May Stock Talk IV

Lowered my cost basis by buying a few more DRYS options that cratered fast the other day (that may have been the fastest, steepest move down I have personally seen in options, but my options experience remains limited.)

While mucking around, noticed by cost basis on the stock itself is@ $81.

 Not selling the stock, come what may, a long term hold.Same with XOM and PBR.I may buy more of all three.

 I have held XOM for a long time. Wall, what is your opinion of their decision to buy back stock rather than hike dividends? I have no real opinion on it, the stock has been a freaking money machine, but do you consider buy backs as simply a CEO's method of enhancing his options and therefore salary payout?

 

Vermeer,

I have to side with XOM in using the money to buy back stock..I dont think they need to go the divi route just yet.

Anyone been watching ENER? Ive had that stock on my list for a year, underperformed like crazy and now BOOM its through the roof.

From 27 to 63 in two months and I had my thumb in my butt after that great earnings report. Even if you bot on the move after earnings it is up 20% plus since then.

chart

That was my opinion re XOM, just heard a
lot of bitching from some shareholders that raised the issue.

 That is Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the avatar, and speaking of him two movies of interest:

great character in Charlie Wilson's War, and another true story character in Owning Mahowny...he is a great actor.

  PS

 His character in Charlie Wilson's War (Gust Avrakotos) has an interesting entry in Wikipedia as does Wilson.

Vermeer,

Two great shows..ever since Mahowny I always watch his shows, even MI III, he made it watchable.

Catch a flick he made with Laura Linney not long ago..brother/sister flick helping out a sick father..its very good.

referring to Savages? Of course if you can stand the personality of Truman Capote, he was incredible in that flick as well...and he was also excellent in a brief part in The Talented Mr.Ripley, another good flick.

Savages..

That was another good flick.

I watched the oscar winning show last night, the one by the Cohens..I liked it all until the end.

 This morning I was reviewing two areas I always seem to come back to, dividend stocks and buyout possibilities.
An article raised Pepsi as a possible, Budweiser like buyout (and it has been a consistent dividend payer).

 Anyone have similar suggestions?

Or does a probable expiration of the lower tax on dividends make it a poor atmosphere for dividend stocks?

Vermeer,

Pepsi as a buyout?

Wow that is a far stretch..I wonder who would see value in buying them out?

I think someone is happy about the financials getting creamed today.

At least one of us on the board is making money today.

 I am not sure that it is a far stretch Wall...American companies are on sale...I did not foresee BUD being sold (I owned the damn stock last year and sold it)...

 In a macro sense, we are seeing a massive transfer of wealth to other areas of the world, and I think more and more prominent American companies are going to be taken over as we have already witnessed.

 The financials will continue to be weak for quite some time methinks. All the declarations of an end in sight have been premature....SKF doing its thing again...