Catching Up September 2013

I've had an active trading history for the past year or so, and I've utterly failed to keep my loyal readership - assuming I have a loyal readership - informed.  Here's a quick and dirty summary of my trading activity since my last updates in October and November of 2012.

5 November 2012:  Sold 200 shares of Sigma Designs (SIGM) at 5.96 each.  This was a loss.  I had purchased them at $8 each.  Over the past year the decision to take a 25%+ loss in order to avoid a larger loss has been justified, until recently.  At the beginning of September 2013 the stock was trading below $5 a share.  It's been an active couple weeks, though, and the stock has recently topped $6.50 in intraday trading.  No regrets, though.  Moving on.

7 November 2012:  Purchased 120 additional shares of TICC Capital Corp. (TICC) at $9.90 each.  I have a good history with this stock.  It pays amazing dividends.  Dividend reinvestment buys me more shares each quarter than the quarter before.  As of this writing I own 376.239 shares.

13 February 2013:  Sold 188.553 shares of ABB Ltd (ABB) at $21.55 each.   I'd purchased the shares in question at an average of roughly $16.75 each.  They've gone up above $23 in the time since I've sold.  This doesn't surprise me.  The stock pays a decent dividend.  That said, the dividend is annual, and usually paid in April.  I expected the stock to decline in value after the dividend was paid, but so far this year it has remained high.  It's tenacity at the $23 level has surprised me.

21 February 2013:  Purchased 140 additional shares of Corning Incorporated (GLW) at $12.50 each.  This was me doubling down.  I purchased 140 shares in July of 2012 for $12.24 each.  With dividend reinvestment I now own 285.662 shares.

21 February 2013 again:  Purchased 190 shares of Logitech International (LOGI) at $6.79 each.  Logitech makes computer accessories.  They've been hard-hit by the fact that people have basically stopped buying PC's.  That said, Logitech also makes accessories for smartphones, tablets, etc.  It has  had a couple of bad quarters, but I think it's on the way up again.

15 March 2013:  Sold 1,749.486 shares of MIND CTI Ltd (MNDO) at $2.15 each.  I had hoped to sell for more.  I've written many, many posts about my "cunning plan" for this stock.  Go back and find them if you're interested in how it was all supposed to work.  At the end of the day it worked well enough.  I paid an average of roughly $1.70 per share.  I sold for $2.15, so that's a 26% profit.  I'm calling it a win.

15 March 2013 again:  Purchased 280 more shares of Logitech International (LOGI) at $6.81 each.

15 March 2013 yet again:  Purchased 100 shares of 3D Systems Corporation (DDD) at $29.93 each.  This is the third time in two years that I've purchased shares of this stock.

26 April 2013:  Sold 3,000 shares of BAB, Inc (BABB) at $0.66 each.   This one I regret a bit.  I purchased my shares over a year ago at $0.50 each.  It pays a dividend of at least $0.04 per share each year.  Last year it paid $0.08 per share, actually.  At my original purchase price of $0.50 then that's a 16% dividend for that year alone.  At $0.66 I sold for a 32% profit, which is nice.  That said, the stock went to $0.95 recently, so I find I'm questioning my decision.  Here's my concern, though:  The great dividend last year was because of changes to the tax code.  I suspect this year's dividend will not be as good, but I won't know until December of 2013.  I decided to sell in April to avoid a downturn that, so far, has failed to materialize.

26 April 2013 again:  Purchased 985 shares of USA Technologies (USAT) at $2.02 each.  I'm long on this stock.  Lately it's been below my purchase price, though.

13 May 2013:  Sold 100 shares of 3D Systems Corporation (DDD) at $46 each.  I had just purchased them in March (see above).  That's a 50+% profit for a 2-month investment.  Not bad.  This is the third time in two years that I've sold this stock at a profit.

14 May 2013:  Purchased 1,015 additional shares of USA Technologies (USAT) at $2.02 each.  I now own 2,000 shares.

24 May 2013:  Purchased 100 shares of Facebook (FB) at $24.85 each.  I had decided that Facebook was about to break out, finally.

25 July 2013:  Sold 100 shares of Facebook (FB) at $33.40 each.  Evidently I could have held out for $45 per share, but I did not know that at the time.  I'm not unhappy, though.

26 July 2013:  Purchased 190 shares of Cirrus Logic (CRUS) at $17.66 each.  This stock had just taken a dive that appeared to me to be a bit of an over-correction.  Thus far I've been vindicated.  It seems to be staying above $22 for now.

That's all for now.  I'll do another annual update in September of 2014.  I may or not update this blog again in the intervening year.