Best Picks 2012 List
Here is my 'Best Picks 2012 List' which I managed actively in this model portfolio. I have tried to keep the number of holdings around 30 as per the rules of portfolio management to effectively diversify the portfolio. I do not remove a company unless it has failed to perform by consistent earnings growth or both earnings and dividend growth as the case may be or the theme (reason or purpose) because of which the company was chosen is not working. I have hold all these names in the model portfolio 'Best Picks List 2012' through all of 2012. I have added few names throughout the year depending on those companies and when I felt was a good time to get into those names.
Looking back into 2012 and thinking about those summer days during May when some market 'pundits' were advising to go fully into cash by selling all holdings into those vicious selling cycle, one would notice that was really the down or trough valuation of the index (S&P 500) for the year and the best time for buying quality names which is my advice always. That was the second chance to go long names if somebody was not long the market on 01/01/2012.
Note that the returns below do not include any transaction costs, effect of taxes, returns from dividend or follow-up addition of the same name into the portfolio (at a less or higher price).
Screenshots from the software which I use to track my holdings, sorted by %Gain:
