Discover

September 22, 2007

Monitoring and Adjusting Our Portfolio

Jeremy Ryan Berkshire Hathaway, BRK.A, BRK.B, DFS, Discover, Discover Financial Services, Goldman Sachs, GS, JNJ, Johnson & Johnson, Morgan Stanley, MS, PEP, Pepsi, PG, Proctor & Gamble 0

Over the last couple months I have spent a lot of time monitoring and adjusting our investments as the market has been so volatile and uncertain.

I trimmed back on anything financial or related to financial. For example I sold positions in Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Discover. I also reduced or sold some positions that have appreciated a lot and where the companies are really over-valued at this time, over-valued stocks are most likely to be knocked down. If this happens with some stocks we hold, I will most likely be a buyer again once they are at under-valued price.

I would suggest now is a good time to be more defensive. Stocks like Berskhire Hathaway, Pepsi, Johnson and Johnson, Proctor and Gamble, etc. are good and safe investments right now. Silver is also a good bet with the rapidly declining dollar over the last few months.

Full Disclosure: I own shares of Pepsi, Berkshire Hathaway and I hold investments in bullion silver.

June 2, 2007

Discover Spinoff from Morgan Stanley

Jeremy Ryan DFS, Discover, Discover Financial Services, Morgan Stanley, MS 0

On June 30 Morgan Stanley (MS) will be spinning off it’s Discover Financial Services business to shareholders. I believe this poses a great opportunity for investors as Morgan Stanley, like it’s peers in the investment services industry, is quite undervalued.

However, credit card companies like Mastercard and American Express are commanding good premiums for their shares. Therefore, once Discover is it’s own publically traded company, it’s shares should rise to meet it’s peers valuations.

Discover should be able to increase earnings as independent company as there won’t be the conflict of interest when getting banks to distribute cards any longer. Many firm/banks didn’t want to deal with Discover because the parent company Morgan Stanley is a competitor of theirs. This won’t be a problem now. Also, being independent should unlock the entrepreneurial spirit in the company.

There is also the possibility that another firm may want to buy Discover, especially if the price doesn’t rise significantly right away.

After the spinoff, keeping Morgan Stanley is still worthwhile, even though you may not see much appreciation in their stock for a while as the market has been keeping them and their peers down for some time, but holders should be rewarded eventually.

I grabbed a few shares yesterday.

Full Disclosure: I own shares of Morgan Stanley.