As dividend stocks go, Prudential and Legal and General both have mixed track records. On the one hand, they operate in a sector which is relatively immune to the economic cycle (people don’t typically cancel their life insurance just because … [Read more...] about Prudential or Legal and General: Which is the best dividend growth stock?
Selling Braemar Shipping Services: Important lessons from a volatile investment
Braemar Shipping Services PLC joined my model portfolio way back in early 2011, just a couple of months after the portfolio’s inception. Although substantially different in detail, my investment strategy in 2011 was based on the same basic … [Read more...] about Selling Braemar Shipping Services: Important lessons from a volatile investment
39 Lessons from my 3 favourite investment books
Over the years I’ve read a lot of books about investing and value investing in particular. Out of all those books, only a handful had a major impact on how I invest. In fact, that handful of investment books has probably helped me to generated … [Read more...] about 39 Lessons from my 3 favourite investment books
Important lessons from the collapse of Carillion’s share price
The recent collapse in the share price of Carillion took many investors by surprise, but should it have? I don't think so. Yes, on the surface things looked fine. Carillion was a highly successful company, with a very long track record of … [Read more...] about Important lessons from the collapse of Carillion’s share price
FTSE 100 valuation and forecast to mid-2018
We’re halfway through the year so that can only mean one thing: It’s time to re-calculate fair value for the FTSE 100 and dip a toe into the mystic world of stock market forecasts. FTSE 100 valuation: Almost at fair value After an incredibly long … [Read more...] about FTSE 100 valuation and forecast to mid-2018
Defensive value portfolio update: 2017 Q2
This is just a quick update on recent events in the UK Value Investor model portfolio, including buys, sells and performance relative to a FTSE All-Share tracker. Before I get into the nitty-gritty, here’s a recap on the model portfolio’s … [Read more...] about Defensive value portfolio update: 2017 Q2
Was Woodford right to sell Glaxo?
Neil Woodford strides across the equity income landscape like a colossus, gazing down upon his competitors as they scurry about like ants in the dust. Okay, perhaps that's taking it a bit too far, but Neil Woodford is without doubt the UK's best … [Read more...] about Was Woodford right to sell Glaxo?
Why I’ve finally decided to sell Morrisons
Like banks, supermarkets were once seen as super-defensive investments, capable of delivering steady growth regardless of the economic environment. That was still the mainstream viewpoint when Morrisons joined my model portfolio in 2013, and even … [Read more...] about Why I’ve finally decided to sell Morrisons
How to Pick Quality Shares: A book review
Phil Oakley’s new book, How to Pick Quality Shares, details a three-step process for selecting profitable stocks. It’s the kind of investment book I like because it’s mostly focused on numbers and ratios, and it approaches the topic of investing … [Read more...] about How to Pick Quality Shares: A book review
Who is the heavyweight dividend champion?
One argument against investing in mega-cap dividend stocks is that elephants don’t gallop, and it's true; they don’t. However, as a dividend-focused investor I’m not necessarily looking for companies that can grow at ten or twenty percent each … [Read more...] about Who is the heavyweight dividend champion?