There are many different things I am trying to accomplish on this website simultaneously. First of all, I like to discuss and refine my own investment strategy. Next I discuss many stocks that I consider ‘investable’–stocks that meet my own criteria of consistent revenue growth, earnings growth, stable outstanding shares, free cash growth, good balance sheet, reasonable valuation and a solid latest quarterly report.

At the same time, I am also providing all of you with an inside look at this particular amateur investor’s actual trading account. O.K. that isn’t such a big deal , but I am still working at providing all of you with transparency. That is, when I buy or sell stock, I post it here and provide all of you with the rationale. Except for my occasional ‘trades’ that I am avoiding as much as possible, this keeps me honest. This provides me with a reason to continue to abide by the ‘rules’ that I have set up for myself. And insofar as this process continues to be thankful, I thank all of you for your participation on this website.

About once per month I have been updating my actual ‘trading portfolio’. You can now verify what I write on Covestor by visiting my Covestor Page where that website also tracks my trading, holding and performance. Their performance figures, however, are as of when I signed up for Covestor. The numbers I share with you are for my performance with each of these holdings since purchase. (If any of you would like an ‘invitation’ to joing Covestor, which I am not sure is absolutely needed to get an account, I do have four more invitations in my name—just email me and I will email it back to you!)

Well back to work. I last reviewed my trading portfolio back on February 26, 2008. This review is as of today, April 6, 2008. The holdings are listed in alphabetic order of their symbols, followed by the number of shares, date of purchase, price of purchase (cost basis), latest price (4/4/08), and percentage unrealized gain or (unrealized loss).

Copart (CPRT), 210 shares, 9/27/07, $33.73, $41.31, 22.48%

Covance (CVD), 102 shares, 4/9/07, $62.61, $86.28, 37.80%

IHS Inc. (IHS), 140 shares, 10/1/07, $58.53, $62.34, 6.51%

Morningstar (MORN), 103 shares, 11/22/05, $32.57, $65.13, 99.94%

ResMed (RMD), 150 shares, 2/4/05, $29.87, $45.16, 51.20%

Meridian Bioscience (VIVO), 171 shares, 4/21/05, $7.42, $34.74, $368.26%

Currently I am down to six positions. As you may recall, I have a minimum of 5 positions in my ’strategy’ going to a maximum of 20. The current market value of securities if $45,626.19 with $110.68 in the money market portion of the account.

As of April 5, 2008, I had $(1,250.59) in total realized losses in 2008 made up of $(4,534.09) in short-term losses, and $3,283.50 in long-term realized gains. In 2008 I have had $29.63 in total income and $(221.13) in margin interest paid.

The relative decrease in cash and the performance in this account is related to the unfortunate ‘trade’ in Lehman Bros which I tried to do a ‘trade’ outside of my regular ‘rules’. I continue to learn.

I shall be waiting for either a sale if stocks decline, bringing me down to my minimum of 5 positions, or a sale on appreciation should my stocks move higher, in which case I shall be once again looking to add another position!

Last 5 posts by Bob Freedland

• National Oilwell Varco (NOV) "Trading Transparency" - October 19th, 2008
• Coach (COH), Ecolab (ECL), Newell Rubbermaid (NWL), and ResMed (RMD) "Trading Transparency" - October 14th, 2008
• Citigroup (C) "Trading Transparency" - September 21st, 2008
• Quality Systems (QSII) and Robbins & Myers (RBN) "Trading Transparency" - September 11th, 2008
• Johnson Controls (JCI) "Trading Transparency" - September 4th, 2008