The time has come for my monthly portfolio update. At the end of every month, I will update my portfolio and comment on any changes. I do that for accountability and also so you may glean some ideas on how I allocate my capital. You have the opportunity to learn from what I do well, so you can do the same, as well as what I do poorly, so you will not have to repeat my mistakes.
My Current Portfolio Holdings, as of April 30, 2015:
Ticker
|
$ Current
Price
|
Shares
Held
|
$ Cost
Basis
|
$ Market
Value
|
% Weight
|
% Dividend
Yield TTM
|
VWO
|
43.87
|
578.82
|
23,691.10
|
25,392.83
|
5.57
|
2.72
|
BDX
|
140.87
|
150.25
|
12,703.64
|
21,165.72
|
4.64
|
1.61
|
EXC
|
34.02
|
421.03
|
12,896.15
|
14,323.44
|
3.14
|
3.67
|
AFL
|
63.04
|
222.54
|
11,309.48
|
14,028.92
|
3.08
|
2.38
|
XOM
|
87.37
|
144.06
|
12,871.76
|
12,586.52
|
2.76
|
3.14
|
AZN
|
68.48
|
172.22
|
7,612.12
|
11,793.63
|
2.59
|
4.07
|
EMR
|
58.83
|
156.80
|
9,150.85
|
9,224.54
|
2.02
|
3.05
|
MHFI
|
104.30
|
85.98
|
4,331.67
|
8,967.71
|
1.97
|
1.16
|
LMT
|
186.60
|
44.57
|
4,715.95
|
8,316.76
|
1.82
|
2.96
|
HPQ
|
32.97
|
221.25
|
4,135.16
|
7,294.61
|
1.60
|
1.97
|
BMTC
|
30.09
|
233.78
|
5,809.43
|
7,034.44
|
1.54
|
2.43
|
BRK.B
|
141.21
|
49.76
|
5,313.37
|
7,026.61
|
1.54
|
0
|
SAN
|
7.52
|
915.31
|
6,260.72
|
6,883.13
|
1.51
|
9.01
|
NSC
|
100.85
|
65.97
|
5,138.40
|
6,653.07
|
1.46
|
2.2
|
OGZPY
|
5.88
|
1,123.75
|
7,461.70
|
6,607.65
|
1.45
|
5.59
|
MOCO
|
17.40
|
355.99
|
5,300.69
|
6,194.23
|
1.36
|
2.46
|
INTC
|
32.55
|
174.04
|
4,331.86
|
5,665.00
|
1.24
|
2.78
|
T
|
34.64
|
162.93
|
5,319.66
|
5,643.90
|
1.24
|
5.35
|
CHL
|
71.43
|
78.03
|
3,715.79
|
5,573.68
|
1.22
|
2.65
|
ESLT
|
77.44
|
70.54
|
2,576.12
|
5,462.62
|
1.20
|
1.67
|
CVX
|
111.06
|
49.00
|
5,184.69
|
5,441.94
|
1.19
|
3.83
|
SON
|
44.69
|
121.26
|
4,400.53
|
5,419.11
|
1.19
|
2.86
|
VALE
|
7.68
|
700.22
|
8,549.69
|
5,377.69
|
1.18
|
4.58
|
NUE
|
48.86
|
107.00
|
4,684.46
|
5,228.02
|
1.15
|
3.02
|
VEA
|
41.37
|
126.04
|
3,940.01
|
5,214.27
|
1.14
|
2.88
|
PG
|
79.51
|
65.07
|
4,457.95
|
5,173.72
|
1.13
|
3.25
|
PEG
|
41.54
|
122.79
|
4,243.62
|
5,100.70
|
1.12
|
3.59
|
DV
|
30.24
|
167.07
|
3,695.59
|
5,052.20
|
1.11
|
1.14
|
MSFT
|
48.64
|
102.95
|
3,526.04
|
5,007.49
|
1.10
|
2.41
|
MAT
|
28.16
|
174.53
|
5,701.90
|
4,914.76
|
1.08
|
5.35
|
ABBV
|
64.66
|
76.00
|
4,684.64
|
4,914.16
|
1.08
|
2.8
|
VIG
|
80.30
|
60.71
|
3,646.24
|
4,875.01
|
1.07
|
2.13
|
UL
|
43.82
|
108.72
|
4,499.92
|
4,764.11
|
1.04
|
3.15
|
PEP
|
95.12
|
48.67
|
3,741.75
|
4,629.49
|
1.02
|
2.78
|
CINF
|
50.64
|
91.00
|
4,684.68
|
4,608.24
|
1.01
|
3.49
|
LUKOY
|
51.25
|
89.40
|
4,411.89
|
4,581.75
|
1.00
|
5.19
|
WMT
|
78.05
|
58.21
|
4,063.06
|
4,543.29
|
1.00
|
2.48
|
YORW
|
25.16
|
167.48
|
3,369.70
|
4,213.80
|
0.92
|
2.43
|
ED
|
61.55
|
67.00
|
4,684.64
|
4,123.85
|
0.90
|
4.09
|
BAMM
|
2.87
|
1,396.15
|
4,928.41
|
4,006.95
|
0.88
|
0
|
HCP
|
40.29
|
99.00
|
4,684.68
|
3,988.71
|
0.87
|
5.33
|
CSX
|
36.09
|
108.27
|
2,272.59
|
3,907.46
|
0.86
|
1.73
|
MCD
|
96.55
|
39.08
|
3,749.73
|
3,773.17
|
0.83
|
3.42
|
BCR
|
166.58
|
20.45
|
2,038.05
|
3,406.56
|
0.75
|
0.53
|
GIS
|
55.34
|
60.99
|
2,662.21
|
3,375.19
|
0.74
|
3.01
|
SKM
|
29.65
|
110.63
|
1,453.68
|
3,280.18
|
0.72
|
3.2
|
JNJ
|
99.20
|
32.90
|
2,058.55
|
3,263.68
|
0.72
|
2.79
|
APOL
|
16.78
|
194.00
|
3,686.00
|
3,255.32
|
0.71
|
0
|
DGS
|
46.74
|
67.87
|
3,069.08
|
3,172.24
|
0.70
|
2.9
|
K
|
63.33
|
50.08
|
2,836.53
|
3,171.57
|
0.70
|
3.05
|
CEO
|
171.25
|
17.28
|
2,608.93
|
2,959.20
|
0.65
|
4.08
|
RBCAA
|
23.78
|
118.94
|
2,508.44
|
2,828.39
|
0.62
|
3.07
|
WBA
|
82.93
|
33.43
|
1,243.26
|
2,772.35
|
0.61
|
1.57
|
PBR
|
9.50
|
285.38
|
2,562.71
|
2,711.11
|
0.59
|
0
|
SGTZY
|
7.24
|
371.00
|
2,392.95
|
2,686.04
|
0.59
|
2.31
|
AGNC
|
20.64
|
130.35
|
2,639.59
|
2,690.42
|
0.59
|
13.83
|
FNDE
|
26.06
|
100.85
|
2,578.73
|
2,628.15
|
0.58
|
1.36
|
SC
|
24.69
|
105.00
|
1,840.65
|
2,592.45
|
0.57
|
0.63
|
HIMX
|
6.12
|
421.22
|
1,069.90
|
2,577.87
|
0.57
|
4.42
|
BBL
|
48.30
|
52.87
|
2,666.23
|
2,553.62
|
0.56
|
5.11
|
BP
|
43.16
|
57.32
|
2,236.63
|
2,473.93
|
0.54
|
5.44
|
VFC
|
72.43
|
33.11
|
2,150.16
|
2,398.16
|
0.53
|
1.59
|
CRC
|
9.30
|
255.00
|
1,259.70
|
2,371.50
|
0.52
|
0.11
|
BVN
|
11.18
|
205.50
|
2,106.38
|
2,297.49
|
0.50
|
0.3
|
BUD
|
120.04
|
18.91
|
2,050.03
|
2,269.96
|
0.50
|
2.86
|
NKE
|
98.84
|
22.52
|
1,950.01
|
2,225.88
|
0.49
|
1.04
|
TOT
|
54.10
|
40.71
|
2,123.84
|
2,202.41
|
0.48
|
5.6
|
PPL
|
34.03
|
64.22
|
1,972.20
|
2,185.41
|
0.48
|
4.33
|
RDS.A
|
63.43
|
34.16
|
2,178.04
|
2,166.77
|
0.48
|
5.92
|
TESS
|
25.27
|
84.38
|
1,026.06
|
2,132.28
|
0.47
|
3.03
|
SBRCY
|
6.04
|
346.00
|
2,138.28
|
2,089.84
|
0.46
|
5.18
|
LLY
|
71.87
|
28.91
|
1,065.91
|
2,077.76
|
0.46
|
2.73
|
KO
|
40.56
|
50.61
|
2,099.81
|
2,052.74
|
0.45
|
3.07
|
DO
|
33.47
|
59.44
|
2,031.06
|
1,989.46
|
0.44
|
1.58
|
PAYX
|
48.39
|
38.06
|
1,418.88
|
1,841.72
|
0.40
|
3.05
|
TLSYY
|
24.57
|
72.99
|
1,087.55
|
1,793.36
|
0.39
|
4.82
|
RYAM
|
16.71
|
106.83
|
2,890.82
|
1,785.13
|
0.39
|
1.27
|
MBT
|
12.08
|
142.00
|
1,525.08
|
1,715.36
|
0.38
|
9.93
|
PDLI
|
6.67
|
255.36
|
1,544.93
|
1,703.25
|
0.37
|
8.93
|
TLK
|
41.38
|
36.14
|
1,162.62
|
1,495.47
|
0.33
|
0.54
|
HCBK
|
9.30
|
153.92
|
1,471.48
|
1,431.46
|
0.31
|
1.71
|
POT
|
32.64
|
43.84
|
1,278.37
|
1,430.94
|
0.31
|
4.32
|
CIG.C
|
5.07
|
278.66
|
1,415.59
|
1,412.81
|
0.31
|
7.54
|
PTR
|
128.92
|
10.30
|
1,085.72
|
1,327.88
|
0.29
|
4.04
|
BCMXY
|
25.39
|
52.00
|
835.64
|
1,320.28
|
0.29
|
4.16
|
OIBR
|
1.93
|
682.30
|
3,008.94
|
1,316.84
|
0.29
|
0
|
OAOFY
|
34.29
|
38.00
|
1,086.42
|
1,303.02
|
0.29
|
3.31
|
ESI
|
5.28
|
245.00
|
1,901.20
|
1,293.60
|
0.28
|
0
|
MPC
|
98.57
|
13.03
|
290.44
|
1,284.37
|
0.28
|
1.87
|
PKX
|
59.08
|
21.13
|
1,389.30
|
1,248.36
|
0.27
|
0.83
|
HCN
|
72.02
|
16.74
|
1,039.22
|
1,205.61
|
0.26
|
4.34
|
OGS
|
41.97
|
28.13
|
1,016.06
|
1,180.62
|
0.26
|
2.69
|
OJSCY
|
4.78
|
236.00
|
1,109.20
|
1,128.08
|
0.25
|
5.6
|
SB
|
3.58
|
314.89
|
2,260.91
|
1,127.31
|
0.25
|
4.79
|
SBS
|
5.89
|
187.00
|
1,006.06
|
1,101.43
|
0.24
|
5.96
|
MDLZ
|
38.37
|
27.29
|
486.03
|
1,047.12
|
0.23
|
1.52
|
GSH
|
33.01
|
31.59
|
597.37
|
1,042.79
|
0.23
|
1.96
|
IBM
|
171.29
|
6.02
|
962.66
|
1,031.17
|
0.23
|
2.52
|
MRK
|
59.56
|
17.24
|
597.71
|
1,026.81
|
0.23
|
2.98
|
NAT
|
12.23
|
82.75
|
1,617.76
|
1,012.03
|
0.22
|
5.7
|
EZPW
|
9.20
|
109.00
|
997.35
|
1,002.80
|
0.22
|
0
|
TLKGY
|
27.30
|
36.34
|
711.90
|
992.08
|
0.22
|
0
|
CTL
|
35.96
|
27.47
|
1,068.03
|
987.82
|
0.22
|
5.95
|
DTEGY
|
18.37
|
50.94
|
637.26
|
935.77
|
0.21
|
3.62
|
PNY
|
37.44
|
24.65
|
913.28
|
922.90
|
0.20
|
3.38
|
MYTAY
|
7.36
|
124.00
|
1,634.32
|
912.64
|
0.20
|
0
|
CIG
|
4.92
|
184.44
|
959.09
|
907.44
|
0.20
| |
FTD
|
28.54
|
30.00
|
967.50
|
856.20
|
0.19
|
0
|
MRO
|
31.10
|
27.26
|
514.40
|
847.79
|
0.19
|
2.63
|
FSBK
|
8.37
|
100.29
|
453.31
|
839.43
|
0.18
|
1.22
|
PTGCY
|
0.59
|
1,416.00
|
2,421.36
|
835.44
|
0.18
|
22.88
|
VMI
|
126.02
|
6.61
|
801.26
|
832.99
|
0.18
|
1.17
|
MWE
|
67.46
|
12.26
|
258.69
|
827.06
|
0.18
|
5.31
|
KRFT
|
84.75
|
9.58
|
312.40
|
811.91
|
0.18
|
2.56
|
STRA
|
50.72
|
16.00
|
768.00
|
811.52
|
0.18
|
0
|
DYN
|
33.27
|
24.00
|
764.16
|
798.48
|
0.18
|
0
|
IDCBY
|
17.30
|
45.00
|
548.10
|
778.50
|
0.17
|
4.79
|
BACHY
|
17.10
|
45.00
|
495.00
|
769.50
|
0.17
|
4.53
|
SWRAY
|
13.59
|
53.32
|
609.98
|
724.62
|
0.16
|
3.71
|
AEO
|
15.91
|
45.30
|
549.94
|
720.72
|
0.16
|
3.13
|
ITYBY
|
97.23
|
7.16
|
448.36
|
696.17
|
0.15
|
4.22
|
CICHY
|
19.29
|
36.00
|
504.00
|
694.44
|
0.15
|
4.94
|
CPLP
|
9.09
|
75.76
|
646.23
|
688.66
|
0.15
|
9.85
|
NUS
|
56.55
|
12.07
|
490.04
|
682.56
|
0.15
|
2.36
|
SCL
|
50.93
|
13.00
|
499.98
|
662.09
|
0.15
|
1.38
|
DRI
|
63.77
|
10.22
|
460.92
|
651.73
|
0.14
|
3.41
|
BFR
|
19.28
|
33.32
|
369.85
|
642.41
|
0.14
|
0.1
|
TSCDY
|
10.15
|
63.00
|
504.00
|
639.45
|
0.14
|
5.31
|
PB
|
53.34
|
11.00
|
499.73
|
586.74
|
0.13
|
1.95
|
EVEP
|
17.59
|
32.76
|
711.55
|
576.25
|
0.13
|
16.26
|
NGLS
|
45.44
|
12.50
|
212.00
|
568.00
|
0.12
|
6.8
|
ABEV
|
6.33
|
85.02
|
510.97
|
538.18
|
0.12
|
2.79
|
CLD
|
6.49
|
82.00
|
993.02
|
532.18
|
0.12
|
0
|
BRGYY
|
18.24
|
29.00
|
493.00
|
528.96
|
0.12
|
1.6
|
VIAB
|
69.45
|
7.50
|
550.05
|
520.88
|
0.11
|
1.83
|
PNW
|
61.20
|
8.26
|
358.90
|
505.51
|
0.11
|
3.7
|
PM
|
83.47
|
6.00
|
493.50
|
500.82
|
0.11
|
4.76
|
E
|
38.43
|
13.00
|
518.44
|
499.59
|
0.11
|
6.82
|
HNNMY
|
7.92
|
61.56
|
403.22
|
487.56
|
0.11
|
3.49
|
APA
|
68.40
|
7.03
|
475.93
|
480.85
|
0.11
|
1.46
|
TPUB
|
17.57
|
26.00
|
494.00
|
456.82
|
0.10
|
1.99
|
ICE
|
224.53
|
2.03
|
173.02
|
455.80
|
0.10
|
0.87
|
RAVN
|
19.94
|
22.00
|
497.20
|
438.68
|
0.10
|
2.49
|
CQP
|
32.51
|
12.93
|
223.17
|
420.35
|
0.09
|
5.29
|
ISH
|
10.98
|
37.06
|
796.42
|
406.92
|
0.09
|
8.43
|
LGCY
|
12.93
|
29.19
|
439.89
|
377.43
|
0.08
|
16.65
|
NTT
|
33.68
|
11.12
|
248.42
|
374.52
|
0.08
|
2.35
|
IAG
|
2.24
|
150.00
|
253.50
|
336.00
|
0.07
|
0
|
OPTI
|
0.55
|
600.00
|
1,392.00
|
330.00
|
0.07
|
0
|
IEMG
|
51.84
|
6.25
|
316.44
|
324.00
|
0.07
|
2.25
|
POM
|
25.98
|
12.14
|
194.36
|
315.40
|
0.07
|
4.14
|
CACQ
|
6.28
|
48.00
|
504.00
|
301.44
|
0.07
|
0
|
LYG
|
4.77
|
50.00
|
162.00
|
238.50
|
0.05
|
0.95
|
QCCO
|
2.04
|
113.87
|
412.21
|
232.29
|
0.05
|
0
|
ELNK
|
4.73
|
45.36
|
369.68
|
214.55
|
0.05
|
4.18
|
TGT
|
78.83
|
2.57
|
149.75
|
202.59
|
0.04
|
2.52
|
KSS
|
71.65
|
2.74
|
149.80
|
196.32
|
0.04
|
2.28
|
BND
|
82.91
|
2.23
|
177.82
|
184.89
|
0.04
|
2.47
|
LC
|
17.45
|
10.00
|
150.00
|
174.50
|
0.04
|
0
|
BCS
|
15.74
|
11.00
|
163.13
|
173.14
|
0.04
|
2.53
|
AMC
|
30.06
|
5.56
|
100.08
|
167.13
|
0.04
|
2.46
|
MVC
|
9.70
|
11.69
|
105.56
|
113.39
|
0.02
|
5.60
|
CEL
|
4.58
|
23.13
|
644.40
|
105.94
|
0.02
|
0
|
WPG
|
15.00
|
7.00
|
123.13
|
105.00
|
0.02
|
4.93
|
ZA
|
0.80
|
118.00
|
200.60
|
94.40
|
0.02
|
0
|
BK
|
42.34
|
1.08
|
27.26
|
45.73
|
0.01
|
1.59
|
GOOGL
|
548.77
|
0.05
|
27.24
|
27.44
|
0.01
|
0
|
HSY
|
91.92
|
0.26
|
25.09
|
23.90
|
0.01
|
2.29
|
BKS
|
21.90
|
1.00
|
8.70
|
21.90
|
0.00
|
0
|
ALN
|
1.28
|
15.00
|
31.65
|
19.20
|
0.00
|
0
|
BBEP
|
6.55
|
1.50
|
20.36
|
9.83
|
0.00
|
25.47
|
LPHIQ
|
0.07
|
130.10
|
870.37
|
9.11
|
0.00
|
166.67
|
BPI
|
8.77
|
1.00
|
17.85
|
8.77
|
0.00
|
0
|
NUOT
|
0.22
|
10.00
|
5.00
|
2.20
|
0.00
|
0
|
392,844.73
|
455,870.34
|
99.99
|
3.10
|
My transactions in April are listed as follows:
| Stock | Action | Cost | Price per share | Impact |
| VMI | buy | 600.62 | 121.00 | 0.13% |
| BRGYY | buy | 493.00 | 17.00 | 0.11% |
| XOM | buy | 200.06 | 87.63 | 0.04% |
| AFL | buy | 200.00 | 63.63 | 0.04% |
| BDX | buy | 188.97 | 144.19 | 0.04% |
| BMTC | buy | 150.00 | 30.63 | 0.03% |
| PEG | buy | 146.52 | 41.95 | 0.03% |
| YORW | buy | 124.83 | 23.77 | 0.03% |
| APOL | buy | 118.51 | 16.93 | 0.03% |
| PEP | buy | 116.98 | 95.83 | 0.03% |
| EMR | buy | 100.08 | 59.12 | 0.02% |
| MAT | buy | 100.00 | 26.50 | 0.02% |
| MOCO | buy | 100.00 | 17.64 | 0.02% |
| MSFT | buy | 100.00 | 41.31 | 0.02% |
| NKE | buy | 100.00 | 98.40 | 0.02% |
| NSC | buy | 100.00 | 105.79 | 0.02% |
| PNY | buy | 100.00 | 37.24 | 0.02% |
| SON | buy | 100.00 | 45.49 | 0.02% |
| WMT | buy | 100.00 | 77.96 | 0.02% |
| HPQ | buy | 35.15 | 31.34 | 0.01% |
| PPL | buy | 23.66 | 33.66 | 0.01% |
| RBCAA | buy | 22.08 | 24.77 | 0.00% |
| RYAM | buy | 7.44 | 14.90 | 0.00% |
| PNY | buy | 7.18 | 35.38 | 0.00% |
| BBL | buy | 1.05 | 43.50 | 0.00% |
| KRFT | buy | 0.48 | 85.61 | 0.00% |
| SKM | buy | 0.39 | 29.93 | 0.00% |
| TOT | buy | 0.33 | 52.55 | 0.00% |
| ESLT | buy | 0.15 | 74.55 | 0.00% |
| PKX | buy | 0.13 | 58.26 | 0.00% |
| 3,337.61 | 0.73% |
Net cash inflow was $3337.61 during this period. Factoring out the cash inflow, my portfolio returned 3.25% in April.
Purchases
My top two purchases this month were Valmont (low dividend yielding growth stock near 52 week low and selling at reasonable valuation) and BG Group (merger arbitrage play, as I effectively paid $50.54 per ADR share of RDS.B, which is an 18% discount off closing price on 4-8-15).
My monthly performance against the S&P 500 is shown below:
Purchases
My top two purchases this month were Valmont (low dividend yielding growth stock near 52 week low and selling at reasonable valuation) and BG Group (merger arbitrage play, as I effectively paid $50.54 per ADR share of RDS.B, which is an 18% discount off closing price on 4-8-15).
My monthly performance against the S&P 500 is shown below:
| 2015 | My Portfolio Return | S&P 500 TR |
| Jan | -1.52% | -3.00% |
| Feb | 1.90% | 5.75% |
| Mar | -2.71% | -1.58% |
| Apr | 3.25% | 1.99% |
| YTD | 0.80% | 2.97% |
I am not happy with my portfolio's underperformance so far and hope that things will turn better for the rest of the year. My underperformance is somewhat exaggerated by unaccounted for cash dividends received that were not automatically reinvested. Also, the S&P 500 may not be the best benchmark given my portfolio's heavy foreign stock allocation. I use it because it is the benchmark most commonly used by investors.
Turnover was 0.73% in April. This will likely be the approximate level for the next few months, then will likely turn higher later in the year as I expect to have more money to invest.
What do you think about my portfolio? Thanks for reading.
