Buy LOW

Buy Low, sell high, right?

I have been allocating most of my time to studying for my upcoming CFA exam. However I haven't neglected this portfolio entirely, it's just that this market has not been impressing me with being a great environment to invest. I will however, buy 300 shares of Lowes today @ $25.72. Their earnings dissapointed, but I think the street did have a good thing in mind when buying up HD and LOW. I believe home improvement spending will outpace consumer discretionary spending, and will take the low price here.

I will update the numbers, earned dividends, etc- soon.

regarding JPM's results...

Too big to fail should also be called "too big to put shareholders' interests first".

Buy ATVI Jun 12 Call

Before these June options expire, Activision Blizzard will release their quarterly results on May 9th. Diablo 3 will be released on May 15th followed by the ground-breaking real money auction house on May 22nd. Activision continues to generate above average results despite the tough nature of the video game industry. But the Blizzard side of the business could possibly be on the cusp of a big shift in investor sentiment, as they are continuing to monetize their products in ways that their competitors cannot.

Buy:

100 ATVI Jun 12 Call @ $.68 ($68.00 per contract)

Cash Spent:

-$6800.00

Current Portfolio:

APOL 1000 shares
ARCC 2500 shares
ATVI 4500 shares
BRK.B 600 shares
COP 600 shares
GE 1500 shares
JNJ 400 shares
PG 200 shares
PSX 150 shares
TAP 800 shares
TWGP 1000 shares
VZ 300 shares
WMT 200 shares
ATVI Jun 12 Call 100 contracts
P May 11 Put -30 contracts

$630,482.00 Cash

Buy TWGP, COP, GE

Tower Group is an insurance company that has a lot of good things going for it. The CEO is the largest shareholder, and management has shown devotion to shareholders in the past in the form of share repurchases. The industry had a tough year in 2011, and forward looking prospects look to be improving. The price seems low, and compared to similar small cap value stocks, I see more of the positives that come with a smaller company and less of the risks, but of course they are there.

I'll also add a bit to some existing positions.

Buy:
1000 TWGP @ $21.62/sh
300 COP @ $54.41/sh
1000 GE @ $19.64/sh

Cash Spent:
-$57,583.00

Received in stock split:
150 PSX

Current Portfolio:

APOL 1000 shares
ARCC 2500 shares
ATVI 4500 shares
BRK.B 600 shares
COP 600 shares
GE 1500 shares
JNJ 400 shares
PG 200 shares
PSX 150 shares
TAP 800 shares
TWGP 1000 shares
VZ 300 shares
WMT 200 shares
P May 11 Put -30 contracts

$637,282.00 Cash

Buy WMT and APOL

Not much time before market close and I want to be honest about my price at the time of my blog posts. Walmart is a cash-making machine, and this drop in share price will hopefully prove to be a good entry point. I'm keeping exposure minimal as there may be troubled waters ahead with this bribery probe. Apollo Group, in my opinion, is making long-term  decisions that best position their brands and future earning potential. I don't believe that investor-funded education will fizzle out as many fear, and I believe this industry leader is well oversold.

Buy:
200sh WMT @ $57.72
600sh APOL @ $34.51

Cost:
-$32,250.00

Buy JNJ

JNJ is a very strong business that has a strong track record of balancing growth and competitiveness with increasing shareholder value. This is a buy that is in line with my goal of getting this fund towards a more balanced allocation, and I still am not seeing anything that leads me to believe that I can't get better prices in the next few months. I have my eye on a few growthier, risk-on ideas, but will only make those types of investments at prices where I feel confident.

Buy:
JNJ 400 shares $63.25/sh

Cash spent: $25,300.00

Current Portfolio:
APOL 400 shares
ARCC 2500 shares
ATVI 4500 shares
BRK.B 600 shares
COP 300 shares
GE 500 shares
JNJ 400 shares
PG 200 shares
TAP 800 shares
VZ 300 shares
P May 11 Put -30 contracts

$727,115.00 Cash

Buys: ARCC, GE, PG, TAP

I'm allocating about 6% of the fund into these securities. Long term I want to have 50-70% invested in stock, but I'm counting on better opportunities further in the future, and will continue to take my time.

ARCC, Ares Corp, is a disciplined private investment firm, that specializes in lending to high yield grade companies. The security currently yields 9%, a majority of the cash flow. This company behaves like a hybrid between a high yield bond fund and a mid sized company. GE and PG are both great companies at good prices. GE gives some, but not too much, exposure to the financial sector and other goods. PG holds very strong competitive advantages and growth looks predictable and dependable. TAP is a solid performer in a steady industry, and I like it at this price.

There is much more behind my stock picks than these brief descriptions, but I'll choose to keep that information private and just give a general explanation of my actions.

Buy:
ARCC 1500 shares $15.90/sh
GE 500 shares $19.04/sh
PG 200 shares $66.62/sh
TAP 300 shares $40.80/sh

Cash spent: $58,934.00

Current Portfolio:
APOL 400 shares
ARCC 2500 shares
ATVI 4500 shares
BRK.B 600 shares
COP 300 shares
GE 500 shares
PG 200 shares
TAP 800 shares
VZ 300 shares
P May 11 Put -30 contracts

$752,415.00 Cash