I have picked up stock research as a hobby. On January 25, my father put me in charge of $3000 to invest. As of close on February 14, his $3000 is now worth $3351.02. For now, my advice to the world will be free. Use it at your own risk. My first round of picks for my father could have just been a fluke. I have no formal training. I just have read some books on investing during my spare time as I am working on my MA in History & Culture.
During this time, I discovered I enjoy value investing, so these picks are value stocks. Most of them you will have never heard of; that is the nature of value stocks. One value stock manager that I read about does not even tell his investors what stocks he is buying because it scares them. So take my picks for what you have paid for them (they are absolutely worthless). We will see if time tells otherwise.
I will revisit these stocks next month and maybe add a few and possibly remove a few (although most value stock picks are long-term, some times financial results can sway one's opinion of whether a value stock has turned into a crap stock or the price of the stock can mark that it has matured beyond the point of being a value stock and needs to be sold).
Here is the first round of picks (in complete random order). The price is the price at the close of the market on February 14. I only have "Buys" right now. Next month, I might have "holds" and "sells".
BUY:
Vestin Realty Mortgage II, Inc (VRTB)* 9.25
Avalon Holdings Corp. (AWX ) 5.36
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (VSH) 9.44
Sigmatron International, Inc. (SGMA) 7.32
Owens Corning (OC) 19.32
AirNet Systems Inc. (ANS) 1.75
Universal Security Instruments, Inc. (UUU) 6.03
White River Capital Inc. (RVR) 19.05
Bancinsurance Corp. (BCIS.OB) 5.1
BRT Realty Trust (BRT)* 13.29
Ikon Office Solutions Inc. (IKN) 8.04
I will measure myself against the S&P 500
S&P 500 1348.86
* Dividend paying stock, so there is more money made than just what the stock price reveals.
Only two of these is a stock which I purchased for my father. One I bought initially on January 25. The other I plan on purchasing today. The others stocks that I purchased for my father have moved out of the range in which I would be comfortable buying them.
I do not believe myself to be an expert. This is more of a fun exercise to test my stock picking skills and hold me accountable to checking to see if the picks turn out good.
