Forum Archive Index - April 2000

["Oliver Shapleski" <oliver.shapleski@vuw.ac.nz>]

My problem:  I have heaps of shares on my wishlist, but I already feel as if I'm spread too thinly.

I feel that I should be investing more offshore, but don't think I've got enough to bear the brokerage.  Do informal investment syndicates operate in NZ, or do I have to set one up myself?  I feel as if so much more gain could be made if I was to put $10k in a pool of $100k rather than keep my resources just to myself.  Should I change the way I invest, or just slow my expectations down a tad?  Would also appreciate any comments from people on the stock I hold and the buys I'm looking at.  My background is below

 

Current portfolio value: $22k plus $3k cash. 

Holds: ADV, AQL, CEN, CGB, CNZ, EPH, ITC, RNS, SKC, SMR, TLS, TMN. 

Want to Buy: ERG (ERG Aust.) FEG, FFS, INL, ITC, SKY, SMR, SOH (Solution6), TMN(Telemedia), WDT.  And heck, I'd like to ride a potential Microsoft break-up!

 

I'm 22, a final year student in law and finance.  Have a firm offer from a v good law firm in a v good area (tax) should I choose to accept it.  Also have interviews with the bigger investment bankers in NZ and overseas coming up in the next few weeks from which I'd hope to get at least one offer.  Basically a good career path with solid income coming up.  IE VERY HIGH RISK TOLERANCE.  I have no problem with a few of my shares dropping to zero.  If a crash hit I wouldn't be selling - I'd buy up! 

 

Started buying shares a year and a half ago (with a small holding of the CNZ Ir's) and since then have been researching and watching and learning.  I knew v little about investing back then but now have read a fair bit about the exchanges, investing and history, and keep up to date with all international goings on on a daily basis.  Have also started to understand WAP and the like as I think it's important to understand the technology you're buying into.  Over the last year I've managed to make about $30k through tutoring and research at uni and working at law firm over summer, of which roughly $20k has gone in to buying small parcels of various shares.  Bought CEN in the float and sold quick for a good profit.  Bought SKCCAs and have paid the call last week.  Wish I'd sold at $4.40 a year ago but hey, I'm not concerned with the co - fundamentals seem very good.  Bought TEL and TLS at their lows last June - TLS rocketed and I sold at good profit.  Held TEL until last week when sold, again at good gain (although could have been higher!).  Started to buy into techs in December with ADV (score!), SMR (very disappointed with this one) and CGB.  Got some EPH very cheap, some ITC @ 78c and RNS @ 60c and AQL @ 18c(unfortunately didn't sell any on their upswing).  Recently bought Telemedia - my first overseas purchase, and bought back in to Telstra when it got down to 9.30.  Also bought a min parcel of Indranet shares in their float last year. 

 

My situation now is that I have $20k scattered across 10 companies, values b/w 1k and 3k.  I intended to hold all of my shares for at least a year, but some are going nowhere right now and I'm seeing so many opportunities pass my eyes.  I was jumping out of my skin to buy BCH when it dropped below 10.50 last week (missed the rise today!), would love some exposure to SKY and INL at present levels, some more ITC and SMR (still have plenty of confidence that these two will deliver) and I want a good parcel of Eventures when it floats.  The other way undervalued is FEG IMHO.  Wouldn' t mind some WDT either (although that's only based on what I've heard from everyone else over the last two months rather than my own research). 

Cheers,

Oliver