SMRT

(03-05-2013, 09:29 AM)paullow Wrote: sadly, not a insignificant portion of investors of smrt are the man on the streets.

It's not even just the man on the street. I met a trainer at one of those SGX courses for retail investors once and he was railing about Saw's (previous SMRT CEO) handling of the train disruptions at that time. His view, ultimately, was that SMRT was practically infallible. I don't know if he kept averaging down or he divested since then.

But it shows that even the pros have a hard time divorcing their biases. His was obviously that SMRT as a quasi-monopoly would be a good stock.

(03-05-2013, 11:19 AM)kazukirai Wrote:

(03-05-2013, 09:29 AM)paullow Wrote: sadly, not a insignificant portion of investors of smrt are the man on the streets.

It's not even just the man on the street. I met a trainer at one of those SGX courses for retail investors once and he was railing about Saw's (previous SMRT CEO) handling of the train disruptions at that time. His view, ultimately, was that SMRT was practically infallible. I don't know if he kept averaging down or he divested since then.

But it shows that even the pros have a hard time divorcing their biases. His was obviously that SMRT as a quasi-monopoly would be a good stock.

He may be right in the long run. Meanwhile it's of course better to use your fund to invest in something better now. (i use to think the same until SMRT's infrastructure started to breakdown).

(03-05-2013, 11:00 AM)Temperament Wrote:

(03-05-2013, 09:28 AM)pubster Wrote: Thank you very much for the kind feedbacks.

After listening to all the inputs and some thinking on my part, I have sold off all my holdings. That is because it does not serve my initial purpose of purchase anymore. I'm looking for something that pays better than CPF and maybe if luck allows, some capital gain. Unfortunately, it got from bad to worse after I purchased them during the early 2011.

I understand that SMRT is still a profitable company and may recover a few years down the road. If that do happens, maybe I might consider it once again.

As for now, I will just stem the losses by cutting it away than to bleed a slow death. Of course if its share price jumps back up (my stocks often do...) after I cut, I can only congratulate those who are still holding or jump in at a low price.

Lesson from this experience... If one stock do not serve your purpose of buying anymore, cut if must. Do not hesitate. This hesitation cost me around 2k. Guess good lessons don't come cheap.

Lastly, let me thank you guys again for your valuable inputs. I really appreciated them.

Quote:This hesitation cost me around 2k. Guess good lessons don't come cheap.

To tell you the truth, (may it be a consolation to you) though everything is relatively speaking, one day you will realize losing 2K is very cheap as a tuition fee, if you can manage to invest in the stock market for the rest of your life, you will definitely prosper.
Shalom.

NB:-
My balance portfolio shows i am losing about 15K. Because i have of course made some mistakes and not willing to cut losses. i am still trying slowly to sell off some of my "profitable stocks". One of the reason, i am not cutting loss is i have bought some highly cyclical companies too "early". And i have the financial capability to wait if i want to. Hope you keep your faith in your investing journey.
Amen.

Hi Pubster,

To comfort you further, my "education fee" is even larger. Easily twice or more than that of Temperament. But hey! I learnt my lesson, and is doing much better in the past 2 years! I even recoup my losses and make at net profit!

(03-05-2013, 11:54 AM)NTL Wrote:

(03-05-2013, 11:00 AM)Temperament Wrote:

(03-05-2013, 09:28 AM)pubster Wrote: Thank you very much for the kind feedbacks.

After listening to all the inputs and some thinking on my part, I have sold off all my holdings. That is because it does not serve my initial purpose of purchase anymore. I'm looking for something that pays better than CPF and maybe if luck allows, some capital gain. Unfortunately, it got from bad to worse after I purchased them during the early 2011.

I understand that SMRT is still a profitable company and may recover a few years down the road. If that do happens, maybe I might consider it once again.

As for now, I will just stem the losses by cutting it away than to bleed a slow death. Of course if its share price jumps back up (my stocks often do...) after I cut, I can only congratulate those who are still holding or jump in at a low price.

Lesson from this experience... If one stock do not serve your purpose of buying anymore, cut if must. Do not hesitate. This hesitation cost me around 2k. Guess good lessons don't come cheap.

Lastly, let me thank you guys again for your valuable inputs. I really appreciated them.

Quote:This hesitation cost me around 2k. Guess good lessons don't come cheap.

To tell you the truth, (may it be a consolation to you) though everything is relatively speaking, one day you will realize losing 2K is very cheap as a tuition fee, if you can manage to invest in the stock market for the rest of your life, you will definitely prosper.
Shalom.

NB:-
My balance portfolio shows i am losing about 15K. Because i have of course made some mistakes and not willing to cut losses. i am still trying slowly to sell off some of my "profitable stocks". One of the reason, i am not cutting loss is i have bought some highly cyclical companies too "early". And i have the financial capability to wait if i want to. Hope you keep your faith in your investing journey.
Amen.

Hi Pubster,

To comfort you further, my "education fee" is even larger. Easily twice or more than that of Temperament. But hey! I learnt my lesson, and is doing much better in the past 2 years! I even recoup my losses and make at net profit!

Sorry, i think i have let you mistaken me somehow or somewhere. Though my remainder portfolio is losing money i have over-all realised portfolio gain UTD from 2008 till now.
What is most important to note is you will make mistakes in individual stock purchase but despite of it you should still make money over all your portfolio.

(03-05-2013, 11:54 AM)NTL Wrote: Hi Pubster,

To comfort you further, my "education fee" is even larger. Easily twice or more than that of Temperament. But hey! I learnt my lesson, and is doing much better in the past 2 years! I even recoup my losses and make at net profit!

To add-on more comfort... i paid "education fee" in 5-figures sum in a single stock, and still doing well overall

The key is not the "fee" paid, but the "lesson" learned.

(03-05-2013, 10:07 AM)smallcaps Wrote:

(03-05-2013, 09:28 AM)pubster Wrote: Thank you very much for the kind feedbacks.

After listening to all the inputs and some thinking on my part, I have sold off all my holdings. That is because it does not serve my initial purpose of purchase anymore. I'm looking for something that pays better than CPF and maybe if luck allows, some capital gain. Unfortunately, it got from bad to worse after I purchased them during the early 2011.

I understand that SMRT is still a profitable company and may recover a few years down the road. If that do happens, maybe I might consider it once again.

As for now, I will just stem the losses by cutting it away than to bleed a slow death. Of course if its share price jumps back up (my stocks often do...) after I cut, I can only congratulate those who are still holding or jump in at a low price.

Lesson from this experience... If one stock do not serve your purpose of buying anymore, cut if must. Do not hesitate. This hesitation cost me around 2k. Guess good lessons don't come cheap.

Lastly, let me thank you guys again for your valuable inputs. I really appreciated them.

Hi pubster,

Wondering if u have a house already or planning to get one? Asking because I also used to buy stocks with CPF money (unisteel, old chang kee and so on) but later on realize maybe it's better just to use it for property only.

Hi smallcaps,

I'm planning to get one HDB 3 years down the road. I'm still single at 32. With the recent announcement of allowing single to bid for BTO and Mr. Khaw looking into revising the price to 4 times the medium income, I think 3 years down the road when I'm 35, the policies should be straighten out and will be a good time for me to buy a HDB.

Of course, singles are restricted to 2 rooms flats(who knows it might be expanded to 3 rooms later), and with the promise of scaling down on the pricing, I do not need too much from the CPF. I do have enough for 50% downpayment and some leftover for investments. The rest of the 50% loan will be facilitate by HDB loan over a short period(10-15 years). As such, I hope to invest using my CPF before making a big purchase to maximise the investable amount.

Anyway, all this is off topic. I have liquidate my holdings of SMRT this morning. If SMRT managed to make a comeback within 3 years and prove to be attractive again and a safe yield counter, I may consider it again.

To the current holders of SMRT, I wish you all good luck amd may the SMRT regain its former glory in the near future.

---

Thank you for all the "consolations".

I have write off that amount already and told myself not to be bothered by the "6k" loss. What is important is that I learnt something from this experience.

I believed this lesson will prove to be useful in investing journey in the next few decades.

Cheers and have a nice lunch.

(03-05-2013, 12:15 PM)CityFarmer Wrote:

(03-05-2013, 11:54 AM)NTL Wrote: Hi Pubster,

To comfort you further, my "education fee" is even larger. Easily twice or more than that of Temperament. But hey! I learnt my lesson, and is doing much better in the past 2 years! I even recoup my losses and make at net profit!

To add-on more comfort... i paid "education fee" in 5-figures sum in a single stock, and still doing well overall

The key is not the "fee" paid, but the "lesson" learned.

Of course! Of course! Same! Same! Because i had become KK or maybe "greedy".

(03-05-2013, 12:16 PM)pubster Wrote:

(03-05-2013, 10:07 AM)smallcaps Wrote:

(03-05-2013, 09:28 AM)pubster Wrote: Thank you very much for the kind feedbacks.

After listening to all the inputs and some thinking on my part, I have sold off all my holdings. That is because it does not serve my initial purpose of purchase anymore. I'm looking for something that pays better than CPF and maybe if luck allows, some capital gain. Unfortunately, it got from bad to worse after I purchased them during the early 2011.

I understand that SMRT is still a profitable company and may recover a few years down the road. If that do happens, maybe I might consider it once again.

As for now, I will just stem the losses by cutting it away than to bleed a slow death. Of course if its share price jumps back up (my stocks often do...) after I cut, I can only congratulate those who are still holding or jump in at a low price.

Lesson from this experience... If one stock do not serve your purpose of buying anymore, cut if must. Do not hesitate. This hesitation cost me around 2k. Guess good lessons don't come cheap.

Lastly, let me thank you guys again for your valuable inputs. I really appreciated them.

Hi pubster,

Wondering if u have a house already or planning to get one? Asking because I also used to buy stocks with CPF money (unisteel, old chang kee and so on) but later on realize maybe it's better just to use it for property only.

Hi smallcaps,

I'm planning to get one HDB 3 years down the road. I'm still single at 32. With the recent announcement of allowing single to bid for BTO and Mr. Khaw looking into revising the price to 4 times the medium income, I think 3 years down the road when I'm 35, the policies should be straighten out and will be a good time for me to buy a HDB.

Of course, singles are restricted to 2 rooms flats(who knows it might be expanded to 3 rooms later), and with the promise of scaling down on the pricing, I do not need too much from the CPF. I do have enough for 50% downpayment and some leftover for investments. The rest of the 50% loan will be facilitate by HDB loan over a short period(10-15 years). As such, I hope to invest using my CPF before making a big purchase to maximise the investable amount.

Anyway, all this is off topic. I have liquidate my holdings of SMRT this morning. If SMRT managed to make a comeback within 3 years and prove to be attractive again and a safe yield counter, I may consider it again.

To the current holders of SMRT, I wish you all good luck amd may the SMRT regain its former glory in the near future.

---

Thank you for all the "consolations".

I have write off that amount already and told myself not to be bothered by the "6k" loss. What is important is that I learnt something from this experience.

I believed this lesson will prove to be useful in investing journey in the next few decades.

Cheers and have a nice lunch.

Well, if it's ok... u might want to spent more time thinking about this asset allocation issue. Three years might be too short a time for equities. Might want to consider keeping the CPF balance as a buffer for the loan payment, or the possibility that you might want to get a bigger flat as life changes.

I also feel like getting rid of this counter. Although not suffering a loss yet - bought years back at around $1.20 - but really have no confidence in the management now filled with ex-paper generals.

I would repeat that SMRT is in a regulated industry and now it has to take the bullets by suffering from rising cost that will not be met by the same rate of increase in ASP. Probably, thats why they have roped in generals who are willing to take the bullets for the country

As for those considering to sell, today will be a good day to sell off their holdings at $1.4 level, it seems a large unit of buyers at $1.40 are putting up a strong defence. But I am quite sure the defence will be breached as SMRT does not have strong financial armoury left.

Thats all for now from my military puns.