Looking Up?

My portfolio continues to move along. I have now passed up the Russell 3000 (though it isn't far in the rear view mirror.

Can Acn do it?

Looks like the newest stock in my mechanical portfolio is Accenture, ACN. This is a 17b company, certainly one of the largest in my mechanical portfolio (which regular readers will recall takes stocks new to the 30 over 50m screen in the past year). ACN just continues to make wads of money, but has dropped to under $28. I actually made some money on ACN a year or so ago, sold around $36. Obviously they are a leading consulting firm, actually with acquisition of EDS by HP, they are a dying breed in being independent from major hardware.

The catalyst for them entering the screen was lowering their guidance to $2.60 to 2.67 from $2.78 to $2.85. Doesn't seem like much, but it took them from about $32 to $28 in past two weeks during a nice rally. Here is my calc of their ratios, note consultants often have high ROIC as it is not a capital intensive business:

		acn
+	Operating Income After Depreciation	3,138.20
-	Minority Interest - Income Account	458.26
=	Income for Calculation	2,679.94
	Market Cap Yahoo	16,990,000
	Share Price	27.71
+	Market Cap Calc	16,990.00
+	Preferred Capital	-
+	Debt in Current Liabilities	1.02
+	Long-Term Debt	0.53
	Cash and Short-Term Investments	2,991.45
-	Excess Cash	2,362.92
=	Enterprise Value	14,628.64
+	Property Plant and Equipment - Net	708.64
+	Receivables	3,626.06
+	Inventories	-
+	Other Current Assests	909.44
+	Working Cash	628.54
-	Accounts Payable	716.47
-	Current Liabilities - Other	4,447.57
=	Invested Capital	708.64
	Earnings Yield	18%
	ROIC	378%

Naturally the $2.3b of excess cash catches my eye. They also had a 7% drop is YoY revenues. I like ACN and will certainly put on a close watch. I think if they drop a bit more (I think the market is getting toppy) I may be back in... perhaps a target buy price around $25.

As Promised?

My mechanical portfolio is really starting to pick up steam. It is now smoking the S&P 500 by over 16 points and the open stocks are up (you are reading that correctly) by over 9% while the benchmark is down by 10%. Again a stock is added when it is new to the top 30 screen over 50m in the past year. The most recent addition (PRO) is up about 25%.

Symbol	Date	Original	Current	Dividend	S&P O	S&P D	Stock Chg	S&P Chg	Diff
DTPI	2/2/08	4.75	2.60	0.35	139.58	2.72	-37.9%	-38.7%	0.8%
AIRV	2/13/08	5.08	5.57	-	136.37	2.72	9.6%	-37.3%	47.0%
CITP	2/16/08	9.98	2.21	-	135.14	2.72	-77.9%	-36.7%	-41.1%
PRXI	2/16/08	4.29	1.00	-	135.14	2.72	-76.7%	-36.7%	-39.9%
CAST	2/23/08	5.06	2.83	-	135.62	2.72	-44.1%	-40.9%	-3.2%
GSB	3/12/08	2.08	0.52	-	131.36	2.72	-75.0%	-45.5%	-29.5%
IGC	3/12/08	3.70	0.44	-	131.36	2.72	-88.1%	-45.5%	-42.6%
LGTY	3/12/08	6.70	4.78	0.09	131.36	2.72	-27.3%	-45.5%	18.1%
MRX	3/12/08	19.45	10.26	0.12	131.36	2.08	-46.6%	-46.0%	-0.7%
DEPO	3/22/08	2.74	2.26	-	132.08	2.08	-17.5%	-40.4%	22.8%
NVTL	3/22/08	8.98	5.95	-	132.08	2.08	-33.7%	-40.4%	6.6%
VRGY	3/22/08	17.42	6.92	-	132.08	2.08	-60.3%	-40.4%	-19.9%
DLX	4/6/08	19.58	11.23	1.00	136.89	2.08	-37.5%	-36.9%	-0.6%
NTRI	4/6/08	14.94	14.84	0.70	136.89	2.08	4.0%	-36.9%	40.9%
IUSA	4/6/08	5.28	4.78	-	136.89	2.08	-9.5%	-36.9%	27.5%
LRCX	4/11/08	41.08	25.56	-	133.38	2.08	-37.8%	-34.1%	-3.7%
SLXP	4/11/08	6.47	10.99	-	133.38	2.08	69.9%	-34.1%	104.0%
CHRD	4/19/08	5.03	3.76	-	138.48	2.08	-25.2%	-36.5%	11.3%
QXM	4/26/08	6.26	2.58	-	139.60	2.08	-58.8%	-37.0%	-21.7%
MDP	5/9/08	33.79	19.99	0.65	138.90	2.08	-38.9%	-36.7%	-2.2%
OMPI	5/9/08	7.11	5.67	-	138.90	2.08	-20.3%	-36.7%	16.5%
PPD	5/9/08	43.45	31.68	-	138.90	2.08	-27.1%	-36.7%	9.6%
ELNK	5/25/08	9.21	7.35	-	137.64	2.08	-20.2%	-36.1%	16.0%
FTAR.ob	5/25/08	4.37	2.68	1.00	137.64	2.08	-15.8%	-36.1%	20.4%
CHKE	5/31/08	27.25	17.54	1.00	140.35	2.08	-32.0%	-37.4%	5.4%
APKT	7/5/08	4.62	7.09	-	126.31	1.41	53.5%	-30.9%	84.4%
CSKI	7/5/08	11.06	12.00	-	126.31	1.41	8.5%	-30.9%	39.4%
VALU	7/5/08	32.00	32.48	1.20	126.31	1.41	5.3%	-30.9%	36.2%
QCOR	7/26/08	4.84	5.42	-	125.48	1.41	12.0%	-30.5%	42.5%
MSTR	8/1/08	60.56	38.67	-	126.16	1.41	-36.1%	-30.9%	-5.3%
NVDA	8/8/08	11.00	12.04	-	129.37	1.41	9.5%	-32.6%	42.0%
SWIR	8/8/08	12.41	4.75	-	129.37	1.41	-61.7%	-32.6%	-29.1%
CF	8/8/08	134.65	73.03	0.10	129.37	1.41	-45.7%	-32.6%	-13.1%
SIGM	8/8/08	15.93	13.15	-	129.37	1.41	-17.5%	-32.6%	15.1%
EGMI.OB	9/5/08	0.69	0.67	-	124.42	1.41	-2.9%	-29.9%	27.0%
KHD	9/15/08	20.68	7.44	-	126.09	1.41	-64.0%	-30.8%	-33.2%
TTWO	9/22/08	16.57	8.40	-	124.12	1.41	-49.3%	-29.7%	-19.6%
SCMP	9/29/08	8.29	7.76	-	120.85	0.72	-6.4%	-28.4%	22.0%
DTLK	9/29/08	4.34	3.08	-	120.85	0.72	-29.0%	-28.4%	-0.6%
TRA	9/29/08	28.42	27.40	0.10	120.85	0.72	-3.2%	-28.4%	25.2%
MSB	10/10/08	10.12	7.50	0.52	88.50	0.72	-20.8%	-2.2%	-18.6%
UEPS	10/10/08	14.58	16.70	-	88.50	0.72	14.5%	-2.2%	16.8%
TSCM	10/17/08	3.67	2.04	0.03	93.21	0.72	-43.7%	-7.2%	-36.6%
EME	10/31/08	17.77	18.99	-	96.83	0.72	6.9%	-10.6%	17.5%
CTCM	10/31/08	7.40	6.91	-	96.83	0.72	-6.6%	-10.6%	4.0%
PRGX	10/31/08	4.24	3.72	-	96.83	0.72	-12.3%	-10.6%	-1.6%
HLF	11/7/08	20.17	17.64	0.40	93.86	0.72	-10.6%	-7.8%	-2.7%
GHM	11/7/08	13.60	12.22	0.02	93.86	0.72	-10.0%	-7.8%	-2.2%
BIDZ	11/21/08	2.39	4.02	-	79.52	0.72	68.2%	8.8%	59.4%
KBR	11/21/08	10.45	15.13	0.10	79.52	0.72	45.7%	8.8%	36.9%
OPTV	11/21/08	0.94	1.65	-	79.52	0.72	75.5%	8.8%	66.7%
IBAS	11/21/08	1.21	0.81	-	79.52	0.72	-33.1%	8.8%	-41.9%
Vclk	11/28/08	6.17	10.07	-	90.09	0.72	63.2%	-4.0%	67.2%
DIVX	12/8/08	4.37	5.69	-	87.93	0.72	30.2%	-1.6%	31.8%
MAXY	12/8/08	5.80	7.02	-	87.93	0.72	21.0%	-1.6%	22.6%
ESIC	12/14/08	1.13	2.00	-	88.99	0.72	77.0%	-2.8%	79.8%
MSO	12/29/08	2.80	3.86	-	87.16	-	37.9%	-1.5%	39.4%
TRMS	12/29/08	1.03	2.01	-	87.16	-	95.1%	-1.5%	96.7%
WFR	12/29/08	13.43	18.94	-	87.16	-	41.0%	-1.5%	42.6%
AHCI	1/5/09	1.15	1.30	-	92.96	-	13.0%	-7.7%	20.7%
CKSW	1/5/09	1.99	4.25	-	92.96	-	113.5%	-7.7%	121.2%
COH	2/16/09	13.97	18.86	-	82.76	-	35.0%	3.7%	31.3%
DELL	2/23/09	8.41	10.76	-	77.42	-	27.9%	10.8%	17.1%
SOLR	2/23/09	4.22	6.97	-	77.42	-	65.2%	10.8%	54.3%
DECK	3/2/09	41.27	64.48	-	73.93	-	56.2%	16.1%	40.2%
FWLT	3/2/09	15.04	20.68	-	73.93	-	37.5%	16.1%	21.4%
HCKT	3/2/09	2.56	2.55	-	73.93	-	-0.4%	16.1%	-16.5%
MWW	3/2/09	6.59	10.51	-	73.93	-	59.5%	16.1%	43.4%
PTIE	3/2/09	4.53	4.07	-	73.93	-	-10.2%	16.1%	-26.2%
TRLG	3/2/09	10.22	13.08	-	73.93	-	28.0%	16.1%	11.9%
qlti	3/9/09	1.41	2.06	-	68.92	-	46.1%	24.5%	21.6%
exbd	3/9/09	12.96	14.26	0.44	68.92	-	13.4%	24.5%	-11.1%
FIX	3/16/09	9.73	11.03		76.09	-	13.4%	12.8%	0.6%
DBTK	3/16/09	6.65	7.82	-	76.09	-	17.6%	12.8%	4.8%
LOOP	3/16/09	5.77	7.99	-	76.09	-	38.5%	12.8%	25.7%
Pro	3/27/09	4.29	5.40	-	81.31	-	25.9%	5.5%	20.3%
						Totals	-0.4%	-16.7%	16.2%
70.4% of stocks beat the S&P 500 Benchmark						Closed	-34.5%	-39.6%	5.1%
S&P C			85.81			Open	9.4%	-10.0%	19.4%

My personal portfolio is now ahead of yhe benchmark Russell 3000... it was a long, long journey. Unfortunately, I still have a long way to go to get to breakeven, despite being up about 68% since the end of November (remember, if you are down 50%, you have to go up 100% to be at breakeven).

Great day for financial stocks. I bought FAS two weeks ago at $5.20 and it closed today at $8.70. We'll see if any new stocks get added over the long weekend. Have a good one.

Stone Throw Away from Breakeven

My Mechanical portfolio really shot up in the past week. It is now a mere 3.5% away from break-even and is beating the S&P 500 by over 14%. The stocks picked since 11/21 are up 35% including 2 up over 100% (CKSW and BIDZ). As a reminder my portfolio is simply new stocks to the top 30 screen over 50m in the past 12 months (I personally bought DELL, AHCI, SOLR, DBTK and CKSW). No new stocks were added this weekend. PRO, which was added last weekend was up 11%.

Symbol	Date	Original	Current	Dividend	S&P O	S&P D	Stock Chg	S&P Chg	Diff
DTPI	2/2/08	4.75	2.60	0.35	139.58	2.72	-37.9%	-38.7%	0.8%
AIRV	2/13/08	5.08	5.57	-	136.37	2.72	9.6%	-37.3%	47.0%
CITP	2/16/08	9.98	2.21	-	135.14	2.72	-77.9%	-36.7%	-41.1%
PRXI	2/16/08	4.29	1.00	-	135.14	2.72	-76.7%	-36.7%	-39.9%
CAST	2/23/08	5.06	2.83	-	135.62	2.72	-44.1%	-40.9%	-3.2%
GSB	3/12/08	2.08	0.52	-	131.36	2.72	-75.0%	-45.5%	-29.5%
IGC	3/12/08	3.70	0.44	-	131.36	2.72	-88.1%	-45.5%	-42.6%
LGTY	3/12/08	6.70	4.78	0.09	131.36	2.72	-27.3%	-45.5%	18.1%
MRX	3/12/08	19.45	10.26	0.12	131.36	2.08	-46.6%	-46.0%	-0.7%
DEPO	3/22/08	2.74	2.26	-	132.08	2.08	-17.5%	-40.4%	22.8%
NVTL	3/22/08	8.98	5.95	-	132.08	2.08	-33.7%	-40.4%	6.6%
VRGY	3/22/08	17.42	6.92	-	132.08	2.08	-60.3%	-40.4%	-19.9%
DLX	4/6/08	19.58	11.23	1.00	136.89	2.08	-37.5%	-36.9%	-0.6%
NTRI	4/6/08	14.94	14.84	0.70	136.89	2.08	4.0%	-36.9%	40.9%
IUSA	4/6/08	5.28	4.78	-	136.89	2.08	-9.5%	-36.9%	27.5%
LRCX	4/11/08	41.08	25.65	-	133.38	2.08	-37.6%	-35.3%	-2.3%
SLXP	4/11/08	6.47	10.20	-	133.38	2.08	57.7%	-35.3%	92.9%
CHRD	4/19/08	5.03	3.49	-	138.48	2.08	-30.6%	-37.7%	7.0%
QXM	4/26/08	6.26	2.11	-	139.60	2.08	-66.3%	-38.2%	-28.1%
MDP	5/9/08	33.79	19.42	0.65	138.90	2.08	-40.6%	-37.8%	-2.8%
OMPI	5/9/08	7.11	5.86	-	138.90	2.08	-17.6%	-37.8%	20.3%
PPD	5/9/08	43.45	28.80	-	138.90	2.08	-33.7%	-37.8%	4.1%
ELNK	5/25/08	9.21	6.97	-	137.64	2.08	-24.3%	-37.3%	13.0%
FTAR.ob	5/25/08	4.37	2.75	1.00	137.64	2.08	-14.2%	-37.3%	23.1%
CHKE	5/31/08	27.25	17.25	1.00	140.35	2.08	-33.0%	-38.5%	5.5%
APKT	7/5/08	4.62	6.65	-	126.31	1.41	43.9%	-32.2%	76.1%
CSKI	7/5/08	11.06	11.23	-	126.31	1.41	1.5%	-32.2%	33.7%
VALU	7/5/08	32.00	30.27	1.20	126.31	1.41	-1.7%	-32.2%	30.5%
QCOR	7/26/08	4.84	5.26	-	125.48	1.41	8.7%	-31.7%	40.4%
MSTR	8/1/08	60.56	38.13	-	126.16	1.41	-37.0%	-32.1%	-4.9%
NVDA	8/8/08	11.00	11.32	-	129.37	1.41	2.9%	-33.8%	36.7%
SWIR	8/8/08	12.41	4.34	-	129.37	1.41	-65.0%	-33.8%	-31.2%
CF	8/8/08	134.65	74.54	0.10	129.37	1.41	-44.6%	-33.8%	-10.8%
SIGM	8/8/08	15.93	13.45	-	129.37	1.41	-15.6%	-33.8%	18.2%
EGMI.OB	9/5/08	0.69	0.69	-	124.42	1.41	0.0%	-31.1%	31.1%
KHD	9/15/08	20.68	7.89	-	126.09	1.41	-61.8%	-32.1%	-29.8%
TTWO	9/22/08	16.57	8.30	-	124.12	1.41	-49.9%	-31.0%	-18.9%
SCMP	9/29/08	8.29	6.75	-	120.85	0.72	-18.6%	-29.7%	11.1%
DTLK	9/29/08	4.34	2.97	-	120.85	0.72	-31.6%	-29.7%	-1.9%
TRA	9/29/08	28.42	28.00	0.10	120.85	0.72	-1.1%	-29.7%	28.6%
MSB	10/10/08	10.12	8.20	0.52	88.50	0.72	-13.9%	-4.0%	-9.9%
UEPS	10/10/08	14.58	16.43	-	88.50	0.72	12.7%	-4.0%	16.7%
TSCM	10/17/08	3.67	2.01	0.03	93.21	0.72	-44.6%	-8.8%	-35.7%
EME	10/31/08	17.77	18.96	-	96.83	0.72	6.7%	-12.2%	18.9%
CTCM	10/31/08	7.40	5.58	-	96.83	0.72	-24.6%	-12.2%	-12.4%
PRGX	10/31/08	4.24	3.77	-	96.83	0.72	-11.1%	-12.2%	1.2%
HLF	11/7/08	20.17	17.15	0.40	93.86	0.72	-13.0%	-9.5%	-3.5%
GHM	11/7/08	13.60	9.56	0.02	93.86	0.72	-29.6%	-9.5%	-20.1%
BIDZ	11/21/08	2.39	4.79	-	79.52	0.72	100.4%	6.9%	93.6%
KBR	11/21/08	10.45	15.20	0.10	79.52	0.72	46.4%	6.9%	39.5%
OPTV	11/21/08	0.94	1.66	-	79.52	0.72	76.6%	6.9%	69.7%
IBAS	11/21/08	1.21	0.88	-	79.52	0.72	-27.3%	6.9%	-34.1%
Vclk	11/28/08	6.17	9.54	-	90.09	0.72	54.6%	-5.7%	60.3%
DIVX	12/8/08	4.37	5.42	-	87.93	0.72	24.0%	-3.4%	27.4%
MAXY	12/8/08	5.80	7.17	-	87.93	0.72	23.6%	-3.4%	27.0%
ESIC	12/14/08	1.13	2.00	-	88.99	0.72	77.0%	-4.5%	81.5%
MSO	12/29/08	2.80	2.75	-	87.16	-	-1.8%	-3.3%	1.5%
TRMS	12/29/08	1.03	1.90	-	87.16	-	84.5%	-3.3%	87.8%
WFR	12/29/08	13.43	18.69	-	87.16	-	39.2%	-3.3%	42.5%
AHCI	1/5/09	1.15	1.32	-	92.96	-	14.8%	-9.4%	24.1%
CKSW	1/5/09	1.99	4.10	-	92.96	-	106.0%	-9.4%	115.4%
COH	2/16/09	13.97	18.65	-	82.76	-	33.5%	1.8%	31.7%
DELL	2/23/09	8.41	10.32	-	77.42	-	22.7%	8.8%	13.9%
SOLR	2/23/09	4.22	6.72	-	77.42	-	59.2%	8.8%	50.4%
DECK	3/2/09	41.27	58.96	-	73.93	-	42.9%	14.0%	28.9%
FWLT	3/2/09	15.04	19.66	-	73.93	-	30.7%	14.0%	16.7%
HCKT	3/2/09	2.56	2.50	-	73.93	-	-2.3%	14.0%	-16.3%
MWW	3/2/09	6.59	9.26	-	73.93	-	40.5%	14.0%	26.5%
PTIE	3/2/09	4.53	4.05	-	73.93	-	-10.6%	14.0%	-24.6%
TRLG	3/2/09	10.22	13.45	-	73.93	-	31.6%	14.0%	17.6%
qlti	3/9/09	1.41	1.85	-	68.92	-	31.2%	22.3%	8.9%
exbd	3/9/09	12.96	15.10	0.44	68.92	-	19.9%	22.3%	-2.4%
FIX	3/16/09	9.73	11.47		76.09	-	17.9%	10.7%	7.1%
DBTK	3/16/09	6.65	7.50	-	76.09	-	12.8%	10.7%	2.0%
LOOP	3/16/09	5.77	6.90	-	76.09	-	19.6%	10.7%	8.8%
Pro	3/27/09	4.29	4.76	-	81.31	-	11.0%	3.6%	7.3%
						Totals	-3.5%	-17.9%	14.4%
70.4% of stocks beat the S&P 500 Benchmark						Closed	-41.2%	-40.3%	-0.9%