Holding Forever?

Ulli Uncategorized Contact

After Monday’s drubbing, the markets roared back on Tuesday with the major indexes more than cutting their losses in half. The only fly in the ointment was that the rebound occurred on weak volume suggesting that not everyone was convinced that this would be more than a dead cat bounce.

Of course, the big factors behind the comeback were hopes that Congress will approve a rescue package of some sort to bail out the ailing banking system. Only time will tell how this is going play out.

On a different subject, I received an email from reader Jean, who had this question:

Fidelity Advisor VII Technology Fund – T (FATEX) and Franklin Small Mid Cap Growth Fd Class A (FRSGX) are two funds I’ve held for almost 10 years. I keep waiting for them to reach the cost for which I purchased them.

What do you think I can expect from these two funds?

Hmm; she’s held these funds for almost 10 years waiting for a comeback to reach a break even point. Let’s take a look at a long-term chart of FATEX:

I don’t know at what price point Jean bought this fund, but it seems to me that were several opportunities to sell for a profit when the long-term trend lines were crossed to the downside during early 2000.

The problem with this scenario is not Jean’s fund selection but the investment method she employed in the first place, which is Buy and Hold. It’s a fallacy in that there is no clear plan as to when to enter or exit a position. Let’s say you bought in at $20/share, when will you sell? When the price hits $40? Or $60? How about $500? It’s simply ridiculous to expose yourself to the vagaries of the market place in that fashion.

The inevitable result is that even almost 10 years later, her investment is still negative and she’s looking to break even. Both funds are in downtrends right now and should not be held at all.

I suggest to reader Jean to re-evaluate her investment approach and come to terms with the fact that, long-term, buy and hold is nothing but a loser’s game.

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Comments 5

  1. The writer failed to disclose that she bought both “loaded” funds through some type of “investment advice” counselor. That counselor should have provided more input to her concerning selling. 5% or so commission is very high for poor or no advice.

  2. Ulli,

    Your quote:

    “I suggest to reader Jean to re-evaluate her investment approach and come to terms with the fact that,………..”

    Well…..

    …if, in fact, she is reading your Ahead Of The Curve thinking and advice then she needs to accept the proven results easily verifiable through your weekly stat sheets and stop sending messages to you and simply get on board and get out of the market and profit by not losing her proverbial shirt.

    She should also understand, and this is important, that she is not the first and will not be the last one to find out about your Ahead Of The Curve approach until after he/she has lost money on his/her own.

    How would I know such a thing.?.?.?……

    G.H.

  3. It’s the same advice we all get from the salesman.
    i’m with ejones paying 5.75% and all i’ve heard is buy and hold So far i’ve lost 25%. Soon it will be all gone. I need out!!!!!!!

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