Top 5 Positions As Of 16 August 2018

To give you some insight into which companies our Optarix US Portfolio is invested in, here are the top 5 positions in terms of value as of 16 Aug 2018:

1. Emerson Electric (EMR): +30.86%
2. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI): +33.24%
3. Atlassian Corp Plc (TEAM): +211.36%
4. Stanley, Black and Decker (SWK): +30.06%
5. Aflac (AFL): +26.23%

Note that there are some caveats. This list represents the status at of 15 August. By the time you read this, the top 5 positions in the Optarix US Portfolio are likely to have changed. Any of the positions may have been increased, reduced or closed, i.e. we may have sold all shares of that position. Equally it is possible that we may have started a new position that has become a top five holding.

The percentage changes shown in this list are the gains in relation to the unit costs at the time of starting the position.

What this list shows you, though, is that at that time we had a mix of three elements in the top five.

Firstly we have VTI which is a passive index fund representing the entire US stock market. We have this position as a remnant from when we started this portfolio. To increase the spread of risk, we decided to just buy the entire market at the beginning. Over time we then added individual stocks for this portfolio.

The second element are three companies that are dividend aristocrats. These are companies who have increased their dividends every year for at least 25 years. SWK, EMR and AFL are dividend aristocrats.

Finally, we have a high-tech value in the top five, TEAM. Atlassian has a very interesting business model and exciting products which we have used in a former live for many years. We started this position shortly after they were listed at the stock exchange. Their share price has been growing very nicely since then. Their products are used by some of the best brands on this planet to manage their software engineering and other projects. We continue to believe they have a bright future. That's why we have this position. It's also worth noting that despite having sold some of our TEAM shares on two occasions to realize some gains and to re-balance the portfolio, they have re-appeared in the top five once again.

Happy investing!

Disclaimer: Please be aware that past results are no predictor for future results. Posts on this blog and elsewhere do not constitute investment advice. You are solely responsible for your investment decisions. Please consult with your financial and/or tax adviser before making any investment decisions.

July 2018 Result: +2.37% Active Return TTM vs S&P 500

After June was a bit disappointing when comparing the Optarix US Portfolio to the S&P 500, July result was much better. While June had a negative active return of -0.47% for the 12 months ending 30 June 2018, the 12 months period ending 31 July 2018 resulted in an active return of +2.37%.

The results in comparison to the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index (SPDAUDP) were also better in July than in June although still not on the same level as in the months December to May. Compared to the SPDAUDP our portfolio produced an active return of +4.20%.

This is certainly welcome news. Obviously there is no guarantee that future performance will be similar or even near to these past results. We can’t promise any results for that matter. All we want to do is sharing our experience by describing how we allocate our funds to different asset classes and positions. If our asset allocation leads to good results, that’s great.

More important, however, is that based our experience, your do your own research, talk to your certified and trusted financial advisor, perhaps to your tax accountant as well and then form your own opinion. It’s important that you also consult other sources. Also, your individual situation plays a very important role when it comes to investing. For example, the scenario is quite different if your save for your retirement which is like 10, 20 or more years away, or if you save for buying property or a car in a couple of years’ time.

Happy investing!