2015 YTD investment performance thread

[robnplunder]

Up a robust 4.6%. Pacific Asia fund it outperforming all others. Gold ETF isn't going anywhere. My 2 small trading accounts are up 18% & 9.7% but gains slowed down in April.

Sell in May and go away? Anyone?

 

[calmloki]

2.38% at this time for the year. in stock and bond stuff.

 

[steelyman]

I don't recall seeing this before in this thread but it may be handy for some.

I use Google Sheets to track performance (in addition to Quicken). For a portion of my investments, I consider the Vanguard 2025 target date fund (VTTVX) to be my benchmark.

There's a Sheets extension to Excel that gives you updated YTD performance, given a ticker symbol. It looks like this in a cell:

=GoogleFinance("VTTVX","Returnytd")

If you want it to look like a percent in the sheet, divide by 100 and use a percent number format for display.

 

[big-papa]

Thanks, Steelyman. If you're an excel user, there are also functions available for free. You have to join a yahoo group called smf_addin and there you can download the plugin. Works pretty good, but it's definitely for power-Excel users.

 

[steelyman]

That's good to know, big-papa. I have and am familiar with Excel, but am definitely not a power user (I know a few). Sheets is basic but fine for my uses. I understand Sheets can choke on complicated spreadsheets, though.

 

[pb4uski]

I focus on 3,5 and 10 year return (including dividends) rather than YTD. What I do is get the 3, 5 and 10 year value of 10,000 for my benchmarks off of Morningstar, apply the weightings of my target 60/34/6 AA to get a portfolio value and then compute the annual return using Excel's rate function given the term, beginning value of 10,000 and ending value.

I then compare the benchmark to my actual portfolio returns for 3, 5 and 10 years from Quicken's Investment Performance report. I do this analysis periodically, usually annually.

This thread prodded me to update the analysis.

		Growth of $10,000
		5/26/2015
	Target AA	3 year	5 year	10 year
VTSAX	42.0%	17,090	21,982	22,706
VTIAX	16.2%	14,465	15,687	17,710
VEMAX	1.8%	12,461	13,370	23,304
VFICX	21.8%	11,198	13,090	16,981
VWEAX	5.4%	12,427	15,424	19,724
VTABX (proxy: RPIBX)	5.8%	9,386	10,760	12,693
VGAVX (proxy: PREMX)	1.0%	11,400	13,231	20,249
VMMXX	6.0%	10,005	10,017	11,644
Portfolio	100.0%	14,117	17,060	19,232
Benchmark return		12.2%	11.3%	6.8%
My actual return		12.4%	10.7%	6.6%
Difference		0.2%	-0.6%	-0.2%

Is there a function to import the 3, 5 and 10 year growth of 10,000 values or average annual return including dividends for specific tickers? If so, that would make my process easier.

 

[marko]

I don't recall seeing this before in this thread but it may be handy for some.

I use Google Sheets to track performance (in addition to Quicken). For a portion of my investments, I consider the Vanguard 2025 target date fund (VTTVX) to be my benchmark.

There's a Sheets extension to Excel that gives you updated YTD performance, given a ticker symbol. It looks like this in a cell:

=GoogleFinance("VTTVX","Returnytd")

If you want it to look like a percent in the sheet, divide by 100 and use a percent number format for display.

3.7% YTD.

I use googlefinance on all my tracking and back it up with M*. Unlike M* you can play with numbers to see other stuff.

With googlefinance, you can get ytd, 4, 52 150 week returns, dividends, capgains, etc etc etc

Here's the full set of googlefinance commands/attributes: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3093281?hl=en

 

[steelyman]

GoogleFinance is nice and easy to use, once you get past reservations about using a different spreadsheet package (Sheets? What? Not Excel!!!?)

It gives me a good snapshot of where my investments are at a given point in time, like checking out things on my iTouch while having morning coffee. "Where do I stand today?".

It doesn't give me historical analysis of things like a database-backed package does (I think of Quicken as essentially a database with a bunch of pre-built forms/views/reports/graphs).

The documentation marko mentions is a good place to look, but some functions don't work as advertised. There was a discussion here a while ago in which that was pointed out.

 

[Theseus]

GoogleFinance is nice and easy to use, once you get past reservations about using a different spreadsheet package (Sheets? What? Not Excel!!!?)

It gives me a good snapshot of where my investments are at a given point in time, like checking out things on my iTouch while having morning coffee. "Where do I stand today?".

Pretty much how I use GoogleFinance too, bringing it up on the notebook while having my breakfast to get a quick snapshot of where things are at. Created a couple of "what if" formulas (purely for entertainment purposes, as everything can change in a heartbeat) for looking into the future, given current YTD rate of return calculated from actual values:

Where:
B1="Actual YTD %"
B2="Actual Current Value"
B3="Future Value"
B4="Future Date"

The formulas:
=today()+round(nper((365/datedif(date(year(today()),1,1),today(),"D")*B1)/365,0,B2,-B3),0)
=fv((B1/datedif(date(year(today()),1,1),today(),"d")),date(year(B4),month(B4),day(B4))-today(),0,-B2,0)
Assuming a constant return of YTD %, return the date on which portfolio will reach "Future Value", and the portfolio Future Value on the given "Future Date"

I use the second one to estimate (dream about) what an account earmarked for future use might be worth when it is tapped for distributions.

 

[marko]

Pretty much how I use GoogleFinance too, bringing it up on the notebook while having my breakfast to get a quick snapshot of where things are at. Created a couple of "what if" formulas (purely for entertainment purposes, as everything can change in a heartbeat) for looking into the future, given current YTD rate of return calculated from actual values:

Where:
B1="Actual YTD %"
B2="Actual Current Value"
B3="Future Value"
B4="Future Date"

The formulas:
=today()+round(nper((365/datedif(date(year(today()),1,1),today(),"D")*B1)/365,0,B2,-B3),0)
=fv((B1/datedif(date(year(today()),1,1),today(),"d")),date(year(B4),month(B4),day(B4))-today(),0,-B2,0)
Assuming a constant return of YTD %, return the date on which portfolio will reach "Future Value", and the portfolio Future Value on the given "Future Date"

I use the second one to estimate (dream about) what an account earmarked for future use might be worth when it is tapped for distributions.

I have a similar 'look forward'.

I assess a certain expectation for each coming year's performance (say, 8%).

Then I track my current performance and in May can say "right now, it is 'August 7'" because that's how far ahead I may be from plan.

It does help when there's a bad day in the market..."Ok, bad day, but it's still July 8th" according to plan.

 

[steelyman]

You two are way ahead of me. I take a Casablanca approach: "I never make plans that far ahead".

 

[HFWR]

"Returnytd" only works with mutual funds. Doesn't seem to work with ETF symbols...

 

[steelyman]

"Returnytd" only works with mutual funds. Doesn't seem to work with ETF symbols...

My uninformed guess is that's because they are priced throughout the day or it's a statistic not reported to Google Finance.

 

[Rick_Head]

I have a spreadsheet (googledocs) that tells me the value of my portfolio any time. We live off the portfolio, although 9x% dividends. It's higher now than 364 days ago. Should I worry?

 

[Fermion]

My trading account is up 28% so far this year. Don't get too excited, because it was up 70% last year in August and I finished dead even with the S&P500. I have even more time to waste my gains this year. At least I won't lose the gains the same way this year (oil drop got me last year)

 

[wingfooted]

My trading account is up 28% so far this year. )

What is your current trading account book ?

 

[Fermion]

What is your current trading account book ?

~100K

 

[wingfooted]

~100K

Book = stock portfolio (tickers)

 

[Fermion]

Book = stock portfolio (tickers)

I thought you meant book value. I usually just say holdings to be clear.

Right now I have:

Gilead (my favorite stock)
Endocyte (just 1500 shares in case they hit it big on cancer drug)
Short Seadrill (but just closed those puts today and may go long soon)
Corning covered call position with calls sold at Jan 2016 $20 strike
Thompson Creek Metals 2019 bonds, purchased below par at 15% return
Microsoft covered calls, expiring Jan 2016 $40 strike

$20k cash waiting for opportunities.

 

[utrecht]

My trading account is up 28% so far this year. Don't get too excited, because it was up 70% last year in August and I finished dead even with the S&P500. I have even more time to waste my gains this year. At least I won't lose the gains the same way this year (oil drop got me last year)

I thought my 14% trading account profit was good. Nice job!

 

[Andre1969]

I thought my 14% trading account profit was good. Nice job!

Wow, both of you did really well! I just ran my numbers, and my trading account is up about 8.8% as of yesterday's close. My whole portfolio is up about 6.5%, so that's an indication the individual stocks are outperforming my mutual funds. For the time being, at least...

 

[Fermion]

I thought my 14% trading account profit was good. Nice job!

Thanks, but remember that last year I lost almost all of my gains due to the drop in oil and my positions there.

A lot of this year's gain has been due to revenge shorting of stocks like Seadrill where I lost my money long last year. I was late to the short party but it doesn't seem to be over (very volatile though).

 

[GTFan]

I focus on 3,5 and 10 year return (including dividends) rather than YTD. What I do is get the 3, 5 and 10 year value of 10,000 for my benchmarks off of Morningstar, apply the weightings of my target 60/34/6 AA to get a portfolio value and then compute the annual return using Excel's rate function given the term, beginning value of 10,000 and ending value.

I then compare the benchmark to my actual portfolio returns for 3, 5 and 10 years from Quicken's Investment Performance report. I do this analysis periodically, usually annually.

This thread prodded me to update the analysis.

		Growth of $10,000
		5/26/2015
	Target AA	3 year	5 year	10 year
VTSAX	42.0%	17,090	21,982	22,706
VTIAX	16.2%	14,465	15,687	17,710
VEMAX	1.8%	12,461	13,370	23,304
VFICX	21.8%	11,198	13,090	16,981
VWEAX	5.4%	12,427	15,424	19,724
VTABX (proxy: RPIBX)	5.8%	9,386	10,760	12,693
VGAVX (proxy: PREMX)	1.0%	11,400	13,231	20,249
VMMXX	6.0%	10,005	10,017	11,644
Portfolio	100.0%	14,117	17,060	19,232
Benchmark return		12.2%	11.3%	6.8%
My actual return		12.4%	10.7%	6.6%
Difference		0.2%	-0.6%	-0.2%

Is there a function to import the 3, 5 and 10 year growth of 10,000 values or average annual return including dividends for specific tickers? If so, that would make my process easier.

As an aside, I'm curious as to why you have VEMAX (Emerging Mkts Idx) in your portfolio. VTIAX already includes emerging in its index, are you looking to overweight it a bit? Also, some of your funds are Investor Shares and some are Admiral so the ER is a little higher.

 

[utrecht]

Thanks, but remember that last year I lost almost all of my gains due to the drop in oil and my positions there.

A lot of this year's gain has been due to revenge shorting of stocks like Seadrill where I lost my money long last year. I was late to the short party but it doesn't seem to be over (very volatile though).

It does seem like your trading style lends to much more volatility than mine.

 

[marko]

Pretty much how I use GoogleFinance too, bringing it up on the notebook while having my breakfast to get a quick snapshot of where things are at. Created a couple of "what if" formulas (purely for entertainment purposes, as everything can change in a heartbeat) for looking into the future, given current YTD rate of return calculated from actual values:

Where:
B1="Actual YTD %"
B2="Actual Current Value"
B3="Future Value"
B4="Future Date"

The formulas:
=today()+round(nper((365/datedif(date(year(today()),1,1),today(),"D")*B1)/365,0,B2,-B3),0)
=fv((B1/datedif(date(year(today()),1,1),today(),"d")),date(year(B4),month(B4),day(B4))-today(),0,-B2,0)
Assuming a constant return of YTD %, return the date on which portfolio will reach "Future Value", and the portfolio Future Value on the given "Future Date"

I use the second one to estimate (dream about) what an account earmarked for future use might be worth when it is tapped for distributions.

Thesus, did you create this formula yourself? If so, KUDOS!
The one I made for myself is much less elegant but does provide similar results. But....nice job.