Warren Buffett still works. While he officially stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, he remains on as the company's chairman and still goes into the office every day.Although he is no longer responsible for the day-to-day operations or the heavy lifting of managing the entire conglomerate—which are now handled by his successor, CEO Greg Abel—Buffett remains actively involved. He continues to offer investment ideas, contribute to decision-making, and help spot new opportunities.

Warren Buffett’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $145 billion to $150 billion"

Timing. Was going to post about my (stupid!) purchase of Rigetti. Bought earlier at a tad under $25. This week had dropped to under $16. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. Until the Trump administration gave them $100 million in some ‘CHIP funds’ to help do stuff here instead of overseas. In two days went up to $27.
Similar good news for IBM, and MP! I bought MP because it was granddaughter’s initials! I’m wondering how many administration officials decided Tuesday was a good time to buy those stocks?!

Also I joked about NVDA wasting resources to pay a penny dividend each quarter. They heeded my advice and increased it 2500% to a quarter a quarter. Still a measly 1/2% but better than nothing. I own 4 individual shares. What should I do with the $1 I’ll be getting?

Rigetti is in a death race with a dozen or so similar companies. The one or two who survive will do very well but the others will fade away. It will be a few years before the market decides.
I was reinvesting the seventeen cents I was getting from NvDei and don't think I will change my strategy for the extra $4.08. I just quickened the accumulation of shares. I love the new buyback program.

Quote: billryan

Rigetti is in a death race with a dozen or so similar companies. The one or two who survive will do very well but the others will fade away. It will be a few years before the market decides.
I was reinvesting the seventeen cents I was getting from NvDei and don't think I will change my strategy for the extra $4.08. I just quickened the accumulation of shares. I love the new buyback program.
link to original post

As usual, the buyback program adds value for shareholders without them having to pay tax on that added value until they sell. And that’s at a lower capital gains rate compared to the ordinary income rate it would be taxed at if it were distributed as a dividend. Sounds like they are taking advice from the biggest (legal) tax avoider in US history, Mr. Warren Buffet. If I ever have a few hours to burn I may try and figure out how many shares of NVDA I actually own above the 4 direct shares. DIA, SPY, QQQ, TWCUX, AOA, etc…

I bought $ 1,500 worth, which came out to about 17.2245 shares. With reinvested dividends its something like 17.2267 shares. It's all in my IRA so I don't pay much attention to it. It's the top holding of almost every ETF I own, but that is almost a given these days.
Buffett wouldn't have paid any dividend

.
investors now seem to me to be very bullish
maybe it's the new people coming in to the markets
the war which has harmed the finances of a great many people here and abroad hasn't seemed to faze this bullishness
is all of this positivity re stocks realistic - ?
idk


"AI Overview

U.S. stocks recently notched their eighth consecutive winning week, capping off an impressive rally that has major indexes—including the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average—hovering around all-time highs.

This eight-week streak marks the longest stretch of weekly gains for the broader market since 2023. The rally has been heavily driven by optimism surrounding artificial intelligence, strong corporate earnings reports, and falling bond yields"

.

Quote: lilredrooster

.
investors now seem to me to be very bullish

is all of this positivity re stocks realistic - ?

strong corporate earnings reports,

I trimmed out the fluff. Stocks SHOULD go up if the companies have ‘strong corporate earnings’. Heck, that’s what a company is supposed to do!

EARN.

I hate when a stock plummets because they only made a billion dollars but some expert predicted they’d make 1.1 billion.

And also bemoan the rise when they make $1 when someone predicted they’d lose $2.

.
my largest holding by far, VGT, has beaten the S&P 500 handily for several years
in many years of investing it's the only fund I've ever owned that has done that
on the downside:
if there is a correction it will surely take a large hit

"AI Overview

the Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) has historically outperformed the S&P 500 by a significant margin over both medium- and long-term horizons.

Long-term performance highlights include:

Decade Returns: Over the past 10 years, VGT has delivered annualized returns of roughly 25.50% easily outpacing the S&P 500's (VOO) annualized returns of 15.79%"

.

Quote: lilredrooster

.
investors now seem to me to be very bullish
maybe it's the new people coming in to the markets
the war which has harmed the finances of a great many people here and abroad hasn't seemed to faze this bullishness
is all of this positivity re stocks realistic - ?
idk


"AI Overview

U.S. stocks recently notched their eighth consecutive winning week, capping off an impressive rally that has major indexes—including the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average—hovering around all-time highs.

This eight-week streak marks the longest stretch of weekly gains for the broader market since 2023. The rally has been heavily driven by optimism surrounding artificial intelligence, strong corporate earnings reports, and falling bond yields"

.
link to original post

You can knock me over with a feather. I was so sure we would have to suffer through a recession by now. I am glad to say I did not act on it ... didn't sell any stocks. I am more likely to start buying when stocks decline, but I do try to stick to the rebalancing rule