Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Tale Of The Tape For 2011

What can I say about 2011 other than “good riddance”?

In many respects, 2011 actually wasn't that bad of a year. There were plenty of good ideas out there and plenty of chances to make a profit. Unfortunately, I seemed to have a frustrating predilection for self-inflicted wounds this year. Mistakes are normal and I accept them as part of the endeavor; dumb mistakes drive me stark raving mad.

To offer one example – had I used my time-tested method for selling and preserving gains in just a single stock (Sauer-Danfoss), I would have beaten the market this year and kept that streak alive for another year. Had I not been lazy or ambivalent about Pharmasset and actually added that to my portfolio, I would have likewise managed to keep the streak alive.

Then again, I almost bought Hypermarcas and Cline Mining at various points in the year, and not doing so proved to be returns-saving moves as well. And so it goes – much as I may lament that “one mistake” that screwed up my performance, I have to acknowledge that I got plenty of boons that likewise boosted my performance.

And without further ado, here are the disappointing numbers for 2011:

Portfolio A: (2.8%)
Portfolio B: (0.8%)
Combined portfolios: (2.2%)

S&P 500: (0.0%)
Nasdaq: (1.8%)

I own shares of Sauer-Danfoss

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