2018 YTD investment performance thread

[copyright1997reloaded]

Are you saying it is not yet soaking wet?

My son-in-law told me that he read on reddit that a young guy withdrew his IRA worth $100K to put it all on bitcoin. The guy said that the market only went up 20% last year and he wanted more.

Go big or go home I guess.
I'd rather go home (and keep my home).

I for one am relieved to see the market down today.

I wonder what the reaction would be if we had an old school, no big deal, down 5% day. Imagine the news headlines with Dow Jones down 1300 points.

 

[NW-Bound]

YTD: 5.79%. It was close to 8% last Friday, before the big drop.

Stock AA is now 63% compared to 70% at beginning of year. Many covered call options hit, actually got deep in the money, and made the other party very happy for buying my shares below current market values. But I was also OK, for squeezing a bit more money out of the shares instead of selling outright.

What has been doing well: semiconductors, biotech, EM, mining, and industrial stocks.

 

[pb4uski]

Help me understand how you get your YTD percent. If I use this calculator and enter 1 month I see a large percentage for YTD.
Investment Return Calculator: Measure your Portfolio's Performance

So the proper way would be enter 12 month's right?

Right, enter 12 months

 

[pb4uski]

3.51% YTD 60/35/5 AA

I'm quite happy with that one month result.

 

[robnplunder]

Up 2.05%. Good January means good year for the stock

 

[Hermit]

... I don't believe in market timing but I'm selling about 4% of my portfolio to pay off the car and kitchen remodel. The market just feels too high.

Err... There maybe a bit of difference between your walk and your talk...

 

[CardsFan]

Err... There maybe a bit of difference between your walk and your talk...

But isn't re-balancing a form of market timing?

 

[RobbieB]

Yup. If you just left off the market feels too high part.

 

[Brat]

DD just sold some of her interest in a privately held company (a very small interest in the company itself), paid for her home update.

 

[Turboslacker]

But isn't re-balancing a form of market timing?

Yep and it's just another investing 'scheme' like any other. Of course, results will vary[emoji13]

 

[Turboslacker]

Up 19.8% YTD. Simply astounding.

Big milestone achieved today! I just hit my retirement fund $ target that I formulated a few years ago, to sustain a reasonable non-frugal lifestyle. Achieved it 5-1/2 earlier than expected. Potential to have an even more comfortable lifestyle in retirement. Time will tell. Enjoying and giving thanks every single day.

Incredible.

 

[DEC-1982]

But isn't re-balancing a form of market timing?

Yep and it's just another investing 'scheme' like any other. Of course, results will vary[emoji13]

I think it's one of those grey areas.

Re-balancing at the beginning (or end) of the year is not considered market timing. At least I think so but others may disagree.

EDIT: At least I think it's not market timing but others may disagree.

 

[Bigdawg]

Up 19.8% YTD. Simply astounding.

19.8% YTD or last 12 months? If that is your return for just January of 2018 then you are DA MAN!

 

[Perryinva]

Go big or go home I guess.
I'd rather go home (and keep my home).

I for one am relieved to see the market down today.

I wonder what the reaction would be if we had an old school, no big deal, down 5% day. Imagine the news headlines with Dow Jones down 1300 points.

That’s what I was wondering. Wouldn’t you think a 2600 point 10% correction would cause near panic in the streets?! But that would only bring us back to something like, what , November levels when we were still crowing about the market returns. A conundrum.

I was around 2-3% of portfolio increase after the drop. An awesome January. Or was it TOO awesome ?

 

[LOL!]

YTD (January 31, 2018) returns for a collection of 'close-to' 60/40 funds (from Morningstar.com):

2.87% VSMGX Vg LifeStrategy Moderate Growth (60/40)
2.52% VTWNX Vg Target Retirement 2020 (55/45)
2.74% VBIAX Vg Balanced Index (60/40), no foreign
2.60% DGSIX DFA Global 60/40 I, small-cap & value tilted
2.88% VWENX Vg Wellington (66/34)
3.03% VTTVX Vg Target Retirement 2025 (63/37)
3.54% VGSTX Vg STAR (63/37)

 

[mrfeh]

YTD (January 31, 2018) returns for a collection of 'close-to' 60/40 funds (from Morningstar.com):

2.87% VSMGX Vg LifeStrategy Moderate Growth (60/40)
2.52% VTWNX Vg Target Retirement 2020 (55/45)
2.74% VBIAX Vg Balanced Index (60/40), no foreign
2.60% DGSIX DFA Global 60/40 I, small-cap & value tilted
2.88% VWENX Vg Wellington (66/34)
3.03% VTTVX Vg Target Retirement 2025 (63/37)
3.54% VGSTX Vg STAR (63/37)

Our target AA is 60/40, but currently 63/37.

January return was 3.1%. Boglehead portfolio.

 

[NW-Bound]

19.8% YTD or last 12 months? If that is your return for just January of 2018 then you are DA MAN!

I remember that Turboslacker mentioned in earlier posts that he was concentrated on one stock: Boeing. And indeed Boeing price gain was exceptional last year, and also YTD.

With a single-position portfolio, yes, it can happen. My brother-in-law did the same thing back in the late 90s. He tripled or quadrupled his 401k over a couple of years.

 

[kgtest]

+5% ytd, AAPL and VHT drug me down a bit along with my VBK and small caps.

Compared to my benchmark performance last year I'm about 25% behind But at +5% and only 8% into our total trading day's for 2018, I can't complain.

 

[CardsFan]

Finished the month at "only" 3.2%. AA: 56/36/8

 

[Happyras]

Jan 31
YTD 3.2%, however for the risk level its not what it should be.

75% Equities Funds (50% US/20% Foriegn/5% Reits)
21% Bonds (in balanced funds) (16% US/5% Foreign)
4% Cash
Source -Personal Capital
Their program suggest a higher allocation to Alternatives would improve risk. I think reducing the bond duration may do more.

Last year ended 80% of the S&P, This year tracking <60%
Not sure what is worse, the bond negative returns or the Value stocks under performing, but I think the underlying allocation to Healthcare was a big finishing drag down this week.

 

[Happyras]

Since a major portion of my allocation is in Wellington and Wellington Global this post above makes sense.
2.88% VWENX Vg Wellington (66/34)

Wellington is value and 5.6 yr duration high quality bonds and pulled down the returns of my other equity funds.

 

[pb4uski]

3.51% YTD 60/35/5 AA

I'm quite happy with that one month result.

YTD (January 31, 2018) returns for a collection of 'close-to' 60/40 funds (from Morningstar.com):

2.87% VSMGX Vg LifeStrategy Moderate Growth (60/40)
2.52% VTWNX Vg Target Retirement 2020 (55/45)
2.74% VBIAX Vg Balanced Index (60/40), no foreign
2.60% DGSIX DFA Global 60/40 I, small-cap & value tilted
2.88% VWENX Vg Wellington (66/34)
3.03% VTTVX Vg Target Retirement 2025 (63/37)
3.54% VGSTX Vg STAR (63/37)

Even happier now! but one month does not a whole year make.

 

[jollystomper]

Stock and bond investments up 6.73% for the month of January. Incredible.

Throw in a work cash bonus that after taxes was equal to 4% of my cash on hand... and it was a very, very good month. But not setting these expectations for the future, just enjoying the moment.

 

[Huston55]

FWIW, Fido analyst says secular bull likely to continue into 2019.

https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/stock-market-analysis-for-bullish-markets?ccsource=email_weekly

 

[Ed B]

70% Equities
30% Stable Value

YTD as of Jan 31 is 4.41%