My stocks that have done the best

Investment Analysis Clubs Saul’s Investing Discussions
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My apologies for not doing analysis, but a lot of the analysis I got was here. I’ll put the source of my information for each one, so at least you’ll have something to go on. These are listed in no particular order

Kingstone Insurance (KINS) - AAII screener
Shopify (SHOP) - here
Ubiquiti Networks (UBNT) - here
Argan (AGX) - Joel Greenblatt’s magic formula
Skyworks SWKS) - here
Greenbriar (GBX) - not sure why
Gilead (GILD) - it simply looked undervalued to me
Activision (ATVI) - loved by Motley Fool
Vanguard Mid-Cap and Small-Cap Value Index funds

Except for ATVI, I’m still holding everything on the list, and I should have kept ATVI. I’ve held many of them for at least a year. (It was probably sold because of a call expiring in the money.)

I also did well with Hortonworks (HDP), but that was very short-term.

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My current top performers:

BEAT from Saul’s board, remote vital signs monitoring
NEOG from my research, top position, food safety and animal health

Over 1/3 of my portfolio is dedicated to health in one way or another. People spend a lot of money to stay or get healthy. By picking the right stocks (avoid biotech and most drug companies) the portfolio is low volatility because there is much less creative destruction than in technology.

Saul, the last time we ‘spoke’ about BEAT you decided not to buy based on their prior lackluster performance. I found new information that might change your mind. They changed their name from ‘CardioNet’ and modus operandi in 2013. They adopted a growth strategy and named their new holding company ‘BioTelemetry.’ This is explained in the Apr. 22, 2013 press release:

CARDIONET, INC. TO MODIFY BUSINESS STRUCTURE IN SUPPORT OF GROWTH STRATEGY
Company to Change Name to BioTelemetry, Inc.

Board of Directors has approved a plan to adopt a holding company structure to more effectively facilitate its ongoing growth plan. Reflecting the change in structure, the Company will change its name to BioTelemetry, Inc. (“BioTelemetry”).

Joseph Capper, CEO and President for CardioNet commented, “Our strategy is to achieve sustained long-term growth by solidifying our leadership position in remote cardiac monitoring; building a leading research services business; and identifying markets that would benefit from the application of our wireless platform and proprietary technology. As a result, we recently launched a more comprehensive sales approach in our patient services business and acquired Cardiocore in order to expand our research services capabilities. Simultaneously, we have built an operational infrastructure capable of sustained growth in several areas of the developing mobile health services market. Consequently, we expect to derive economic and functional benefits through the alignment of our adjacent businesses, each with distinct brand equity, under this holding company structure.

More at http://investors.cardionet.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=214891&p=…

This restructuring plan gave almost immediate stock market results and produced a ten bagger in four years:

http://softwaretimes.com/pics/beat-09-04-2017.gif

As part of the growth strategy and to remain THE leader they bought out the second largest company in a friendly takeover this year. LifeWatch AG realized it was better off being a part of the leader instead of a follower.

BioTelemetry, Inc. Launches a Tender Offer to Acquire LifeWatch AG

https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/04/09/958084/0/e…

You might want to take another look…

Denny Schlesinger

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Denny, wondering if you ever looked into iRhythmTechnologies IRTC that was also brought to the board and if so what you think about the company. It has been doing fairly well lately.

Scott

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Denny, wondering if you ever looked into iRhythmTechnologies IRTC that was also brought to the board and if so what you think about the company.

Yes, I have, but not closely. They have less price history being a more recent IPO. They claim that their sensor is easier to wear:

Accuracy in arrhythmia detection depends on precise data. The Zio cardiac monitor is a discreet easy-to-wear patch designed to comfortably fit into a patient’s daily activities. High patient compliance is one reason Zio can continuously capture beat-to-beat cardiac rhythm for up to 14 days.

They also claim that:

Over 700,000 patient records support quality ECG analysis. With more than 150 million hours of annotated ECG data, the Zio system is based upon the largest database of its kind in the world for accurate, efficient diagnosis.

http://irhythmtech.com

I wonder if “easy-to-wear” makes a difference. I know that wearing a halter is a bit of a pain but the system is not picked by the user but by the doctor. About the database, there is no way to tell from the blurb if their database is larger/better than BioTelemetry’s. It’s “the largest database of its kind” but we don’t know what that means. Maybe they have more ECG data than BioTelemetry but maybe BioTelemetry has a more comprehensive database. Someone more knowledgeable might answer that question.

Not being an expert in medicine I use an investor’s criteria, who is the market leader? Read the fine print:

iRhythm Technologies, Inc. (IRTC), a leading digital health care solutions company focused on the advancement of cardiac care,

vs.

BioTelemetry, Inc. (BEAT), the leading wireless medical technology company focused on the delivery of health information

There is only one the leading, all the others can claim to be a leading, from second to next-to-last. LOL

Finally, BEAT beats! The following comparative chart is from iRhythmTechnologies’ IPO

http://softwaretimes.com/pics/irtc-09-04-2017.gif

I think it’s better to stick with the market leader. KISS

Denny Schlesinger

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I think it’s better to stick with the market leader.

Unless, of course, it is a market that is about to be disrupted.

The monitors I have worn have been small disks on lanyards around the neck with wires that then attach to the chest. Not bad, but not particularly fun to sleep in, especially since, when the wires come off in the night the phone component sounds an alarm. A patch could be much more friendly.

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I’m new to the board, but having sat with my uncle last winter when he went through two heart valve operations his biggest complaint was the wires running from the sensors on his chest.
Just my two cents.

Paul

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They could make the sensors wireless. Bluetooth?

Denny Schlesinger

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The connection between the device hung around one’s neck and the phone which actually transmits the data to the central facility is already bluetooth. This stickon device gets rid of all the loose hanging stuff which catches on things in the night.

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Related to heart medicine, what do you know about Edwards Lifesciences (EW), maker of heart valve replacements and similar products? They seem pretty promising.