February 2011 Trading

February was a pretty mediocre month.  I was able to maintain the streak of months where realized gains improved over the previous year.  February is the 6th straight month.  Also holding period was reduced by the quick turnover of a couple of "premium" holdings.  And I hover around 50% invested as I had another small CD called.

I'm in the red for unrealized positions, but a couple of holdings are near their sales price, so February should be a good month for realized gains too.  Alas, I'm not so sure that my percent invested will improve unless there is a significant correction.

Sales this month:

• Kellogg Company - 6% gain, held for a couple of dividend cycles.
• Universal Corporation - 6% gain, "premium" stock held for less than 30 days.
• Lorillard, Inc - 5% gain, "premium" stock held for less than 30 days.

Current holdings and unrealized gains/losses are as follows.

• Exelon Corporation - Down 4.2% (-2.5% in Jan, -4.5% in Dec, -9.7% in Nov, -9.3% in Oct, -5.4% in Sept, -9.6% in Aug, -7.1 in July and -15.7 in June).
• FirstEnergy Corp. - Up 3.8% (+6.0 in Jan, +0.3% in Dec, -4.8% in Nov, -2.7% in Oct, +1.8% in Sept, -3.5% in Aug, -0.4 in July and -6.9 in June).  Looks like I missed a great selling opportunity in January, because it did not reach the same prices in February.
• TeleCommunications Systems, Inc. - Down 4.0% (-8.0 in Jan, +5.0% in Dec, +4.1% in Nov, +21.9% in Oct, -12.1% in Sept, -30.7% in Aug, -26.4 in July and -31.5 in June).
• National Grid plc (ADR) - Up 7.2% (+3.3 in Jan, -0.5% in Dec, -1.4% in Nov, +6.4% in Oct, -4.2% in Sept, -5.5% in Aug, -9.0 in July and -17.4 in June). Has maintained a good price throughout February.  Have given serious consideration to selling, but have not yet.
• Colgate Palmolive Company - Up 1.8% (-1.9% in Jan)
• Life Partners Holding, Inc - Down 23.9% (-9.9% in Jan) - Seems to have found bottom of about $7.50 during February.  I've doubled up twice after my initial purchase but have fought the urge to throw more money in until some modest stability is demonstrated.  We may now be at this point.
• General Mills, Inc - Up 4.0% (-2.6% in Jan)
• Abbott Laboratories - Up 4.8% (-1.6% in Jan) - Missed opportunity to sell at 7% profit at end of month.  Hopefully the same opportunity will occur in early March.
• Intel Corporation - Up 0.2% - Only net new purchase of the month

The following dividends were collected:

• Colgate Palmolive Company
• Life Partners Holding, Inc - small dividend.  Only for the first small batch of shares purchased.