Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Buy Facebook (FB), Sell Oil Equipment Services (IEZ)

Bought Facebook (FB) for the following reasons;
- I am personally using Facebook more to subscribe to events.
- Many colleagues have told me Facebook is best place to AB test content marketing ideas.
- Searching for products still doesn't work but it would be a huge gusher if FB ever fixes it.
- Google appears to have given up on social networking.
- Snapchat is serious competitor having siphoned off college market.
Price: $115.96
Trade/Portfolio: 2.30%
Position/Portfolio: 10.11%

Sold More results iShares Dow Jones US Oil Equipment (IEZ) for the following reasons;
- Better places to use money in next few months.
- Take a capital loss and consider re-entering after wash sale period expires.
Price: $35.13
Trade/Portfolio: 3.80%
Position/Portfolio: Closed


Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Buy Chipoltle

I bought Chipoltle CMG for the following reasons;
- 3 employees are got sick with Norovirus in Massachusetts Chipoltle which caused 4% decline in stock vs up day for the Nasdaq, so it's a buying opportunity.
- Chipoltle continues to implement food safety plan which should make it one of the safest chains.
- Steve Ells has been running the business for 22 year, recently turned 50, plenty of room to run.
Price: $504.23
Trade/Portfolio: 1.01%
Position/Portfolio: 7.10%

Friday, March 4, 2016

Spotlight on Steve Ells, Founder and CEO of Chipoltle

Born September 12, 1966 in Indianopolis.
University of Colorado Bolder, BA Art History
Culinary Institute of America, NY 1990
Sous-Chef in San Francisco for 2 years
Founded Chipoltle 1993

Founder Letter following E. coli outbreak.
- 52 people infected by E. coli outbreak.
- 140 people infected by norovirus outbreak in 1 Boston store.
- Throughout our supply chain, we are implementing high-resolution sampling and testing...
- Our menu has remained virtually unchanged for the last 22 years, only 64 ingredients in our food.

Food Safety Plan
- High resolution testing at suppliers.
- Central kitchens.
- Marinate meat at end of night.
- Blanching; lemons, limes, jalapeƱos, onions & avocados, submerged in boiling water for 5 seconds.
- Restaurant sanitation.
- Audits & Inspections.
- Employee wellness.

According to Wikipedia, the New York Times reported that Ells was paid $25 million more than comparable executives at Ford, Boeing and AT&T in 2013. By early 2010s, Ells and his co-chief, Montgomery Moran, were paid more than $300 million. In May 2014 shareholders rejected a plan to further the executives' wages.

Chipoltle serves "naturally raised meat" and support sustainable agriculture.