Monday, August 24, 2015

Stock Market Corrections

How long from peak to trough in recent corrections?

Compilation of information about stock market corrections.

A Field Guide to Stock Market Corrections, Joshua Brown {
- 10% drop is a correction,  20% bear market, 50% crash, 80% depression.
- Since the end of World War II (1945), there have been 27 corrections of 10% or more, versus only 12 full-blown bear markets (with losses of 20% +).
- The average decline during these 27 episodes has been 13.3% and they’ve taken an average of 71 days to play out (just over three months).
- From the beginning of the secular bull market in 1982 through the 1987 crash, there was just one correction of 10% or more. Between the Crash of 1987 and the secular bull market’s peak in March 2000, there were just two corrections, according to Ed Yardeni.
}

As of August 2015, the current bull market is about 6 years old. The last time we had such a long stretch was the 5 year run-up to the 1987 crash.

Google Finance graph of 1987 crash


The current correction started July 20, 2015 and is 35 days old as of August 24, 2015.

The CNN Fear & Greed Index is scoring 13/100 (heightened fear) as of August 28th, 2015.




Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Buy LC, Sell AAPL

I added to my Lending Club (LC) position for the following reasons.
- Quarterly results announced last night beat expectations.
- Guidance raised for second quarter in a row.
- Continued confirmations that LC is the largest online marketplace for peer-to-peer lending.
- I personally because a lender verifying amazing on-boarding process, see article.
- Stock continues to trade 40% of yearly highs.
- LC market cap of ~5.5B$ compared to JPM 255.8B$
 Price: $14.72
 Trade/Portfolio: 0.89%
 Position/Portfolio: 6.31%

 I sold remaining shares of Apple (AAPL) for the following reasons.
- Apple's massive lead is a strong inhibitor to innovation.
- Second generation management won't be able to make tough decisions when necessary.
- Lack luster sales of iWatch beyond Apple groupies.
- Saturation of iPhone makes growth difficult to sustain.
- Ubiquity of iPhones creates desire for "something new" in youth segment.
- Apple crossed below 200-day moving average.

Price: $112.33
Trade/Portfolio: Closed position
Gain: +38.67%