Middleby ($MIDD) Chases Fame in the Kitchen
Selim Bassoul, chief executive of Middleby Corp.[stckqut]MIDD[/stckqut], is on a frantic quest to become king of the upscale kitchen range.
Over the past three years, his Elgin, Ill., company has bought three of the world’s most prominent cooking brands: Viking Range, AGA and La Cornue. It also has suffered a bit of indigestion.
“We’re becoming the leading high-end appliance [maker] in the world,” Mr. Bassoul boasted while speed-walking across the floor of his Viking plant here. Long a big supplier of commercial food-processing equipment, Middleby is rapidly expanding to home ovens, refrigerators and other kitchen gear where Mr. Bassoul believes he can add more sophisticated technology and raise profit margins.
The Netflix ($NFLX) Tipping Point
Netflix [stckqut]NFLX[/stckqut], had a rough couple of days. The streaming media company met its projected third-quarter $0.07 earnings per share but missed on its projected revenue figures, generating $1.738 billion instead of the estimated $1.743 billion. After-hours trading was impacted negatively by the news, trading down 10% at one point, while investors had a mixed array of thoughts.
Netflix subscriber figures were not promising as well. Domestically, the company added only 880,000 new members, compared to the more promising international addition of 2.74 million. This comes to a total of 3.62 million new Netflix members, which is a marginal increase from the year-to-year figure of 3.02 million combined.
New US subscribers, however, have been on the decline since the company’s 2015 first-quarter and may very well plateau sooner than later, despite their projected 1.65 new members for the 2015 fourth-quarter.
Source: The Netflix Tipping Point
My Short Term Watch List grew 71.47% over the past year v. the market at 11.25%
One of the biggest challenges in investing in the stock market is picking the best stocks. In my book, “The Confident Investor” I teach my readers how to pick Good Companies. This page is designed to show the raw performance of these companies. It is not designed to show my personal portfolio, which may or may not exceed the performance stated here. Since I use the trading system described in my book, you can assume that I beat the performance recorded here.
I have created three tables below. The first table is the general market – NASDAQ and S&P500. Every investor should try to beat the average of these to indexes. In this report, my larger Watch List beats this metric easily.
I must caution you, I do not actually propose that you “buy and hold” any given stock, but rather you should “buy to hold” the stock. My investing technique teaches you to efficiently move your money to the stocks that are currently increasing in value the most. I use my Watch List for this work, these are Good Companies that I wait for great buying opportunities. This strategy is well described in my book, “The Confident Investor” and tends to be a very safe strategy in bear markets while typically still providing above market returns in a bull or flat market.
My Short Term Watch List are 15 companies that are hot right now. I select this list every quarter. I evenly divide a portion of my portfolio among these 15 companies. The next quarter, I add or delete companies as necessary and then re-balance the portfolio. This tends to be a more risky strategy because I don’t bail out on bad stock movement (at least until the end of the quarter). In a bull market or a flat market, these very well-run and high-performing companies tend to beat the general market by a significant margin.
Stock Indexes Performance
| 1 week ago | 1 month ago | 1 quarter ago | 1 year ago | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index | Close | Profit % | Close | Profit % | Close | Profit % | Close | Profit |
| ^GSPC | $2,014.89 | 0.90% | $1,958.08 | 3.83% | $2,126.64 | -4.40% | $1,886.76 | 7.76% |
| ^IXIC | $4,830.47 | 1.16% | $4,827.23 | 1.23% | $5,210.14 | -6.21% | $4,258.44 | 14.75% |
Week average for Indexes: 1.03%
Month average for Indexes: 2.53%
Quarter average for Indexes: -5.30%
Year average for Indexes: 11.25%
Watch List Performance
| 1 week ago | 1 month ago | 1 quarter ago | 1 year ago | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Close | Profit % | Close | Profit % | Close | Profit % | Close | Profit |
| AAPL | $112.12 | -0.96% | $113.45 | -2.12% | $129.04 | -13.95% | $96.03 | 15.63% |
| ABMD | $83.63 | 11.34% | $104.18 | -10.63% | $72.33 | 28.73% | $22.98 | 305.18% |
| ADS | $280.12 | -0.70% | $251.66 | 10.53% | $302.37 | -8.01% | $259.72 | 7.10% |
| AKAM | $73.46 | -3.42% | $71.95 | -1.39% | $72.72 | -2.43% | $53.84 | 31.78% |
| ALXN | $161.08 | -0.22% | $166.58 | -3.52% | $204.30 | -21.33% | $164.75 | -2.45% |
| AZPN | $41.33 | 0.29% | $39.21 | 5.71% | $45.13 | -8.15% | $35.48 | 16.83% |
| BCPC | $66.23 | 2.82% | $60.27 | 12.99% | $55.65 | 22.37% | $56.94 | 19.60% |
| BLK | $318.11 | 4.00% | $308.87 | 7.11% | $352.06 | -6.03% | $308.08 | 7.39% |
| BWLD | $196.14 | -4.75% | $199.72 | -6.46% | $170.34 | 9.67% | $130.32 | 43.35% |
| CBI | $44.08 | -7.55% | $42.60 | -4.34% | $48.41 | -15.83% | $47.78 | -14.71% |
| CBPO | $97.22 | 5.84% | $93.17 | 10.44% | $118.32 | -13.03% | $51.97 | 98.00% |
| CERN | $64.08 | 1.83% | $63.24 | 3.18% | $71.33 | -8.52% | $57.19 | 14.09% |
| CFX | $30.96 | -9.33% | $34.29 | -18.14% | $42.62 | -34.14% | $54.75 | -48.73% |
| CMI | $113.09 | -3.87% | $115.24 | -5.67% | $127.21 | -14.55% | $127.40 | -14.67% |
| COF | $74.45 | 0.30% | $73.56 | 1.51% | $90.55 | -17.53% | $75.11 | -0.59% |
| CRUS | $28.84 | 4.02% | $29.22 | 2.67% | $32.53 | -7.78% | $20.12 | 49.11% |
| DDD | $13.61 | -7.86% | $12.49 | 0.40% | $15.79 | -20.58% | $41.55 | -69.82% |
| DECK | $61.05 | -2.29% | $60.95 | -2.13% | $72.16 | -17.34% | $86.62 | -31.14% |
| EOG | $87.13 | 0.43% | $76.11 | 14.97% | $80.34 | 8.91% | $90.52 | -3.34% |
| EXR | $77.10 | 0.27% | $75.48 | 2.42% | $69.59 | 11.09% | $53.07 | 45.68% |
| FB | $93.24 | 4.61% | $94.40 | 3.33% | $94.97 | 2.71% | $75.95 | 28.43% |
| FOSL | $57.18 | -3.93% | $58.74 | -6.49% | $69.39 | -20.84% | $96.99 | -43.37% |
| GOOG | $643.61 | 2.89% | $629.25 | 5.24% | $672.93 | -1.59% | $511.17 | 29.55% |
| GPOR | $35.14 | -0.85% | $32.23 | 8.10% | $37.64 | -7.44% | $47.19 | -26.17% |
| GTN | $14.18 | 4.87% | $13.74 | 8.22% | $17.60 | -15.51% | $8.57 | 73.51% |
| GWR | $68.08 | -5.52% | $65.35 | -1.58% | $73.03 | -11.93% | $89.27 | -27.95% |
| HOG | $55.09 | 0.58% | $54.42 | 1.82% | $54.65 | 1.39% | $57.46 | -3.57% |
| HP | $60.26 | -6.70% | $49.27 | 14.11% | $59.86 | -6.07% | $81.46 | -30.99% |
| JAH | $50.90 | -2.10% | $52.18 | -4.50% | $54.77 | -9.02% | $38.51 | 29.41% |
| JPM | $61.93 | 0.81% | $60.50 | 3.18% | $68.71 | -9.15% | $54.72 | 14.10% |
| LULU | $52.75 | 2.01% | $52.91 | 1.70% | $62.94 | -14.51% | $38.84 | 38.54% |
| LVS | $46.98 | 5.83% | $45.26 | 9.85% | $53.53 | -7.12% | $60.81 | -18.23% |
| MCK | $189.95 | 2.77% | $203.73 | -4.18% | $234.13 | -16.62% | $190.35 | 2.55% |
| MEI | $33.61 | 0.24% | $32.81 | 2.67% | $26.61 | 26.61% | $34.85 | -3.32% |
| MET | $48.39 | 0.93% | $46.52 | 4.99% | $57.10 | -14.47% | $47.53 | 2.76% |
| MIDD | $115.81 | -0.58% | $112.28 | 2.55% | $123.31 | -6.63% | $82.52 | 39.53% |
| MNST | $137.43 | -3.77% | $134.60 | -1.75% | $140.06 | -5.58% | $92.11 | 43.58% |
| MRK | $50.95 | 1.04% | $52.13 | -1.25% | $58.32 | -11.73% | $52.33 | -1.63% |
| NFLX | $113.33 | -12.65% | $102.62 | -3.54% | $114.77 | -13.75% | $51.01 | 94.05% |
| PCLN | $1,313.29 | 1.77% | $1,294.47 | 3.25% | $1,216.00 | 9.92% | $1,077.27 | 24.07% |
| REGN | $503.92 | 2.12% | $550.36 | -6.50% | $551.98 | -6.77% | $369.64 | 39.21% |
| RGLD | $50.45 | 2.10% | $47.58 | 8.25% | $56.58 | -8.96% | $65.38 | -21.22% |
| SAM | $228.44 | 5.31% | $229.03 | 5.04% | $223.25 | 7.76% | $220.54 | 9.09% |
| SBUX | $60.07 | -0.23% | $56.84 | 5.44% | $55.54 | 7.91% | $36.27 | 65.23% |
| STZ | $136.89 | -1.31% | $127.35 | 6.08% | $117.49 | 14.98% | $83.62 | 61.56% |
| SWKS | $79.50 | 0.13% | $89.37 | -10.93% | $102.62 | -22.43% | $50.66 | 57.13% |
| THRM | $48.68 | -0.76% | $47.88 | 0.90% | $49.59 | -2.58% | $38.98 | 23.94% |
| TMO | $126.52 | -0.09% | $125.78 | 0.49% | $135.58 | -6.77% | $111.83 | 13.03% |
| TRN | $27.06 | -1.77% | $26.39 | 0.71% | $25.73 | 3.32% | $35.54 | -25.21% |
| UA | $102.32 | -2.19% | $101.80 | -1.69% | $87.22 | 14.74% | $65.13 | 53.66% |
| ULTA | $165.80 | 0.19% | $167.23 | -0.67% | $166.91 | -0.48% | $116.57 | 42.50% |
Week average for Watch List stocks: -0.28% and profit percentage increase over same period for average indexes is: -126.80%
Month average for Watch List stocks: 1.38% and profit percentage increase over same period for average indexes is: -45.49%
Quarter average for Watch List stocks: -5.08% and profit percentage increase over same period for average indexes is: -4.23%
Year average for Watch List stocks: 20.63% and profit percentage increase over same period for average indexes is: 83.29%
Short Term Watch List
| 1 week ago | 1 month ago | 1 quarter ago | 1 year ago | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Close | Profit % | Close | Profit % | Close | Profit % | Close | Profit |
| ABMD | $83.63 | 11.34% | $104.18 | -10.63% | $72.33 | 28.73% | $22.98 | 305.18% |
| BWLD | $196.14 | -4.75% | $199.72 | -6.46% | $170.34 | 9.67% | $130.32 | 43.35% |
| CBPO | $97.22 | 5.84% | $93.17 | 10.44% | $118.32 | -13.03% | $51.97 | 98.00% |
| EXR | $77.10 | 0.27% | $75.48 | 2.42% | $69.59 | 11.09% | $53.07 | 45.68% |
| FB | $93.24 | 4.61% | $94.40 | 3.33% | $94.97 | 2.71% | $75.95 | 28.43% |
| GTN | $14.18 | 4.87% | $13.74 | 8.22% | $17.60 | -15.51% | $8.57 | 73.51% |
| MIDD | $115.81 | -0.58% | $112.28 | 2.55% | $123.31 | -6.63% | $82.52 | 39.53% |
| MNST | $137.43 | -3.77% | $134.60 | -1.75% | $140.06 | -5.58% | $92.11 | 43.58% |
| NFLX | $113.33 | -12.65% | $102.62 | -3.54% | $114.77 | -13.75% | $51.01 | 94.05% |
| REGN | $503.92 | 2.12% | $550.36 | -6.50% | $551.98 | -6.77% | $369.64 | 39.21% |
| SBUX | $60.07 | -0.23% | $56.84 | 5.44% | $55.54 | 7.91% | $36.27 | 65.23% |
| STZ | $136.89 | -1.31% | $127.35 | 6.08% | $117.49 | 14.98% | $83.62 | 61.56% |
| SWKS | $79.50 | 0.13% | $89.37 | -10.93% | $102.62 | -22.43% | $50.66 | 57.13% |
| THRM | $48.68 | -0.76% | $47.88 | 0.90% | $49.59 | -2.58% | $38.98 | 23.94% |
| UA | $102.32 | -2.19% | $101.80 | -1.69% | $87.22 | 14.74% | $65.13 | 53.66% |
Week average for Short Term Watch List stocks: 0.19% and profit percentage increase over same period for average indexes is: -81.17%
Month average for Short Term Watch List stocks: -0.14% and profit percentage increase over same period for average indexes is: -105.56%
Quarter average for Short Term Watch List stocks: 0.24% and profit percentage increase over same period for average indexes is: -104.46%
Year average for Short Term Watch List stocks: 71.47% and profit percentage increase over same period for average indexes is: 535.01%
Total Execution Time: 47.493381023407 Sec
This information was calculated on Oct 18, 2015 and is based on the closing value of the most recent trading day which may not be today.
This information is based on the Yahoo Historical Pricing and is only as good or as current as that data.
15 stocks to finish the year
I have chosen 15 stocks to finish 2015. These stocks are, in my opinion, some of the best companies to invest your money for the next three months.
I split my portfolio into two parts. I describe the first part in the majority of this site. It is a list of Good Companies that I keep on my Watch List. I invest in these companies using the techniques that I describe in my book, The Confident Investor. I will move my money from companies that are showing bearish tendencies to companies that are currently bullish. You can see my current list of companies on my Watch List and follow this site to watch me add or delete stocks from these companies.
While it is not unusual for my Watch List to not have a certain market segment, the overall list is fairly balanced, and an investor that wants to diversify can do so by using this list. I do not specifically worry about diversification as a strategy only because I believe that an investor should watch the investments like a hawk. If a stock is not doing well: sell it and put your money where it will work for you.
I also keep a certain percentage of this portfolio in index funds. I describe this technique in my book, The Confident Investor, and my current allocation is about 28%. I am only 53, so I need my portfolio to continue to aggressively beat the stock market. The index funds simply give me a bit of a base.
The second part of my portfolio is much more aggressive and is the reason for this post. In this portfolio, I select 15 of the fastest growing and currently best-performing stocks on my Watch List. I evenly divide my investment capital of this portfolio between the 15 stocks. Every three months, I re-analyze the list of 15 stocks, sell the ones that don’t make the new list, buy the new additions, and evenly rebalance the entire group of 15 stocks.
I need to caution the reader that this second portfolio, while easier to manage, is much riskier than the previously described portfolio. Because of this risk, it often returns a higher growth, but it also is susceptible to faster drops. The first portfolio that I described is more cautious simply because I move out of stocks that are dropping. In a general market drop, I will be almost 100% in cash for my principle. This second portfolio doesn’t get touched except for four times per year, so it is open to general downturns as well as stock specific downturns.
The first portfolio that I described above is a “buy to hold” portfolio and I completely describe this portfolio in my book, The Confident Investor. The second portfolio is a “buy and hold for three months” portfolio.
I do not expect that each of these 15 stocks will beat the general market. I do expect that the 15 stocks together will significantly outperform the market. In general, these 15 stocks represent the absolute best 15 stocks on the market today. They are in industries that are doing fairly well. Their management tends to be extremely competent, and each company has a history of being well run.
You can purchase my book wherever books are sold such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books A Million. It is available in e-book formats for Nook, Kindle, and iPad.
My top 15 stocks for Q4/2015
| Symbol | Company name |
| ABMD | ABIOMED, Inc. |
| BWLD | Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. |
| CBPO | China Biologic Products, Inc. |
| EXR | Extra Space Storage Inc |
| FB | Facebook, Inc. |
| GTN | Gray Communications Systems, Inc. |
| MIDD | The Middleby Corporation |
| MNST | Monster Beverage Corporation |
| NFLX | Netflix, Inc. |
| REGN | Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
| SBUX | Starbucks Corporation |
| STZ | Constellation Brands, Inc. |
| SWKS | Skyworks Solutions, Inc. |
| THRM | Gentherm Inc |
| UA | Under Armour, Inc. |
