I added to ETP, and the price dropped; am I missing something?

I am more than a few days behind on this post, I do apologize. I am trying to keep my posts as close to the day of trade. This, however, is an improvement over my last post.

Excuses aside, on February 23rd, I added to my position of ETP. The price of the purchase was $59.95 per share. This purchase was at the opening of the day following earnings. On the day of the purchase, and the following three days, the price drifted down; but not by much and on below average volume. On the forth day after the purchase, the price went up and closed above the opening price of the past three days; but, unfortunately, still below my purchase price by about 50 cents.

What I am seeing by this price movement is that the market is only accepting earnings and the future prospects as okay. My primary concern for this stock is that it continues to payout its dividend. At 6.69%, I am very happy to accept. As long as ETP continues to earn enough to cover its dividend, I don't see any reason to worry or reconcider.

My philosophy for stock purchases is to curate a portfolio capable of paying for my bills and putting spending money in my pocket. Currently, ETP is a key contributor to that philosophy. If I'm missing something, I am more than willing to review any criticism.

That's my opinion. What's yours? Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

ETP - Energy Transfer Partners LP

First Portfolio Update of 2015

After my last post on September 4th, 2014, I became remise in my posting. As a result the first post of 2015 is a catch up post.

Since September 4th, I mostly sat back and collected dividends while adding to my cash position. Then on December 3rd I used some of that cash position to increase my position in T at $34. I chose to do so because it fell under the short term support of $34.50, but the attractive dividend influenced me to increase my multiple on it. Since then it has dropped even further to as low as $32.07, but is currently $32.92. Going back 5 years $32 is approximately the current support level, and below that it is about $27.50. As a student of both fundamentals and technicals, I think T is a strong blue chip with a near 6% payout. At the support levels I mentioned I would buy more simply because I'm looking for a stream of revenue, and T is supplying that.

My next purchase was on December 5th for BGS at $28.50. I bought it also because of the attractive dividend (~4.6%) and because it is one of the few stocks I've found that payout in the first phase of the quarter. This purchase added to my already existing position. Currently it is $29.84 and going down. BGS is close to it's trending support. I will be looking into buying more around here.

My next purchase was on December 12th for ETP at $60. This is another dividend based purchase at nearly 6.5%. Currently it is priced at $61.40 and going up from a low of $58.54. This is another one I'm looking into buying more of.

My last purchase of the year was on December 23rd for GSK at $43. This one is an addition to my portfolio. I bought it because of the greater than 5.5% payout and that it is also one of the few that pays out in the first phase of the quarter. The issue to be aware of is that GSK is on a down trend after a 4.5 year up trend. But there were two recent bounces around $41.25. GSK currently sits at $44 and I believe it will be stabilizing in the range of $41-$46.

That's my opinion. What's yours? Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

T - At&t Inc
BGS - B & G Foods Inc
ETP - Energy Transfer Partners LP
GSK - Glaxo Smith Kline PLC

Portfolio Update: Back in the Game

Hello, World! I'm back after a long hiatus. My situation has settled down, so now I have the liquidity to make some trades, and therefore posts. And for my first trade I purchased shares of BGS at $29.45, rounding up the fractional cents.

While I've been away I've still been watching my positions and the fundamentals are still good for all of my dividend scheduled positions (BGS, CNK, ETP, JNJ, MCD, PEP, PG, T) except one,  AGNC. AGNC is just OK, but the dividend and placement in my dividend schedule makes it hard to give up on it.

Regarding the charts, the price of BGS has come down to levels where the buy price is low and I can get more shares for my money. This increases my dividend payouts by giving me a higher dividend multiplier. With an increased dividend payout, I can also increase my reinvestment over a shorter period of time until the account becomes self-funding. And that is the ultimate goal. Have the account pay me and not me paying into it.

That's my opinion. What's yours? Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

AGNC - American Capital Agency Corp
BGS - B&G Foods Inc
CNK - Cinemark Holdings Inc
ETP - Energy Transfer Partners LP
JNJ - Johnson & Johnson
MCD - McDonald's Corp
PEP - PepsiCo Inc
PG - Procter & Gamble Co
T - AT&T Inc

Portfolio Update: Long Over Due

It has, once again, been too long since my last post. In the time that has passed there have been seven changes to my portfolio. I have made 5 purchases, 1 sale, and had an option position expire on me. The 4 of the 5 purchases and the one sale were strategic moves to my portfolio. The remaining 1 purchase and option expiration are my speculation plays.

To start I BTO additional shares in my ETP position. This purchase added to my dividend payout for the second phase of each quarter. This was done on the 3rd of October.

On the 8th of October, I BTO a SAND Nov 17 2012 $15 Call option position. This was done as my speculation play. Unfortunately, I have to admit that the decision to get in was poorly timed and selected. I should have waited for the pull back and then choose an expiration further out. As of this post, it is in the red but seems to be showing signs of improvement. I will be holding it until my profitable sale trigger is hit or it's expiration, which is a week away from this post.

On the 19th of October, my speculation play for FB Oct 20 2012 $15 Put options locked and expired. This was again an unfortunate speculation gone wrong. In hinds sight I should have taken my profits when I had them or probably should have chosen to purchase one option closer to the money instead of three so far out of the money. I still think FB is over-priced, but it seems that they are finally accepting that they have to make revenue in order to attract investors and are making changes that will actually create revenue even at the expense of loosing some of there ~1 billion users.

On the 31st of October, I STC my entire position of DE. I made this decision because DE did not fit the minimum yield requirement of my strategy of holding high dividend yielding stocks. Fortunately, I was able to get out with a very small profit.

On the 2nd of November, I BTO additional shares in two of my existing positions, T and VZ. These purchases added to my dividend payout for the second phase of each quarter. As a result I am almost 70% of my phase one dividend payouts, which are currently the largest.

Finally on the 7th of November, I BTO additional shares in my MCD position. This purchase added to my dividend payout for the third phase of each quarter. As a result I am almost 50% of my phase one dividend payouts.

Despite the fact that falling over the "Fiscal Cliff" will result in an increase of the dividend tax rate, I am not going to change my core strategy of building a portfolio of dividend paying stocks. My portfolio is not currently generating enough income to alter my effective tax rate significantly. I will, however, use the fear in the market to build up my positions.

That is my opinion, you can take it or leave it. Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

BTO - buy-to-open/bought-to-open
DE - Deere & Co.
ETP - Energy Transfer Partners LP
FB - Facebook CL A
MCD - McDonalds Corp
SAND - Sandstorm Gold LTD
STC - sell-to-close/sold-to-close
T - AT&T, Inc
VZ - Verizon Communications

Portfolio Update

I have made a few changes to my portfolio over the past, almost, two months. The first set of changes were made on the 27th of July as I STC my ZNGA position for a loss that I could not bare to see grow any further, as well as my CIM position for the same reason. I need more profitable choices in my portfolio that will pay me dividends while growing or at least hold on to their value. But since speculating keeps me attentive to the market I will do it with options. This way, while I can see more exciting gains from option trades, I can narrowly define my losses better. So for longer term purchases I will be buying stocks, and for excitement trade options.

With the cash I freed by STC my ZNGA and CIM positions, I first BTO, as a trade, Puts against FB. My reasons being that I don't see them bottoming at this current time and that I believe the lockout which expires this week will result in an even lower price. Next I BTO a position into AGNC another REIT with growth and a better dividend than CIM and it's commercial counter-part NLY. These trades were made on the same 27th of July

Finally, on the 8th of August I BTO a position in ETP. I believe the price has become low enough that the dividend yield is too attractive not to buy. I want to continue to add to this position as time goes by but the majority of my free cash is not allocated for positions in a few other stocks to balance out my monthly dividend payout strategy. I will allocate more cash to purchase ETP and the other dividend paying stocks in my portfolio as the capital gets added from my day job. That is my opinion, you can take it or leave it. Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

AGNC - American Capital Agency Corp.
BTO - buy-to-open / bought-to-open
CIM - Chimera Investment Corporation
ETP - Energy Transfer Partners LP
FB - Facebook, Inc.
STC - sell-to-close / sold-to-close
ZNGA - Zynga Inc.

Portfolio Update

Since my last update where I purchased shares in ZNGA, it has tragically declined. However, as one of my few speculation plays, I intend on adding to my position if there next earnings report, indicates improvements I can believe as reasonable expectations.

Also, since my last update I purchased shares of YUM, as it finally came down enough to trigger my limit order. Now I only have one more stock to buy that rounds out my dividend strategy. It, however, seems to be resisting the market pressures better than I expected.

In the mean time I have taken advantage of the opening of FB on the option market to buy put options against it. I am extremely disappointed in its extreme over-valuation. I am expecting continued declines into the low 20s, if not further. That is my opinion, you can take it, or leave it. Disclaimer: See bottom of page. http://investorsopinion.blogspot.com

FB - Facebook Inc
YUM -YUM Brands Inc
ZNGA - Zynga Inc