In August 2009, Kiplinger published an article looking at a successful market timer and contrasting it with a buy and hold strategy. Below are some key bullets from the article:
- Bob Parrish lost 70% of his retirement savings based on advice from a financial adviser
- Parrish fired his financial adviser and decided to try timing the market
- Parrish did quite well; his portfolio has gained an annualized 23%
- Market timing is a tough strategy and few do it well. Parrish admits, "I'm savvy enough to recognize I've been very fortunate and that it's not going to last."
- Mark Matson, a Cincinnati money manager, likens a market-timing strategy "playing Russian roulette"
- Successful market timing requires three key ingredients: a reliable signal, the ability to interpret the signal correctly and the discipline to act on it.
- Once you get into market timing, it changes from an investing game to an emotional game
- The Hulbert Financial Digest has tracked the performance of investing newsletters for almost 30 years. It identified only about two dozen portfolios that have beaten the market over the past 15 years.
Buy And Hold Dividend Stocks
Personally, I prefer an investing strategy that requires less daily attention. As a long-term, value-based, dividend income investor, daily market gyrations are just irrelevant noise in the system. Below are five dividend stocks you can buy, hold and sleep at night:Chevron Corporation (CVX) is a global integrated oil company (formerly ChevronTexaco) with interests in exploration, production, refining and marketing, and petrochemicals. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1912 and has increased its dividend payments for 25 consecutive years. I have held the stock since December 2008. Yield: 3.3%
Genuine Parts Co. (GPC) is a leading wholesale distributor of automotive replacement parts, industrial parts and supplies, and office products. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1948 and has increased its dividend payments for 56 consecutive years. I have held the stock since May 2009. Yield: 3.2%
McDonald's Corporation (MCD) is the largest fast-food restaurant company in the world, with about 33,700 restaurants in 119 countries. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1976 and has increased its dividend payments for 36 consecutive years. I have held the stock since December 2007. Yield: 3.5%
PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) is a major international producer of branded beverage and snack food products. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1952 and has increased its dividend payments for 40 consecutive years. I have held the stock since June 2008. Yield: 3.1%
The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is a leading consumer products company that markets household and personal care products in more than 180 countries. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1891 and has increased its dividend payments for 55 consecutive years. I have held the stock since July 2008. Yield: 3.2%
Ultimately, each investor must define what works best for him or her, and have the conviction to stick with it during the good times and the bad. Often the good times are preceded with some very dark days, and if you quit too soon you might just the good time.
Full Disclosure: Long GPC, CVX, MCD, PEP, PG in my Dividend Growth Portfolio. See a list of all my dividend growth holdings here.
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Tags: [GPC] [CVX] [MCD] [PEP] [PG]
