Some retail and health stocks are up on another very bad day in the market.

Charles Schwab & Co. ^ | 18 March 2020 | Me

[Vigilanteman]

It is another very, very bad day in the market. As I write, the Dow is flirting with another 1000 point drop, an inevitable result of a good market day yesterday or, what some would call a dead cat bounce.

Like most Americans, I have seen a carefully saved and self-managed retirement account (about 65% is managed by myself in self-directed brokerages like Schwab; 35% in professionally managed accounts affiliated with a bank, insurance company or employer) drop more than $70,000 in value over the last month. But, for the record, what I have self-managed has lost about 35% less than what is professionally managed. So I guess I am not exactly a stupid investor either.

[Vigilanteman]

But what is particularly interesting about today is that even though even gold stocks (IAU, GLD, GOLD) are getting slammed as well, albeit at less than the market as a whole, there are some solid gainers, namely:

1. Bear funds. My favorites two are YANG and SQQQ, bought on the recovery yesterday with sell orders in today. Of course, everybody expected that. But here are some defying expectations.
   
2. Wal-Mart (WMT) + 4%, Kroger (KO) +7% and even the pricey hippie Village Markets (VGEA) +1%. What all these food retailers have in common is a well-established drive-in and pick-up your groceries ordered on-line system. The only person you will come in contact with is a young person loading your car and handing you your receipt wearing plastic gloves. My daughter, who is managing this department for a Kroger affiliate in another state is working double shifts because they can't find enough help. She originally took the job because the total pay and benefit package (including a 5 minute drive from home) was better than a professional job she was working with her college degree which was a 40 minute commute.
   
3. Bond funds (SCHP is my favorite) are beginning to edge up.
   
4. Cell phone providers (VZ) is up slightly.
   
5. Even my number one holding Portland Electic (POR) has edged up. It is mostly hydroelectric located near the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak indicating (hopefully) that the selling insanity may be nearing an end.
   
6. Health care stockes which minimize human contract such as OSUR (+8%), OMI (+3.5%) and my personal favorite TDOC (+7.5%) are all up on this otherwise very crappy market day.

   This does not indicate we are at the end of this very awful market slide, but perhaps we are at the beginning of the end.

[cuban leaf]

I would think amazon would be doing rally well.

[Magnum44]

[txrefugee]

The much-anticipated market “Bottom” will appear when the Dow Jones closes at 18, 340. That was the closing on Election Day 2016. That will mean that all of the market’s gain from President Trump’s term will have been erased, and Sleepy Joe can read that good news to his Democrat supporters.

Rigged? We’ll see.

[combat_boots]

You mean, like the Illinois primary results one day early?

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Curious why you own so much POR?

Their yield is much lower than DUK & SO.

I’m hammering myself for not buying NEE about 2 years ago.

I think we’re going to see another 5,000 - 8,000 point loss over the next few weeks.

[SunkenCiv]

I'm waiting to pull the trigger on a stock buy, been a good boy, VERY patient, watched it open lower by a few points, still didn't buy, went to the bathroom or something, it had spiked almost $3 (this is a sub-$20 stock), but instead of a real rally, the.panic from those who'd bought it near that level yesterday and were trying to get out fast brought it all back down. I'd bought some (just 100 shares) in the $20s, and sold it yesterday on a slight uptick because I wanted to cut that loss and have that little extra to buy when I think it has really bottomed out. So, flame away!

[MV=PY]

"I would think amazon would be doing rally well."

Buy!

[MV=PY]

"I'm waiting to pull the trigger on a stock buy, been a good boy, VERY patient, watched it open lower by a few points, still didn't buy, went to the bathroom or something, it had spiked almost $3 (this is a sub-$20 stock), but instead of a real rally, the.panic from those who'd bought it near that level yesterday and were trying to get out fast brought it all back down. I'd bought some (just 100 shares) in the $20s, and sold it yesterday on a slight uptick because I wanted to cut that loss and have that little extra to buy when I think it has really bottomed out. So, flame away!"

Haven't you heard? They just closed all the casinos!

;)

[Vigilanteman]

FWIW, I own a little SO. I've had it like, it seems, forever. It is a good steady performer.

I like POR better because it is mainly hydro-electric and there is not much the hippies can do to destroy it.

[SunkenCiv]

• As American Indian casinos close for coronavirus, industry seeks $18 billion aid

[Vigilanteman]

FWIW, AMZN is up less than 1% today, Kroger (KR not KO) is up more than 8%.

In the last month, Kroger has gained 6.3% while Amazon has lost 15.6%.

The P/E ration on AMZN is 45 vs. 14 for KR. AMZN has a Beta of 1.3, KR of .17. KR pays a 2% annual dividend (dropping because of the rising stock price); AMZN pays 0.

I'd rather own KR. It is also a lot more affordable at about $35/share than Amazon at $1825/share.

[MV=PY]

I saw that thanks. Let’s bail them out too!

BTW, I’ve been buying all the way down. You can never predict the bottom.

[SunkenCiv]

You're right, market timing is about as effective as throwing a dart at a dartboard over the shoulder. Spreading the buys around a bit makes sense, but avoid oil and oil service for a while longer. :^) I think the buying of retail stocks is due to kind of a gee-whiz common-sense misconception that retailers are moving loads of inventory (a six pack of toilet paper, nice stuff, was over $5 locally yesterday). But think about all the retail chains that are primarily located inside malls, including the vitamin dealer GNC -- GNC's p/e is really great, but they'll have to borrow now to keep the lights on and employees at the register.