| Author |
Message |
    
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 10239
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2009 - 09:08 am: | 
|
Late yesterday afternoon, two buy-stop orders I had for ISRG were triggered at $170.50. Since I'd put them in to protect short calls that had expired, but I'd neglected to cancel the orders, I sold the stock immediately, for a small loss. I sold in the after hours, just seconds before ISRG released earnings. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 6154
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, November 18, 2007 - 12:56 pm: |
|
WCG post-mortem...
Now that November options have expired, it turns out that all the WCG calls that I was short would have expired worthless, for quite a large profit.
Unfortunately, the stock price moved in such a way that I was forced to buy stock to put underneath those calls. Then, as soon as I bought the stock, the price dropped over 20%. That is to say, my losses (which were, by far, the biggest losses I have taken on a single position, and 35% of my gains for the year) were all on the stock, not on the options.
To paraphrase, I wasn't hurt by the original crime, but by the coverup.
My luck could hardly have been worse, but I still should not have put myself in a position where even awful luck could be so harmful. Given that my potential losses were not 100%, but infinite, I just had too large a position... |
Killernut
Registered Member
Username: Killernut
Post Number: 4760
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 07:31 pm: |
|
I take it you werent long KYPH today? |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 5304
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 04:49 pm: |
|
Wednesday morning, I was long 1700 shares of KYPH... |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 5300
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 12:09 pm: |
|
In my long/short model, where I have about 30 positions on each side, UBH is getting bought out for about a 60% premium.
Could it possibly have been one of my long positions? Not bloody likely... |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 4224
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 10:30 am: |
|
I guess I should add one good thing about Kinko's, or at least about the one I am in right now. I came in about 5:45 this morning, and six of their computer stations were already occupied. On closer inspection, I saw that none of the six people were actually using the computer. Seems that this Kinko's is a homeless shelter at night.
Of course, this is Santa Monica ("the Home of the Homeless"), so there's probably a municipal ordinance that either requires Kinko's to do this, or makes it very hard for them to do anything about it. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 4221
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 10:16 am: |
|
K/N - I would love to see Kinkos go out of business. Their television ads are so obnoxious as to be almost criminal.
The ones I go into seem to be very busy, though, so I won't short them. |
Killernut
Registered Member
Username: Killernut
Post Number: 4212
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - 10:21 pm: |
|
is kinko's public. If so short them. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 4219
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - 09:45 pm: |
|
I walked into a Kinko's today to try to get on the see if there was a way to play CAE's getting added to the S&P 600. They had four machines, two of which were down and two of which were occupied by people deep in cyberconversations.
When I finally got on, I checked CAE via Yahoo (about 15 minutes delayed) and saw that it looked like a great play. When I got a live quote, it had rocketed up and was no longer a play. That little delay at Kinko's cost me about $4k... |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 3607
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 01, 2006 - 06:57 pm: |
|
As if misplaying CMX wasn't bad enough, I hit Buy when I meant to sell CKR short, and that cost me $1k in about two seconds. |
Killernut
Registered Member
Username: Killernut
Post Number: 3997
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 01, 2006 - 11:33 am: |
|
Wow, I haven't followed CMX for a long time.
Had no idea they had gotten so high priced.
Makes me sad I sold my $1 and $2 shares along time ago. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 3593
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 01, 2006 - 10:55 am: |
|
Shorted a whole bunch of CMX this morning and made $1250 in about five minutes. Now, I see it's down another $2, and that I left $3400 on the table. 
I don't know what compelled me to cover so soon. A pop as obviously unjustified as that $4 in CMX this morning doesn't come along every day... |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 3312
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 01:26 pm: |
|
Well, I did it again... bought 200 NOK put contracts when I meant to only buy 20. Fortunately, the price went up and I ended up with an inadvertent $1700 profit...  |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 2864
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 01:12 pm: |
|
Holy cow... ABHH is really moving.
i think I'll maybe try shorting HOLX later today, just for couple of hours... |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 972
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 12:48 pm: |
|
P/H, that actually crossed my mind this morning when it was + $8.00, but I didn't pull the trigger. For obvious reasons I'm not nearly as confident in timing short term shorts as you are.
I did have a nice short term trade on ABHH though. I bought 2000 at $2.55 a couple of days ago and sold today at $3.15. They were more than willing to snap my shares up quickly right at the bid, so it'll probably go higher.... |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 2863
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 11:49 am: |
|
Wish I'd seen that sooner. Looks like it was a great short-term short... |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 971
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 10:28 am: |
|
Up 17%. Their presentation must have been impressive.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=holx |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 2009
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 11:16 am: |
|
MRK was up .81 this morning on news that they'd won another trial. Trouble is, the plaintiff's case was absurdly weak, and MRK's win has no predictive value for the stronger cases to come.
I shoulda shorted it... |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 1990
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 12:31 pm: |
|
I covered my PFCB short before earnings yesterday, and was congratulating myself as it jumped almost 6%. Then, I looked at their earnings release and was puzzled by the price jump, as the report was lousy and certainly didn't support the price.
I thought about shorting it again at that point, but decided to remain puzzled, instead. In the 24 hours since then, it's down 12%... |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 628
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 06:45 pm: |
|
P/H,
I never heard Cramer mention HOLX. I came across it when I was trolling for medical equipment stocks. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 1878
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 06:20 pm: |
|
T/S - Was HOLX a Cramer favorite, or am I confusing Cramer with you? |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 627
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 05:48 pm: |
|
HOLX just had blowout earnings. If I had bought instead of kicking myself the first time I mentioned it, I still would have had a double |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 528
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 30, 2005 - 01:43 pm: |
|
What a pretty two year chart.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=HOLX&t=2y |
Gap
Registered Member
Username: Gap
Post Number: 904
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 10:09 am: |
|
Bank That Lent to Ex-Refco Exec Names CEO
So some Austrian bank wrote a $400 million loan to the ex-Refco CEO so he could repay Refco for those hidden receivables.
And now the bank is suing both Refco and the ex-CEO for repayment. |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 403
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 10:30 am: |
|
HOLX @$%&^#%&* !#$%^@#$^^ #$%^#$@%^^ |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 228
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 - 05:10 pm: |
|
How about a trifecta?..look at this beautiful chart.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=holx&d=c |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 176
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Friday, September 16, 2005 - 12:29 pm: |
|
Kick me again for not buying HOLX. I think the medical equipment sector will be hot from some time. I sure would like to find the next HOLX. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 242
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 03:37 pm: |
|
My new stock-screening technique indicated that I should buy RBK on Monday. I still can't figure out why I didn't.
It also told me to short WOLF last Wednesday. I missed getting it by maybe a nickel, but didn't want to chase it down. Now it's off more than 37%.
Those two make for about $4k in profit lost... |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 185
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 01:05 pm: |
|
T/S - It's easier to predict those that will be removed due to low market cap. Even that has gotten very difficult, though. I successfully bet that ENC would be removed (it was announced Monday that it will be removed from the 600 on Friday, but that hasn't affected the price).
A good example... DAL is still in the S&P 500, even though its market cap is about 5% of what would be necessary to be added to the 500.
I rather suspect that member companies have a fair amount of influence at S&P. One has to wonder exactly what form that influence takes.
As far as predicting additions, it's too hard. For example, the S&P 400 generally ranges from $2B to $6B market cap, but there are actually more non-members in that range than members. |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 40
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 11:59 am: |
|
P/H,
Have you found any way to predict if a stock will be added to the index before it is announced? |
Treesloth
Registered Member
Username: Treesloth
Post Number: 39
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 11:25 am: |
|
I had HOLX on my buy list but didn't get around to pulling the trigger yesterday #$%^%^% |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 183
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 10:55 am: |
|
Normally, I would buy a stock after it is announced it will be added to the S&P 400, as ISRG was Monday evening. But nooooo, I guess I had better things to do yesterday... |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 133
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 18, 2005 - 07:26 pm: |
|
P/D - I didn't notice it only because Fidelity was kind enough to automatically lend me the money. I guess I should subtract their 90% interest rate from that inadvertent profit...  |
Paperdad
Registered Member
Username: Paperdad
Post Number: 302
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 18, 2005 - 07:08 pm: |
|
P/H,
WOW! It would be nice to have so much money available to trade that I wouldn't notice a $40,000 screw up.
Glad to hear that you made out on this one. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 129
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 18, 2005 - 03:10 pm: |
|
Three weeks ago I bought some AMD leap calls at $4.30. I meant to by 1000 shares (10 contracts), but I mistakenly bought 100 contracts. At the moment, that's a $10k screwup in my favor.
Up until this, it seemed like nearly all my boners went against me, so this may get me back to about even, boner-wise... |
Tree_sloth
Registered Member
Username: Tree_sloth
Post Number: 1242
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 05:42 pm: |
|
P/H
It was nasty. For awhile it looked like it was going to 100. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 4865
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 05:26 pm: |
|
T/S - I lost money on IDSA, too. It was really nasty. I made quite a bit more on LWAY , which was similar. Still, I made half as much on LWAY as I "should" have. |
Tree_sloth
Registered Member
Username: Tree_sloth
Post Number: 1241
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 05:13 pm: |
|
I've been going over my 2004 trading. I cringed when I looked at IDSA. I was short too many shares, got caught in the squeeze, and covered near the top. If I had taken a smaller position, I could have kept my short until now and done just fine..Arrrrg. Hopefully I learned a few lessons last year. |
Super
Moderator
Username: Super
Post Number: 1171
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, November 19, 2004 - 03:01 pm: |
|
Aargh. Bailed on my QQQ+covered calls position days ago (with a profit), didn't ratchet forward to the next month thinking the market had gone up too much, would have been better off doing what I didn't. I hate uncertainty. |
Tychobrahe
Registered Member
Username: Tychobrahe
Post Number: 957
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 01:09 pm: |
|
Ah, so it's the Kick Me Board where OVTI's being discussed. I shoulda known! |
Paperdad
Registered Member
Username: Paperdad
Post Number: 110
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 12:13 pm: |
|
T/S,
I am still holding OVTI. My reasons for buying have not changed.
Famous last words! |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 3293
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 12:13 pm: |
|
I'm holding my OVTI - It's been a bad play for me, but, since it's been fully hedged with SMH's, it hasn't been as bad as it might have been. Today, I'm actually a little ahead on the combo.
Thing is, if OVTI can even maintain its current level of business, it is way undervalued compared to the SMH. It's too late for them to warn for the current quarter (earnings release on 8/24). I suppose they may still disappoint in their Q4 guidance, but it's looking like all the semis are doing that, anyway. |
Killernut
Registered Member
Username: Killernut
Post Number: 1309
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 12:11 pm: |
|
PD, I took my lumps on OVTI as well. I turned a $1100 profitible day trade into a overall $1000 loss holding from $17+ down to $10.
I exited my position and will move on to other (better hopefully) opportunities. |
Tree_sloth
Registered Member
Username: Tree_sloth
Post Number: 771
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 11:58 am: |
|
Paperdad,
you are't alone, I've been hurt pretty badly by OVTI myself. Are you planning on selling or holding? |
Paperdad
Registered Member
Username: Paperdad
Post Number: 109
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 11:55 am: |
|
Well, my OVTI stock is now worth exactly 1/2 of what I paid for it. Just one more great choice by me. |
Tree_sloth
Registered Member
Username: Tree_sloth
Post Number: 660
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 09:58 pm: |
|
super, yup, I think alot of us learned that with a little stock with the symbol VASO |
Super
Moderator
Username: Super
Post Number: 662
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 09:16 pm: |
|
Yeah, whim buying is something to avoid, but my favorite is "never bet big on long shots". As recipes for disaster go it's a sure fire fast track to doom. |
Tree_sloth
Registered Member
Username: Tree_sloth
Post Number: 659
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 04:43 pm: |
|
This year's June 7th resolution...no more buying on a whim. If I don't have the time to do the research I'll just hold the cash. |
Killernut
Registered Member
Username: Killernut
Post Number: 371
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 10:48 am: |
|
Odd. I love some of the interesting things that can be found in the filings.
TC would be proud. Anyone have a good email address for him? I only have the old 11wall address. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 796
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 10:00 am: |
|
I think it was the timing. They wanted the tax loss in 2003, although it still seems like they should have sold what they could... |
Tree_sloth
Registered Member
Username: Tree_sloth
Post Number: 260
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 09:39 am: |
|
Gap, that is strange. I would have expected them to slowly dump the shares on the open market. I don't see how they could save more on taxes, than they could gain by selling the shares. There is always a sucker out there willing to buy. |
Gap
Registered Member
Username: Gap
Post Number: 152
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 09:28 am: |
|
I don't know. But in looking over the filings, I found something interesting.
From a SC 13D/A filed 12/24/2003:
quote:Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
NSTAR has determined to exit its investment in RCN Corporation and has determined to abandon the 11,597,193 shares of RCN common stock that it had beneficially owned. NSTAR determined that the abandonment at this time was the most tax efficient, cost effective and expedient means to exit its RCN investment. NSTAR determined other alternatives such as a sale of the shares would be less beneficial as a result of the number of shares held by NSTAR; the trading volume in shares of RCN common stock; the potential negative impact that a large volume of sales of RCN common stock could have on the value of such shares; the length of time required to exit such investment through a sale of such shares and the fact that no block purchasers expressed an interest in purchasing such shares. NSTAR determined that the benefit of a tax realization event at this time and in this manner outweighed any benefit that it would likely realize from any other alternative, including the future sale of such shares in an orderly fashion consistent with all laws, rules and regulations.
I've never seen that before. That stock was worth about $8.7M when they abandoned it. |
Public_heel
Moderator
Username: Public_heel
Post Number: 794
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 09:45 pm: |
|
I wonder who he sold them to. The volume for that period shows nothing like the 11m shares that Vulcan (Allen?) sold. |
Gap
Registered Member
Username: Gap
Post Number: 149
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 05:14 pm: |
|
Not "kick me", but rather "kick Paul Allen".
RCN Corp. to Seek Chapter 11 Protection
"One of RCN's biggest investors, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, sold 40 percent of his shares last month for a loss of about $650 million."
Wow. So now the stock is even lower and the 60% he didn't sell last month must be showing an additional paper loss of more than a billion dollars.
So Allen is looking at a $2 billion loss on this one stock. |
Tree_sloth
Registered Member
Username: Tree_sloth
Post Number: 236
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 09:04 am: |
|
Killernut,
Here I am all down an out, and you want to cut off all my benefits..damn you!! |
Tree_sloth
Registered Member
Username: Tree_sloth
Post Number: 235
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 09:01 am: |
|
Slip..DCGN was especially tough for me..I really liked that stock a lot. |
Killernut
Registered Member
Username: Killernut
Post Number: 336
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 11:46 pm: |
|
T_S, please be careful where you post. You know us conservatives can't help but kick a poor liberal when he's down on his luck! LOL. |
Slip_60
Registered Member
Username: Slip_60
Post Number: 71
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 10:40 pm: |
|
Tree_sloth
DCGN, that sucks. 2 yrs - down from $8 and stabalized around $2 until this rise. |
Super
Moderator
Username: Super
Post Number: 312
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 06:57 pm: |
|
Yeah, I sold a lot of stuff last year I would should been smart enough to hold. PETD. RMBS. There were others. |
Tree_sloth
Registered Member
Username: Tree_sloth
Post Number: 231
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 01:20 pm: |
|
DCGN is moving to all time highs without me. I owned a nice position last year with an average cost basis of just over $2. I sold it when I cleaned out my portfolio before going overseas last year, and neglected to buy it back when I returned. |
Super
Moderator
Username: Super
Post Number: 65
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, October 25, 2003 - 12:49 pm: |
|
FORMAT CHANGE: I added a "general posting area" to the "kick me" section. |
