Getting Your Portfolio in Better Shape

Stock quotes in this article: ALL , VSH , KOMG , NTE , BRNC , BCS , LAD , SAH  

So what did I do here? I deemed interesting the list of industries titled "Dig Through" found in the green-highlighted area. I ran a screen on them to get a few more names for this current portfolio reshaping. Adding those tickers and eliminating redundant ones led to this final list. (Click "no" for any query boxes that may pop up. The sheet will appear regardless.)

Companies in my portfolio are highlighted in yellow, except for the middle company, Allstate (ALL Quote), which is orange. Why the difference? No company above the middle company can be sold, and no candidate below it can be bought, except in rare circumstances, in which valuation cannot be adequately measured by the ranking model.

Working up from the bottom, I decide what to sell. If I'm not selling something that rates low, I have to have an explanation why I am keeping it.

Check back tomorrow for the second part of this two part column where David Merkel will outline the individual moves he made within the portfolio and the reasons he made them.

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At the time of publication, Merkel and/or his fund was long Vishay Intertechnology, Komag, Nam Tai Electronics, Bronco Drilling, Barclays, Lithia Motors, Sonic Automotive, Dow Chemical, Lyondell Chemical, St. Joe Company, Sappi, SPX Corp, Sara Lee, DTE Energy, Premium Standard Farms, YRC Worldwide, Tsakos Energy Navigation and Allstate, though positions may change at any time.

David J. Merkel, CFA, FSA, is a senior investment analyst at Hovde Capital responsible for analysis and valuation of investment opportunities for the FIP funds, particularly of companies in the insurance industry. Previously, he managed corporate bonds for Dwight Asset Management. Under no circumstances does the information in this column represent a recommendation to buy or sell stocks. While Merkel cannot provide investment advice or recommendations, he appreciates your feedback; click here to send him an email.

Analyst Certification: All of the views expressed in the report accurately reflect the personal views of the research analyst about any and all of the subject securities or issuers. No part of the compensation of the research analyst named herein was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by the research analyst in this report.

Merkel is employed by Hovde Capital Advisors LLC (the "firm"), a registered investment advisor with its principal office located in Washington, D.C. The Firm and/or its affiliates have or may have a long or short position or holding in the securities, options on securities, or other related investments of the issuers mentioned herein.





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