YTD Performance Poll

[4merKPer]

Now that we have averted the so-called default crises and the market has wiped out all of its gains ytd, how has your portfolio fared? Vote and comment on your asset allocation.

[fritz]

Retirement's conservative asset allocation avoided the more aggressive (heavier stock) allocation's hit.

[IBWino]

As of today, +2.35% (one month ago, we were at +5.75%).

[Coolius]

I'll start the ball rolling; my portfolio is presently at a gain of 2.7% as of this evening.

Most of the gain is from bond interest and dividends; I hold very few stocks and only one mutual fund. This has probably been the reason why I still have a positive reading for the year.

The few stocks I hold have an unrealized loss ranging from 0.5% - 5%; no gains in any of them. Not good. I am writing covered calls on the ones that have options, to try and lower my cost basis.

Sure hope things will improve as we move toward the traditionally stronger end of the year. Unfortunately, I am a little pessimistic about this - there are just so many problems in the world - Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Arab Spring, Financial problems galore all over the world, the wars, etc, etc

Good luck to everyone.

[devans0]

-1.85% on an aggressive 90/10 portfolio and with the 90% ratio split into a 60/40 mix of International/US equities. I did very well on the run-up, rebalanced and am now selling some real estate to increase my cash portion. If things drop, I'm buying more, otherwise, I'm good until re-balance point is triggered.

[CyclingInvestor]

+3.3% after today. Still 100% individual equities, all large US-based dividend paying companies.

[Mike1968]

+.99% after today's shellacking 83/17

[W2R]

After the drop today, my portfolio is up 2.4% compared with January 1. Seems OK to me given the week's drop.

My asset allocation is 45:55 equities:fixed. I'm not really chasing performance, but appreciating a relatively nonvolatile, conservative retirement portfolio.

[freebird5825]

5.36 Total Return YTD according to M* portfolio manager

AA 31/63/6

Note: I did not include 200 shares of HK, which is showing a total return YTD of 109. BHP Billiton just acquired PetroHawk at the end of July. I accepted a tender offer yesterday of $38.75 per share. My average cost basis is $21.45 per share, according to Mr B's calculations. Small potatoes but still fun.

[4merKPer]

Since I put up the poll, I suppose I should weigh in. I'm up 2.8% ytd with about 50/50 AA.

Kudos to all in the positive (especially for those that are 3+%. For those that are negative, I hope you're hanging in there and hopefully are taking the long-term view.

[GaryInCO]

My retirement accounts are down just about 3%. Not too bad, considering they're entirely aggressive stock holdings and they've gotten whacked in the last few weeks. My extra-aggressive IRA has done especially poorly this year. I'm preparing to move to a more conservative stance if the market keeps stumbling.

[bizlady]

Up a measly .06% as of 8-2-11. I suspect it will go down this year yet however. 45/45/10 allocation

[pb4uski]

3.0% annualized rate of return YTD today per Quicken.

[Spanky]

YTD: 3.01%
stock 36.83%
bond 34.29%
cash 28.88%

[Koolau]

Honestly haven't calculated it exactly, but definitely in excess of 3% ytd.

Big winners: Precious metals. Gold about 25%, silver about 40% (heh, heh, wish it had been a bigger overall portion of my stash!) Still, they contributed about 1.5% overall. Dividend of stock of family business 20%. Same stock revalued (as in offer to buy/sell) up 15%.

Moderate winners: I-bonds (older ones with actual interest before inflation factor), SPIAs 4.5% guarantee, GIF 2%

Equities: about .4%

Best SWAG: 4.8% overall.

Downside is that during a "normal" year (everyone else getting 7 to 9%) I'd still be in the 4% range. YMMV

[slazenger]

7.69% total IRR according to quicken. Anyone know how to change that to real return? In any event, I think that puts me above 3% for the year (4.9%ish?). Resting my mouse on the bars, the biggest winners seem to be my healthy position in TIPS, and the REIT fund. I also did some decent timing in stocks this year.

[Alan]

4.05 after plugging in the numbers this morning (8/3). Long way to go before I would re-balance to target.

33/55/12 (target is 34/56/10, which is age in bonds, 10% cash, remainder in equities)

[rescueme]

+2.58% YTD against entire retirement portfolio. That includes withdrawls to cover the majority of my retirement expenses for the last seven months, so I'm not complaining.

AA set at 50/50; current (with the market "adjustment" the last couple of weeks) 49/51 (49% equity/51% bond-cash).

Top three funds held for the period, FWIW (at 8/2 market close):

VGHCX (VG Healthcare): +8.42 YTD.
VFIDX (VG Interm-Term Investment-Grade Adm.): +6.59% YTD.
FTBFX (FIDO Total Bond): +5.52% YTD.

[ksr]

YTD +3.55%

My equity portion is just 45%. I have 20% in TIPs, which are doing particularly well right now.

[Midpack]

Surprisingly + 5.6%, but I'm not concerned about what's happened in the market over the past few weeks. Typical summer...and it's about time we started work on closing the debt/deficit chasm. Everything needs to be on the table including Soc Sec, Medicare, Defense & Taxes.