Really Dumb About It

It is funny.  Sometimes one can get handed easy money on a proverbial silver platter and you just do not get it until after the fact.  While I want to try and be a longer term investor, I have no problem making a quick 4 or 5% if it is pretty certain in a short time span.

RDA is case in point. Look at these news headlines:

• Chipmaker RDA Microelectronics gets $15.50/ADS buyout offer
• RDA Microelectronics Announces Engagement of Financial Advisor, Strategic Consultant and Legal Counsel
• Chipmaker RDA Microelectronics gets second buyout offer
• RDA Microelectronics Enters Into Definitive Merger Agreement to be Acquired by Tsinghua Unigroup for US$18.50 Per ADS

Now this is a stock I am following closely and know pretty well.  When they had the first offer AND announced the strategic adviser, that would have been a GREAT time to buy.  They were trading at $15.10 and arguably had limited downside with a $15.50 offer in the wings, and upside given the hiring of the strategic adviser.   Yet I did nothing and missed a 12 to 15% upwards move during the next 45 days.  Whoops.  In hindsight it was so obvious.

Speaking of easy money, I have now missed out on a 10%+ upside move with RIG as they announced they were giving Icahn two board seats (Transocean reaches deal with activist investor Carl Icahn).

But despite my mistakes, my portfolio is just a whisper from all time high.  GTAT and HIMX recall I made HIMX my 6th largest holding last week) both had terrfic days (GTAT was up 8%).  So I was up by about 1% today.