Do we have any stock traders here?

[Dave M]

Just curious if we have any members who actively buy or trade stocks? I'm not talking mutual funds or 401(k)s but actual individual stocks through an online broker or something similar. Maybe we could get a stock thread going.


If you invest, what are your holdings and why do you like them?

[Dave M]

I'll start. I'm a buy and hold guy, not a trader, so I picked all my stocks with a very long term outlook (10+ yrs). I will keep buying whenever they get 'cheap'. I tried to stay diversified. My stocks are

Southern Copper (PCU): metals are booming and this one has a crazy dividend. I bough my first shares at $41 a year ago and it's now at $110.

Conoco Phillips (COP): Oil producer. Trying to make back some of that money I've been putting in my gas tank. I bought at $60, it's now at $87.

General Electric (GE): Huge diversified large cap company. Can't go wrong here for stability and solid dividends. Stock has lagged for years but may be moving now. I bought at $35 and it's now at $40.

Norfolk Southern (NSC): Railroads are enjoying their best profits ever. Usage is expanding rapidly and as long as the economy doesn't tank, this stock should be alright. I bought at $50 and it's now $58.

Exelon (EXC): Large electric utility in the NE and midwest. Largest nuclear power operator in the country. Utilities have been on fire lately and this also pays a nice dividend. I also work at one of their plants. I bought this at many different price points but never higher than $55. It's now at $78.

Caterpillar (CAT): Construction manufacturing. Good old fashioned blue collar work. The growth in foreign markets should offset any hosuing slump here. I bought this at $60 a few months ago, it's currently at $86.

All my stocks have done very well since I bought them, and I actually wish they wouldn't. I'd like to buy more shares, but not at their current prices.

Any other investors out there?

[bru333]

I started off with XM Radio stock (XMSR), bought it at under $5 sometime in 2003, in 2005 sold it at $31.00, currently they are at $13. Got out at the right time there!

BHP BHP Billiton LTD, a supplier of core steelmaking raw materials; a copper producer; an exporter of energy coal; a producer of nickel metal; a producer of uranium; a producer of primary aluminium; and a producer of oil and gas. The Company also has interests in diamonds, silver and titanium minerals. Bought at $45, currently at $65.

FCX Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold, Inc. , Mining of copper gold and silver. Bought at $65, currently at $91.

I've also got Conoco Phillips (COP), bought at $70

and Caterpillar (I work for the company) in my 401K, Cat stock has split 3 times since I started working for the Co. (usually right after the price hit $100), been investing in it since '96. It's a slow mover and I can transfer in and out of my stock holdings in the 401K anytime (I mean, transfer between funds in the 401K), I keep a large % in it when it's going up and transfer out when it starts back down. Like last year when it started down (I think it was end of June) I transfered into the MM fund, and transfered back in this Feb. when it started going back up.

[Dave M]

You did good with XM. I got into Sirius a year or two ago at the suggestion of a friend. I bought at $7 and watched methodically spiral downward. I finally sold it at about $4 I think. It's even lower now. I stick with my own picks now, or do better research on tips.

[Joshu]

I don't invest (because I have no money to!) but I plan to one day and I follow the market very closely. I would recommend Boeing (BA) and any type of aircraft parts manufacturer. The Dreamliner is going to be a huge hit in the industry.

[Steel2686]

You did good with XM. I got into Sirius a year or two ago at the suggestion of a friend. I bought at $7 and watched methodically spiral downward. I finally sold it at about $4 I think. It's even lower now. I stick with my own picks now, or do better research on tips.

I did the same thing! Bought it when the news of Stern joining Sirius hit the news. I paid $10 a share, it went as high as $13, then sunk like a stone. I sold at $6 when in picked up for about a week.