Retirementdough July Portfolio update

Portfolio Update 7/29/20 5AM

It’s been right at a month since I posted my June portfolio update found here;
https://discussion.fool.com/retirementdough-june-portfolio-updat…

I have found doing these updates is helping me keep better records of my investing thought processes over time. Much like keeping a journal in life when you re-read in the future it helps you remember what your thoughts were at the time of writing. Hopefully others find this helpful as well.


Current Portfolio as of 7/29/20.  
	  
Change since 6/28/20  +6.2%		YTD     +116.7%. 
	 
YTD		S&P 500 -0.4%	Nasdaq +15.9%	Dow -7.5%

Stock		Current	 	% of Port	       % Change 		        Market	
		% of Port	on 7/29	   	       in port since 6/28	   	Cap

AYX		5.9   		10.4			 -4.5				10.9B
CRWD		16.3    	16.1			 +0.2				23.2B
LVGO		12.9             9.2			 +3.7				11.1B		
DDOG		11.3  		11.5			 -0.2   			26.6B
ZM		21.8    	19.4                     +2.4			        72.3B
BPRMF	         3.1	           0			 +3.1				 1.4B
CASH            28.7  	        33.4		        +28.3

New positions since last portfolio update: BPRMF

Exited positions since last update: None


Trades between 6/28-7/29

Bought: 	ZM		7/24				243.78
		BPRMF	        7/14				14.52; 14.69

Sold: 		AYX		7/7				169.65

Thoughts on trades and companies for the month.

My cash position slightly reduced as I bought some Blue Prism and some more ZM, but also because of general appreciation of my other stocks this month. My cash position is as large as my entire portfolio value just two years ago. It is quite a bit of cash on sidelines. However I do not see many opportunities with current valuations. I will wait and be patient.

I sold some more AYX this month. I slowly have been unravelling my position in AYX. Three months ago it was 37.2% of my portfolio. After the company guided down I started reducing. I plan on holding current percentage until next earnings report. More than likely will continue to hold indefinitely as long as there is not some type of major surprise to the downside on revenue projections yet again this quarter.

I bought more ZM this month. Yes, its pricey, however it’s growing twice as fast as everything with exception of LVGO. I fully expect it will rise again after next earnings report. I see nothing right now that will slow it down. In fact I think the opportunity to recognize new revenue streams will be strong, such as advertisements. Why they have not started advertising on free verison I have no idea.

I bought Blue Prism after Ethan’s write up on the board found here:
https://discussion.fool.com/blue-prism-a-new-position-34561074.a…

I believe a reaccelerating of growth was masked by the Covid temporary effect on the company. I believe this reaccelerating is due to the purchase of Thoughtonomy and how the company has invested in S&M over the past two years. If this sounds foreign to you read Ethan’s post and subsequent thread on the company found in link.

Blue Prism is a much smaller company than the others that I am invested in currently. It is traded OTC which means liquid is limited and can lead to greater voliatilty in price. It is currently a small position in my portfolio and I plan to keep it that size for foreseeable future.

Number 1 holding ZM 21.8% To say this companies growth trajectory is straight up, probably an understatement. How to value? I have no idea. Reminds me of when I owned AAPL when the iphone came out or NFLX after Blockbuster went bankrupt. Could go down in hurry, but just got a feeling it will keep going up. As Covid continues, so will ZM meetings.

Number 2 holding CRWD 16.3%. Killed its last earnings report again. Why do I like this company? Low touch sales model. This company was made for these times. It has been brought up on the board that CRWD already had a work from home culture BEFORE Covid-19.

Now Number 3 holding LVGO 9.2 Due to price appreciation of stock, it has moved up from number 5 holding to number 3. Company helps monitor and give advice to patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes. It lowers prices for insurance company, so they pay the cost for the patient. Patients are healthier and save money and insurance companies save money. Add the factor of potentially keeping patients out fo the hospital an added benefit.

Now Number 4 holding DDOG 11.3% Another company on fire. Seems Covid is just accelerating sales. The company is set up for digital transformation and work from home environment. Why do I like this company? Seems to be straight forward company that is growing rapidly.

Now Number 5 holding AYX 5.9%. Rock solid financials. No real competition. Covid slowed them down. Why do I like this company? Data analysis is the future. The world will just gather more and more data. The need to easily analysis this data will increase.

New Positon BPRMF 3.1%. Hired a bunch of people the last two years. Hidden reaccelerating of revenues due to Covid. Technology that saves its customers money immediately, should be in demand even if economy downturns.

Real appreciate Saul and everyone on the boards help over the years to become a better investor. This past six months has been a game changer to my retirement outlook. I am 45 years old and could retire right now if I so choose. Its an incredibly feeling and without a doubt would not have been possible if I had not been actively following this board over the past few years.

The amazing part is I literally “preach” about this board to my family and friends. They are all amazed at the types of results I have in my portfolio. Crazy part is even though I tell them to read these boards to get ideas and become a better investor (because they ask me how to become better investors) literally none of them do it. Nope not a one.

Instead they ask that I manage their money for them, which I always refuse to do. I can not imagine a quicker way to ruin your relationship with someone than manage an investment portfolio for them. To active members of this board what many here have accomplished seems mythical or magical to the outsiders that have not paid attention. I thank you all for helping me be a better investor!

As always any suggestions or questions on portfolio structure feel free to email me. Any questions on why I like or dislike certain companies post it to the board.

114 Likes

A great read! Thanks for contributing this!

"ZM…I think the opportunity to recognize new revenue streams will be strong, such as advertisements. Why they have not started advertising on free verison I have no idea.

I can’t imagine this ever happening. It is not aligned with their overall mission to make a great product that is easy to use. Ads would have to go in the app or lobby screen. It would trash the in-meeting interface if it went there. Zoom doesn’t want people to spend time outside of meetings. That would be viewed as wasted time by users. Zoom wants to keep it ultra streamlined. If you can happily never see the app and always be in meetings, they have done their job. The other major reason is that they focus on enterprise so this would mean adding a new development group and expanding the code base which means more technical debt to pay down with support. In the end it would just mean more focus on non-enterprise users and the CEO has given strong clues he doesn’t want to do that further than necessary. In the end, keeping it simple and clean feels better for the brand and feeds the primary objectives for Zoom.

“…family and friends. They are all amazed at the types of results I have in my portfolio. Crazy part is even though I tell them to read these boards to get ideas and become a better investor (because they ask me how to become better investors) literally none of them do it. Nope not a one… To active members of this board what many here have accomplished seems mythical or magical to the outsiders that have not paid attention.”

I have the same experience. I’ve had friends approach me for information but never had one follow through. While I would love to have some friends in on the discussion and work we do here we can also take comfort in this phenomenon because it is “the other side of the trade” for us. This is one of the reasons why we can eat our cake and have it too. The broadly accepted philosophies about diversification and blue chip investing and what risk is, and how technical investing must seem like the secret that is too complex for most mortals, and this and that and etc, are so deeply ingrained in the mass flow of information (just read a Yahoo Finance article list) that it is the first thing people are bombarded by when they decide to take their first un-guided steps to learning about investing. The newly won knowledge is cherished as the first dipped toe in investing jargon.

I’m starting to think it took my first 14 years of investing to recognize what we have here on Saul’s Investing Discussions as being so obvious it was like being given permission to do what I always thought I should be doing.

50 Likes

> "ZM…I think the opportunity to recognize new revenue streams will be strong, such as advertisements. Why they have not started advertising on free verison I have no idea.

I can’t imagine this ever happening. It is not aligned with their overall mission to make a great product that is easy to use. Ads would have to go in the app or lobby screen.

Another reason.
Imagine showing ads to young kids while they are supposed to be in class.
What would be an appropriate ad?
Now imagine what school board wouldn’t be looking at finding a different solution?

Mike

3 Likes

Imagine showing ads to young kids while they are supposed to be in class.
What would be an appropriate ad?
Now imagine what school board wouldn’t be looking at finding a different solution?

This is an easy problem to solve with software. The software knows which accounts are school-based and require “school treatment”. The software can be programmed to NOT deliver ads, or it can deliver messages created by the school or teacher themselves.

Examples:
“Yearbook photos will be taken in the auditorium Friday”
“Here is the link Les Miserables written in French”
“Your papers on Foolish investing are due Friday” (We can only hope)

6 Likes