My portfolio at the end of Feb 2019

Saul, it’s like watching Federer play tennis - making a difficult skill seem effortless and easy to replicate, whereas reality says otherwise!

Reiterating Dreamer’s comments.

The bull and bear cases for each stocks usually have been discussed extensively on the board. You could save time here if you chose to do so.

For myself, the invaluable parts of these updates are watching your decision making process, going in and out and back in for certain stocks. The rationales for buying certain stocks at all time highs, and the decisions behind selling stocks after they’ve dropped. When you lay it out in the way you do, it’s very logical, reasonable, and lacking emotional attachment. Things can be so obvious when a teacher points it out! Still always learning.

Glad you’re back joining us with NTNX. My #3 stock, down from 1 after mdband ttds amazing run. Fingers crossed it retakes #1 after Thursday.

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I will join the chorus of definitely keep it up. While my investing style is different, I look forward to this every month. It is like a monthly letter from Warren Buffett.

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Saul,
As a board “sponge,” my vote is for you to continue. It’s very helpful.

Thanks
DHeavy

By the way, this is a real lot of work to put together, and format and put out every month. Do you think it’s worth it? Is it too long to read through? Do you get bored? Do you find it valuable as is? What do you think?

As it is the post I look the most forward to every month, its a YESH! from me. :slight_smile:

Incidentally, it took me forever to write up the one I did last month and it was probably 50% shorter than yours - so I empathize with you. Hopefully copy/pasting some info helps to shorten the time it takes (esp when nothing really has changed since the previous month or two on the position discussions).

As always, if you need a hand - just let me know.

Best,
Matt

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Do you think it’s worth it? Is it too long to read through? Do you get bored? Do you find it valuable as is? What do you think?

100% worth it, or speaking for myself, 30.2% YTD worth it. Since discovering this board back in October I’ve been transitioning from market matching, large cap companies to the market whopping, fast growth companies discussed here. I’ve learned more in six months than in my previous 15 years as an investor.

I’d also like to add that not only do you offer an incredibly valuable service to your followers, I believe, in what essentially amounts to re-doing your entire monthly posts each month, you also offer value to yourself. Constantly re-checking, re-reading and re-evaluating things only further solidifies your convictions in them, and also could identify an area of concern you might have otherwise overlooked the first, or sixth, time reviewing the same material.

I read these posts over and over, as I know most people do.

Brandon

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Same here! I have to re-read them too, (current and previous reports) I get lessons 2nd/3rd time around. So the lenght is perfect. Thank you.

Eddie

Saul,
I appreciate every comment you make on the board let alone the end of the month summaries (which is my favorite).
I always look read through them and reference back during the month.
At this point, I have done so well following you that I would pay a subscription fee should you decide to charge one.
Not only that, when I don’t see you post for a few days I start worrying if your ok. LOL
That’s how important you are and I’m sure many more on here feel the same.
Thank you for all that you do!!!
Best of health, wealth and happiness to you and your family.
Much Gratitude,
MC

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Saul,

I love your monthly summaries (and your clarity of thought) and very much appreciate all the work you put into them.

Thank you for sharing them with us mere mortals!

Alex

Saul,

I echo the responses above and would like to add that, reading your posts has caused me to reevaluate the way my portfolio is structured and, like most here, helped me make money - which once you eliminate the polite social experience here, is what it’s all about.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous effort.

Jeff

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Thank you all for your kind words. There have been so many responses, both here and as emails, that I can’t thank everyone individually, but I really appreciate it. Back to work!:grinning:

Saul

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Yeah. The height of my month is your monthly portfolio. And Gaucho’s and PaulWBrant’s.
I’ve got about 4 co-workers than now wait and announce your portfolio.
I especially like your conviction ratings.

I wouldn’t change anything about it. You have something for everyone.
Everyone is an expert after the fact.

Your fan,
John

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I got more MongoDB and Enphase. No Zu or Coup.

Love it! Keeps me motivated and puts a smile on my face. I wouldn’t change a thing

Every word is valuable, which means it is also very worthwhile to re-read the parts that are repeated, or slightly modified, each month.

If you are ever bored, tired, or lazy, any summary would be useful.

But with all the clamor and noise of the internet and the world, the steadiness, simplicity, and wisdom of your posts are worth reading and re-reading every month (and sometimes, in a lucky month, more often than that.)

Someone left a comment above that he turned off Warren Buffet to read your post more carefully. That is something that hopefully inspires you.

Again, though, if you ever are not in the mood, even a brief update would be worth more than forty forty-post-threads anywhere else…

Saul
I look forward to reading your summary every month. Your observations are insightful and invaluable - anything but boring. I can appreciate how much work goes into preparing them and all I can say is thank you very much for your generosity in doing so.
MikeJB

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I just forwarded your portfolio review to my daughter saying, “I recommend you read this to understand the thinking of a very good investor.” A couple of weeks ago she chose TWLO, AYX, and ESTC.

I’m amazed and grateful for your generosity. Thank you.

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Saul,
I enjoy reading your update every month. I echo Dreamer and Ben’s views.

Saul,

Thanks for the community you have built here. It’s obviously a group effort, but it all started with you and this board attracts one of the smartest, most respectful, and probably diverse community of people I have ever found on the internet. That is a reflection of you.

To you question about your monthly write-ups. I read every word, and it is my highest priority reading the day they come out.

This board and your write-ups changed my life. I went from debating whether or not I should continue investing in individual stocks (was not out-performing the indexes by much) to absolutely life-changing results in the matter of a year.

I know that’s a short amount of time, but through your detailed knowledge base and monthly write-ups, I’ve learned how to clarify my thinking, formulate my own thesis, and invest differently than the masses.

I could literally never thank you enough…and you don’t ask for anything other than respectful dialogue on the board in return.

What an incredible example of persistence and selflessness you have also shown us.

Thank you for everything.

Austin

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Darn, I hit send instead of E-Mail This Reply to Sender. I am trying to retract with a Report Post message.

By the way, this is a real lot of work to put together, and format and put out every month. Do you think it’s worth it? Is it too long to read through? Do you get bored? Do you find it valuable as is? What do you think?

Saul,
I can’t express how helpful your posts have been, though I’ve tried more than once.

This month is somewhat of a hallmark in that my portfolio is up 33% year-to-date which exceeds your performance, I don’t really take credit for it, but if nothing else it indicates that I do not blindly attempt to mimic your every move. Nevertheless, I pay close attention to your moves and the summary is something I look forward to every month. I am reasonably certain that I’ve read every post you’ve ever made to this board. At one time I tried to read every post from everyone. As the board has grown and the contributors have multiplied I find it impossible to do so anymore. I find myself ignoring whole threads, and skimming many posts rather than reading them. But, without exception, I read your posts closely.

Yes, your summaries are worthwhile and valuable to me and obviously many others. Many of us would be disappointed if you didn’t continue or even switched to quarterly summaries. I understand that your summaries are a lot of work. I’ve read through the entire thread and a number of folks have some good suggestions of what to do, but not very much on how to do it.

I’ve observed and commented before that there’s a fair amount of redundancy from month to month. I understand why. The redundancy is only noticed by those of us who follow your posts closely. A newcomer to the board, reading the first monthly summary of yours won’t notice the redundancy. It’s all new to them.

So first, of the many suggestions you received I hope you don’t start building the summary with links to previously posted material. While that would save you some effort it imposes a burden on the reader. I personally dislike posts that are full of links and I often don’t read the linked material. I’m sure I am not alone in this. I find it hard to maintain continuity of thought when jumping around with links. Further, I’m sure you don’t start from scratch every month. It’s reasonable to assume that this month’s summary started with last months, then add to, take away as appropriate.

So here’s an idea that you might want to look into. First, I assume that you don’t actually build your summary in this archaic text editor (embedded control characters and all, takes me back to the 80s). So, if you build the report in MS Word and paste it into this editor as a finished product I would suggest you look into some Word features you might not be familiar with:

Here’s a link to information about creating and using “building blocks”
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/create-and-use-cont…

And here’s a link to information about using “quick parts”
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/use-quick-parts-and…

It would take some effort to set up the blocks and quick parts, but in the end it may well be a time saver and eliminate at least some of the time and energy you put into the summary each month. I’m not sure this will help, you would have to be the judge of that. But it is least worth looking into.

In any case, whether or not you find this suggestion beneficial, I do hope you will continue to provide your monthly summaries. But if you just find it too much of a burden and greatly abbreviate it or even stop all together, it will not diminish my admiration, respect and gratitude for all your generosity and wisdom.

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Your review is perfect. Please continue.

Thanks
Wayne smith